October 23, 2015

Good Grief

Such a long time to be away. Away from this blog away, not on vacation away.

So what's been happening?

Some of you may know that dear Alice died in August, two days past her 100th birthday.
I'm so happy I had the pleasure of meeting her (and Andrea) last summer, and participated in a rose stealing caper with Andrea. It's funny how you can miss someone you only met in person once. Except Andrea's blog helped her readers all over the world know Alice (and Andrea) in a very real way.

The season(s) of grieving is upon us.

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My little French Canadian (made in Quebec) Corolla, Blanche, went to the [car] farm the beginning of October. She was of an age where things needed replacing to the tune of $300 - $500 a pop and that loathsome sunroof started leaking AGAIN (second time in 2 years), an issue that was never going away. I'm not ashamed to say I shed a tear or three.
Blanche was my first new car. She was extremely reliable (the Corolla was the best selling car in the world in 2003.) and we spent many miles on the road back and forth to Florida. She was very vanilla though - I can't tell you how many times I tried to get in other people's cars thinking it was her.

Toyota was having very very very good deals on 2015 Prius'...and thus Hermione came to be:

Prius C in Electric Lime Metallic - she stands out in the parking lot

Hermione is the feminine of Hermes, a Greek god associated with speed and good luck, who served as a messenger to Zeus and the other gods. He was also the patron of travelers, writers, athletes, merchants, thieves, and orators. (interesting mix of patronees there, Hermes)

Hermione does NOT have a sunroof.


Cars tell me their names, but I retain veto rights. I now check the meaning of names, because of the Ford Tempo who told me her name was Matilda. Matilda means battle maiden (or strength in battle) AND great strife - which is what she was. So. Many. Dollars. Of strife.
I suppose she did tell me what I was in for. Heh.
 
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I've been thinking about friendship and my INFJness lately.
(check out https://instagram.com/introvertdoodles)

http://www.madebymarzipan.com/?tutorial=how-to-torture-an-introvert

Someone recently dumped me because I was not immediately forthcoming about my birth date (they were told middle of the month and O.W., so technically...). I spent a few days perusing the friendship handbook to find where one is obligated to disclose that information. Didn't find it.

People love to use this: "...there is a place where it’s about others getting to express affection for you..."  Except...that sounds like it's about you, not me. (it also sounds controlling and makes me want to go far away). In regards to parties of the natal kind, let's just say it's super hard for me to be gracious about things I don't want to happen in the first place. (In case that's too subtle for some: I do not like parties, birthday or otherwise disguised.) Then I feel like an ungracious, shitty friend. And no one's happy.


So, you know, thanks, but no thanks. (See also #sorrynotsorry.)

If you have the key, you are one of the chosen few.

Ugh. Introvert problems.

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What else?
It's FALL! I turned on the heat the other night. Really didn't want to do that until November, but it was almost down to freezing a couple of nights.

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Next week is Bat Awareness Week. Bats are pollinators too. So, please, give a shit about bats.

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Check out this cool kids introduction to code book on Kickstarter (I'm a backer):
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1164329758/the-wonderful-world-of-creatures-and-code/description

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Guess that's all for now. See you in a couple of months.