Yes...this was ME yesterday. Seriously.
Realized that I had become lax for the months of November and December...and gained back 10 pounds in two months...so it is definitely time for an adjustment.
(...but so totally worth it...)
So back to 4:3 (alternating day fast) and you know what...after spending a couple of months not even doing the 6:1 and basically...well...grazing...500 calories for the entire day doesn't seem much like food or even eating for that matter...okay?
Finally just turned in early last night after a cup of tea thinking
Yay....in the morning I can have a proper breakfast!"
But in a few weeks I will be back to 135-140 and can resume the 6:1. That is why the 5:2 Fast Lifestyle works for me!
So The Bundy Gang in Oregon along with a handful of other anti-government types have broken into, and are armed and occupying, a Federal Bird Refuge.
You can't make this shit up.
Seriously.
On what used to be tribal land.
And the ranchers are saying they want their land back.
And the Native Americans (...who state they are happy with the BLM...) just issued a statement that Bundy and Crew should
"Get off our land!"
And how ironic is that?
The authorities are saying...
"Fine, if they are stupid enough to hole up in a CLOSED Bird Refuge in the middle of winter in Oregon without supplies and such...we will just cut the water and power and wait them out..."
Ever seen Oregon in winter?
And when they do come out they will be facing a slew of Federal Charges.
And the Hammonds (who they purportedly were supporting when they occupied the building) voluntarily turn themselves in to jail for arson and poaching...oh...and issued a statement that they want no association with the Bundy Bunch.
Face it...if they would have been any other color than a bunch of old armed white guys...they would have already been dead as hell.
So I'm just watching the show. Pass the Popcorn, this is going to get good. Already they have issued a plea for socks and snacks...lol! And the media is dubbing them "Ya'll Qaeda".
Going to be a long winter boys.
My friend Marti, also in Oregon, has discovered the answer for my "But I still want my tree with tiny white lights up" until I order these for my living room
She showed me examples of artificial firs left up through the winter without the Christmas decorations...instead decorated with blooms and fans and other non-Christmas items.
So...............I removed the balls and garland. Added a bunch more of the white Poinsettia blooms...and all the small plush bears I own (and that is a lot) with the existing tiny white lights for a decorative tree in the corner.
Don't judge me. It makes me happy. And I am going to add those individual bright red heart boxes of candy in February...and let the Grands take them home for Vaentine's Day when they come by.
March 1st it will all go back in the box for another year...but at least through the cold dark winter months it will give a cozy glow to the living room.
Bringing us back to
It Makes Me Happy.
So there.
The Manuscript for my as-yet-untitled (fiction) Novel is coming along. "Idgy" is reading and critiquing page by page during our morning coffee and chat. She is an excellent critic because she doesn't sugar-coat things. My best sounding board. If something is clumsy or doesn't work she will point it out...and often offer up what she "saw in her mind" in the scene. She is very good at it and nine times out of ten, changing it is a definite improvement. We are discussing them like they are real people now...lol!
This is one of the interviews.
The language is strong..so if you have a tendency to become offended/unhinged by that kind of thing...you may not want to read it. The character has been through a LOT.
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You know, they all tell me how lucky I am. The doctors. The nurses. The Pre-Med students that come by to gawk like this is the fuckin' zoo. They tell me that, just before they look somewhere's else. Cause they can't stomach looking at what is left any longer. I can see it even if I only have one eye. And, to tell you the truth, it don't work so good either.
Eyes don't lie. Especially when they belong to the woman you used to spoon. She left me, you know. I fought to live, and she left me after I did.
Fuck her.
By the time she managed to come up with her excuses I didn't give a shit any more.
Heard she took up with a old buddy of mine. He's raisin' my kids now. She don't bring 'em here to see me. Says it would scare em. Give em bad dreams. So he's out running bases and playing catch in the yard with my boy.
He was getting pretty good and all at ball.
[He takes a long breath...then continues.]
"Hide the Salami" with Tracy, too.
The whole happy family crap.
And why the hell not?
Like I'll ever do that again, right?
(He violently jerks what is left of his right shoulder forward and lets out a choked laugh...both of his arms are gone along with his legs. He is basically a torso with a misshapen head and melted face missing most of its left side...his right eye is fixed on me, wild, angry and partially milky blue)
You know what the fuckin' ironic tragedy is? Not only did he NOT enlist, the dumb bastard tried to talk me out of it, too. I made fun of him on account of that. Sure did. Called him a damned coward, and worse.
Yeah, I sure as fuck showed him, didn't I?
[There is a tear running down the ruin of his cheek from the eye that remains.]
If there is anything I have learned it is this, so listen up, my friend.
All their platitudes don't mean a piss in the wind. They can take all their "You're So Lucky" and I'll Pray for You" shit and stick it right up their sanctimonious assholes.
You know something? Here's the thing. There wasn't a man, woman or child hiding in the mosque that night that wasn't groveling to one deity or another. In English. In Arabic. God. Allah. The Fuckin' Flying Spaghetti Monster, too, for all I know.
Hell, one of the Crazies was a dyed-in-the-wool Atheist. Can't say as I blame him after what we seen over there. Just before the end he was crying and talking to God like his Mama just dragged him by the ear back to Sunday School.
So don't talk to me about God, okay?
And don't tell me there is a PLAN for all of us, either.
Cause if it was your God's Plan to SAVE me, so I could live like this the rest of my life,,well he is one sick sonofabitch, okay?
No. When they say "You're Lucky", what they are really saying is
"Damn, I'm lucky it isn't my ass laying there all blown to shit"
and they pray, too. You bet your ass, they do. They pray to who ever they believe might be listening, that them or their kids never ever end up like me.
Hell, I don't blame 'em.
You know, there's something I could still be good at. An Anti-Enlistment Poster.
Shit, I could be the Ultimate Anti-Enlistment Poster Child.
Don't let this shit happen to YOUR kid.
[His mouth is set in sarcasm and he chokes out a muffled laugh that turns into a coughing spasm. ]
[There is a long pause as he collects his breath. Then he nods to continues.]
My parents. Yeah. They're still alive. They're real active in their church. Busy all the time. Always have been. Remember my dad sayin'
"That's why GOD spared you, Son."
Last time they was here the old man said Mom just couldn't take seeing me like this any more.
"Too hard on her", he said.
They haven't been back since. Maybe a couple of years back. I dunno. Kind of lost track.
"We'll pray for you". That's the last thing he said to me, ya know.
Fuck 'em.
The VA aide returns silently to turn him on his right side. She doesn't speak or look at him as she repositions him and quickly leaves. He closes his remaining eye signifying our interview is over. As I walk out of the stark white room I think I hear him whisper
"...and fuck you, too."
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I've interviews with The Survivor (Mark) The Buddy (Jerry) The Ex-Wife (Tracy) and an intro from The Psychiatrist (our narrator who is doing the interviews as yet unnamed) at this moment, with more characters to come. I am about 13 pages into it now. I am working on a time date line for the characters before it gets any more convoluted. Thankful for Google. Have to figure out ages, tours of duty dates, surgical dates, children and such. It's complicated. Will have the manuscript completed by the end of this year and then do the edit and re-writes next year. And there will be plenty of both. Working out a format with a group of interviews forming a chapter. Each character will be interviewed 10 times. Through the interviews the reader will learn more and more about the situation/other characters (plot progression)...before the story concludes. The inital (The Plan) will be a Prologue and there will be an Epilogue as well...kind of a where are they now...what happened to them...conclusion.
"Idgy" and I might go through a LOT of Coffee and Biscotti before this puppy is done.
So....still no more snow. Less than 2 inches so far for the entire winter.
Took a few today and added a bit more to my "Do Ya Wanna Paint a Snowman". It has been slow going. Enrobed the firs with heavy snow. Now leaving it to dry overnight before any thing further.
And building texture with the gels. Still very early on yet.
In the midst of everything enjoying the hell of out Virtual Spain!
Including making and tasting Sangria for the very first time.
And I am completely into the tapas scene now!
Sangria is perfect with the salty, creamy snacks. Found olives stuffed with both pimento and feta (goat) cheese.
Soon to try Cava (Spanish Sparkling Wine available in White and Rose')
And checked out the Neptune Fountain near the Plaza.
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More anon...
