Author: Shelly

Photography

A Walk in the Woods

Shelly

The weather has been exceptionally pretty the past few days. Last Wednesday, after work, my camera and I took a walk in the woods. I wasn’t really dressed appropriately, as it was super muddy, but it was well worth slogging through the swampy bits.

I’ve tweaked the color a bit (lowering the saturation, increasing the contrast, decreasing the lightness, and upping the reds and yellows), because the originals were washed out. Sunny days are nice, but they really don’t make for the best photographs. The close-ups of the tree knot and the three trees with a board nailed across them were completely desaturated and had noise added. I left the fungus and the pictures with visible sky untouched.

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Crankypantsing, Pets, Photography

Happy Friday (Now New and Improved with Kisses!)

Shelly

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Mmm-wah! Harriet Brown sends kisses. (For full effect, I strongly recommend clicking to view at full-size.)

I stayed up late last night to watch the end of the women’s long program. I like figure skating, but for some reason it just wasn’t as interesting as it could’ve been. It was not time well spent, unfortunately. Since I was up way past my bedtime, I intended to sleep in this morning. So when the phone rang at 6:45 ayem, I was not terribly amused. Janet Parker, whoever you are, would it’ve killed you to let the phone ring a couple more times? Because, the only thing worse than being waked up at the crack of dawn is hauling my lazy ass out of bed just in time for the phone to stop ringing. I wasn’t sleeping very heavily, so I know that I heard the first ring. She let it ring four times. Four! At 6:45 ayem! Give a girl time to get out of bed, for crying out loud. Grrr.

On the bright side, the sunrise was beautiful. I was too lazy (I mentioned the laziness, didn’t I?) to go inside and get my camera, so I have no photographic proof, but I promise it was lovely: neon pinky and orangy with streaks of purple and fuschia.

Now, I just need to convince my lazy ass that it needs to clean the house. I’m not feeling very motivated.

Ladybusiness, News & Politics

It Begins in South Dakota

Shelly

And just when I was thinking this day would be an improvement over yesterday (it’s Friday for me, and Survivor is on tonight), there is this little news gem (via Feministing): South Dakota’s senate has passed an absolutely fucktacular piece of legislation that totally bans abortion. The only exception is if the mother’s life is at risk There are no exceptions for rape or incest, or for the protection of the mother’s mental or physical heath and well being. The state’s governor, who is of the anti-choice persuasion, still has to sign it into law, but there is absolutely no doubt that he will. The ramifications of this go way beyond women in South Dakota being unable to obtain in-state abortions. This is a stepping stone to the overturn of Roe v. Wade. It also opens the door for all sorts of squicky laws aimed at controlling the freedoms of women. Cuz, yaknow, we’re just big ol’ incubators with feet.

Un-fucking-believable.

Pets

Unconditional Love

Shelly

Gina at Dogma, a pet writer whose blog I very much enjoy, posted yesterday on the subject of unconditional love. While I believe that dogs are capable of experiencing love, and I think that the majority of dogs develop bonds of love easily, I’m not in 100% agreement with her claim that dogs love unconditionally. It seems pretty clear to me that there are strings attached. Surely no one expects a dog whose owner mistreats him to unconditionally love his abuser?

For example: My own dog’s love is intertwined with her ability to trust. She does not trust many people, but those she does, she loves and would walk over hot coals to be with. But break her trust, and the love will disappear, as well. For Harriet, things like fairness and consistency are major components in the trust-love equation. She is bewildered by inconsistent treatment, and reacts by withdrawing and shutting down. She cools toward the person who breaks her trust and it can take a long time to rebuild it. “Fool me once…” she says. There are lots of strings attached to Miss Brown’s love, but that’s okay. Part of the bargain we struck was that I would be the one supplying the unconditional love and light refreshments. She just needs to bring the entertainment.

Crankypantsing

Oh Mah Gawd

Shelly

I did, indeed, end up having to fill out an accident report. Because, you know, it could get infected and turn gangrenous and require amputation. Or something.

It seems to me that a good rule of thumb would be that if you are not hurt badly enough to leave work, then there is no need for an accident report. Likewise, if you must fill out an accident report, you are obviously too hurt to continue working, and must go home. Immediately.

Crankypantsing, News & Politics

Why Wal-Mart Sucks, Reason #8759

Shelly

Terre Haute is getting a new Walmart store. I get the impression that most folks there were originally in favor of this, but they aren’t so happy about it now. Apparently, Walmart gave local contractors only five days to bid on the project, which is a ludicrously short amount of time, so the contract ended up going to a company from Missouri. Poof! A metric ass-load of jobs gone, just like that. It gets worse, though. Based on pay stubs obtained by a local news station, the company that won the contract is not deducting state or county taxes from its workers’ pay checks. By law, out of state workers must have state and county taxes deducted from their pay. Because that money isn’t being deducted, a sizable chunk of tax revenue that would have been received from local workers will now be lost.

Terre Haute really can’t afford to lose that money. A representative from one of the local unions was interviewed. He said that if his company had gotten the contract, not only would the local tax money not be lost, but his company A) uses local workers and B) donates a percentage of their profits to local charities. That means that money would be going into the pockets of local workers, charities, and government. But, because an out-of-state company won the contract, it won’t.

That’s just one of the many hidden costs of supporting a business like Walmart.

Crankypantsing

When File Folders Attack

Shelly

I am sporting a huge-assed wad o’ band-aids (sticking plasters, for y’all UKoGBaNI-ians) on my left ring finger, onna counta I was attacked by a vicious file folder. Ouch! Many foul words were uttered and much hopping around was performed. I narrowly escaped having to fill out an on-the-job accident report. No, I am not making that up. The mind, it doth wobble. But, anyway, this is all by way of complaining that I am now severely handicapped in my typing.

This day can only get better, right?

Crankypantsing

Pass the Ball Peen, Please

Shelly

I’m craving chocolate, for some reason. Actually, anything sweet would do, I think. I don’t often crave sweet stuff, which makes it even more difficult to resist the siren call of the candy machine. But! The price of candy bars has gone from 60¢ to 75¢, so I think I’ll do without, thankyouverymuch. I have some oatmeal, for sweet snack emergencies. That’ll have to do. It’s definitely not a candy bar, though. Hrmph.

Today is yet another in the seemingly endless parade of “party” days: Chili Luncheon day, to be exact. I shall not be attending, because I object to being pressured into socializing with my coworkers. Not that I don’t enjoy their company, mind you. I just don’t want to hang out and eat with them. Plus, the co-mingled smells of raw onions and fruit punch wafting through the halls are nausea inducing. Alsoalso, I share a bathroom with them and know how many of them do not wash their hands. Ew.

So, this day sucks in all sorts of ways. It could suck more, though. A man was beaten to death by his roommate with a sledge hammer and a claw hammer (I believe that’s what’s referred to as overkill) in an argument over who would purchase toilet paper. And my former roommates thought I was cranky with them for not buying TP! My solution, after asking, shouting, and begging failed to work, was to keep my TP in my own room. Silly me. I ought to’ve just clobbered them with a hammer. Then again, with my luck, I’d be sure to get a TP hogging cell mate, so maybe that wouldn’t’ve been such a good plan after all.

Okaythenlaterbye.

Art

Instant Reviews

Shelly

Instant Review #1: Brokeback Mountain

I haven’t, as yet, seen it, but I’m happy to report that my word-challenged friend really enjoyed it. She pronounced it “a little slow, but very, very good.”

Instant Review #2: Some Art by Some Dead Guy Named Odilon Redon

Red Boat with Blue Sail
Red Boat with Blue Sail, Odilon Redon, circa 1907, oil on canvas

My boss just returned to work after having surgery. She received a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, which reminded me of how much I adore Odilon Redon’s work. If you aren’t familiar with it, I recommend checking it out. His still lifes are beautiful. He painted more than still lifes, though. His Red Boat with Blue Sail is one of my absolute favorite paintings in the entire world. His portraits are lovely, too. They remind me of Medieval icons.

Instant Review #3: The Kumars at No. 42

I’m not even sure how to describe this gem. It’s part scripted sit-com, part ad-libbed talk show, and 100% hilarity. Sanjeev Kumar lives at home with his parents and grandmother. They’ve converted their back garden into a television studio, where they interview celebrity guests (Minnie Driver and Grant E. Lee, among others) for their chat show. Dear God, is it ever funny.

Instant Review #4: The Iron Giant

An animated film about a boy and his giant robot from outer space, set in the 1950s. It’s truly beautiful–funny and sweet and sad, and it made me cry, all without being at all sappy or over done. Now that’s entertainment.