Sounds like someone's got a case of the Mondays.

Today is May Day. Years ago, it was still tradition to leave May Baskets on neighbors' doorsteps or even hanging from doorknobs. People don't do that anymore. We don't celebrate the seasons by reaching out to each other. Why not?

I'm celebrating May Day (Beltane) by working in my yard and soaking in all the prettiness of the flowers and birds.

Stars hockey is over for the season. They lost game 5 yesterday, putting the Avs up 4-1 in the series. I guess I should have expected it? The whole season has been a series of freaky occurences and the other playoff series going on have also had unexpected results in several cases. Edmonton is trying to bowl over Detroit (8th place knocking out 1st) and the Rangers had pretty much no chance against the Devils. Nashville lost out to the Sharks yesterday. Blah. Hoping to see the Stanley Cup finals star the Oilers and the Devils. I'd be happy with the results no matter which way it went.

Today is also Day Without Immigrants. Lots of businesses are closed, lots of people not going to work. All in support of... what? I don't remember anymore. I know the bill in question proposes tighter immigration laws, fewer convictions of felonies necessary to lead to deportation, tougher penalties on businesses hiring workers without verifying their status/withholding taxes/offering insurance, and assigning 'ward of state' status to children of illegal immigrants if the parents are deported. Some of this is unfair, sure. Children shouldn't be separated from their family like that. Maybe the immigration laws need to be overhauled, not just battened down. I can't help but agree with the felony = deportation concept, though. When a citizen commits certain crimes, they are (hopefully) punished accordingly. When someone who has no legal right to live in the country commits certain crimes, they should be punished as well. Since they have no right to live here, sure, send 'em home. That's getting off easy, if you ask me.

If one wants to be in the US because their home country doesn't grant them the liberties they desire, I can understand trying to come here by any means necessary. But why not protest your government? Why not support reforms in your home country when possible? Meh. I know, people come here because sometimes they have no recourse in their own country. But I see no reason for an open door policy. Might as well change the name of the country to "Big Dumb America" and get it over with.

Anyway. What's the protesting for? The people showing up to protest are likely legal immigrants or children of immigrants. Those with questionable citizenship/residency status aren't likely to march in the streets demanding to be allowed to stay. That's an invitation to be arrested and deported. So if you're already here legally, enjoying all the rights/privileges the rest of America enjoys, what gives? What're you asking for? What actions are being taken against you that you feel are unfair? I don't think I've seen or heard a clear case for why the Day Without Immigrants needs to happen. The laws are not being changed to close the borders completely and halt all immigration. It's about making the borders more secure and establishing a clearer path towards legal immigration. In theory.

Our Statue of Liberty announces to the world, "Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she with silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Maybe it's all just a big miscommunication.

Actually, it sounds like our school grant system. If you're making just enough money to get by but not so much as to be able to shell out tuition up front, you don't get any kind of help. You either have to drive yourself into debt to pay for school or you can just forget about going. Only the absolute bottom gets a leg up. You're nothing if you're not filthy rich or dirt poor.

Ignore this.

Friday Night's Alright for Fighting

That title has nothing to do with me. But if you can tell me where it came from, I'll give you a stale cookie with not too much fur on it.

My parents are frustrating people. Now I know where I get my non-confrontational/confrontational-ness. My dad was supposed to give me an estimate for work we need done to the house. Last week, he said he would send it up when my mommy came to see me. He didn't. Then over the weekend, I just didn't think about it and he didn't bring it up. Today, he called me about the job thing and mentioned that the boy was supposed to talk to him about the estimate/etc. I reminded him that when he and I talked about it, I'd said "you'll need to talk to the boy about it. I'm not the one making the final decision." My dad says, "well, I purposefully didn't bring it up to him because I was waiting for him to say something about it. You guys don't ever make decisions. If I talk to you, it's just not going to happen and then he never talks to me about it." wtf? He talks about his sister creating her own drama but he does the exact same thing sometimes.

Which reminds me. The crazy aunt sold my grandparents' house after my Grandma died. She moved back to San Antonio and just recently called my dad. What does she tell him? "Sonya told me to sell the house." Yah, blame your children. That's mature.

Wackadoodle is the word of the day.

Maybe jobs are overrated

I can't seem to find an employer willing to really give me a chance. It's just the universe balancing things out, I know, but it's frustrating in the extreme. Up until recently, if I could get an interview, I knew I had the job. It just always worked that way.

Maybe it's the hair color? Or my personality has changed? I don't know. It's depressing.


If I start showing up to interviews drunk, that could only improve the odds.

Thursdays are just like every other day of the week

Except sometimes, you get to spend them with your mother.

She doesn't come up by herself very often. I wonder sometimes what she tells my dad about why she wants to visit me alone. He's not typically comfortable with being away from her.

I'm surprised by her opinions sometimes. I've recently found myself projecting what I assumed would be her natural reaction only to find out it's nothing like. Either she's softened with time or I'm turning into HER mother. *shudder*

Meet the Fockers is frickn' hilarious. For the record.

Mondays are fun!

This year, I feel compelled to take pictures of my roses every day. I can't believe how pretty they are and yet I can't quite capture it on 'film.' Last year, the four bushes in the back yard were in bloom at the same time but even though they are different varieties, they all looked the same. This year, there's a marked difference between the barely-pinks in the front and the dark-as-my-hair-was-when-i-got-married-pinks in the back.

Interesting. Saw a preview for "cotter and louise" just now... I didn't like the couple when they competed on Last Comic Standing and I'm pretty sure I won't like them now. But I feel compelled to watch because their children are so cute. Damn twins!

Vonage is neat. I can sit at my desk, with the phone RIGHT NEXT TO ME and use "Click 2 Call" to dial a number. What happens when I dial the number from my computer? It calls my phone. Which I have to answer. And then it dials the number I wanted to call. So... what exactly is this service supposed to do for me? I know... the premise is that you use a phone book and only ever have to type the numbers ONCE but still. How lazy do we really have to think we are?

I have new glasses. Again. I got these made with the correction in only the right lens because it's my gimpy eye. Stupid eyeball doesn't like to behave sometimes. I think it's an inherited degenerative issue but I'm not sure. I don't really want to go to an ophthalmologist and find out. Spelling that is enough effort.

Streak Broken

Ok, so last night, Dallas' winning streak when a game goes to shoot-out was broken. By freaking Anaheim. I'm not saying Anaheim sucks or anything. They've done well, especially lately. But still! Up until this point, if the Stars could drive it to a shootout, it was a sure thing. And Jussi has failed to introduce the puck to the back of the net the last TWO times he's participated in the shootout. WTF, mate?

Today is his birthday, though and I have hopes for the rookie. LA is a tough team for Dallas but I think they can pull it off.

8 and 2 in the last ten. 8 more games after tonight. Surely we can expect a nice little run up to the playoffs. Then it's a whole new 'ballgame.' Damn the lack of hockey analogies. A whole new sheet of ice? A new pond?

I'm frelling tired. :(

it rains for you

When we were kids, most of us heard that rain is god or the angels crying. Or mopping the floor.

Funerals/death bring on the rain, I think.


requiescat in pace