The wind whips at hair, skirt, jacket…bringing the scent of the salty, white-capped waves. There’s no need to find the boardwalk to walk to the beach. Recent windy storms have piled the sand up to the retaining wall. Just step over the top of the wall, and one is ankle deep in the soft sand.

Storm clouds line the dark horizon to the east. Occasional flashes of eerie lightning perform a danse macabre, illuminating the bumps and flow of the otherwise invisible clouds.

Stars are brilliant in their nest of darkness. Taunting jewels, teasing one’s vision to make shapes and figures of their numberless dot-to-dot pattern.

The sand is damp, especially close to the wave-line. No matter. Sit in the welcoming, easing sand. Skirt whipping around a curving lap. In the breeze the patterned material creates a silent flag, its flapping noise lost in the strength of the wind.

Ponder the waves. The reaching, beckoning waves. Five years ago this night the beach was under a storm surge from a hurricane. Winds and waves far beyond this normal activity seen tonight.

Thoughts of what caused one to flee to the beach in a moment of escape from ordinary turmoil…start to recede. Smoothed away by the buffeting wind and the sounding waves into a calm comparison of the hell suffered by many that night five years ago.

Time to go home. There is a home and a family to which to go. Turmoil is there, yes. Turmoil that can’t be cured easily or quickly. But the home and family are there…not lost to the tropical turmoil of huracán.

Stamp the sand from ones feet and gaze back at the black waves. The soothing pattern of those waves always returns from whatever hellish gawping the waters spew from time to time. Patterns and rhythms. Ebb and flow. Good and bad. Breathe in and out.

Go home, silently pondering the thoughts found on a darkened shoreline.

UPDATE: HTML text formatting stripped from this post for IE browser users…  see if this works better. – BR

1. Road trip ::  from hell
2. Pool hall ::  smoky
3. Extraordinary ::  Mother Teresa
4. Jackson ::  Michael…dammit
5. Heartfelt ::  quilt
6. Wet ::  and Wild
7. Strangle ::  Liam Neeson
8. .com ::  life
9. Touched ::  by an angel
10. Insipid ::  vapid

No explanations why today.  Too tired.

Holy crap!  The year’s over already?

Damn, there’s still a lot of naughtiness I have to do before I make my resolution to be good for the next year.

For you BR:

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*sigh* Okay, since you asked begged so nicely:

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Eraserhead is a Senior this year (woo-hoo), and his class will be going to Disney World at the end of the school year.

My son was very excited about this trip…more so than usual.

Today, I found out why.

Apparently, Disney has some kind of special graduation package, with celebrities acting as hosts/hostesses.  And one of the folks that will be there is:  (drumroll please!)

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Proof:

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You Are 60% “Average American”

You are average because you drink on occasion.You are not average since you would pay to go in space.

How “Average American” Are You?

 ************************************************************

I grew up watching Star Trek and reading my dad’s ‘Analog’ science fiction magazines. I mean, who wouldn’t want to go up in space? And look at Earth and the solar system in its beauty in the emptiness of space? Isn’t that totally American to want to do something like that instead of staying grounded to hum-drum triviality of mere existence?

I really wanted to be an astronaut, too. Although when I shared this ambition with my mother (when I was about 14), she shuddered and said, “What are you going to do when you get your period in space?!!!” So, as you can guess, I didn’t get any encouragement to follow that endeavor. Don’t know if I would have made it through the program or not, but I do wish I had at least tried to pursue that dream.

Gotta love Texas humor:

(Photo courtesy of FoxNews.)

Your result for Reincarnation Placement Exam…

Gypsy Camp

Take Reincarnation Placement Exam at HelloQuizzy

Good work on the evacuation process.  I’ve been listening to the AM station out of New Orleans, WWL, and they’ve had people calling in as they evacuate.  Those people are giving on the spot reports of how the traffic is flowing.  The ‘contra-flow’ has helped immensely.  (For those of you who don’t know what that is, it’s where they make BOTH sides of the interstate/highway go the same direction, to aid the evacuation process.) Some places are stop-and-go, but overall, it has gone very well.

Except for one thing.  If you’re in the ‘contra-flow’ lane, you can’t take an exit, because they’ve been blocked.  Which makes it hard to get gas, find something to eat, and most importantly, GO TO THE BATHROOM!  That’s what some of the callers have been complaining about.  One driver suggested having flat-bed trucks loaded up with porta-potties every few miles or so.

Something to think about it for the next time, powers that be.

Oh, and kudos to Louisiana Gov. Jindal (someone else I heart).  He’s learned from the mistakes of his predecessors, and has organized this evacuation with great care. Hospitals and nursing homes have had patients transported.  One of the businesses contracted to provide buses for evacuation failed to deliver, and Jindal found other sources.  In your face, Nagin!!!

God bless all the folks on the road.  May they come home safely, and find their homes intact.  God bless all those who stayed, especially the emergency workers.  May all the preparations work to their utmost potential, and may lives be spared.

What type of Mother Hen Are You?
by Montessorimom.com: Educational Resource

H/T to Jungle Mom

I decided to do a ‘Biblical’ quiz, and this is what I got:

Your Biblical Name Is…

Iva Chanah You will live to see the end of times.

Live to see the end of times???? I mean, the other day when I posted that the ‘end was nigh’, I really was just kidding. Promise.

What makes it even scarier is that I came across this video the other day. I love Johnny Cash singing this song, but I really don’t think I want to be around during the end times. According to the Protestants, it’s doubtful I’d be caught up in the Rapture, anyway…I want to go in my sleep like my grandpa, not screaming in fear like the passengers in his car!

BR and I decided at 8:40 last night to go see a movie, and caught a showing of ‘Iron Man’. Pretty good movie. Much better than I expected. I love the fact that his ‘suit’ has the FSU colors of gold and scarlet. It would look way cool with the Nole emblem on it:

And Gwenyth Paltrow actually looked very pretty in it. So pretty, that I didn’t recognize her. She usually looks gaunt and pale…like she’s had amoebic dysentery for about a month or two.  Overall, the movie was surprisingly enjoyable.

But you know what looks even better? The new Indiana Jones movie!!!! Hot damn, can’t wait to see that one! Harrison Ford is one man who is just sexy no matter his age.

Our local theater is having a premier party the night it’s released…we’ll be going to it! Just wonder if I can talk BR into dressing like Indy that night. He has a leather jacket and gun already…just need a whip. Rarrrr.

Although maybe not like this:

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Apparently, my posts reflect my vertically challenged self:

Created by OnePlusYou

When I got off of work today, I checked my cell phone.  I had left it to charge in my SUV, so did not have it with me.  Like I would have time to talk on it during the day anyway (please insert snarky tone here)…the only break I get away from my students is less than 30 minutes, and somehow I have to write lesson plans, grade papers, do assorted paperwork, call parents, and go to the bathroom in that time!!

Anyway, back to the original intent of the post.  I had a message waiting on my cell phone.  It was Rachel of Pereiraville.  It went basically like this:

Mrs. Who, where are you?  I heard about the bad weather in your area, and I know you didn’t have school today because of Presidents’ Day, so please let us know you are okay.  Please post something, anything, call me back, Mrs. Who, oh Mrs. Who, where fore art thou, Mrs. Who??? Mrs. Who!!!!  Yoo-hoo, Mrs. Who!!!!  Hellooooooooo????  Oh, no, I just know she’s gone with the wind!!!  Poor, poor Mrs. Who!!!!

Okay, well it wasn’t quite like that.    But we DID have school today (since we get MLK day, we don’t get Presidents’ Day anymore.  Not fair…I want them both!), and I simply do not post or even read blogs at school.  Don’t know whether I can or not, it’s just that I won’t.  If I use a company computer, then they have say-so over whatever I do on it, so I won’t read or write on blogs there.

But I did call Rachel back as soon as I did get the message.  She has such a beautiful voice! And Rachel, that was so thoughtful of you to think of us.  We made it through the bad weather just fine.  And we’ve got to get together one day.  Soon.  What’s half-way between you and me…..uh…probably a swamp.  Okay, we’ll work something out.  But thank you again for being such a sweetheart.  You deserve some flowers…I can only offer virtual ones, but at least they won’t wilt away!

Look at this picture.  Look at the flag on the wall.  A communist flag, isn’t it?

That flag is hanging in a campaign office in Houston.

Whose campaign office, you may ask…

The presidential wannabe who WON’T wear an American flag pin.

Click on the picture for more info.

Your Score: A Bit Of Both

You are 50% Calvin and 50% Hobbes

Calvin & Hobbes, like a scruffy yin and yang, are in perfect balance within you. Like Calvin, you’re weird, a bit insecure, and can be a trouble-maker. But like Hobbes, you’re down to earth and sensitive. It’s a risk to say it here, after just a ten question test, but I’ll bet you’re smarter than most. Both Calvin and Hobbes are crafty, clever characters, and any one made from equal parts of each is a force to be reckoned with.

I saw this meme over at Cindi’s place and thought it would be a lot of fun. Until I started cussing.  And  it’s taken me several days, and then asking begging and pleading for help from Goob and BR to be able to get it done.  I don’t do graphics.   However, if you feel so inclined, here’s how it goes:

You are about to have your own band’s CD cover. Follow these directions Go to……
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:RandomThe first article title on the page is the name of your band.
2. http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.
3. http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.
4. Use your graphics program of choice to throw them together.

TAA-DAA!!!!!:

Although I think my ‘band name’ and ‘album name’ could be pretty much interchangeable.

Consider yourself tagged if you want!

Which Great US President Are You Most Like? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Abraham Lincoln16th President, in office from 1861-1865 Born: 1809 Died: 1865 (assassinated) Abraham Lincoln 64% Ronald Reagan 62% George Washington 62% Dwight Eisenhower 60% Theodore Roosevelt 50% Thomas Jefferson 50% Franklin Roosevelt 48% John Kennedy 45% Woodrow Wilson 45% Lyndon Johnson 31% Harry Truman 29%

(Via The Educated Shoprat)

The ‘Rules of the South’ are as follows!!!

1. Pull your droopy pants up. You look like an idiot.

2. Turn your cap right, your head isn’t crooked.

3. Let’s get this straight; it’s called a “gravel road.” I drive a pickup truck because I want to. No matter how slowly you drive, you’re going to get dust on your Lexus. Drive it or get out of the way.

4. They are cattle. That’s why they smell to you. They smell like money to us. Get over it. Don’t like it? I-10 goes east and west, I-65 goes north. Pick one.

5. So you have a $70,000 car. We’re impressed. We have $250,000 cotton strippers that are driven only 3 weeks a year.

6. So every person in the south waves. It’s called being friendly. Try to understand the concept.

7. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of doves are coming in, we WILL shoot it out of your hand. You better hope you don’t have it up to your ear at the time.

8. Yeah, we eat catfish & crawfish. You really want sushi & caviar? It’s available at the corner bait shop.

9. The “Opener” refers to the first day of deer season. It’s a religious holiday held the closest Saturday to the first of November.

10. We open doors for women. That is applied to all women, regardless of age.

11. We say “sir and ma’am”, “please and thank you”, “excuse me”, and “I’m sorry” when we are wrong or impolite. Do not make the mistake of thinking it makes us weak. It’s just good up-bringing.

12. No, there’s no “vegetarian special” on the menu. Order steak. Or you can order the Chef’s Salad and pick off the 2 pounds of ham & turkey.

13. When we fill out a table, there are three main dishes: meats, vegetables, and breads. We use three spices: salt, pepper, and ketchup! Oh, yeah…. We don’t care what you folks in Cincinnati call that stuff you eat… IT AIN’T REAL CHILI!!

14. You bring “coke” into my house, it better be brown, wet and served over ice. You bring “Mary Jane” into my house, she better be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, and have long hair.

15. College and High School Football is as important here as the Lakers and the Knicks, and a dang site more fun to watch.

16. Yeah, we have golf courses. But don’t hit the water hazards — it frightens the fish, and aggravates the alligators.

17. Colleges? We have them all over. We have State Universities , Universities, and Vo-techs. They come outta there with an education plus a love for God and country, and they still wave at everybody when they come for the holidays.

18. Don’t think that since we talk slow, we think slow. You may be in for a surprise.

19. We have more folks in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. So don’t mess with us. If you do, you will get whipped by the best.

20. Turn down that blasted car stereo! That thumpity-thump stuff ain’t music, anyway. We don’t want to hear it anymore than we want to see your boxers! Refer back to #1!

Goob and Eraserhead were good-naturedly harassing each other on the way home from school, throwing insults back and forth. Goob uttered something about being ‘cool’, and Eraserhead rolled his eyes and said, “OOoohhh, he thinks he’s so sexy!”

Then at the same time Goob and I both started singing in low, gravelly voices:

I’m too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt, so sexy it hu-uu-uurts.

We sounded pretty good together actually…until Goob realized that I was singing it along with him. Then he made a choking noise and whispered in shocked tones: “Oh, my God, I just sang that with my step-mom!!!”

Just for you, Goob, just for you:

Found this over at Ambulance Driver’s place. I got the same score as AD did, which makes me feel pretty good, since AD is in the medical field and all…even if I don’t know what a thoracic surgeon is.

NameThatDisease.com – Test your disease knowledge

Well, that previous post came out looking catta-wampus. Don’t care. Brace face is not the first thing that pops up anymore. But the skull and crossbones picture is not coming out right. That’s okay, I like this one of Arfie from the Dogpile home page. I thought Arfie was a boy doggie…but that sure looks like b**bs on his front. Maybe it’s man dog boobs.

And why is his butt saying ‘Avast’? “Avast, that be a mighty strong fart there, matey!”

Okay, one more quiz.

You are The Cap’n!

Some men and women are born great, some achieve greatness and some slit the throats of any scalawag who stands between them and unlimited power. You never met a man – or woman – you couldn’t eviscerate. You are the definitive Man of Action, the CEO of the Seven Seas, Lee Iacocca in a blousy shirt and drawstring-fly pants. You’re mission-oriented, and if anyone gets in the way, that’s his problem, now isn’t? Your buckle was swashed long ago and you have never been so sure of anything as your ability to bend everyone to your will. You will call anyone out and cut off his head if he shows any sign of taking you on or backing down. If one of your lieutenants shows an overly developed sense of ambition he may find more suitable accommodations in Davy Jones’ locker. That is, of course, IF you notice him. You tend to be self absorbed – a weakness that may keep you from seeing enemies where they are and imagining them where they are not.

What’s Yer Inner Pirate?
brought to you by The Official Talk Like A Pirate Web Site. Arrrrr!

Aye! I be the captain. And any teens that piss me off tonight get keelhauled. Or at least the sharp side of my tongue. Oh wait, that last part is for me first mate, Bitterroot. Heh. I mean, Arrgghh!

Why not, since it’s National Talk Like a Pirate Day! And plus I have to get SOME kind of post up to knock down that awful picture of my brace-face!

Who says that Chihuahuas are worthless?