Life

Day Two

/ Anita Marie / 6 Comments

:::: A Twelve Day Journey To Christmas Day-

OR

Will Anita Marie Get Her Fiji Mermaid THIS Year?:::

Today

On Day Two

Readers Want To Know

Why the Hell Does This Woman want a Monkey/ Fish For Christmas?

original Fiji Mermaid & P.T. Barnum
original Fiji Mermaid & P.T. Barnum

Last year my nephew, who was dieing went into the hospital sometime around Thanksgiving. A few weeks later he went into a hospice and before his birthday in July he died.

I think it was just before Christmas when we went to see him in the hospital.

He was blind by then, he could still talk a little and he was very aware of  everything going on around him, so my sister-the famous Esther- and my adorable baby brother who nick named me Cheetoh- our spouses and parents and kids all crowded into Andy’s bedroom and did what we always do when we get together.

We laughed and told stories …

and then it started to snow.

I was reading Andy stories from my blogs and for awhile everyone left the room but they hung around the door and I think that if there was any one reason for me to have been a writer – it was for that moment.

Because my nephew was proud of me.

I told him about writers and artists I’ve met on line- he knew you- my friends there at The Soul Food Cafe- Heather and Lori, Cle, and Jane, Gail and Jill. I told him about Sylvia and Vi and Lois and Winnie.. I told him about Max and Kitty and how they wrote screenplays- he was a movie fanatic you know. 

I told him about the funny things that people write and how serious they are about their work and how one day the story I’m writing about a Werewolf who wants to be a Magician will be a book one day.

And when I was done he said, ” Oh Wow.”

Those were the last words he ever spoke to me.

I remember it was snowing.

So, at this time of the year when things are so hard for everyone-when most of what I  feel tonight is grief because it is snowing and it is cold

you may be wondering:  why do I write about my quest my very own

Fiji Mermaid?

Because Andy would have got one for me- that’s why.

He’d think that something like a Fiji Mermaid would be the perfect thing for me to find under my tree on Christmas morning.

In fact, I’m sure he still does.

So because he can’t get me that ultimate gift.

I WILL find her for the both of us.

You just wait and see.

a.m.

December 2008

::: this music clip is here because Andy loved the California Raisins when he was a little boy- and we used to call each other ” Cab ” because of the opening lines in this video-we used to run them together for fun- plus we loved the song- so enjoy::::

clchr

On The First Day…

/ animar / 7 Comments

fiji-postcard

:::: A Twelve Day Journey To Christmas Day-

OR

Will Anita Marie Get Her Fiji Mermaid THIS Year?:::

Today

On Day One

I set out and discovered that you can’t get it all from  The Mall

Today I asked my sister what her daughters wanted for Christmas.

One of my nieces wants Special Powers.

She wants to be able to understand what animals are saying.

I asked for a Fiji Mermaid – one of those awesome ones with fur and teeth.

I’ll bet my niece gets what she wants for Christmas this year.

On this first day I see my hopes for starting my own private Sideshow Museum slipping further away.

It’s Day One

and I am not feeling very Christmas’y’ right now.

There are 11 Days to go and that could change.

Right?

nothing says Merry Christmas like watching someone- or something smashing themselves in the head with a hammer

::from

a

Claymation Christmas::

 

A-Musing

/ Anita Marie / 2 Comments

muses

Today my friend was whistling a tune as he walked by me.

He had this bounce in his step and I think he was even dancing a little.

He stopped turned looked at me and said:

” Oh Yes.

 THAT was Tina Turner. “

I think Tina is his Grandma’s age.

But what the hey.

It’s a day wasted when you can’t think of at least one person can inspire you to whistle a tune.

Even if you can’t whistle well at all.

WHAT PETS WRITE IN THEIR DIARIES

/ Anita Marie / 15 Comments

Same Planet, Different Worlds…

 Excerpts from a Dog’s Diary

 dancingsnoopy

8:00 am – Dog food! My favorite thing!

9:30 am – A car ride! My favorite thing!

9:40 am – A walk in the park! My favorite thing!

10:30 am – Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!

12:00 pm – Lunch! My favorite thing!

1:00 pm – Played in the yard! My favorite thing!

3:00 pm – Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!

5:00 pm – Milk Bones! My favorite thing!

7:00 pm – Got to play ball! My favorite thing!

8:00 pm – Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!

11:00 pm – Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

 

Excerpts from a Cat’s Daily Diary

 img_0039.jpg  

Day 983 of my captivity:

 

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They

dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or

some sort of dry nuggets.

 

Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless

must eat something in order to keep up my strength.

 

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to

disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

 

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I

had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly

demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending

comments about what a ‘good little hunter’ I am. Bastards.

 

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed

in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear

the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to

the power of ‘allergies.’ I must learn what this means and how to use it to

my advantage.

 

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my

tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this

again tomorrow — but at the top of the stairs.

 

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The

dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released – and seems to be

more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

 

The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the

guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors

have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe.

For now …

:::where I got this from-my husband-who probably thinks my cat wrote it::::

Alone Time

/ animar / 12 Comments

hauntorg

 

When I’m all alone

I sing.

I sing so bad my cats dive under the couches and purr- and I’m pretty sure they’re doing that because they’re scared out of their minds.

My dogs will stay with me but somewhere into the first song their eyes start to water and after I go into my third or fourth song they start chewing on their paws- at which point I stop because I’m afraid if I don’t stop they’ll chew their legs off or something.

So why do I do it?

Because it’s fun.

That’s why.

 

Your Call Is Holding On Line…

/ animar / 2 Comments
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA-OWI Collection, [reproduction number, e.g., LC
Photo Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA-OWI Collection, [reproduction number, e.g., LC

For the past couple of days I’ve been receiving a lot of hits from a site called

Alpha Inventions.

I followed the traffic back to the referral  because I’d never heard of Alpha Inventions and generally when I notice a surge from one specific link I do get curious and always go back and check it out.

What I found out is that A.I. is an experiment in connecting webmasters ( bloggers ) together’faster’. As opposed to being a ‘chatty’ site like Facebook or Myspace Alpha Inventions deals strictly with information .

Here’s brief description about how it works from the Alpha Inventions Blog:

If you update or publish your blog at the same time my visitors are browsing blogs in my site then my visitors will get a chance to see your blog in real-time. BAM! (the entire blog is in their face instantly) It’s not even annoying to watch.  Is it alpha addicts??

I also provide a link to your blog in case they want it to open your blog in a new window, or bookmark your blog . The links provides your title, and description to help my visitors get a better understanding on what your blog is about, and get more interested. Alphainventions.com is useful for wordpress.com , typepad.com, spaces.live.com, and blogger.com I love it, and want to grow it like a tree. Yahh!

To get more traffic from alphainventions.com just keep your blog updated . It’s so simple.

More..

I would say that if I had to describe A.I. in simple terms it’s a bit like wandering through a bookstore or cruising through the footnotes in books ( which is something I like to do with pen and notebook in hand) for some new ideas to feed the old Grey Matter.

So  give Alpha Inventions a visit if you’re interested in the new ways that people are finding to stay connected through the Internet and information sharing.  And if  you are just a writer like me you’ll be intrigued by the desire that people have in a Cyber Universe to find a life line as it were to stay connected to each other.

It’s so real world.

a.m.

Meet Cooper

/ Anita Marie / 9 Comments
COOPER!
COOPER!

Today in the Seattle P.I. I read a story about the one of the most interesting cats – so what made Cooper- you may be thinking- so interesting to a woman who has cats-one of whom got into a fight witha Pitbull and won?

Cooper is a photographer – the humans that keep his food bowl restocked are filmakers Michael and Deidre Cross. And given that Cooper has taken some very interesting  pictures I’m willing to guess that Michael and Diedre have learned a lot from him:::

Cooper Cam
Cooper Cam

 

Cooper Cam
Cooper Cam

Cooper Cam!

Cooper Cam!

One of the comments I’ve run across asks if Coopers pictures are art- he doesn’t control the camera after all.

Look, this is what Cooper sees and not only is there art in that, there is poetry and there are stories too.

So you go Cooper, if anything it will drive home the point that the world is more interesting when we’re able to see it through something other then then our own mind’s eye.

::: More On Cooper’s Pictures At:::

The Seattle P.I.

The Seattle Weekly

Cooper Will Be Featured On Animal Planet Cats 101 Episode 1

December 6, 2008

 

Sweet And Saucy

/ Anita Marie / Leave a comment
Veronica Lake-Actress

Veronica Lake-Actress

In my world

some songs are sweet

and some songs are saucy.

I learned that from my Grandma Ginger.

My Grandma Ginger was really into songs from the Big Band Era.

This is my second Christmas in my 44 years of life without her.

Who knows- maybe this year I’ll sing and play it for my nieces.

We’ll see.

Anyway.

This song

 is dedicated to my Grandma Ginger

Pennsylvania 6-5000 is said to be the oldest continuing phone number in New York City, New York. It belongs to the Hotel Pennsylvania and has been in continuous use since 1919.[1] The telephone number is based on the old telephone exchange name system. The first two letters “PE” in PE6-5000 stand for the rotary dial numbers 7 and 3, making the number (with Manhattan’s area code) +1 (212) 736-5000.

CONT HERE

Pennsylvania 6-5000

(lyrics)

I got my shoes shined up
I got my hair slicked down
‘Cause baby I wanna hit the town
Call me – Pennsylvania 6-5000

I’m gonna shake you up (all night)
Rock you all night long (all right)
Baby you got something
Goin’ on
Call me – Pennsylvania 6-5000

Write it down,in your book
On your wall,oh baby just call
Pennsylvania 6-5000

You got the look I like(oh yeah)
Come on and show it off
Whatever your doin’ blow it off
Call me – Pennsylvania 6-5000

You know I just got paid
I got my hot rod wheels
So if you wanna find out how it feels
Call me – Pennsylvania 6-5000

Write it down,in your book
On your wall,oh baby just call
Pennsylvania 6-5000
In your room,in your bed
Keep it in your head,oh baby just call
Pensylvannia 6-5000

Hey oh(hey oh)
Hey oh(hey oh)
Na na na na(na na na na)
Pensylvania 6-5-0-0-0
Write it down,in your book
On your wall,oh baby just call
Pensylvania 6-5000
In your room,in your bed
Keep it in your head,oh baby just call
Pennsylvania 6-5000
Pennsylvania 6-5-0-0-0

My Thanksgiving Note To All

/ Anita Marie / 5 Comments

godzilla_school_house_2887pic

PLEASE NOTE

I am Thankful For:

Godzilla Movies- because when I was a kid it was nice to see a big monster make grown-ups ( who looked teeny tiny people ) cry like babies.

My husband- and I’m not saying that because I desperately want Pirate Boots for Christmas, I’m saying that because I’m going to GET Pirate Boots for Christmas.

My family who not only accept me in all of my weirdness they can do it with a smile on their faces ( okay, so they’re laughing hysterically, whatever- sometimes you have to take what you get )

My friends out here in the real world who put up with me in the cyber-world and support my writing- just by reading it- no kidding,-like it’s not enough to deal with me-  on top of that they deal with my weird stories about cannibals and graveyards and the stuff I write here.

They’re Saints I tell you…SAINTS.

I’m also thankful for my Cats and my Dogs because they remind me everyday that I’m not an island, that what I do affects the world around me and that one good deed can without a doubt not matter-

 but you should do them anyways.

And of course, I’m thankful for Bruce Campbell and David Tennant and Swing Music and of course Mozart.

So as I spend Thursday in self indulgence mode, I am going to be thankful for the world around me and for the people and thing inside of it

and I’m going to enjoy it all.

I hope you do to.

Happy T-Day

from

Anita Marie

 

beta353

30 And Counting

/ Anita Marie / 10 Comments

It’s 30 and Counting so here are a few little things to help you get into the Spirit of  the holiday season

and

no it does not involve exorcisms or dead people or ghosts.

WOW.


You guys are MORBID.

a_winters_night

NORAD TRACKS SANTA

HERE

If you want to do something non-computer related

you could bake a

Red Velvet Cake

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup oil
1 tsp vinegar
2 eggs
1 1-oz. bottle red food coloring
1 tsp vanilla
Icing:
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1 1-lb. box powdered sugar
2 8-oz. packages cream cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans

Sift together dry ingredients. Add other ingredients in order: buttermilk, oil, vinegar, eggs, food coloring, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Bake in Bundt cake pan which has been greased and floured about 50 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean) at 350 degrees. Cream Cheese Frosting: Let butter and cream cheese soften at room temperature. Cream well. Add sugar and beat until creamy. Add vanilla and blend well. Frost cake after it has cooled and sprinkle 1 cups chopped pecans on cake after it has been frosted.

Or you can buy it from Swiss Colony  In The U.S.

swisscolonyredvelvet

Link is

HERE

So there are a few bits and pieces to get you in the Spirit- or make you cry like a baby because the holidays stress you out.

Oh… cheer up, it’ll be Easter before you know it.