The Fixture

  The knock at the back door was brief and quick.  She stumbled through the magazines and newspapers, kicking the cat by accident and hollered, "Coming!".

By the time Cassandra made it to the back door, her slippers had already collected two days worth of coupons.   Standing on one foot, she removed the trash from a foot and answered the door.

  Two ungainly guys stood looking at her like she was nude.  To her embarrassment, Cassandra realized it wasn't a flannel nightgown she was wearing, but rather, a neglige she utilized only when she masturbated to online cartoon porn.  And she forgot to douche.  

  The fat one coughed, turned red and muttered something about changing her fixtures.  He seemed to find the ground fascinating.   His emaciated and toothless parter seemed to find Cassandra's neglige mesmerizing and his eyes were fixed on her crotch.  She wondered if there was a coupon stuck there as well.

  Despite all this awkwardness, Cassandra invited the red-faced men inside and directed them to the broken light fixture in the kitchen.  Then she backed out of the kitchen and promptly stepped on the elusive cat who let out a yowl and scratched her foot in retaliation.  The blood poured dramatically down into her fluffy white slippers, staining the fleece.

  She noticed the pattern looked a bit like Jesus, but declined to mention it aloud.   She removed her slipper and placed it into a box marked "Jeebus" where she kept found items with Jesus' face on them. The box held a stale Dorito that Cassandra swore looked liked Jesus doing a headstand, and a rock she found along the road that held His backside in it.  Now her collection included a bloody slipper with the strong odor of feet.  She sat down before her computer and scoured Google for new Jesus sightings in food.

  Over in the kitchen, the two men were talking in whispers to one another so the weird woman would not hear them.  They rolled their eyes at the lady in the ill fitting nighty and stole saffron from her cupboards.  The skinny worker even helped himself to a Klondike bar from her freezer.  After seeing THAT in a nighty, he deserved one, he thought to himself.  His name was Ralph, and that's what he felt like doing right now because the Klondike bar was old, and so was this lady.
  Milton looked for something resembling a step ladder.  All he saw was an old recliner sitting next to the trash can. He grinned to himself as he thought of the old bag sitting on the old recliner doing unholy things to herself with saffron and summer squash.  He wondered if Ralph had the same thoughts.  But after a quick peek at Ralph, and seeing a pained look on his face, he withdrew that thought and turned back to his work.
  He still needed a step ladder, and the recliner wouldn't work.  He took a deep breath, strode into the other room, and spoke to The Lady.
  "Ma'am do you have a step ladder or something I can use to change your light fixture?"
  Cassandra looked up from her computer, "Pee outside, the cat  box is full," she said in a faraway voice.
  Milton grunted,then sighed and shuffled through the paper waste back to the kitchen. The Lady is nuts.
  Ralph had finished throwing up in the litter box when Milton returned.  Milton grabbed Ralph by the back of his shirt collar and marched him into the kitchen.
  "Go down," he instructed, pushing Ralph down on all fours.
  Ralph promptly threw up on the linoleum.
  Milton was determined to get this job done, so he stepped on the back of his vomiting friend which gave him enough height to remove the old fixture.  The squirming and gurgling friend was  being of no help in this matter.  He couldn't stop vomiting long enough to hand him the screw driver.  What an ingrate.  He grabbed the screwdriver from his back pocket, and quickly removed the fixture.  Holding it gingerly, he paused and wondered if he could use Ralph like this more often.
  Ralph's ribs were beginning to creak under Milton's weight.  He tried to say something, but all that would come out was bile.  He tried to see, but could barely focus on his half digested breakfast that was before and  under him.
  Milton stepped off his friend, and a big "Woooooof" came out of Ralph.  Milton suddenly realized the stench in the air.  And the mess beside him that was Ralph and his breakfast.  He also noticed Ralph was face down in the mess.  He casually flipped his skinny friend over with his size thirteens.
  Ralph was indeed a sight to behold.  Laying prone on the floor, his arms were splayed outward and his legs remained straight, as though nailed to the floor.  It looked a bit like....
   That's when Cassandra came in and screamed.   "Don't touch Him!"  She cried and lunged her wrinkled self onto Ralph.
  "Forgive me Jesus!"  She screeched, shoving her sagging boobs unknowingly into his mouth.
  "Urggghhhh" Ralph moaned
  Milton stood aside and watched this spectacle of horror for a few moments, then calmly put the screwdriver back into pocket and walked out the door, closing the door softly behind him.  From outside the door he could still The Lady screaming and begging.  He knew Ralph would be okay.  Then he got into the truck and went to McDonald's for a sweet tea.  Work always made him thirsty.

An Uncloaking

  I suffer from depression.  I believe I was diagnosed with clinical depression in and around 1986.  And ever since, I have fought to keep things under control.  I have been on several anti depressants over the years, and currently I'm taking one that seems to have helped me the most.  At least, until now.
  For the past year or more, I have turned into a hermit.  I stay home. I usually stay home in my robe.  It takes a lot of energy for me to try to even visit a long-time friend.  Bathing daily is almost impossible.  I don't know why.  I color my hair because I hate seeing the grey, but washing my hair more than twice a week is something I just don't do anymore.  And what makes it worse; I don't even care.
  I don't care to look good anymore.  Makeup just sits in my box in the bathroom barely used.  Shaving my legs?  Why bother, no one cares.  Buying new clothes?  Forget it, that means going out of the house.
  I tried joining Facebook to connect with others more.  That seemed fun for a while.  The games I used to play on Facebook grew tiresome.  I feel no one cares about me.  I don't have as many "friends" as others on Facebook.  Not many people "like" my posts.  I am alone in a crowd.
  So earlier today, I deactivated my Facebook account.  I believe it's contributing to my depression.  It certainly isn't making me feel connected to people. It just makes the rift look larger.
  I understand I'm under a lot of pressure and grieving from the death of my father. Being executor is not easy.  I wish this task upon no one.   And it's thankless task for certain.  The only thing the other heirs want is their money.  I'm working on that.  I just wish it would go faster, but I can't force the courts.  I tell them this.  And in return, I get people talking of  me behind my back. And I think someone put a knife there, too.
  My husband is my rock.  He is so kind and loving to me. He leaves me love notes each and every morning before he goes to work.  He lets me cry.  He lets me yell.  And in return, he still loves me.  I can't even express to him adequately how much that means to me.  I just still feel so numb.  And sad.  And lackluster.
  I hope I don't sound selfish, because that's the one thing I strive not to be.  I will say I am one of the most generous people that I know.  I ROCK generosity.
  I guess what I want is to feel appreciated, instead of being used.  Doormats have feelings, too.

Traipsing through hell

  A long time ago, I met a guy whom I thought was "interesting".  And also, schizophrenic.  That didn't bother me, because he was pretty intelligent. It also didn't bother me that he was living in a boarding house in Akron.  It should have have  bothered me.  It also should have bothered me that he didn't drive, didn't work, and carried a bible in the belt of his jeans.  I thought I was being open-minded, not naive.
  I dated this dude for six weeks, married him in a tiny little all black church, and moved into a horrible apartment in West Akron with him just to spite my parents.  Our "wedding day" also happened to be the same day of my parent's wedding anniversary.  Talk about causing a rift in the family!  My alcoholic father threatened to shoot him often.  My mother was heartbroken. And so terribly disappointed in me.
  Life in the tiny apartment was weird.  It was only two rooms. A big old three story home was converted into one and two bedroom apartments.  We had to share a bathroom with others on the third floor.  I remember using Ajax all the time.  I was the only one working.  And I got pregnant shortly after we married.
  I found out schizophrenics don't sleep much.  At least this one didn't.  He would pace the room, or walk around town at all hours of the day.  He could drive, but preferred to walk.  He had a strange habit of smoking cigarette butts he found on the street.  But he preferred chewing tobacco.
   He also had the most crazy sexual appetite and would insist upon sex up to twelve times a day.  He always had to have sex.
  I was the only one working in this relationship, so I had the car most of the time.  He was suspicious of everyone and would often walk the 10 miles to my workplace to sit on the hood of my car and wait for me to get off work.
  When we got a telephone, he would phone me at work over twenty times a day.  This is no exaggeration.  It could possibly be more.  Because of his constant phone calls, and the visits to my workplace, I was fired.  I can understand why they did.  He was affecting my work. I was becoming a nervous pregnant mess.
  The ex could also be violent.  I can vaguely remember getting into loud arguments, and once he hit me.  I came after him with a baseball bat and broke his nose for it.  That may have also been the same night I threw his dinner out the window.  Plate and all.
  Once when I was driving him somewhere, he grabbed the wheel of the car and tried to make us wreck.
   The ex heard voices and saw things that were not there.  He often told me he was Job and that God spoke to him.  I never believed God spoke to him, but I did believe he believed it was true.  I thought all he needed was love, attention, and lots of medication.
  Well, he tried the medication route for a few weeks, but those anti psychotic medicines have terrible side effects.  Why so many schizophrenics often gave up on them.  My ex preferred to smoke pot, walk around town, and fight with me.
  The final straw came when he locked himself in the bathroom with a straight razor and told me that God told him to cut his balls off.  He would become pure.  I tried to reason with him as best I could.  I told him that if we went down to the emergency room, the doctors there could do this procedure for him. Thereby, doing God's will. Somehow, this worked.  We got to the emergency room, I told them my husband was a schizophrenic, and after he told them he wanted his nuts cut off, I signed the papers to commit him to the mental ward.
  Since he was poor, they put him in a local mental hospital called Fallsview.  It's a terrible place.  I visited him there, and found out he was fucking one of the patients.  We got into a fight on one of my visits, and he pushed down the steps as I was leaving, and ran out of the building.  It took only a few hours for the police to catch him.  But in my panic, I had tried to find him myself and got into a car accident at a nearby intersection.
  I was only married to the ex for one year.  I had tried to leave him on three occasions, but always came back out of pity.  And my own stupidity.
  I believe it was about six months into our marriage when I committed him.  I moved into my grandmother's house, and he eventually moved back to his home state of Georgia.
  As the years went on, I found out in 2001, he was murdered in a prison for the criminally insane by his own roommate.  
  To this day, and I know it's not nice, but I'd  like to send that man a thank you card for putting this miserable creature out of his own personal hell.  He lived a life of torment, and I guess he died that way, too.  It seems kind of fitting.

An Atheist at Christmas

  This is the first year I have officially declared my atheism.  In fact, it's taken me a while to even learn to spell it correctly without the spellchecker catching it.  So yes, I'm new to this.  And yes, I'm nervous.
  Without boring or angering my dear few readers, I would like to assure you I don't think ill of Jesus.  I don't even think ill of Mohammad, Moses, or even Buddha. Because those people lived.  They existed, and there is sound proof.  Their words were wise, and continue to inspire many to this day.  That's fine with me.
  I simply have a hard time believing that Jesus was really born in December 25, according to our present day calendar.  But, if the majority of Christians want to celebrate this day in December, I'm cool with that.  It breaks up the monotony of the the winter months.
  To me, God is like Santa; a figment of mankind's creation but can be compared to God in many ways.  Santa is perfect.  Santa watches over us.  Santa likes to give gifts.  Santa has a naughty list.
  But unlike God, Santa does not have the equivalence of The Devil.  Santa does not send bad children anywhere like Hell.  They just get coal.  Santa doesn't make threats.  Santa is married.  God is not.  Santa is jolly.  God gets pissy.
  So if you want to frown at me for celebrating Christmas, then so be it.  The reason for the season is what you make of it.  And I choose to be more like Santa.

Trip Report: Walt Disney World 2011

May 13 - 16 Coronado Springs Resort

Cabanas Building B

Room 9528  

We got to the airport in plenty of time.  The security check was a breeze and no one got patted down.  But we did get our hands wiped with a round cloth.  They never said why, but I quietly assumed TSA wanted to be sure we were not playing with explosives before we left.  We had one pice of luggage with the Disney's Magical Express sticker firmly and properly affixed.  Our trust was now in the hands of the airlines and The  Mouse's gloved hands.

TWO HOURS LATER:

WELCOME TO WALT DISNEY WORLD: 

Disney's Magical Express is great!  This was our first time using it and I was so impressed!  We found the bus easily enough because in the airport there were signs directing you to BUSES.  All we had to do was go down an escalator to find the Magical Express. Fantastic!

Since we arrived at Coronado Springs before the 3pm check in time, we had to wait for a text when our room was ready.  This gave us a chance to grab a margarita at the outside bar that sits beside the nice lake.

This is our second visit to Coronado Springs, and we found our room to be quite suitable and clean.  Everything worked and nothing appeared to be in need of a renovation.  The  bedspreads were washable!  So I knew they were clean.  Mousekeeping even left us a cute little towel doggie!  

I love the Mickey soaps and H20 Aquatics products they use here.  We had to use the shampoo and conditioner because we purposely didn't pack our regular-size hair products.  I did put 2 Mickey soaps into my bag, and let Mousekeeping replace them the next day.

Our room was near the main building, El Centro,  and bus stop #1.  This is the NOT the best bus stop to be close to because it's the last stop to be picked up.  The busses first stop at #2, then #3, #4 and finally, #1.   Once, we had to wait for another bus because the EPCOT bus that came along first was too full and we were turned away.  It wasn't a big deal, because we were in no hurry.  Another came along quickly enough.  Overall, we were able to catch any bus we wanted with little problem.  A few times, we had to stand while riding the bus.  

THE DINING CHAPTER:

We had the dining plan and had sit-down meals at the following restaurants:  Please note, even if we had appetizers, they are NO LONGER part of the dining option.  You can only choose an entree, dessert and your non-alcoholic drink.

Our first dinner was at The Brown Derby in Hollywood studios.  Hubby had crab cakes as an appetizer and I ordered the curly spinach salad with watercress and strawberries.  Hubby proclaimed the crab cakes to be BEST he ever had.  And he's had a lot of crab cakes in his time, too.  I fell in love with my salad.  They used a sweet vinaigrette dressing and threw in walnuts and craisins.  Delicious!  It made me want have an affair with salad.  It was THAT good.  Hubby ordered the beef with truffle mashed potatoes and I had crusted salmon over asparagus.  The beef was so tender it almost brought tears to my eyes when I tasted it.  That cow must have been massaged twice a day, it was so glorious.  My crusted salmon was moist and perfect.  I have had overcooked salmon in the past, and this fish was cooked right!  Hubby enjoyed his sampling of my salmon, and we both vowed to try crusting salmon at home.

By now, we were so stuffed, we chose to take our desserts home.  A cheesecake and berry cobbler were put into containers and we carted them around EPCOT then threw them in the mini fridge  back at the room later.

The cheesecake survived fine and was delightful the next morning. Alas, my cobbler did not fare so well.  It tasted of Bisquick.

Our next dinner was a gift of my husband's family and we dined at Coral Reef in EPCOT.   This dinner was not part of the dining plan.  The view of the fish in the huge aquarium was great, but the menu seemed to be lacking.  We ordered steaks because the other choices didn't really appeal to us.  Besides, I had salmon the night before.  There really were not THAT many seafood choices for a place built by an aquarium.  

Our New York strip steaks were cooked just right.  No mistake on my medium-rare steak.  The steaks were served with asparagus that was also cooked nicely.    

Our final sit down dinner was at Tokyo Dining in EPCOT's Japan pavilion.

We selected our entrees from the sushi and sashimi menu.  Both dinners were presented in a dark wooden box and offered four different items per box.  From what I recall I had a sampling of California roll, tempura vegetables and one tempura shrimp.  Tender pork pieces were also offered in a nice light gravy.  One other item eludes me at the moment but I think it was a few nicely cut vegetables I did not recognize in a type of sauce. I just recall they tasted good.

Hubby's dinner-in-the box was called Fuji and it contained pieces of pork, beef tenderloin in a sauce, some tempura shrimp, pieces of California roll, tuna and salmon sashimi.  

Rice and, miso soup were also served as part of our dinner.  

For desert, hubby had ice cream and I chose a green tea pudding.  Both were delightful and light.  The staff even sang Happy Birthday to my husband and presented him with an adorable tiny origami picture frame with a tiny quick drawing of Mickey!  It is so precious!

For our quick service meals, we chose breakfast one day from our resort's Pepper Market and had lunch there twice as well.  I like the Pepper Market because of the variety.   One day, I had a BLT croissant with chips and the other day I had a giant beef burrito.  Hubby had a Philly steak sandwich one day and a big Cobb salad the other day.  For our desserts, we had macadamia white chocolate chip cookies on our last day.  And before that, we had cinnamon rolls and pecan rolls.

For snacks, we ate Mickey ice cream bars and I had these frozen fruit pops that are swirled in color and had a name like Kazoodle.  I know that name is not right, but it's close enough until I can correct this entry with the right name.

WHAT WE SAW:

The EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival was our main focus.  Due to rains the first few days, we didn't get to see everything until our third day.  The topiary is absolutely amazing and so well done.  Since I'm such a huge Tinker Bell fan, my favorite place was Pixie Hollow.  The topiary fairies were delightful.  

Fantasmic! was a madhouse at the first show, so we stood outside the theater, behind the white line, and watched without too much of an obstruction or any clucking from the cast members.  It was great scary fun and technologically amazing.  I loved it!  

The Main Street Electrical Parade was so much fun, I had to see it twice!  I wept with joy each time, too.   I am in love with the music and want it for my very own.  Tinker Bell leading the parade was awesome! 

We didn't do too many rides, because our main focus was just relaxing, seeing the sights and eating the great meals.  Well, we did squeeze in a few favorite rides that had to be ridden like Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Peter Pan's Flight, and Kilimanjaro  Safari.  We finally got to see Soarin'.  The last few times we tried, the Fast Passes were gone and the lines were way too long.

I also got to ride Dumbo for the first time in my life!  It was great fun and such a charming old-fashioned type ride. 

THE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE:

I have often said that Walt Disney is just a mall with rides and shows.  And I love to shop for family and friends while visiting!  This time, I treated myself to one of those Dooney and Bourke Disney crossbody purses.  I spied it in a Main Street store and simply had to get one in a pretty "Disney blue".  I received many compliments and it suited my park needs well.  It has plenty of room and lots of handy pockets on the inside.  And it's durable, as I own a few Dooney purses and they are still holding up quite well.

Because the nights got so cold, and I neglected to pack anything resembling a jacket or long sleeve shirt, I purchased a zippered sweatshirt with Magic Kingdom on the back.  Grey is not my most favorite color, but at the time, it seemed just fine.  I was freezing!

I also treated myself to a new hat, and a Mickey icon headband antenna that wiggles.  I have two others in pink and purple, so I chose green on this visit.  They are so much fun to wear anywhere. 

FINAL IMPRESSIONS:

Disney never ceases to amaze me with the technological advancements they offer guests.  From the animatronic characters in Pirates of the Caribbean to the far more modern and complex amazements that are Soarin' and Fantasmic!, Disney delivers.

The marketing machine is also to be admired.  Everywhere we looked, you are forever reminded you are in the World of Disney.  Our TV will always power up to a Disney station promoting the virtues and joys of Disney.  Mickey called to leave hubby a birthday message.  It never stops. And while you are there, you don't want it to stop.  So you take things home to make the magic last.  Even the paper coasters in the room made it to my suitcase.

But as all tales go, this one too must end.  And it's a happy ending, for even my bank account is content.  We had a joyful time!  Thank you Disney!

They say it's your birthday...

Today is my friend Ruth's birthday.

She is now L.

Happy birthday Ruthie!

Girls' Night!

  Ahhh finally a night out with a friend!    SS and I enoyed one of my favorite artists, Leon Redbone, who was playing at at the Kent Stage this evening.  The show was like an inner tube trip down a lazy river on a hot summer's day.  I love his easy going nature, dry humor, his nimble fingers on the guitar, and of course, that trademark voice.

  I can't recall each and every tune that was played, but I do remember that Polly Wolly Doodle and Harvest Moon were crowd favorites.   I had only seen Leon once before with my brother well over a dozen years ago or more in Cleveland at some bar on the East bank of the flats.  That show held the same intimate feeling as this evening's event.  This was SS's first time seeing him, and I dare say, I think she enjoyed him well.

  Prior to the concert, we stopped in at a few stores in downtown Kent.  Mostly SS was looking for a place to showcase some of her stained glass bees and other glass artwork.  At the first store, I bought some gourmet chocolates and two glass pendant necklaces for the bargain price of $4.99 each.  The total bill was under twenty dollars, so I was content with my purchase.

  Having some more time before the concert, we crossed the street and ventured into a store along Acorn Alley.  After a few minutes inside, I realized I had seen the shop owner before.  It was Zalla, with whom I had spoken years ago at a mall where she had a kiosk for the Christmas holiday.  Small world!  And it seems Zalla may allow SS to sell some bees in her shop!  I wish SS and Zalla the best in this venture.

  We didn't stay in Kent long after the show.  In fact we only stopped for coffee at McDonald's.  Not the most exciting ending to a lovely night, but it was just right.  And, it was what I needed!