There is a neighbouring family who is driving me nuts. It is actually made up of Mum, Dad and two adolescents (non-identical twins). Both parents are arty-types (they do sing beautifully when I've had the chance to hear them around town) and they don't seem to believe in boundaries for their offspring. We couldn't have the little dears growing up with any repressed desires, now could we?
Mostly I'm pretty tolerant of other people's choices in raising their children, but my tolerance has been stretched with this lot. I'm sitting here working and they are making huge amounts of noise in a quiet neighbourhood. Really obnoxious, repetitive noise. I don't mind hearing kids playing, it's so happy in the background. This is just irritating.
They don't have any respect for the property of others. They will play in any yard, regardless of fences. The Little Black Dog actually growled at them and chased one of them out of the backyard yesterday. Watched by one of the parents. Yes, you read correctly - one of the parents was watching one of their sweet offspring enter our property. Now I'm sitting here hoping that no-one reports it as a dog attack. This could be highly likely, given that these parents have proved to be pretty aggressive anytime someone threatens their darling, precious babies.
In my opinion, the young 'uns are old enough that Mum and Dad shouldn't have to run around after them, supplying their every need in the shortest timeframe possible. The parents are looking seriously worn-out, and yet they haven't the sense to stop toadying to the little blighters.
I say kick them out of home and be done with it!
A bit harsh you say? Well, I'm fairly certain they won't ever read this.
Yes, we have adolescent magpies. (Whaaah, Whaaah, whaaah, whaaaa-aaah)
For how much time were you fooled?
... Approximately None?
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Nuthin' (Exuberantly Verbose Version)
Normally when I have nothing to say it would be best not to say anything (of course, that is an impossibility for me - despite training at uni and in the workplace!).
As it turns out in the world of blog, no posts mean that it gets very boring, very quickly and everyone thinks the author has dropped off the planet (or has been raptured - you didn't get the memo?)
Well, the truth is more likely that I get more visits to my site if I've actually written something new - Yes, my whole blog is motivated by my traffic counter (despite the fact that additional traffic means approximately nothing when I don't use it for advertising or any form of sales - just the ego boost that someone cares enough to read something I've written).
So as a result, sometimes I will write a very long, rambling post about nothing, hoping to stumble across something mildy amusing - then give it a a bit of a pruning and send it off into lonely cyberspace.
Yesterday I spent some time reviewing my posts (both here and at Skinny Cow), and checking on the length of my comments on other people's posts. This was probably because I had absolutely nothing to say. There are probably other things I could have been doing to get blog fodder, but I didn't do them.
I noticed that other people manage to get their story told with much less verbiage. Maybe verbiage is my style. Yes, my life is made up of many digressions around my intended point... although some commenters were very kind (and as a result ended up with this - hope you've enjoyed).
So I'm still feeling constrained to keep it simple, but decided to let fly anyway to see if I like the effect any better - so I've used the absolutely greatest number of words to get my point across.
Of course, how much of a point do I have today?
... Approximately None.
As it turns out in the world of blog, no posts mean that it gets very boring, very quickly and everyone thinks the author has dropped off the planet (or has been raptured - you didn't get the memo?)
Well, the truth is more likely that I get more visits to my site if I've actually written something new - Yes, my whole blog is motivated by my traffic counter (despite the fact that additional traffic means approximately nothing when I don't use it for advertising or any form of sales - just the ego boost that someone cares enough to read something I've written).
So as a result, sometimes I will write a very long, rambling post about nothing, hoping to stumble across something mildy amusing - then give it a a bit of a pruning and send it off into lonely cyberspace.
Yesterday I spent some time reviewing my posts (both here and at Skinny Cow), and checking on the length of my comments on other people's posts. This was probably because I had absolutely nothing to say. There are probably other things I could have been doing to get blog fodder, but I didn't do them.
I noticed that other people manage to get their story told with much less verbiage. Maybe verbiage is my style. Yes, my life is made up of many digressions around my intended point... although some commenters were very kind (and as a result ended up with this - hope you've enjoyed).
So I'm still feeling constrained to keep it simple, but decided to let fly anyway to see if I like the effect any better - so I've used the absolutely greatest number of words to get my point across.
Of course, how much of a point do I have today?
... Approximately None.
Nuthin' (Short Version)
I'm alive, but I have nothing to say.
So how much have I written?
...Approximately Nothing.
So how much have I written?
...Approximately Nothing.
Nuthin'
Normally when I have nothing to say it would be best not to say anything. But in a blog, no posts mean that it gets very boring, very quickly and everyone thinks the author has dropped off the planet.
As a result, sometimes I will write a very long, rambling post about nothing, hoping to stumble across something amusing - then give it a severe pruning and send it off into cyberspace.
Yesterday I spent some time reviewing my posts (both here and at Skinny Cow), and checking on the length of my comments on other people's posts. This was probably because I had absolutely nothing to say.
I noticed that other people manage to get their story told with much less verbiage. Maybe verbiage is my style. Yes, my life is made up of many digressions around my intended point... although some commenters were very kind.
So I'm still feeling constrained to keep it simple - to use the fewest words to get my point across.
Of course, how much of a point do I have today?
... Approximately None.
As a result, sometimes I will write a very long, rambling post about nothing, hoping to stumble across something amusing - then give it a severe pruning and send it off into cyberspace.
Yesterday I spent some time reviewing my posts (both here and at Skinny Cow), and checking on the length of my comments on other people's posts. This was probably because I had absolutely nothing to say.
I noticed that other people manage to get their story told with much less verbiage. Maybe verbiage is my style. Yes, my life is made up of many digressions around my intended point... although some commenters were very kind.
So I'm still feeling constrained to keep it simple - to use the fewest words to get my point across.
Of course, how much of a point do I have today?
... Approximately None.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Tribute to Brevity
I have a little problem. I write too much (I talk too much, too, but that's not a problem here at Approximately None).
So I'm going to aim at being concise. Fewer brackets, fewer discursive rambles, fewer words. I'm aiming at the same thing for my comments on other blogs. A little goal - it could tie in with Skinny Cow - less of me in every way.
It took me 66 words to say what?
... Approximately Nothing.
So I'm going to aim at being concise. Fewer brackets, fewer discursive rambles, fewer words. I'm aiming at the same thing for my comments on other blogs. A little goal - it could tie in with Skinny Cow - less of me in every way.
It took me 66 words to say what?
... Approximately Nothing.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
My little experiment nearly worked...
Last Wednesday morning the Itchy Spots had faded to faint purple shadows and were no longer itchy. I was itchy to start testing things, but thought I should wait for another week to make certain I was free of the wretched things.
However, there was family visiting and that always means a trip down to our favourite cafe for cheesecake. I had spent the couple of days avoiding yummy foods, but cheesecake is one of my favourite foods of all time (especially at that particular cafe), and, well... I wanted some.
My first thought was "Might as well hang for a sheep as a lamb," but then I thought I'd be semi good. I had half a slice (brought the other half home for my Beloved), selected caramel because it had the least potential for itchy spots (which is silly given that cheesecake has both cheese and lemon in it anyway), and had a glass of cold water to go with it.
I got away with it. Unfortunately it isn't a true reading because I had a nose and eyes attack that night and took an anti-histamine - but no spots came for the next couple of days. Things were looking up.
Friday night came and I just couldn't be bothered cooking. Knowing that I can have chicken, and I can have plain chips, I thought it'd be nice to have BBQ chicken and chips takeaway.
I probably shouldn't have eaten the skin. I didn't eat all of it, but it tasted great. I'm sitting here salivating about the taste as I type. I probably should have peeled it off with all the unknown herbs and spices. They probably use seasoned salt on the chips, too.
Overnight the itchy spots came back. What I would consider a moderate dose, but still itchy as anything. Here I am 3.5 days later still itchy and spotty. I've had anti-histamines for other nose and eye attacks, but no improvement. Obviously my body really doesn't like something they use to season their food.
But it does like cheesecake. :)
So what percentage of the chicken was worth it?
... Approximately None.
However, there was family visiting and that always means a trip down to our favourite cafe for cheesecake. I had spent the couple of days avoiding yummy foods, but cheesecake is one of my favourite foods of all time (especially at that particular cafe), and, well... I wanted some.
My first thought was "Might as well hang for a sheep as a lamb," but then I thought I'd be semi good. I had half a slice (brought the other half home for my Beloved), selected caramel because it had the least potential for itchy spots (which is silly given that cheesecake has both cheese and lemon in it anyway), and had a glass of cold water to go with it.
I got away with it. Unfortunately it isn't a true reading because I had a nose and eyes attack that night and took an anti-histamine - but no spots came for the next couple of days. Things were looking up.
Friday night came and I just couldn't be bothered cooking. Knowing that I can have chicken, and I can have plain chips, I thought it'd be nice to have BBQ chicken and chips takeaway.
I probably shouldn't have eaten the skin. I didn't eat all of it, but it tasted great. I'm sitting here salivating about the taste as I type. I probably should have peeled it off with all the unknown herbs and spices. They probably use seasoned salt on the chips, too.
Overnight the itchy spots came back. What I would consider a moderate dose, but still itchy as anything. Here I am 3.5 days later still itchy and spotty. I've had anti-histamines for other nose and eye attacks, but no improvement. Obviously my body really doesn't like something they use to season their food.
But it does like cheesecake. :)
So what percentage of the chicken was worth it?
... Approximately None.
Monday, December 1, 2008
So, so tired
I've been getting really tired and going to bed early because I just can't stay vertical with my eyes open any longer.
I've had some big days with things that had to be done, and there's stuff on the horizon that I'm half really excited about and half concerned that my organisational ability isn't up to scratch.
Then there's the on-going paying work with all the little bits and pieces that I have to get done just when I think I've finished a job.
The problem is I'm waking for an hour or so (on one occasion nearly 3 hours) just after midnight. My brain just switches on and races around all the things I have to do, decide or organise. Then I can't get back to sleep. There's nothing like tossing and turning for an hour or so in the middle of the night when you're so tired you can't force yourself up to actually do anything else.
So I'm not waking feeling rested in the mornings. This means I struggle through another day, get to the end of it feeling so tired that I need to go to bed early... and the cycle continues.
I'm trying the excercise in the morning option and it hasn't made any difference. I might try the exercise before bed option, but I'm a bit worried it might actually wake me up.
How much use am I for anything just now?
... Approximately None.
I've had some big days with things that had to be done, and there's stuff on the horizon that I'm half really excited about and half concerned that my organisational ability isn't up to scratch.
Then there's the on-going paying work with all the little bits and pieces that I have to get done just when I think I've finished a job.
The problem is I'm waking for an hour or so (on one occasion nearly 3 hours) just after midnight. My brain just switches on and races around all the things I have to do, decide or organise. Then I can't get back to sleep. There's nothing like tossing and turning for an hour or so in the middle of the night when you're so tired you can't force yourself up to actually do anything else.
So I'm not waking feeling rested in the mornings. This means I struggle through another day, get to the end of it feeling so tired that I need to go to bed early... and the cycle continues.
I'm trying the excercise in the morning option and it hasn't made any difference. I might try the exercise before bed option, but I'm a bit worried it might actually wake me up.
How much use am I for anything just now?
... Approximately None.
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