Tuesday Randoms

Thought I would "officially" link up to the Random Tuesday Thoughts lady, since I have plenty of random thoughts for today.

Some very all-over-the-place random thoughts, in fact,

ruminations and a few jokes.

Let's start with the jokes, first(so I can have an excuse to use the laughing seal photo).

My grandmother was a very tough woman. She buried three husbands and two of them were just napping.
-Rita Rudner
****************
My grandmother is over eighty and still doesn't need glasses. Drinks right out of the bottle. -Henny Youngman


A little more seriously now......

What does it say about a country when there is more of an outcry over a plan to insure universal health care to every citizen in a "supposedly" wealthy, First World country than when a it was decided to invade another country?

More thoughts....

Thelonious Monk. Such an awesome name. Too bad I can't listen to his music. Tried the other night. Had to turn it off, since it was making me feel anxious and jumpy.

I kind of feel the same way about veggie burgers. Great sounding idea--burgers without meat! But even though I have experimented with a few recipes--some with chick peas like a falafel(which I love), some with quinoa, some brown rice or a combination of these), they never come out tasting..fantastic. If anyone has a really good veggie burger recipe, please let me know!

I saw the trailer for the movie version of Where The Wild Things Are. Depressing. One of the "monsters" was talking like Tony Soprano. That book is as old as I am, and I have known that book all my life. The monsters don't talk--not to me, anyway(except maybe for that "Let the wild rumpus begin!" line), and I would never have thought if one of them did speak it would sound like a freakin' Soprano. I know...artistic license and all, but why did it have to be turned into a movie? Why???? How did Maurice Sendak allow this?

I have always wanted a pair of these:

Since the 80's, I have wanted these shoes(I used to have two pairs of plain black Doc Martens). So...out of curiosity the other day, I decided to see if I could find these black and white wingtip brogues online. Of course, I could! There they were--still being made by the Dr. Marten shoe/boot people. Maybe I will finally get me a pair for my big 50th birthday--it's either that or a greyhound. I always envisioned myself wearing these with somewhat baggy pinstriped trousers. Even better, maybe when I am 50, I'll be wearing these shoes and strutting down the street with a greyhound and a smaller dog named Jewel.

I just realized that I must have a thing for the combination of simple black and white. Two-tone shoes. White on black polka dots. Black and white stripes. Old black and white movies. And I love drawing with black ink on white paper.

A book I really want to get my hands on and read is David Byrne's "Bicycle Diaries".

From the David Byrne website:
"Since the early 1980s, David Byrne has been riding a bike as his principal means of transportation in New York City. Two decades ago, he discovered folding bikes and started taking them on tour. Byrne's choice was made out of convenience rather than political motivation, but the more cities he saw from his bicycle, the more he became hooked on this mode of transport and the sense of liberation it provided. Convinced that urban biking opens one's eyes to the inner workings and rhythms of a city's geography and population, Byrne began keeping a journal of his observations and insights.
An account of what he sees and whom he meets as he pedals through metropoles from Berlin to Buenos Aires, Istanbul to San Francisco, Manila to New York, Bicycle Diaries also records Byrne's thoughts on world music, urban planning, fashion, architecture, cultural dislocation, and much more, all conveyed with a highly personal mixture of humor, curiosity, and humility. Part travelogue, part journal, part photo album, Bicycle Diaries is an eye-opening celebration of seeing the world from the seat of a bike."

Not only does this man sing, write and perform music(Talking Heads and beyond...), he's an artist, keeps an online journal--check out his website to see it all.

I wish I could bicycle around more, as a way of getting places--the store or to work. It seems not feasible with the lifestyle I am living now. Further out from the town where all the stores are and my place of work. A mother of a daughter whom I have to shepherd around quite a bit with all the after school activities. Cross-country practice every day, and having to get her friend/team mate home as well. Chamber singing group Monday evenings back at the school. I feel like I am bringing her EVERYWHERE these days, and I am kind of sick of my car, to be honest.

At the same time, I am so happy my kid is happy in her freshman year in high school. She is totally a "joiner" and really(so far, anyway) into the whole school spirit thing, while I was the complete opposite when I was in high school. I am a little amazed that she is my kid.

Now, if only she didn't have to be interested in a 17 year old boy(and he with her), and having some serious attitude with her parents(lately, it is pretty bad), things would be perfect.

One more random thought , I just thought of:
If I do ever get my greyhound, shall I name him Fenway or Thelonious?