We wish you a dainty Christmas!

Well, its that time of year again. I wanted to let everyone know I survived my road trip out west (Pittsburgh). Traffic was light and it went fast.

I came home to fresh sushi from Whole Foods and a big box of Tea's Tea (green/jasmine).

(Wine party, in Kutztown, photo above with beloved housemates of 233)

It's a low-key Christmas, minimal gift exchanges, etc. I prefer this.

To my surprise my aunt and uncle showed up and we're currently cooking a chicken, lasagna, and some sweet potatoes. I've already finished one big bottle of Tea's Tea. I will enjoy another one on my return trip back east. Everything is quite relaxed. I've been well behaved and I've been sleeping alright.

Upcoming Events of interest to all locals and others who read.
***December 31st @ 233 Noble Street, Kutztown, PA - 8pm - New Year's Party w/French Canadian theme. If this is anything close to the yacht rock party then we're all doomed.

***January 8th @ The Funhouse, Bethlehem, PA - 9pm or so - TQI, Dan McGonagle, and Wet (LIVE MUSIC)

Please show up at any or either....these will be good times...start your 2011 the right way.

Have a good holiday, hopefully it was enjoyed in peace and moderation. Rise above the other bullshit. May we all work towards non violent and non coercive solutions to the problems we face as a country and a world. G-Bless.

DB

Ducks

One of my favorite meals is Peking Duck. My goal for my three-week break is to learn how to cook a Peking Duck. It's a time consuming, but not impossible process.

I did a quick search for ducks and this site came up:
http://www.efowl.com/Pekin_Duck_p/1001.htm

I never thought about it, but raising a duck seems affordable ($4/bird) and doable. This got me pretty excited. Maybe this will be my first pet, that I could end up eating. I then did some research on raising a duck.
http://www.liveducks.com/care.html#shelter

I think the biggest obstacle, other than convincing my housemates, would be building a coup or space for the thing to keep 'eem out of harm's way. Dogs, foxes, owls, snapping turtles, and other creatures enjoy eating duck as I do. My other concern would be that the duck would turn into an alcoholic living in our house. I wonder what their tolerance is. Has anyone ever made a duck drunk before?

Aside from all of this, I'd need to check to see if its okay to raise one in our town. Our town has a lot of foolish regulations and I wouldn't be surprised if there was problem with that.

My final plans for this potential duck would be to have the thing slaughtered (tits up), and then cooked in a proper manner, Peking style. I could see this as being a fun project.

I will let you know if I go ahead with this.

Who shops at department stores?

We used to go these places a lot. We had Kauffmann’s, Sears, Hornes, JC Penny and Gimbels. These multi-level stores were/are located downtown or are connected to a big mall. Where I'm living now, we have Boscov’s. These institutions are filled with mediocre high-priced clothing, shoes, sporting goods, furniture, kitchen and god knows what else. Just lots of nicely packaged overpriced material shit ready for consumption.

During Christmas Santa would make a visit. I was always afraid of Santa so I didn’t participate and threw a tantrum when it was my time to go. I was shy and shyness is nice.

I liked looking at the stuff and I liked the snack bar. In the 80's I was always trying to score some corduroy "OP" shorts or a nice stylish Polo oxford or necktie. The upstairs of these places were most likely filled with furniture and televisions. We'd often play hide and seek between the racks of women's clothing when I was even daintier than I am now. These were/are big places and easy to get lost in.

The look and feel of these places doesn't change much. Their clothing selections are so so. Their prices seem to be high in light of this horrible economy and way better selections and prices online.

(((I could get a better deal  on something I grabbed at TJ Maxx, Marshall's or Goodwill.)))

In defense of these places many of them were located in the downtown area and it gave a reason for people to head into the city. As it is now and for many years, we're spread out and many of these mega-stores are parts of malls in the sub burbs which is one of many reasons why many cities are lifeless.

In closing, this was written because I believe it's hard to separate our bastardized Christmas holiday from these types of stores. They both feed off of each other. If I walk these stores now, I get flashbacks to the days when I thought these stores and merchandise were all the rage. Finally, I just find it very hard to see their value in an age where we can shop for everything at our fingertips.

Never underestimate the American public.

Let's move on people. Leave these things behind.

Sayings and Expressions that I don't like.

On the radio there was a story going around on a poll done on the expressions Americans hate most. This inspired me to come up with a list of my own. Enjoy.

These are not in any specific order. Some are general, some are political, some are....whatever.

It is what it is.
This gets thrown around a lot as if its some profound statement. I heard an old boss say it once in a business meeting as if she was unveiling something unique.

I had an ah-hah moment!Like they had an epiphany. Maybe it gets said a lot in church basements. I don't like epiphany either. I think Glenn Beck said that the other day. Glenn and Beck are other words I don't like when they're together.

Pro-Life and Pro-ChoiceBullshit terms from both sides of an emotional debate.

Playmaker
Sportsmedia are not too intelligent. They use the same stupid terms as everyone else. No one tries to be original. Playmaker is one of those terms. They had a TV show/sports soap opera on ESPN named Playmakers. Needless to say it was a stupid program.

Taxation
Another term for legalized theft.

I love you.
Maybe the most abused phrase of all time. Once you confess that to someone you might as well ask them to shit on you 'cause they now have the power.

Homeland Security
Another nice bullshit term from the government. This is used as a really good excuse to spy on people and steal your rights. Shit.

Put that thought out of your mind.
A common phrase my dad would say to kill any idea or far-fetched dream I ever had....like owning a Ferrari. I hated to hear it so much from his voice. He said it quite well. Good delivery dad. I remembered it.

Hope.
I now think those who bought into it are seeing it for the bullshit it was. Hope was the platform of a presidential of a major country. God help western civilization.


It is what it is. Maybe you had an ah ha moment of sorts while reading this.

A tribute to Larry King.

Probably the most annoying interviewer of our time. He was one of the first hideous beings I encountered when we got cable circa 86-87 on CNN. Turner was huge back then.

I'm not a handsome man, but this Larry King is utterly repulsive. His whole demeanor disgusts me and it's a wonder he's lasted this long. You can never underestimate the taste of the American public. He portrays himself as not having a point of view, but he does. We all do, just be f#ckn honest about it. He hunches over with his tight suspenders and round back (which reminds me I need to sit up straight - I've adjusted my car seat these days).

He looks like a fly or a bug. I just wanna slap him. And I'm not a violent person.

This old nagging bastard of a man has been married like a million times. Apparently he can't keep his #### in his pants. Maybe I'm a little jealous but they were only with him 'cause of his money. Indirect prostitution is what it is. Gawd, who would wanna be interviewed by this ratty man, let alone sleep with him and bare his children. Yes, money goes a looooonnnng way.

I don't watch TV anymore really, aside from sports, but it'll be nice to see this old f#ck fade away as he has brought nothing good or positive to the table. Buh bye Larry!

I can't believe I've lowered myself to write a blog about Larry King. Maybe my next one will be on the Golden Girls or Matlock.

Godbless.

A couple Facts/Sidenotes:
His lastname isn't King(obviously)-
What kind of a creep names themself King? Self-esteem issues? It's like putting a false "von" in your last name.

He named one of his kids Chance
Lame name.

Somedays I feel like trying.

Some days I feel like trying. Pulling my act together and really doing something. I think a lot of my ambition is based on caffeine intake or testosterone treatment, maybe even vitamin D (maybe a good BM too). I think to partake in trying or going for it, you first have to find worth in what your going for. As it stands in my own head, finding worth in anything is a tough task. Everything does pass. Even the most accomplished and respected achievers are either rotting bones, or they will be. A good solid relationship will always end too. Those of you in love, please realize that. ;)

What makes others care, especially here? Right now I'm still focused on basic selfish needs. These needs are paying rent and eating and having a warm comfortable bed. Those are huge things for me. Aside from this I'm just striving to be entertained. Playing music is good and beneficial. Maybe that's something I care about. I really don't want to invite anymore complexity/drama in my life.

I think if I was fighting for something, even my own life, I'd be a lot more motivated and positive. I found myself seeing value in things when I was rehabilitating. I wouldn't be surprised, I'm sure it's already been discovered, that people who have less are more positive. (Not that I have a lot)

Our grandparents, while they weren't all that positive, seemed more motivated than I am now. They had a lot less and a lot more to work towards. What should I do? Buy a house and be enslaved to that structure until I die. Would that make me happier? Should I seek out some poor soul to breed with? Would that make me happier?

I don't feel a strong pull towards any of that.

<<Now that I'm reading this I've noticed my last blog (if anyone read) was death related, and this post is dark too - I blame this on the holiday season. This horrible holiday season. I think you're insane if you find joy in this time of year.>>

I kind of wish I was home right now so I can find a good bed to sleep on for 48 hours. Sleeping is a really good thing. Please excuse this if it sounds like the rant of a high school girl. I assure this is how I'm feeling now. Dainty Bones has spoken.

Preserving the Body after Tits Up.

There are a lot of stupid, irrational, wasteful things we do as humans. I do my fair share of them. One thing that immediately comes to mind is preserving the human body after it dies. To add to this, we put a lifeless corpse in an expensive casket. The casket is then put in the earth and we won't ever see it again. Seems like a waste of money and materials.

(((If you're curious about the history cheque this out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embalming )))

The body now serves no purpose. The casket company took your money. The loved one that died then gets placed in a cemetary with people he/she didn't even know (aside from maybe family). The tombstone company also gets your money. I should've been a mortician.

Then there is the cremation option. You gotta pay for that.

Whatever happened to just putting somebody in a bag and digging a hole about six feet? Do you really need a funeral director and a mortician for this process? The body should be allowed to rot naturally and benefit the earth. A canvas sack or body bag might cost $20.

http://www.greenburials.org/

I'm aware a cold dead body of a friend or family member might be weird to transport. You could hire someone to move the body so you can set up your own service out in the woods or something free of the sterile creepy funeral directors. You could have a jamboree.

If you've never looked at the price of a funeral, check out this page below. It's quite outrageous. Spending more money on a dead body doesn't mean you loved them more than the other family down the hall.

(((A funeral home in Fargo, outrageous prices, but I'm sure these aren't any different than anywhere else.
http://www.boulgerfuneralhome.com/price_lists/index.php )))

In closing, I hope this blog allowed you to think of other alternatives to the usual costly approach to death. Nothing being said here is outrageous or groundbreaking. This is more of a return to how things used to be before some strange customs and business got a hold of everything.

Enjoy your morbid Monday.

God bless.