Life in the fast lane--where's the on ramp?

By Pat_B - About Me - E-mail this page - Add to My Favorites - Add to Blog List - See other blogs in Journal

Friday, July 18, 2025

My Unfavorite Commercials

I'm so over those Progressive commercials. They're either aggravating or boring. I don't like having a finger shaken in my face at any time, but that white-haired guy who lectures everyone not to act like their parents, is especially off-putting. He's doing exactly what he tells other NOT to do. Flo... Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, July 17, 2025

The Dickens You Say...

Seventy-plus years ago in Mrs. Newton's English Literature class at MHS, we studied classics - one that I remember was Charles Dickens' 1859 classic: "A Tale of Two Cities." We grumbled because she was so demanding at times, and didn't really appreciate that our teacher was an Oxford University... Sign in to see full entry.

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

As the story goes, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

Lately I've noticed unbidden memories of things best forgotten come to mind. The brutal creep who was my first husband being the worst. I do not like myself when such ideas come to me. I'd much prefer to think of that time in my life as water under the bridge. Just occurred to me my state of mind... Sign in to see full entry.

Monday, July 14, 2025

Not Lois Lane, but...

When I worked at Southern Illinois University as office manager for Social Sciences Division, I had a couple student assistants, and worked with grad students and professors, all the usual office work plus editing papers written by professors for grammar and style. Social Science included history,... Sign in to see full entry.

Sunday, July 13, 2025

Not tonight. I have a headache.

Decided not to share what's on my mind this morning. This month is an anniversary of the breakup of my marriage to Fang, and all the sordid drama that went with it. Don't want to think about it, but memories have a way of tapping you on the shoulder whether or not you're interested. Meanwhile, the... Sign in to see full entry.

Friday, July 11, 2025

Emoji on the way...

A couple weeks ago I learned that my daughter-in-law's niece is expecting a baby. I decided to make a special baby-size crocheted beanie, patterned after my standard Poop Emoji beanie. Adapting the pattern turned out to be the easy part. The trouble came when I got ready to send it via UPS. My... Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, July 10, 2025

Halloween, 1950 -Tricks or Treats

Everybody looked forward to Halloween in Salkum, a village in the Cascade foothills of about 70 families. They had porch lights on, a carved Jack-o-Lantern grinning from the top step, and a generous bowl of tricks or treats for the goblins and ghouls who were sure to come a-knocking. Everyone, that... Sign in to see full entry.

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Reminder to myself: Don't poke a hornet's nest...

Which means, don't talk politics. This may not be quite the free country it was before our govt started snatching immigrants off the street and deporting them to random hell-hole countries, attacking educational institutions, censoring schoolbooks, denying the facts of history, and erasing programs... Sign in to see full entry.

Monday, July 7, 2025

Cleaning and Sorting

Going through a bookshelf yesterday looking for books I no longer want to keep or move with me if/when I relocate. That's when I came across a copy of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to American Government" second edition. A cover blurb reads: "The ultimate guide to the structure and function of every... Sign in to see full entry.

Sunday, July 6, 2025

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch...

While playing Mahjong this morning a scene began to play out in the back of my mind. It was an old western street; hitchrails, ruts in the street from the metal wagon wheels, a rough board sidewalk, the Sundowner saloon with its swinging doors, a couple cowboys in front of Ma Winslow's boarding... Sign in to see full entry.

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