dejablu503's blog

Dear Senator Obama...

nobody@vox.com(dejablu503) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:31:56 -0700

I don't care if you wear a flag on your lapel,( in fact I don't care if you have lapels at all). Nor do I care if your minister is a wack-job, if you are black, purple, or green, if you can play basketball or work a hoola hoop, or if you do what the morons at Fox refer to as "terrorist fist gabs" with your wife. I have to say I find it amusing Fox goes out of their way to say you are "trying" to seem viable. ( silently implying that a semi-senile, hundred year old pal of GW's is more viable somehow). Har-har. Bottom line is I and a lot of full brain functioning voters do not care about any of the media crap. What I DO care about is the fact you voted yea on FISA, and your announcement about planning to increase federal (aka taxpayer support) of religious non-profits (apparently to prove you are indeed spiritual). See there is this little thing called separation of church and state.... so you handing my money to any non-profit simply because they are religiously connected...bothers me. No accountability for results, putting religious groups above those without religious affiliation apparently even if the non-religious groups do more good things with their money... REALLY bothers me. (For a good example, look up Stan Brock and his outreach called Rural Area Medical and see what can be done by a non-profit with no religious connection claims and only $250K a year that they raised $5 at a time, sound familiar?). I would hope you already know you cannot buy your way into heaven Senator Obama. I admit that you might be able to buy your way into the Whitehouse, in fact lots of politicians before you have done so, problem is.... I suspect heaven has standards Washington has never heard of, and you might want to keep that in mind.

You promised me (and all of us) CHANGE and a new kind of politics. Since I changed myself from the Independent voter status I had held proudly since 1976 to a democrat to be able to vote for you in the primary, I'd like to see some of that change right now, how about delivering that and only that. Stop chasing the silly rumors, I know it is tempting to try to gain the respect of all the voters, but you cannot do that by playing basketball, wearing a lapel pin, throwing money at religious groups or chugging alcohol with factory workers. Just tell us who you are, what you stand for... tell us what you will try to do and be honest about what you will not even attempt to change. IOW, just can the media rhetoric and get real for even a minute. When it surfaces, just call bullshit what it is and move on... but move on being true to who you are, not to feed the media insanity. Even blue collar workers respect straight talk if there is NO doubt it is indeed straight talk, trust me.

Frankly, as it now stands, I just see a skinny guy from Chicago trying to be all things to all people and "acting" like what he "thinks" everyone wants him to be. In my book it makes you increasingly unbelievable and I have no idea who you really are. From where I sit you are starting to smell like just another guy willing to do or say whatever it takes to get elected, and that makes me more than a little sad. I reverted to an Independent voter status yesterday... now let's see you earn my vote. I have to say, the way things are going right now, I may just stay home in November because when I said I was tired of the same old, same old, I MEANT it.

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So I am redesigning my kitchen....

nobody@vox.com(dejablu503) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:57:10 -0700

I would be the first to admit I am NOT a carpenter.... but the cabinets are a mess, and if I am going to get my antique stove in here, things have to change, plus I need more counter top, the 10 inches I have to the right of the sink and the corner's worth I have to the left of the sink are not cutting it, cooking here is a maddening experience. I cannot find a cabinet at the recycling center to fit my space and none adaptable. SO, I think a simple solution is my best bet. I played with this at work Saturday night, I get my best ideas at 3am.

I am removing the double sink, and replacing it with a single basin. I am getting rid of the dishwasher, I just hate dishwashers, I mean you have to practically wash the dishes before inserting them, so it is a huge waste of electricity when I have a hand towel. This plan got me to thinking, How would I work what I have and within my own construction limits? Then it came to me, save the base cabinet, rip out the doors and shelves, and make slide under the counter trollies to hold stuff! Then all I have to do is build a box, put wheels on it and slide it into place under the counter! They would look like this:(side view of trolley shown at bottom)

Kitchen Cabinet Idea

Each dark brown section with a black line on it is a storage trolley, constructed sorta like the one at the bottom, with slightly raised sides on each section to hold the stuff on the shelf and support the box , except the one under the sink access doors, it would be a single drawer that rolls out, I could keep plastic wrap , etc in it. Under the sink it's self I could put a pullout dish drying rack, vent the doors and dishes would dry out of sight when I did not have time to dry them. Each trolley would have 3-4 bin-shelves in it, to hold canned goods, pots, pans, mixer, etc. Easy access, no digging to the back of the cabinet to get stuff, and I could roll it out into the light where I could see what I was doing. The top of each trolley could be a cutting board so I could roll one out to get more counter top when I need it, one top could be a thing sheet of marble for candy making.... this could be a very space efficient , flexible system. Topping the trollies would increase usable counter top by even more.

To the right of the sink is a drooping "drawer" section needing a fix...I could replace the drawers that do not close right with boards attached to new drawer slides, with baskets on top of each board.... or boxes with wicker fronts so they look like baskets. I could keep silverware, and utensils in these. If I decide I do not have time to make the trollies, I bet if I go to a cabinet shop and say I need 6 rolling trollies made, for my workshop, out of cabinet grade plywood, they will cost a whole lot less than if I said I need kitchen cabinets built...... I could even trash the cabinet I have and just put in a top between the 2 walls, and built the section for the sink access.... I need to ponder this some more.

Kitchen layout

One more trip to the post office tomorrow and I do not have to go there again for awhile. It's been a long time getting things done, my energy level has been blah, even with double the B12 shots. I am tired of being tired.

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I found a very cool artist's blog out of Australia

nobody@vox.com(dejablu503) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:21:53 -0700

It's worth a look if you like outsider art or wild art dolls, click here to see more of her art if the following sample speaks to you.

Some of her art sorta reminds me of the art done by a favorite artist of mine, Julie Sisi. Not exactly mind you but sorta...

I am getting ready to do a print with my invite from Spoonflower.com, so far I have my tags designed for my art bags and they look like this:

The tags I designed

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We head home today....

nobody@vox.com(dejablu503) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 08:40:51 -0700

REALLY sorry to see the vacation end. I have gotten some loose ends tied up while here, and some art done mostly painting, some on wood and some on fabric.... I got a sun plaque done I have been trying to find the time to finish. I also got all the faces for the art doll books done, some of them are seen here, the top ones are sun faces, the bottom ones are doll faces.. yes they are duplicates sorta, I try to make semi-copies for myself of the things I make to give away.... these are going into Dave's healing doll, with I can finish now that I have the shells and stones I needed to finish it.

I also got 4 new art bags started, 3 finished and I hope to finish the newer ones over the next couple of days. I tried to send a pic of them to my email but it is not coming through for some silly reason, so I will post them when I get them all done. The morning is beautiful..... the pacific is tormenting me with clear skies and beautiful sunrises because it knows I have to leave today... I've been trying to upload a pic for over 30 minutes and vox won't let it go so I'll have to add it later... gotta get the car loaded and have some coffee on the beach before we leave....

Edit: 3 of the pics finally uploaded:

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The Oregon Coast...

nobody@vox.com(dejablu503) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 20:38:14 -0700

We are on a short vacation in Lincoln City Oregon.. Getting here was not uneventful, I got into a rumble with Budget Car Rental over their new policies so we wound up renting a car for the trip from Enterprise instead. I have been a Budget customer for years, I have used their trucks for every move I have done myself, so I was dismayed to discover they now require a credit check at the very moment you rent your vehicle. Knowing my run in with the IRS back in feb placed a blotch on my report I tried to find out in advance if it was going to stop me from renting a car, and they refused to do the credit check prior to opening the rental contract. I didn't want to find out on the day we were to leave that I could not rent a car so I went shopping, and found a better rate, a lower debit card hold amount, a free pickup and I got straight answers through Enterprise Car Rentals.
Our space ship for the trip:

Rental car

We had dinner out last night at a very nice Mexican restaurant, we gathered sea shells, and driftwood this morning, hit the Outlet Mall this afternoon, and will do some tourist shopping at the beach shops tomorrow. We plan to go see Wall-E tomorrow night at a vintage theater here. So far the fog is staying off shore, so we should be able to see the city fireworks display from out the living room windows in the condo we rented. It is great to get away from Portland!

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I'll be switching back to Independent voter status...

nobody@vox.com(dejablu503) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:41:14 -0700

I am very disappointed in Senator Obama, and I don't want to be. I wanted to believe him capable of being our great hope for change but he is acting more and more like a hundred years of lying politicians before him. Dammit all to hell.
He supports expanding federal funding of religiously based non profits ( what in the hell happened to separation of church and state???)
Obama now supports the FISA legislation that would grant immunity to telecommunications companies for Illegal wiretaps

Who knows what else he is gonna change his mind about? He promised to be real and I'm not seeing it.

The experts (whoever they are) now claim he is doing this to prove he is a man of deep faith, that he is a man who loves this country even though he didn't wear a flag lapel pin or something equally insane. I want to hurl... it's like being served a political latte with religious cream added and being forced to drink it against my will. I like my coffee and my politics neat, nothing added. I want to taste them both for what they are. I am tired of all this say anything to get elected crap. Senator Obama pull on your big boy pants, tell me who you are and why you won't disappoint me or I am staying home on election day. If you can't pull it together, figure out what you really stand for, claim it and stick to it, I have to assume that what we are in for is just another year of picking between the same old crap and some dressed up crap... and me...well, I'm over 50 and it's safe to assume I've had enough crap.

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This and that....

nobody@vox.com(dejablu503) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:39:57 -0700

It took me until 5am to fall sleep, I woke cranky. Not sure yet if I am going to the storage locker this morning or tonight, probably tonight, haven't stepped outside yet but it is not currently as hot inside as it was yesterday at 10am. I'll make the decision on this by 11. Thankfully we are cooling off tomorrow a tad.

Ramie sent this software link to me in an email, it looks rather fun. If you draw at all it might interest you. If you love music you might also like it. It's a program called HighC, it allows you to draw music. I haven't played with it yet but I have downloaded it... I wonder what my suns will sound like.....

My brother is getting legally married to the love of his life on Tuesday, July 1 at 10 a.m.
I have to say that they are without a doubt the happiest, most devoted couple I know. They met in college in the 70s and have been loyal and dedicated to each other through sickness and health ever since. Greg is much better at the compromises needed to make a relationship last and get stronger than I have ever been. In fact I am pretty damn lousy at it. Theirs is a marriage that is long over due, in fact it is 30 years late. I can't be there in person, but I will be there in spirit. They have been one soul for over 30 years, an unbreakable spirit, without a single exception. To some people a marriage is just a piece of paper, to them it is so much more, it is a documentation of what they are to each other, a legal public acknowledgment that the past 30 years earned them rights other people take for granted. OMG, I guess this means their dogs will no longer be illegitimate. :)

There are people in my life, people who I care about who will never understand my joy for them, people who think the fact they are gay is wrong. In reality gay is what and who they are, ( not some separate issue, not some flaw to be corrected). I love both Greg and Dave, as they are... a loving couple who gives of themselves to others in need and to each other, always. I could not be prouder of them or happier for them.

That said, I need iced coffee.....

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Portland Oregon is under terrorist attack!

nobody@vox.com(dejablu503) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 03:08:22 -0700

Anyone who thinks temps at 104 in the shade is seriously not a terrorist attack is certainly no Oregonian.
Good gawd, who ordered this crap?!? I was as tired of the cold extended winter as anyone this year, but this is not what I wished for.... and to ride it out in a 1979 single wide trailer with broken A/C... OMG.... just picture a tin can laying in the desert, say...death valley...for days.... it is now 303 am and outside it is 83, inside it is 90... I sure wish it held heat like this during the winter I can tell ya.
I cannot sleep, it's too hot.... if I had enough ice cubes to fill the tub I would nekkid and cuddling with ice cubes right now. I do not do heat well.

I did sew a bit today, the outcome of my efforts the last week will be posted on Monday.

I need chocolate...and iced coffee..... here amuse yourself with being amazed by the art of this cool gourd sculptor

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If you are into fabric this is interesting....

nobody@vox.com(dejablu503) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:44:55 -0700

"Spoonflower" , a new brainchild that has potential to go places, if you are invited to join the beta, you can print your own designs onto fabric. If you do original designs, this opens up new options for sales... fabric panels to be used in quilts, pillow designs, blocks for embellishment in purses, etc. In my case, it would make adding my suns to clothing and bags super simple.
If this interests you, go to this page and sign up, only a handful of invites go out each week for beta memberships, once word spreads on what they are doing the list is going to get long fast.

The cost of a yard of fabric is a tad high, ( 1 yard (42" x 36") $18.00 ) but it beats the heck out of screen printing and it opens up options not currently available if you want your original art included in something you make, or you want to design original art fabric for a quilt you are working on). If you print fabric panels to resell by the yard and separate the panels, resale should be a viable option while leaving room for a profit.

I see a thousand possibilities for having this option open to me. I can hardly wait to get invited!

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Just call me mom....

nobody@vox.com(dejablu503) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 11:28:50 -0700

So I am foster mom to 5 cats, 2 kittens and one raccoon..... they all seem to tolerate each other. I was walking the trash out yesterday and glanced down to see if the food bowl I keep outside for the stray cats needed filling...there sat 2 kittens and one raccoon, feasting together. I am beginning to think Rocky thinks he's a cat.... according to the neighbors everyone feeds him... (now we know why he is so big), he walks the back row of homes and hits everyone up for a snack. he's not picky, he eats with dogs, cats and ducks. When he saw me, he jumped on the garbage can and sat up on his back legs, raised one front paw as if he was waving goodbye, and he dove under the back deck steps. Then he turned to see if I was watching...that's when I snapped the picture with my cell phone.

Rocky Raccoon aka my other stray cat

He is quite a character. That was yesterday, this morning he scratched at the hall window by standing on the garbage can...the bowl was empty outside, I am quite sure the cats put him up to it... the begging I mean. he seems really friendly and rather tame to people encounters. The neighbor said he is harmless, his mommy was killed on the highway a couple years ago, and the park has been parenting him ever since he was little. Odd I have never seen him before this.

Anyway, I took out cat food, fresh water and a small plate of cut up fruit that needed eating a few chopped veggies and some nuts... Rocky loved the fruit and nuts. He snubbed the veggies..... clearly we need to have a chat about this....

I've been busy sewing and painting...hoping to get some things into my etsy shop and get it started this week. My last 2 packages were mailed last night... thank gawd.... I hate getting behind on things, but one item was damaged while ironing it...I got distracted and fried the finish before I realized it so in a tearful effort I made another. I cannot post those things here, they are surprises for people who watch my Vox blog from time to time. I'll post them when they arrive safely.

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