Wednesday, September 23, 2009

It's a dog's life for me.

Dear friends,

I would rather be doing what my dog is doing than working. Yes, you heard it here first...I think working (defined as 9-5pm, barely a lunch break to be seen, and dressing up...ugh) is overrated.

I know this is a bit of a "power statement," but I know it holds truth. We work all the time so we can have something fulfilled. Whether the fulfillment comes in monetary benefits, "making a difference", or keeping us busy, we all seem to have to do it. I propose something completely opposite. I suggest we take the "Dog's guide to life" approach. I know there is a book out there compiling this type of information, but I don't think he used my reasoning.

We should be like my dog.

1. When you are hungry, claw your owner (spouse, friend, anyone willing to pay for you) until they feed you. Don't back down. Just keep attacking. If they don't get up and give you food, then bark or whine at them. Not only is this a tactical approach, it uses guilt as its most valuable weapon. Kids have learned the same tactic. The girls on MTV's Sweet 16 seem to have it down to a science. Screw unconditional love, get me a cheeseburger. When it comes down to it, this requires little work for food. A few barks or yells here, and a few band-aids there, Voila!

2. Find fulfillment in sleeping long hours. I think we should move to a European (certain countries) style of working. Short hours, work done in spurts, drinking all other hours, dancing until late at night, then sleeping in, and doing it all over again. It sounds good to me. Buddy wakes up, eats, works a little on his bone or sheep that actually makes noises when you bite it, and goes back to bed. He repeats this same practice about three times during the day. I say we do the same thing. He seems to have a happy life working short hours. Why can't we?

3. The Dog Park as a vacation. Buddy and the dog park are like peanut butter and jelly. They just make sense together. I think he might believe he is going off to Bermuda or San Diego. The guy just loves his little short vacations. He goes to visit friends he has made. He sniffs around, pees a little leaving his mark for others to smell, and occasionally stops to take a good wiff of the wind. I say we do the same thing. Hell, in Iowa, going to Des Moines has become a vacation. The wife and I load up in the car, go to Costco, grab a beer at a sub-par microbrewery, and say hi to some friends who are too lazy to get their ass up to our area. Why travel extensively when you are on a budget like most of us are? Take the small trips. Use them to your advantage. During the winter, a trip to Des Moines can mean the difference between me killing everyone in sight or letting one extra jackass drive past me at 75 mph in a whiteout.

4. Digging holes to nowhere puts a smile on the face. Buddy loves digging holes to nowhere. Is there a worm down there? A small woodland creature? Who the hell knows. I don't think it matters. Since my pup is of the terrier persuasion, he loves digging holes to nowhere. I think we can find the same fulfillment in our lives. I often dig holes to nowhere. I might spend 13 hours working on some sort of project only to find myself scratching my head, laughing, and then going to sleep fulfilled. Hell, at least I did something with my day, even if the bookshelf is crooked, falling over, and has given me 45 splinters. It was totally worth it because the beer was good. There's nothing better than doing something with all your might, regardless of the outcome. I dig a LOT of holes.

5. Put your head out the window when driving. How many of us forget to open the windows on a really nice day? I see cars that have their windows closed, the air on, the music on, and BORED people. It's very depressing. I say, put those windows down. Hell, keep on the air if you have to. Put the windows down and let the air come in. Don't worry about your hair. If you are anything like me, you don't have much. Stop worrying. There's freedom in having the wind in your hair and the world in front of you. If Buddy likes it, so can I. Bugs have tons of protein, so stop complaining.

6. Dressing up can be fun. Why can't it be Halloween all year? Who says you can't be a Pirate all day long?

7. Keep your shades on. Buddy has a pair of Hannah Montana glasses that he doesn't actually mind wearing. While on the trip back out to Iowa, from California, Buddy decided to keep them on long after my wife originally forced him to wear the shades. He sat in the car with his head high, his ego fully in tact, and occasionally I felt him wishing he had cool parents. If he could have, I am sure he would have given us the paw. The thing he understood is that individual style matters. He was rockin' the shades for the long haul. Keep your shades on. Stay relaxed, cool, and comfortable. Life is too short to be a jackass.

Enough said.
Going home to take the dog out,

Stacy

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Post for a cold day

Dear readers,

I thought I would fight off the terrible Iowa weather (i.e. the start of fall and the end of my shorts season) by posting one of my favorite conversations of all time. It really needs no introduction, so I will keep it brief. This conversation illustrates some of the finer points of the english language and the cultural differences that add humor to the world.

Just read. This is the famous "Ink Pen" conversation.

Me: The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool
Me:I could quote shakespeare all day long
Friend: I wish it made me feel better
Me: Nothing will come of NOTHING
Me: The worst is not, so long as we can say, "This is the worst"
Me: I forgot about King Lear
Friend: he never stopped thinking about you
Me: yeah
Friend: what did you have for dinner last night?
*ignored friend for about 2 minutes*
Friend: HEY - Batwoman
Me: I ate a piece of Catfish
Me: that I cajunized
Friend: intersting ... i wonder why people don't say that they ate a piece of cow
Me: yeah
Me: they say Steak to make themselves feel better
Friend: haha
Friend: yeah .. you could only sell cow pieces for about 2.99/lb
Friend: and why does the name Catfish have the word fish in it? Who thought up that brilliant name? We get it - it's a fish...just seems redundant to me
Me: yeah
Me: well, if you called it cat, I think some people would have a problem
Friend: I suppose ... would have been easier to think up a name that hadn't been used already
Friend: I have the same issue with kansas city, oklahoma city, new york city
Friend: pick a different name, for fuck's sake
Me: Yeah
Friend: We get it - they are cities
Friend: haha
Me: It's hard to tell with all the big buildings
Friend: Maybe i should drive there in my nissan maxima car
Me: It could have been Oklahoma Farm if we didn't make sure we named is first
Me: Well, you could take the freeway road
Friend: haha
Friend: I'll have to bring lots of dollar money with me
Me: Don't forget the quarter coins for parking
Friend: yes
Friend: and i'll walk around for hours and hours on the sidewalk concrete
Friend: and drink lots of beer alcohol
Me: Be sure to check out Norstroms Store
Friend: and listen to jazz music, rock music, and blues music
Me: Maybe I should join you on my bicycle transportation to save on gas fuel
Friend: omg .. that reminds me of a phrase i sued to hear in KY all the time .. drove me NUTS
Friend: people there would always say "ink pen"
Me: hahahaahahahahaha
Friend: what other kind of pens are there?
Friend: is that so i don't get confused and write with a coal pen?
Friend: or a blood pen?
Friend: or a urine pen?
Friend: the first time I heard some dumbass say that, especially with the accent, it took me about 20 times to figure out what he was saying
Friend: Hey, lemme borrow your ink pen
Me: don't forget about a lead pencil
Friend: haha
Friend: or the chalk chalk
Me: That's a little redundant, don't you think?
Friend: and bring your clock watch so you know what time it is
Me: Shit, I have to pack my paperback book and hardcover books still
Friend: burn them
Me: what would I use, a matchstick?
Friend: with fire
Friend: make sure you use the flame fire though ... that's the best kind
Me: yeah, I wish I had my hand-held personal fire lighter
Friend: does it have a flame?
Me: yes
Me: sorry, hand-held personal fire flame lighter
Friend: is it also hand operated?
Me: yes
Me: hand-held, hand operated personal fire flame lighter
Me: I think I lost mine in the great car cleaning of 2006
Friend: ok .. this is just sad ...
Me: what?
Friend: this is a line from an ad for the Oshkosh converntion and visitors bureau ...
Me: why are you looking at that in the first place?
Friend: "Notice what Oshkosh has to offer you ... From Sawdust Days to the Leach Ampitheater, Oshkosh guarantees you will notice the excitement of the city"
Friend: it is in a magazine
Friend: that's the best they could come up with??? sawdust days????
Friend: Oshkosh offers it all
Me: yeah, it seems to
Friend: I could never live there .. I would just feel too dumb saying the name all the time
Friend: Oshkosh - hey, it ryhmes
Friend: why didn't they just name it umpa lumpa and be done with it?

After this, both of us became silent for about 15 minutes as my friend read the conversation again. I was working.

This is what I received next.

Friend: haha
Friend: hahaha - pretty funny
Me: you re-read it?
Friend: our conversations are the weirdest, most random streams of thought
Friend: it's like a dream sequence during the REM phase of sleep

Best conversation for a rainy day. I hope you enjoyed our REM dream sequence.

Stacy

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Beer of the Weekend

Dear readers,

I am going to start a new wave of postings. I have decided that I should add my love of beer to my blog about lesbians. This blog will now feature the postings, "Beer of the Weekend". Look for it. Love it. Comment on it. Let's spice this baby up.

For the inaugural beer, I am going with my neighbors to the north. Surley brewing has an awesome selection for the almost fall/holding on to summer weather.

Grab a lawn chair.

Get the bocce ball ready.

Pop the top on the can.

drink.

Admire the aluminum.

Enjoy.

Surly Cynic Ale, I salute you as my beer of the weekend.



Website tasting notes
Cynic - Oh great, a fizzy yellow beer in a can, that's just what the craft beer world needs! CnynicAle melds Old World ingredients in a new school style. French malted barley, English oats and Belgian yeast create honey & black pepper flavors. Lively Slovenian hops provide the floral, apricot and peach notes. Toss your doubts away, toss one back and enjoy!
IBUs - 33
ABV - 6.5%
Cans and Kegs Availabilty - Year Round

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Looking for answers?

Dear friends,

People are often looking for information that they are unable to find. For instance, I am always in need of help locating my watch, car keys, or answer to Newton's third law. When someone on facebook recently posted they were "looking for answers," I knew I could finally do some good for this world. I hopped online. Turned on the bat phone. Put on the bat signal. Telepathically communicated that I needed help from my buddy Steve. He replied. We created this list. I hope you are able to find what you are looking for.

1. It's in the top left dresser drawer
2. Turn right when you get to the end of the stop
3. Rosebud
4. x=2.495
5. Only if you don't go looking for trouble
6. In the eye of the beholder
7. If you believe He exists
8. 300
9. Sanford, Chickering and Holland
10. On Grand Ave
11. Panama Jack
12. John McCain, Sarah Palin, and Huckleberry Finn
13. No
14. Personal bank accounts at Washington Mutual
15. ID#886543925
16. Ear fungus
17. Indian lunch buffet
18. Dodgeball
19. Vegas on February 23, 2014
20. Case Western Reserve University
21. Scorpio
22. 37 IBU
23. Chicken fights
24. roast leg of lamb
25. time in a bottle
26. 6 of one, half a dozen of the other
27. shut your pie hole
28. The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain
29. Turn this mother out
30. Monkeys
31. UW-Green Bay
32. Santa Fe, NM
33. Dogfish 120 Minute IPA
34. Deluxe mixed nuts
35. Take a right where the Miller's farm used to be
36. Tie a knot in it
37. Lindsey Lohan
38. Colonel Mustard in the library with the lead pipe
39. Unfiltered
40. San Fernando Valley
41. Mr. Withers
42. The third law
43. Firecrackers at dawn
44. Like taking candy from a baby
45 Jeepers
46. Lemon ricotta pancakes
47. Anti-itch cream
48. Tiny Tim
49. Don Knotts
50. Spicy crab dip

You are welcome,

Stacy

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Twitter

Hello everyone,

I am on twitter.

Signed,

Questionable Twatter

****

That's how I feel about Twitter. I have trouble with the whole thing. I have facebook, email, google chat, AIM, and....................twitter. It's almost a dirty word. Let me explain...

Since Grace the Spot has done an amazing new design with our own little bio pages, (which I will actually update soon) I decided to jump on the twitter wagon. Or is it called a twit-on-wheels? I figured since GtS readers actually read my stuff on the site, and I like the other writers, I would join this global Ashton phenomenon.

If you know me personally, you know that most of my facebook updates include useless information or are loaded with sarcasm. Some of my favorites include:
  • Would it be odd if I wore spurs and a cowboy hat to work so I could rustle up a decent Monday?
  • Can you write your dissertation through osmosis?
  • casts Magic Missile
  • is 3 sheets to the rainbow
  • is an elf in magical clothing
  • is more hardcore than assless chaps
  • is as gay as the baguette is long
  • "It doesn’t matter how you socially construct the grizzly bear; the grizzly bear can still eat you."
  • my hair is in the middle stages of grief

I also like to post contests, be captain obvious (i.e. "I am wearing pants.", "I live in Iowa.","I am a lesbian."), or pick songs that shouldn't have ever been written (and post them over and over and over again). Sometimes I rhyme, write in iambic pentameter, or post words I think are interesting and funny (i.e. pants, groin, moist, hegemony, etc.). I do this because I hate the world. Actually, I do this because it makes me laugh inside. Not a belly laugh, but a small chuckle in the lower reaches of my stomach. It's really more like a smirk. It's only when you laugh, that I laugh. Sometimes laughing can hurt the soul so much that you feel good about life.

Even though I lean more in favor of that, I get really politically lesbian sometimes. There are days where being serious is the only thing I can do. I call those the dark lesbian days. Emo has nothing on me. My soul hurts on those days. All I can do is lament with you or without you. This is why facebook exists. I throw it out there in the universe and see if anyone cares. Why not? We live in a world of EXTREME sharing. I can do it too. You care what I think, right? Ahhhhh the eternal question for all bloggers, twatters, and people who attach themselves to social networks.

Enter: Twitter. I don't know how to feel about you. You are my account for GtS and now Letters from the Lesbian Underground (The Dyke Express if you want to shorten it). Do I live in constant sarcasm? Do I write about my feelings in an oh-so-dark-lesbian sort of way? Do I do both? I don't know. I wrote something in Seussian sarcasm and I feel it was lost on there. Do I try again? Am I thinking about this too much? Probably. I don't care.

The problem is, people on facebook know me personally. People on twitter don't. This baffles me. People follow me and have no idea who I am as a person in the world. They only get what I give them. Will they understand my humor? Will they understand when I am being sarcastic versus dark and gloomy poli-dyke? I guess the only answer is that we shall see. We shall see if they understand. We shall see if they laugh. We shall see if they cry.

All I can do is tell you what is on my mind. Today it is monkeys.

What are you doing? Thinking about monkeys.

Only time will tell.

She tweeted when she should have twatted,

Stacy

Grace the Spot relaunch

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The lesbians are real.

The posts are funny.

Check it out