Sat, Jul 21st - 11:28PM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 103
135.7 miles
2 bike miles
Cool, nice

125 recordings of 29 types.  36% clear.

My mother would have been 97 today.

Utter disaster this morning! The microwave door wouldn't close. I tried cleaning out the parts I could reach, and found the light switch, but not how to close the door. 

Meanwhile, my neighbor had called last night in a bit of a panic  because her husband had forgotten the mask and tubing for his CPAP on their 2-week resort vacation in the mountains.  I went across the street and got it together, and today I was to take it to Fed Ex. I walked the dog for about an hour, waiting for her to call me with the info. I finally called her. It turns out she used the wrong phone.
I took the stuff to the wrong place and got directed to the FedEx store in Arden Fair (gorgeous) and sent it on.

Then the next order of business was to go to the BX. Then I couldn't find the exact model, so I was torn between a slightly smaller Panasonic, or another big one, a Sharp.  I'm used to the Panasonic buttons now, and the last Sharp I had only lasted a few months, so I went with the former.  After standing in the aisle comparing and thinking and dithering for about 15 minutes, that is.  Yesterday someone had said one of the problems of living alone is you have to make all the decisions.  And I said, at that point, nobody else to blame, either.  I sure hope this microwave was the right decision.

In the afternoon I went to see "The Intouchables" because someone at Scrabble had mentioned it.  It's the first time I've been to Tower in years. I liked the movie, even though I had to read it. It was very popular in France and I wonder if the problem it's having in this country is the name.

Then this evening I went to the WPAC Newcomer's dinner. I wasn't too hungry (movie popcorn) so settled for a Reuben, which was really good.  Good company, I enjoyed it.

Reading: (I finally finished The Land of Oz!) The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (vol 1), Edward Gibbon, The Bible (1 Machabees), A Healing Year, Alaric Lewis, The Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales, Blue Highways, William Least Heat Moon, Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand, Explosive Eighteen, Janet Evanovich, Galapagos, a Natural History, Michael H. Jackson, The Voyage of the Beagle, Charles Darwin, Death, the Final Surrender, Fr. Cedric Pisegna.

Dont trash O....well ok go ahead

An impressive list of accomplishments:

First President to apply for college aid as a foreign student, then deny he was a foreigner.
First President to have a social security number from a state he has never lived in.
First President to go on 17 lavish vacations, including date nights and Wednesday evening White House parties for his friends paid for by the taxpayer.
First President to preside over a cut to the credit-rating of the United States
First President to have 22 personal servants (taxpayer funded) for his wife.
First President to keep a dog trainer on retainer for $102,000 a year at taxpayer expense.
First President to repeat the Holy Quran tells us the early morning call of the Azan (Islamic call to worship) is the most beautiful sound on earth.
First President to violate the War Powers Act. .
First President to be held in contempt of court for illegally obstructing oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
First President to defy a Federal Judge's court order to cease implementing the Health Care Reform Law.
First President to require all Americans to purchase a product from a third party.
First President to spend a trillion dollars on 'shovel-ready' jobs when there was no such thing as 'shovel-ready' jobs.
First President to abrogate bankruptcy law to turn over control of companies to his union supporters.
First President to by-pass Congress and implement the Dream Act through executive fiat
First President to order a secret amnesty program that stopped the deportation ofillegal immigrants across the U. S., including those with criminal convictions.
First President to demand a company hand-over $20 billion to one of his political appointees.
First President to terminate America's ability to put a man in space.
First President to have a law signed by an auto-pen without being present.
First President to arbitrarily declare an existing law unconstitutional and refuse to enforce it.
First President to threaten insurance companies if they publicly spoke-out on the reasons for their rate increases.
First President to tell a major manufacturing company in which state it is allowed to locate a factory.
First President to file lawsuits against the states he swore an oath to protect (AZ, WI, OH, IN).
First President to withdraw an existing coal permit that had been properly issued years ago.
First President to fire an inspector general of Ameri-Corps for catching one of his friends in a corruption case.
First President to appoint 45 czars to replace elected officials in his office. .
First President to golf 73 separate times in his first two and a half years in office, 90 to date.
First President to hide his medical, educational and travel records.
First President to win a Nobel Peace Prize for doing NOTHING to earn it.
First President to go on multiple global 'apology tours'.
First President to take a 17 day vacation.
THERE'S AN ELECTION COMING UP...
I HOPE YOU REMEMBER THIS LIST WHEN YOU VOTE!

Susan Peterson Battelle:

You may think that Romney may not be the best representative the Republicans could have selected. At least I know what religion he is, that he won't desecrate the flag, bow down to foreign powers, or practice fiscal irresponsibility. I know he has the ability to turn this financial debacle that the current regime has gotten us into. We won't like all the things necessary to recover from this debt, but someone with Romney's background can do it.

But, on the minus side, he never worked as an attorney, never was a "Community Organizer", never took drugs or smoked pot, never got drunk, did not associate with communists or terrorists, nor did he attend a church whose pastor called for God to damn the United States of America.

Steve McCann
Many Republicans and conservatives dissatisfied with the prospect of Mitt Romney as the nominee for president are instead focused on re-taking the House and Senate. That goal, while worthy and necessary, is meaningless unless Barack Obama is defeated. The nation is not dealing with a person of character and integrity but someone of single-minded purpose and overwhelming narcissism. Judging by his actions, words and deeds during his first term, he does not intend to work with Congress either Republican or Democrat in his second term but rather to force his radical agenda on the American people through the power he has usurped or been granted.

The governmental structure of the United States was set up by the founders in the hope that over the years only those people of high moral character and integrity would assume the reins of power. However, knowing that was not always possible, they dispersed power over three distinct and independent branches as a check on each other.

What they could not imagine is the surrender and abdication of its constitutional duty by the preeminent governmental branch, the Congress, to a chief executive devoid of any character or integrity coupled with a judiciary essentially powerless to enforce the law when the chief executive ignores them

Conservatives, Libertarians, the Republican Party and Mitt Romney must come to grips with this moment in time and their historical role in denying Barack Obama and his minions their ultimate goal. All resources must be directed at that end-game and not merely controlling Congress and the various committee chairmanships.

Gregg Pruitt I have to give him some credit. Just when you think it is impossible for him to exceed low expectations, he does it - consistently too.

Sat, Jul 21st - 10:14AM

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, p. 103
135.7 miles
2 bike miles
Cooler

119 recordings of 25 types. 39% clear.

I'm a half pound down for the week, but with high blood pressure.

Bre McGloughlin: If your status update contains the words, “I know 99% of you won’t repost this,” there is a 99% chance you’re an idiot.

So I took my shower and came out to discover the dog and cat, fighting, had managed to pull down the puzzle. Argh. I just gave up and threw it out, too frustrating with the missing pieces and all.

Steve Graff: Government is the method whereby citizens discharge duties and tasks that are impractical to accomplish on an individual basis. Supposedly, we are a government OF the people. Therefore, the small business owner, through his taxes, is responsible for the very infrastructure that the president is trying to paint as bestowed upon the people by the government. We are not dependents of the government, we ARE the government.

Jim Treacher:
Obama openly stokes bitter resentment against Americans who work hard, take risks, and create jobs. But at least he's "likable"!

0bama to Americans: you don't deserve what you've earned.

July panic for 0bama.

The WPAC support group was interesting today, at least the second half.  The room is a real mess because we are now also leasing the room next door and they've knocked the walls down, but there's still a lot going on. So it was crowded and hard to hear. One of the facilitators embarrassed us the first half by ignoring the "no talk about religion" rule and reading some Bible verses. It was hot and some people left at half-time, including my friend Ron.

Then afterwards the fun started. One guy asked if we are now "single."  The answer, a resounding "NO!"  How many people still wearing wedding rings?  I'm wearing two, my own (well, the anniversary ring... we cut my wedding ring off at one point because my fingers were swelling so much) and Rich's on a chain around my neck. I was surprised yesterday, listening to someone who talking about single people, divorcees, widowed people... no, I am NOT single!

And then: the other facilitator asked what we thought about companionship... especially moving in together.  Did that ever take off!! There are various experiences. Many feel the way I do: they enjoy meals or plays together but don't want anything else. One lady has just had her companion die, and she's really having a hard time. It's probably selfish, but I don't want to go through this ever again.

After dinner I called Ron to tell him about what he missed, but I wasn't the first.  He has a number of women who enjoy his company.

Also, I think I have a (female) roommate for the Solvang trip. Yay!