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Hold on to what is good even if it is a handful of earth.
Hold on to what you believe even if it is a tree which stands by itself.
Hold on to what you must do even if it is a long way from here.
Hold on to life even when it is easier letting go.
Hold on to my hand even when I have gone away from you.
- Pueblo Blessing

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Thursday, Dec. 07, 2006 - 8:11 p.m.

Cost of the War in Iraq
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Books Books Books, and Free Machines!

What Kind of Reader Are You?
Your Result: Dedicated Reader

You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more.

Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Literate Good Citizen
Book Snob
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Non-Reader
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Hmmm, the hardest question was "On which of these lists have you read ALL the books?"

That was pretty impossible, since I have read Carrie and the Stand, To the Lighthouse, Huckleberry Finn and The DaVinci Code (which sucked). Well, I checked the "Carrie" and other highschool books one cuz really, at least I remember almost ALL the books I read in highschool, but frankly, Huckleberry Finn sucked too (well some good river scenes but the plot just sucks the big one). And since I had only read one out of four of the other lists...

I am relatively happy with myself these days: my gym pass ran out but I am happy to say I have gotten my hands on replacement equipment for like $25. I got a free traxmaster exercise bike for just the price of getting a car to pick it up across town, and for $25 scored a cheap workout bench and weights. The guy is dropping them off at noon tomorrow. My motivation?? haha! TEEE VEEE!! Yup, I never ever watch tv at home. Twice in six years. But now I am allowing myself to watch tv for the time I work out. Or at least the 20 mins I am on the exercise bike. When I stop, no more tv. Bribing myself.

I have also found a new guy to fix my basement now that the other assfart has deigned not to return. I mean really. He wanted to paint my back porch outside at minus 2 degrees. I called the paint company that made the brand he bought, and they said, "no ma'am, the 10 degrees is not a suggestion for best results, it is the MINIMUM TEMPERATURE. It needs to be at LEAST 10 degrees for 24 hours for the paint to chemically dry, or it will just film over and remain a tacky sticky mess". Well, I told my assfart contractor that, and suggested he paint if it warmed up for a couple days, or in the spring. He told me I was too difficult and that he WAS going to paint. Sorry, it is ME who will walk back and forth across it all winter, and next year and beyond, not to mention the cats on paint that isn't drying for days or weeks. Or has snow fall on it while it is still wet and is buried under ice. Craziness.

So he demanded his last $78 despite not having painted. Never suggested he come back, and in fact when I said "well you have to come back anyways, we have a contract signed for that" he answered. "nope, I have no time. I cannot work to YOUR SCHEDULE". As if I have personally decided to have the weather not cooperate with his agenda. Shitface. Sorry. yeah. Stupid ass. After he left I thought, dang, if he doesn't care about the physics of painting oil paint at minus two (with minus 7 at night... good way for the paint to dry huh), he probably doesn't care about the physics or chemistry of concrete either. Byebye assfart contractor guy. At least the back porch is rebuilt, though only a coat of primer on it. I will have to wash it, reprime and paint it in the spring.

But I have a new contractor for the basement, and fortunately, unlike assfart, he is actually somewhat of a specialist of basements. Cool. He says I need a metal support, not a huge block of concrete. I have to remove the worktable, so he can dig out under the beam, pour a concrete footing and put up a metal support. It will cost about the same price as the concrete the other guy hesitatingly was going to do. And I have WAYYY more confidence, cuz HE has way more confidence. yay.

Besides that, I still have no real work, though a couple bites. Some nonprofit wants me to draw some flyers. I have to write the contract up tonight. It won't be done til end Jan, so it isn't going to be $ in the pocket this year. I also have a possibility to talk in a school in April. Though after consulting with an author friend who does school visits as half of his regular pay, it turns out to be a bit ridiculous. They want me to do five onehour presentations each day from Mon to Friday, 25 presentations, to 43 classes of children from grade 2 to grade 6. Now I was thinking $400 a day for $2000 total.

Well, my friend said, no way will I be able to do 25 one hour presentations in consecutive days... I will most likely lose my voice between the second and third days. He once did fewer presentations than that over five days, and had to totally mime for the last two days... when there are 60 students per class, and you are speaking the whole time, you just wear out. Nothing to be done. I never even considered that, but of course he is right. He has been doing it for 20 years, and he says he learned the hard way.

So I may have to see if I can do it over two weeks, or tell them they will need to get two illustrators to speak if they are dead set on having 43 classes of kids get presentations. Craziness.

But still, if it works out it could be a bit fun.

Well, I'm off to have a coffee before I deal with all this contract writing and other unpleasant administrative shit.
tah!
me
wenchie

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previous meanderings - future past

Goodbye Michael. May your next life be kinder to you. - Thursday, Jun. 25, 2009
Taking Care of Your Cows - Thursday, Jun. 25, 2009
Saint Joseph robs the cradle and eats spaghetti - Sunday, Jun. 14, 2009
sticky notes and broken irises - Friday, Jun. 12, 2009
The FOODCOMMANDER - Monday, Jun. 08, 2009

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