Not Exactly Sardonic

Early Sunday morning. In the tub. Getting stretched out. Church later. Bit of a stretch there too. I've a friend who belongs where I used to go. He's always wanted to pastor his own congregation. He started an 'alternative' sort of service and keeps inviting me. I don't respond but do wish to be polite.

He calls it "Olde Time Agape" and features gospel sing-alongs. Country people. Nostalgia. Agape is, of course, faithful love in Greek. I wouldn't want to say to him that I'd like to invite him to. Latin High Mass - for old time's sake. Sarcastic? Yes. Leave it alone.

I'm highly secularized. Spoke with present pastor yesterday evening, just about the same time as this shot. He tends to put everything through Biblical perspective, coming up with citations for this or that. I appreciate it but see things more matter-of-factly, here and now.

But I do go back. Presently reading Voltaire, who is prolific indeed. Having simply glanced in the past, something of a refresher, especially his deft quotations.

"God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well."

Procrastination, con'd

When having my eyes examined, my blood pressure taken. I've put some weight on and spend too much time in the easy chair. It was up some. Since losing weight it had gone down without meds so I sort of skated for a while. Been meaning to go for a prescription renewal but put it off. 

Some little complication, but all worked out today. Transitioning from private insurance with one provider to Medicare HMO with another. The old physician can't refill without seeing me and isn't provider anymore. Just had to get ducks in a row and made appointment to see new doctor next week. Haven't used the Medicare at all and basically glanced at the informational manuals from the provider concerning co-pays, etc. Some concern that there might be some negative cash flow. No fundamental difference from previous plan and petty cash costs, including prescriptions. It's got more to do with the supplemental insurance. 

So, all should be copasetic by next week. 

Health pretty good except for needing a beta-blocker.

Rather a drear day today, overcast and not going anywhere. Thinking about dinner!

Nice old picture redone in new app. Old stomping grounds. Your home your castle.

Used to live in Camp Verde - before the traffic got there. Late 1980s. Much trekking.

Gotten really bad on SRs 89 and 260. Worse here, of course. Unavoidable. 

Procrastination

Been intending to get a new pair of glasses for some time. See deals on the Internet but I'm way past due on a fresh prescription - like, it's five years old. Well, my glasses got knocked off a table at home. I stepped on them. Jury-rigged wearability. Not exactly comfortable ordering online so I searched for the best retail deal I could find.

One place, unmentioned, offered what seemed to be a good one. Insurance paid the exam. The other day, when I made the appointment for today, I browsed what they had and picked one out. Was told 50% off sale going on. I looked at the sticker price on the frame and figured that was the price of the specs. Deal.

Get done with exam and go to settle up. Whoa... lenses are cost too! I grumped but they were half off as well. But still - I am not a professional shopper and I can't get out of those places fast enough. I figure I need them right away, let's get done, that's it. I can use the new prescription to get a cheaper back-up pair. Anyway, not getting the exam done before the crush cost me.

Riding around a little, no shots presented. Had a conversation with someone last night about the parks in Phoenix as compared to many other cities. The fellow happened to be a landscape designer. I complained that all the city parks were the same, templated as it were, and no flowers. Nor do they prune the trees. He said the parks here were not designed for people but for dogs.

Did some more repotting. Here, a couple new ensembles. 

Cell: (c) SKG

Some Other Time

Be My Valentine LOL

Made this several years ago. Just redid it with gusto.

Well, the thing of it is, she might like it. She whomever.

There's a young woman sitting across from me at the coffee place. She looks sad, lonely. I'm just from Bible study and am not quite concerned about the circumstance. Anyway, I thought I'd send her some flowers. You know, just ask her what's her e-mail and send her a picture. Yeah, right, you say? Well, you just never know. 

Then again, once gave the above to a live one. She never even thanked me. Way it goes. Never got the chance to wax poetic upon lotus blossoms or nothing. Perhaps I recall on account of her being the last one I'd bother myself about. Heaven forfend I should bother her.

Were there really someone really there to be real to be there, I'd do this up special. Matter of fact, that's the next project. Get finished here. Have a movie downloaded. Dinner awaits. I can cook!

SPQR Yourself

Something of a tangle with a Twitter post earlier today. Enjoy Lucy Worsley immensely and all that. A splendid BBC presenter, right up there with Michael Wood and Homer. She made a post touting someone's book about the poor Romanovs done in by the commissars. Couldn't exactly say good riddance, but came near. The Brits are much enveloped in mystique and sentiment for their lost imperial grandeur... the Caucasian bourgeoisie, especially, while they are inundated by Muslims on account of same imperial policy, former subjects of the Raj within the Commonwealth having the right to emigrate to the U.K. 

Odd subject; England is not, nor Scotland, but Britannia. Have you ever noticed that when there's a casting call for a film, a costume drama about the Romans, Brits get the call. An American accent just won't do. Well, I suppose I channeled that "How come?" You figure it's a class thing playing classical shtick. Anyway, from whence does it derive. From Rome, who held plenty in bondage. That's what I imparted; I saluted the Russian Republic and their fledgeling democracy after the Bolshies stole the revolution. They had their own problem - the Third Rome, the old Byzantine emperor the vice-regent  of God, thence to the father Ruskie czars. Defunct!

Ought I have stayed out of it? Could have gone further, the corporatist State and its flunkies on the tit. Simply made a liberating point. Americans can handle it. What was Churchill's adage? Two nations divided by a common language. No shit.

Hitting the Wall

Photo work proceeding apace. Nothing much else doing.

Nice day at church yesterday but very much a closed society.

Spent about six hours online between browsing and tweeting.

Facebook too. Minimal society there as well. Time for a movie.

                                                           **********

An excellent film. Very touching memorialization and well written.
Several journeyperson actors and three masters. Great, sad story.
I've been through those parts - back way to Prescott through Yarnell,
but never to Juniper Tree. Now I've a destination. Here's Thumb Butte.