Mother's Day

You know that part in the Matrix, where Joe Pantoliano's character is making his deal with Agent Smith to be put back into the Matrix so he can pretend to lead a nice, normal life?  Sometimes I completely understand his wanting to be ignorant of his harsh reality in favor of the illusion of stress-free comfort.  Where's the Matrix when you need it? 

I don't want to go see my mom this Sunday.  I love her, I do.  But she lives 200 miles away and all I do when I'm there is fix her damn computer.  It's a long ass drive for a visit out of which I get nothing.  Of course, that isn't the point, right?  I drive up there to make her happy, not because I want to go.  I love my mom but I don't necessarily like her a whole lot so spending time with her is difficult.  I'm twitchy and constantly looking at the clock while I'm there, which I'm sure doesn't do her a whole lot of good, either.  Bah.    Plus there's the more pressing logistical issue of the fact my car is in desperate need of new tires.  My right front tire has practically no tread left.  It's not completely bald but 400 miles of driving sure isn't going to help.  I've budgeted to get two new tires at the end of this month and two the next so as to try to keep as closely as possible to the rule of getting all 4 tires at the same time but still be able to afford it.  It's stressing me out that she wants me up there but that I don't want to go and it would be guilt-inducing to me to disappoint her.  The kicker is she's not even the one putting the guilt on me - it's me!   Shadows and ghosts, whispering to me that she'll be disappointed not to see me, that she'll cry when I tell her I'm not coming when in fact, that probably wouldn't be the case.  She truly doesn't pull that on me anymore. 

But when I think about driving up there, it feels like I would be slowly tearing out a piece of me and stomping it into a bloody pulp.  If I could visit her once a year, that would be perfect but I know that would make her sad.  More guilt I heap upon myself.

Sorry for this dumb, whiny post.  I'm trying to talk myself through this self-imposed dilemma and taking you all along for the ride.   Truthfully, it's all coming down to the tire issue.  It's really not safe for me to drive my car up there right now and taking a bus/train is not a financial nor time-logistic possibility.  I have to call her tonight and tell her I'm not coming.  Understanding mom or not, I still feel like an ass.

Google

I can totally see why Microsoft and Yahoo are scared shitless by Google.  Google rocks!  I love their maps and that whole street view thing?  Way cool.  I know, I'm reverting to So Cal teenager speech patterns but it's so freaking neat!  I just "travelled" down a street through the photo they have for the "street view" of an address I looked up.  Very impressive.  And their maps are so easy to navigate.  Microsoft's MapPoint isn't bad but Google is way better, in my humble and completely technologically unsaavy opinion.  Notice I haven't even mentioned Yahoo's map system?  'Cause they're nowhere close.  And Google's search engine - I don't know what they feed that thing but it's a whole different stratosphere comparatively speaking to those other two places.  Man I wish I'd bought Google stock when they first went public.  *kicks self*

Ok, that's it.  I had to comment on how cool that whole map-street view thing is.  Just a Lil Nerdiness for you.  HA!  (knee slap) Get it?  Lil='lil=little!  Get it?  I crack myself up.  (Unfortunately I only crack myself up - I get weird looks from everyone else). 

Love to you and yours.

- Lil 

Be Kind to Animals - but not just this week

Be Kind to Animals Week®
May 4 to 10, 2008

The American Humane Association created Be Kind to Animals Week in 1915 to celebrate the unique bond between humans and animals.

How Can I Be Kind to Animals?
Here are some simple things you can do during Be Kind to Animals week and throughout the year to show kindness to animals:

Speak out for animals. Get active in local animal welfare policies and legislation. Also, register with us to receive timely Action Alerts about issues affecting animals. You’ll be able to make a difference for animals with just the click of your mouse.

Report animal abuse. While acts of violence against animals are tragic in their own right, they are also a red flag for other violent behavior, including domestic abuse and violent crime.

Appreciate wildlife. Create an inviting space in your yard and garden for butterflies, hummingbirds and other creatures.

Share kindness. Teach the people in your life, especially children, about the importance of being kind to animals.

Make a donation to your local animal shelter. A donation can be your time, money, or needed items like pet food or laundry detergent. Call them first and see what they need.

Adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue organization. Approximately 8 to 12 million animals enter our nation’s shelters every year, and more than half of these pets will have to be euthanized because of a lack of homes. Local shelters are the best place to find companion animals, even purebreds -- one out of every four dogs in a shelter is a purebred.

Help solve the tragedy of euthanasia of adoptable animals by not contributing to the problem. If you have pets, make sure they are spayed or neutered. Pets should be microchipped and should always wear a collar with an ID tag, so they can be reunited with you quickly if they are ever lost.

Be a responsible pet guardian. Keep a collar with an ID tag on your pet, in case he or she gets lost, and take your pet to the veterinarian every year for vaccinations and a health check

The Tofu doggie.    I love the 'Fu.  She's technically Jared's dog but I take care of her for the most part so we've bonded (and I think of her as mine, to tell you the truth but shhh, don't tell Jared that).   

It's Monday.  That's it.  That's all I have to say on that subject.

Love to you and yours.

- Lil 

Currently Watching Best in Show By Carrie Aizley, Lewis Arquette, Bob Balaban, Jehshua Barnes, Jay Brazeau see related

Freaked Out

Ok, so maybe not in a huge way but I'm trying to avoid whining about my 'sploding head (damn mucous).  You should thank me.  Really.

I went to see Baby Mama last weekend and it was cute.  Funny in a completely predictable, you can't expect anything at all from this movie to enjoy it kind of way.  What's freaking me out, though, has been freaking me out since Blades of Glory. 

Amy Poehler looks (facially) just like Beverly D'Angelo. 

Now, I know this is no great news - I've seen the questions and debate all over the internet.  Are they related?  What's up with Amy Poehler looking exactly like Beverly D'Angelo? Yadda, yadda, yadda.  Well, I haven't written about it yet so there was a vacuum in the discussion that I could not allow to continue.

The similarities are freaky - that's all I'm sayin'.  There's a duplicate branch in their family trees - there has to be.  Now the void has been filled.  Hallelujah, amen.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

Currently Watching Daddy's Dyin'... Who's Got the Will? By Beau Bridges, Beverly D'Angelo, Tess Harper, Judge Reinhold, Amy Wright see related

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Miserable Lil 

Advil is my friend. 

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