Tonight marks the end of Daylight Savings Time here in the US. At 2:00 AM, we turn our clocks back one hour. This is better than when the reverse is true in the spring, because it means we get an extra hour to lounge between the sheets in the morning! The downside for many, is that it will now start to get dark by about 5:30 PM. That has never bothered me. I can relate to the night. Unlike Dracula however, I don't consider the barking of my neighbor's dogs in the middle of the night, to be beautiful music. No children of the night, these dogs.............just a bunch of rowdy yappers, but a fan in the bedroom drowns them out.
Actually, the early onset of darkness has it's advantages, for me at least. For one, it means one less hour a day, that my obsessive/compulsive disordered next door neighbor can run her noisy ass, gasoline powered leaf blower! What I've often been tempted to do with that infernal machine, is just too obscene to mention in this blog.
It also means that while driving home from my mothers in Richmond on Monday evenings, I won't have the setting sun shining directly into my eyes, although if I'm honest, that actually ceases to be problem by early to mid September, since my drive is to the northwest. I do prefer the coziness of the dark cockpit, lit only by the glow of the light from the instrument panel and radio. There is just something very intimate about riding down the highway in a car at night, with the radio, or CD player playing your favorite station or album. You're in your own little world. You can't see the other drivers, and they can't see you. I suppose those so inclined could interpret it as a regression.......a desire to return to the womb. I don't know about that, nor do I really care. At 62, I'm not about to tell my nearly ninety year old mother, that I want back inside, because I really don't, besides that would be way too icky to even imagine! So, nope........nothing quirky about it, I just like night driving.
I was out driving around the countryside today, and while there are still plenty of leaves left on the trees in the Piedmont, sadly we are now past peak color. The brilliant reds, yellows and bright oranges have been replaced by pale greens, muted yellows, muted ambers, and browns. From my rear deck, I can once again see the houses on the other side of the pond, where only a month ago, they were obscured by the jungle of foliage between my house and the north bank. Two weeks from now all the color will be gone, and most of the trees will be bare. The shameless exhibitionism of Autumn, will be replace by the stark dignified beauty of the oncoming winter. It's currently 28.7° F/- 2.3° C, and I'm comfortably ensconced in front of a glowing quartz heater. Radiant quartz heaters are the next best thing to a crackling fire. Maybe even better, since they take only a fraction of the time to come up to temperature.
My new Mac Book Pro laptop has me mesmerized! I'm using the same wireless USB modem that I used with my now defunct I-Mac, but the connection speed with the lap top is ten times faster! No more ten minute waits for videos to play! I also prefer the tactile sensation of the keyboard, to the I-Mac. It seems to be much more sensitive. On the I-Mac, I always felt like I had to pound the keys pretty hard, or I would miss a character. The Mac Book keyboard is also back lit, making each character stand out. I was a bit taken back by the smaller screen size at first, but since it's sitting on my lap, directly in front of my face, and I can easily enlarge the text, or picture it's not a problem. I've never had a lap top before, so it took some getting used to. Eventually, I had to plug my trackball mouse into it, not only because I had become so used to the convenience of a trackball, but because I couldn't figure out which keys corresponded to the left and right mouse buttons. The Mac Book has a wonderful finger pad, that you can use one finger to move the cursor, or two fingers to scroll the page up and down or left and right, but I still haven't figured out the corresponding left and right click keys. Does anybody have any ideas?
A very dear sweet girlfriend came to my defense yesterday in an email, when a now notorious TS pedant, and drive by shooter, decided once again to spray my blog with her reactionary bullets. At 62 years old, I have so much scar tissue from far worse attacks, that bullets of this sort do no more than leave a small bruise. She is at least my age. Surely she must know by now, that while the heart remains soft for those who deserve its warmth, the skin thickens to protect it from the attacks of those who don't. What a shame she is so self-satisfied. Coming from the same generation, she and I could have been such great friends, but she burned that bridge, with her very first judgmental comment on my blog. I'm so sorry about that. Hopefully she will someday learn the truth revealed by Albert Einstein.....that everything is relative. That is a law that applies not only to the cosmos, but to everything within it, including our own existence. A lack of that fundamental understanding, or an unwillingness to accept it, has been at the root of every human misunderstanding, since the dawn of mankind. Unfortunately it will very likely remain so, and that is the curse of the human race.
I was out driving around the countryside today, and while there are still plenty of leaves left on the trees in the Piedmont, sadly we are now past peak color. The brilliant reds, yellows and bright oranges have been replaced by pale greens, muted yellows, muted ambers, and browns. From my rear deck, I can once again see the houses on the other side of the pond, where only a month ago, they were obscured by the jungle of foliage between my house and the north bank. Two weeks from now all the color will be gone, and most of the trees will be bare. The shameless exhibitionism of Autumn, will be replace by the stark dignified beauty of the oncoming winter. It's currently 28.7° F/- 2.3° C, and I'm comfortably ensconced in front of a glowing quartz heater. Radiant quartz heaters are the next best thing to a crackling fire. Maybe even better, since they take only a fraction of the time to come up to temperature.
My new Mac Book Pro laptop has me mesmerized! I'm using the same wireless USB modem that I used with my now defunct I-Mac, but the connection speed with the lap top is ten times faster! No more ten minute waits for videos to play! I also prefer the tactile sensation of the keyboard, to the I-Mac. It seems to be much more sensitive. On the I-Mac, I always felt like I had to pound the keys pretty hard, or I would miss a character. The Mac Book keyboard is also back lit, making each character stand out. I was a bit taken back by the smaller screen size at first, but since it's sitting on my lap, directly in front of my face, and I can easily enlarge the text, or picture it's not a problem. I've never had a lap top before, so it took some getting used to. Eventually, I had to plug my trackball mouse into it, not only because I had become so used to the convenience of a trackball, but because I couldn't figure out which keys corresponded to the left and right mouse buttons. The Mac Book has a wonderful finger pad, that you can use one finger to move the cursor, or two fingers to scroll the page up and down or left and right, but I still haven't figured out the corresponding left and right click keys. Does anybody have any ideas?
A very dear sweet girlfriend came to my defense yesterday in an email, when a now notorious TS pedant, and drive by shooter, decided once again to spray my blog with her reactionary bullets. At 62 years old, I have so much scar tissue from far worse attacks, that bullets of this sort do no more than leave a small bruise. She is at least my age. Surely she must know by now, that while the heart remains soft for those who deserve its warmth, the skin thickens to protect it from the attacks of those who don't. What a shame she is so self-satisfied. Coming from the same generation, she and I could have been such great friends, but she burned that bridge, with her very first judgmental comment on my blog. I'm so sorry about that. Hopefully she will someday learn the truth revealed by Albert Einstein.....that everything is relative. That is a law that applies not only to the cosmos, but to everything within it, including our own existence. A lack of that fundamental understanding, or an unwillingness to accept it, has been at the root of every human misunderstanding, since the dawn of mankind. Unfortunately it will very likely remain so, and that is the curse of the human race.
Well now.......you all know me, and I'm not about to end my blog on a negative note. My dear sweet girlfriend in Arizona is not the only one who has supported me. There are so many of you who have expressed your love, kindness, and solidarity with me, since I've started my blog, that I am truly overwhelmed. How could I not love you all?
Melissa XX
28 comments:
I love the idea of the extra hour in bed... I just wish that my body would make use of it. Lasrt week I was downstairs typing up my blog entry at 6:30 (7:30 Summer time) and it really grated to be up and about so early!
Night drivng... I love it - in the Volvo you have the warmth that a modern car gives, and as you say can be in your own world (whilst concentrating on the road of course). On the bike I always find night time is a great leveler. No longer are you this tiny vehicle compared to everything else, but just a car with a broken headlight. People seem to see you and respond to you much better than during the day when the SMIDSY excuse cuts in (Sorry Mate I Didn't See You for the non bikers). And in the Spit (when it works again...) there is nothing like being wrapped up against the cold and dropping the roof for a midnight drive...
Stace
I can't even imagine competing with the onslaught of thousands of modern automobiles, when my only option is a bike, or an ancient Spit!.
Best of luck sweetie!
Melissa XX
At the risk of reinforcing a stereotype given at times to my "home and native land", we have had snow on the trees and in the forest floor for the last two days here. The beautiful leaves have been down for about four weeks, so the white covering is actually quite a welcomed relief from grey.
I also love night drives. In the countryside, it is so much easier to see vehicles coming up the other side of a hill or around a corner because of the headlights.
That OCD neighbour needs a life, that is certain. Blowing leaves in the countryside?? sheesh!
Here's an idea: plant the seed that driveways look so much better all shined up. Maybe they will take to waxing and polishing it! At least that would be quiet! :D
Thanks for being our friend too. It's great getting your letters from the Piedmont!
Hugs
Halle
Ever since I moved to Arizona, I somehow miss the ritual of daylight savings clock resettings. In this state, as they often do, they decided that what the rest of the country did was not for them...bunch of self-styled mavericks. I also miss that lovely thing you have called fall where trees turn beautiful and the world becomes crisp and lovely. In L.A., it meant the early morning fogs would begin and when I lived up in the hills, I would walk out to my car as if in a cloud. It was perfect.
Some advice on the new Mac touchpad. Read the manual or go see a Mac store pro (I had one of those guys go through everything with me). There are lots of new, cool features about it including things you can do with three and four fingers. Also, to right click, you use two fingers in the upper area.
As for others who post here to feel better about themselves, I wonder if it is working out for them, that feeling smug and superior. I'm sure that they can sleep well at night knowing that they are better than the rest of us, but now that they have established that, perhaps they can continue their drive-by to another part of the world where people can truly appreciate their ascension to the seat of judgment.
In any case, you have another friend here in Arizona if you want one.
xoxo
Unlike Gin, I don't like Daylight Saving Time, and even less that it lasts for more than half the year now. It takes me several days go get used to the "time zone change" in the spring. :)
We don't have much autumn leaf colour here, except from the imported trees. And autumn has been weird. We have not yet had a serious leaf fall.
Einstein did not say that everything is relative. Special Relativity is about time and the matter-energy equivalence. General Relativity is about gravitation. Einstein and post-modernism do not go together! Besides, Einstein said that the passage of time was relative to the position of the observer. What is "everything" relative to?
Sorry, I don't mean to give you a hard time, but that assertion just doesn't fly, at least not without further explanation.
@Gin: In your comment, you made a judgment about the intention and disposition of another commenter. You actually don't know her mind or her intention.
Maybe you should get your OCD neighbor an electric leaf blower for Christmas...perhaps some anti-bark collars for your neighbor with the barking dogs. For your neighbor, I think the barking dogs are kinda like your whitenoise fan. We have a lot of coyotes around our place. They make a very nervewracking noise but it doesn't seem to bother me...just coyotes doing what coyotes do...lol. :)Suzi
Where do we get our hardhats and body armour?
Fundamental transism is clearly as dangerous as all those other fundamental movements out there and our lives are at risk if we fail to toe their line.
Caroline xxx
@Ariel - You are right. I don't know the minds of others or their intentions and most of the time I try to stay out of some of the nastiness. I do apologize for that.
xoxo
@Anne: did meeting Calie face-to-face teach you nothing? Walk a mile in Melissa's shoes. Oh no, I suspect they wouldn't fit. I sure as hell know mine wouldn't.
Anyone using "transgendered" as a pejorative is going to lose my respect, *whoever* they are.
Daylight saving time has just meant I've been pressing apples by halogen light way into the frosty gloom, so sorry everyone, I have little time left for pleasantries this evening.
@Jenny: Where did Anne use "transgendered" as a pejorative? On the contrary. She wrote, What's wrong with being transgendered? She has consistently said there is no hierarchy, only difference. And yet her remarks (and motivations) are consistently mischaracterized.
Using it in that way is an implied pejorative because it is redefining the umbrella term "transgender", under which we all sit, to imply a non-inclusive lesser stratum.
Literally she's right. There's nothing wrong with being transgender. Me, I'm happy to be transgender. 'Cos I know what I am, I have a mirror and a doctor to tell me that. Trouble is, she's not using the word in the same way everyone else does. And for someone like Melissa who's still battling gender dysphoria on a daily basis, hell yeah I can see why it annoys her.
Funnily enough I don't mischaracterise Anne's motivations. I just think she's got 40 years worth of catching up to do.
I was born transsexual, and I transitioned. I don't consider myself transgender or gender variant. My gender is pretty standard now that my body has been changed. I can't help it if someone thinks I'm under a political umbrella, but I'm not there anyway. I'm elsewhere.
My issue was with my body, not my gender. That's why I changed my anatomical sex.
Truly, I see nothing wrong with being gender variant. I know a lot of gender variant people. I just happen not to be.
@Jenny: Why would you think that "transgender" is some kind of lesser stratum? I don't think it is. As far as I know, neither does Anne.
Transsexual and transgender are not the same thing. There is nothing bad in saying so, and there is no implication of hierarchy.
Anne, you poor, poor victim. The "in" crowd out to get you, again? Poor diddums.
I see you're busy not caring how people identify, again. And even busier trying to ensure that they answer your questions and conform to your reality.
Why should you care what someone says is who they are? And yet you seem to be quite passionate about it.
Just so you know, "TRANSGENNDER" [sic] (transgender) wasn't intentionally redefined. On a purely practical level, there's no academie for the English language, so it's impossible for your statement to be true. What has happened is that transgender has become vague. Because people use it in such a way, and also because colloquialisms such as "tranny" have become pejoratives.
Oh, yet again you prove to have a way with words! There's nothing wrong with being, oh, Jewish, for instance. But only the insensitive clod would use that phrasing, because it is derogatory.
Citing your own blog as an authoritative voice of "reality" is a bit arrogant, don't you think? I can't say I'd use your blog as an example of any reality I know. You might think it's real, but I, for example, consider it to be an angry, frequently misspelled, rant. (I thought I'd throw that in because you offered to "spell it" out for others.)
You like to call a spade a spade, do you? We have something in common! Goodness me, I have the same fondness for accurate labels! How about this for an example? Your dogmatic truisms are immune to rational dispute, are frequently personally insulting and are often nothing more than vague, illformed and uninformed, but quite angry, rants.
I'm terribly sorry if that doesn't accord with your reality.
Carolyn Ann
Sorry for the delay in replying here, Melissa. I've been busy lately. Busy NOT worrying or arguing about how people define themselves. Carolyn Ann is absolutely right. Melissa is the authority on who and what she is. Not a "turnip," for crying out loud. That's just inane. Wherever you fall on the GLBT spectrum, Melissa, know that you are loved by many. Anne needs to get a life and stop agonizing over how you live yours. *hugs*
I am absolutely SHOCKED to discover that Melissa is not a turnip...sigh...just when you think you know someone. :)Suzi
Anne your profile states:-
"I am 63, retired , active and lovin 'it !"
When you have to return seven times to someone else's post to pour out vitriolic thoughts clearly your idea of "lovin 'it" is at odds with many here.
Perhaps it is time to stop getting riled by trying to convert folk to your fundamentalist way of thinking which had made you happy until you came across this cadre of delusional but happy folk.
You have made your point so it would now be polite to leave Melissa's site in peace.
Anne (aka One Hell Of A Miserable Person) - you crossed the line on "fair use". Perhaps a simple link would have been enough?
But you wouldn't care about that, would you? Your main goal in life is to insult anyone who doesn't immediately proclaim you amazing and, in particular, anyone who proclaims your useless populism to what it is: Fox News hysteria drummed into those who can't be bothered with anything but idiotic tropes.
Oops, silly me - you did demand that I respect your political views. Sorry, I forgot you like to get personal, not political. :-)
And thanks for copying and pasting my profile into your comment. That's creepy, y'know?
Why should I support you? Because you're a "fellow crossdresser"? You insult me on a personal level, and then wonder why I don't come to your defense?
You really are quick to the insult, Anne. You must be a very insecure person.
@ Anne
OK! Enough is enough Anne. Since your only purpose in coming here, is to insult or denigrate anyone who's opinions are contrary to yours, your comments are no longer welcome on this blog. Adios!
Melissa
Oh do stop being so disingenuous, Anne. You, the poor picked on victim, screeching that you're hard done by? You're such a vitriolic victim!
Please, let me know where you've been quoted at the same length you quoted me. Certainly not in this thread!
Have I (creepily) reproduced your profile? Have I extensively quoted any of your miserable rants? Have I reproduced any (dramatically off-topic) posts of yours? Has anyone extensively quoted you? As extensively as you did me?
I can hardly wait (yawn) to see what else you'll try to insult me with. I promise not to doze off. Not that you're not boring me; you are.
Get a life, Anne. Stop inflicting your misery on others. You don't like someone? Fine. Live with it.
Quoting my profile? That really was creepy.
Sorry, Melissa. My post crossed yours in the electronic postal system... :-)
Hooray! I commend you on your choice, Melissa. You are not pulling any tiger's tail with your original post, nor your actions at this point... more like stepping on a slug. ;) Love ya!
How can WE ever get the respect WE so need when WE fight among ourselves?
I see two friends who appear to hate each other and it makes me want to cry.
Calie xxx
It is but humanity, Calie.
Although I will offer that it is very difficult to respect someone when they are as personally insulting and bullying as Anne was/is.
The thing is not for everyone to get along - that's a clear impossibility - but for the tiffs and animosities to kept in perspective by all concerned, or perhaps more accurately, involved.
That is probably as difficult as any human endeavor can be.
Carolyn Ann
Hastily adding: not that I consider you a friend, Calie. I don't - I don't know you.
No implications such as that intended!
Apologies to anyone who thought I was claiming such! I really didn't intend to mislead anyone, but a rereading of my last comment could be construed that way.
I thought she was blocked from this blog.
Using the wrong pronouns and such on purpose is insulting.
Anne, let me know - in one short sentence - when you start to make sense. So far you're just on an ineffectual and tedious rampage.
As the old saying goes: sticks and stones, etc. And, for your information, you're but a rank amateur in the outrage and insult department. Heck, I've had illiterate bosses who could teach you a thing or two about using words effectively!
Sigh.
Amy, I believe Anne is trying to get a rise out of me. Or perhaps others? I'm not sure; Anne's rants seem to be drunken rages more than anything.
I don't care about the "Mr" bit. I am a man, nature being a mite cruel. Believe me, it's not something I'm entirely happy about. But be that as it may, I am what I am. Nature cruel in tooth and claw? How about cruel in womb and life?
C'est la vie and all that. Anne seems to hold my appraisal of myself against me, but as I've noted, rank amateurs don't get much more than a mirthless smile of wry amusement.
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