The Cliffs of Insanity

My Friend Todd sent me a clay Green Man with alien Grey eyes. If it were any other person who had sent this to me, I'd be wondering how on Earth they knew I needed a Green Man to bless and protect my home but, since it was Todd to send this to me, I remain completely unsurprised. Despite the miles and years that separate us, it's comforting to know that our bond of friendship is still so strong.

With Aunt Tudi's help, we placed the Green Man on one of the front porch posts, facing the steps. This way, anyone walking up the steps to knock on our front door will be witness to and before the Green Man. ( see him! )

As of today, we have Sea Monkeyage! The first Sea Monkey I've spied, I've named Adama. I had to use a flashlight to be able to even spot this one, but I'm looking forward to many more petlings over the course of the coming week. I'd take a picture, but there's really nothing to photograph right now, nothing that could be picked up by a lens in any case. But yeah.... Sea Monkeys!

Diane came over to watch some LOST with me. She'd only seen part of a show in the first season and was eager to see what it was all about. There's nothing quite as wonderful as popping the cherry of a LOST virgin. If she said "Jesus Christ!" once, she said it about a dozen times, and that was only watching the first four episodes. She went home with the season 1 DVD as well as Battlestar Galactica season 1 and From Hell.

For some odd reason, Todd sent me a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. I'll be calling him tonight to thank him for it and discover his motive behind it. I don't think he's ever sent be booze before. Strange. Also got a card from sri3m and one from razzle. How sweet! Thanks to thee! :)

In about an hour, I'll be heading to visit Llew, then home to pick up Aunt Tudi for a trip to the grocery store. We're gonna tape LOST and go on to the store, then watch it when we get back home.

So it's been a pretty good day today. I'm ready to go to bed.

A long while back, I decided to give ridiculous subject lines to my more random posts that didn't offer up a decent subject line on their own. I'm explaining this on account of the new influx of readers lately, just so they know I haven't gone off the deep end.

I got high on an orange. A medium-sized Sunkist seedless navel orange. It was soooo good and soooo juicy and I am soooo craving citrus that I flipped out. It was a religious experience. This has been the first orange I've had in about a year. I've just been juicing my way to fruit requirements (Simply Orange orange juice is a gift from gawd). Lately, though, I've been jonesin' for the real thing. Last week I indulged in tangerines. When we went to the store today, I got two oranges and three more tangerines. The orange was squirtalicious!

As I passed the bedroom on my way to the loo, I looked in at Smidgen and Shmoop on my bed and admonished them: "Get off my bed, you lazy no-good-fer-nuthin' cats!" Fulfilling their catly duties, they both ignored me and continued to sleep. And all was right with the world.

Earlier I talked with Todd. Seems there have been more layoffs at SonyBMG. Some people didn't get the luxury of being called into HR. They were notified via cell phone while they were on their way to work. How lousy is that? And one was informed that it had nothing to do with his contribution to the company, it was 'just 'cos'. What does that do for the remaining serfs, I ask? Where's the incentive to strive for betterment? Where's the encouragement to maintain morale? Todd is now getting a hefty dose of what I'd had a belly-full of since 2001.

Aunt Tudi and I are discussing going back to the Four Holes Swamp maybe sometime in late April or May. We won't do the canoe tour this time because 4 hours was a bit too long for Aunt Tudi to deal with sitting on a the bottom of a metal boat and bumping into swamp knots. Instead, we'll do the hike, which comprises of strolling down a walkway that has benches dotted along the way. It's around a 2 mile walk, if memory serves and it's a lovely experience. We did about half of the hike while waiting for the canoe tour to commence last year.

I'm also keen on getting a tent and a sleeping bag. We already have one sleeping bag, so we need just one more. I'd very much like to go camping come Springtime. Camping in the Smoky Mountains, maybe at Mills River. I'd like to get a site at a deep part of the river so I could go snorkeling. I love being submerged in icy cold river water. I'd probably love doing the same in ocean water. In fact, I know I would. I've always wanted to SCUBA dive. There's a SCUBA shop in Spartanburg and I think they offer lessons. Now that I'm no longer a blob and could probably fit in a wet suit, I should go and inquire within.

I missed the PaYnE jam today because I was under the impression that today was Friday all day long. I'm a moron and an idiot. Just texted sifu_rick with an apology. Man, I feel like a heel. This is what happens when you're unemployed and lose track of time.

I have some sort of stomach flu. It started last night and has been horrid today. I haven't eaten a bite all day, yet I'm still dry-heaving. It's bloody unpleasant, I say!

I'm taking the day off from writing today, if I continue to feel like this. My thoughts aren't the best-directed today. I've already met the 50k quota and the rest is gravy. I'm adding Beautiful Pets as an introductory chapter for Cadmus. This should make falkenna very happy. I was thinking about adding The Embrace of Cadmus as well, but I've pretty much decided against that. It's a stand-alone story that wouldn't fit in with the rest of The Chalice.

---

A few days ago I got The Stand on DVD. The Stand was the second book by Stephen King that I'd ever read. The first one was The Shining. I've read tons of Stephen King, but The Stand remains my favourite book to this day. I think it's because this is Stephen King's version of the Alpaca Lips and I have a weakness for Alpaca Liptic stories.

Anyway, I read The Stand in 1980 during my two week stay in West Virginia. I was enthralled from start to finish, and was particularly intrigued with the character of Nadine Cross. For some reason, I always felt a kinship to her. I could easily see myself being promised to some infernal entity who would turn my hair white overnight. The most disturbing part of the film adaptation is Laura San Giacomo's performance as Nadine, especially when she's brought out of the desert by Randall Flagg. "We are dead and this...is...HELL..."

And then there's Randall Flagg. I was totally in love with him when I read the book. The cover of the paperback I had proudly displayed his dark visage and I was fascinated with him.



Come to think of it, he looks an awful lot like Darth Maul on this cover. Hm. I remember losing myself completely in those intense cat eyes and marvelling at the power he wielded in the story. Maybe that's why I related to Nadine so well. Maybe I'm damned.

I like Jamey Sheridan, but I have never been able to reconcile with his being cast as Randall. That's just me, though. I guess Stephen King was pleased with Mr. Sheridan since he had a lot to do with the filming of his own book. No one knows a person's characters better than the person who created them. So I accept it, but the Randall I see in my mind's eye looks more like the book cover and nothing like Jamey Sheridan.

As for The Stand and The Stand, I find myself hoping that the Avian Flu will be like Captain Trips. We seriously need to have our arses whupped by something so small we can't even see it. It would be a horrible thing to happen to humanity but, given our behaviour over the past few centuries, we more than deserve it.

---

I'm currently sipping a Welch's sparkling grape soda to try to get my stomach to settle. This is the best damned grape soda I have ever had the pleasure of splashing on my happy little tongue. There is a party going on in my mouth right now. The stomach is still squealing and gurgling though, so I'm taking it slow.

---

I got a picture of Motley not long ago. Her eyes don't usually glow like this, but I think I have a cursed camera. She's quite affectionate and very sweet, but she's also very sick. It looks like her anus is prolapsed, which isn't a serious thing with kittens or puppies. You just poke their buttholes back in and they're fine. But the cause of this I think is a little more serious. She has some serious gastric issues and she's also chugged up like Smidgen and Shmoop were when we rescued them.

( manx bebbeh )

---

I just heard from Todd. He's safely back in Portland and texted to let me know. He'll be calling later on this evening. If the chance ever arises, I'm going out there to visit with him. It'll just be him and me, no family or any outside influence. We'll watch Pink Floyd's The Wall and cast a circle to share some peace in sacred space. Someday.

Lunch with Todd (toddzilla2001) went fabulously. We opted for Souper! Salad! and enjoyed the meal immensely, but the company was even better than that. It seems like we haven't endured long stretches of being apart once we're together, like we just pick up where we left off the last time, enjoying an ease and comfort that is uncanny.

Of course, I have pictures.

( the dynamic duo and 2-D too! )

We're planning on Todd coming over on Friday and maybe catching a movie that day too. Current movie of choice is Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, but that may change. Who knows?

At the moment, I am watching Exorcist III on TV. Although not the best movie in the world, it's one of my favourites for two reasons: 1) It defined who my favourite actor is and 2) it carries fond memories of Todd and me.

Exorcist III was one of the few movies that Todd and I ventured to the theatre to see. We went to the old cinema near the now closed Hillcrest Mall. We were, I believe, the only ones in the theatre that day. The seats were slightly damp and smelled of old sex juice, so Todd and I sat in a manner so that very little of our persons would have to touch the surface of the questionable cloth. Todd suggested that the concession stand should also be selling tarpaulins for folks who'd like protection for their seating. There's a part of the movie wherein a little old lady literally skitters on all fours on the ceiling above other old folks in a mental ward. This prompted Todd and me to forever onward sing the old Lionel Richie song "Dancing on the Ceiling" as "Oh, what a fee-eeling, when you're skitterin' 'cross the ceilin'!" Good times!

The only thing that got my mind off sitting on a damp, smelly seat was the incredible acting of Brad Dourif. I remembered him from Dune, playing Piter DeVries, the mad Mentat in service to the Harkonnen Family, but I didn't realise how intense he could be! From the moment he took the screen, Brad Dourif held me in thrall. Since seeing this movie, I have actively sought out his movies and will watch crap I would never otherwise entertain just to see Brad Dourif work his magic. I squee'ed like a little fan girl when I found out he was playing Grima Wormtongue. To have him connected to my beloved Tolkien was like a gift from the Mighties.

Watching Brad Dourif take total command of every scene he's in is worth a person's time to watch Exorcist III, if for no other reason.

I won't be going to see Llew this evening because he'll be babysitting Destiny. It appears that Billy and Melanie both have to work tonight, so that precludes any romantic encounters we may have planned. It's just as well, though, 'cos the weather is atrocious and I don't really fancy having to go back out in all this rain. Don't get me wrong, I adore rain, but there comes a point where it's no longer winsome and peaceful; rather, it's just messy and soggy. After around a month of no rain whatsoever, getting this much in a single day is preposterous.

I've put the season one DVD of Battlestar Galactica in my bag and will drop it off at Llew's tomorrow morning. I promised him he could borrow it and catch up on the goings-on of Starbuck and gang whilst I'm out of town. Llew seemed very excited at getting his paws on BSG. Here's hoping he enjoys it. What am I saying? I know he'll enjoy it. He also has a crush on Starbuck. We have this in common, he and I.

Earlier I had a groovy chat with Todd. He played me some System of a Down over the phone and we chattered about David Lynch's Dune (one of our favourite subjects as there's just so much material to work with there). He's planning on coming home next month for Thanksgiving. It's gonna be bloody good to see my bestest pal.

I'm craving orange juice like a Floridian on Crack. Now, I'm not claiming to know what a Floridian on Crack would crave other than Crack, nor am I making a derogatory remark about Floridians in general. I merely mention the Floridian on Crack because most orange juice comes from Florida. It's just a thing, man! I'm not PC, so shoot me. Anyway, that Simply Orange orange juice with heavy pulp throws me into multiple juicegasms. It's the best damned orange juice I've ever splashed down my throat. But now I'm out of juice. So I cry.

Aunt Tudi is on the phone with the Father Unit. I've asked that she inform him that, come Wednesday at 9 PM, he should just consider me nonexistent. LOST will be on at that time and, if the Father Unit even attempts to talk to me between 9 and 10 that night, I shall swiftly cut his throat. I'm serious, man. Ain't nobody gonna come between me and Freak Island!

I'm taking my laptop with me to Moncks Corner. It's not so much a luxury this time as it is a necessity. I'll have to do my weekly Monster.com search for my unemployment records. Needless to say, this means that I'll probably remain current on LJ. Surely, I cannot go a full week without access to my beloved Live Journal! Perish the thought!

I don't want to touch my 101K until after the first of the year. I have the car and two credit cards left to pay off, but I have insurance on both credit cards that will pay my bill for up to 6 months if I'm disabled or unemployed. So.....

Upon the opening of the large creaking door that currently keeps me trapped in The Pit, I am going to fly out with my severance like the Blue Bird of Happiness and immediately pay off my car. I'm then going to file the appropriate paperwork with the credit card insurance people and get that started, but I'm not going to pay off the cards at that time. I'm going to let the insurance I've been paying for for so long do its job for a while, then pay off whatever's left after the first of the year when I pull out the 101K.

Todd is going to be in NYC in September, so I'm rescheduling the NY trip to then so I can see him and show Aunt Tudi the Big Apple. This way, I won't have to go to Portland and can save some dough.

This will move the England trip up to mid-November, I'm thinking.

After the first of the year, I'll be eligible for lottery funds for school and will register for the March classes. At that time, I will pull out the 101K and apply at Dr. Patch's for the job I hope to have. By then I'll know my schedules and won't have to worry about any conflicts.

::determined nod:: I believe I have it all under control, just how I like things. Now, if I can just pull it off.

I couldn't wake up this morning! It might have had something to do with the fact I was dreaming of Timothy. I still miss him mightily and long for the Good Ole Days.

( what else? )