Well, I'm getting nearer to my long-time goal of becoming a professional blogger. I finally have a PayPal account, which would allow me to accept donations from the legions of fans that happen across my blog.
I also recently signed up for a Skype account, which seemed to be the online communication software of choice for international bloggers, podcasters and vloggers.
It would be ideal. I've been needing a part-time job to help cover some bills, so this would work out perfectly.
There's only one flaw to my plan.
The piece to the puzzle that I'm missing is that I only seem to make a new post about once every blue moon, this no one come here and there is no one to donate to my new "profession."
It's always something.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Who'll stop the rain?
The weather has turned chilly and gray, and it's put me in a bit of a funk. I'm not ready for the dreary, wet winter weather that will predominate the months between now and, um, June.
When I got home from work and running an errand, the heavy cloud cover made it look as if the sun was already setting for the day. That made me realize that daylight saving time would be ending soon, which has the double whammy effect of making the sun set earlier, plunging all the after-work hours into darkness and forcing a reset of the body clock to get up even an hour earlier in the morning.
It's damn hard to drag my ass out of bed when it's dark outside and cold inside at ungodly early hours of the morning. Fortunately, the time change won't kick in until November this year, but that's getting way too close for comfort. And I've actually been turning on the heat in the bathroom the last few morning to help fight off the chill and the urge to plunge back into bed underneath the covers and go into hibernation for the winter.
Perhaps the funk is made worse by the fact that I'll soon be marking another birthday. It doesn't feel like I've made much, if any, progress with my life in the last couple of years, so I could do without that milestone as a reminder.
Some people in this part of the country actually claim to like the winter weather here west of the Cascade Mountains, with all it's rain. Someone today even told me they enjoyed listening to the heavy rain that fell the other night. I did enjoy those occasional showers we would get when I was living in the desert. I loved the electric smell of rain after a long dry spell. Those showers were refreshing, rejuvenating and mercifully brief. But I honestly can't see how people can like the unrelenting rains -- the "liquid sunshine" -- for which this area is known. Maybe that's just something longtime residents here have to tell themselves in order to keep themselves from slitting their wrists every winter.
It may be time to warm up the old "songs about rain" 40-song playlist on the iPod.
Speaking of that, here's the top 5 most frequently play songs from my iPod from the rain playlist.
5. Rain on the Scarecrow -- John Mellencamp
4. Over the Rainbow -- Ray Charles and Johnny Mathis
3. If It's Gonna Rain -- George Strait
1 (tied) Rhythm of the Pourin' Rain -- Vince Gill w/ Bekka Bramlett
1. Something Sexy About the Rain -- Kenny Chesney
When I got home from work and running an errand, the heavy cloud cover made it look as if the sun was already setting for the day. That made me realize that daylight saving time would be ending soon, which has the double whammy effect of making the sun set earlier, plunging all the after-work hours into darkness and forcing a reset of the body clock to get up even an hour earlier in the morning.
It's damn hard to drag my ass out of bed when it's dark outside and cold inside at ungodly early hours of the morning. Fortunately, the time change won't kick in until November this year, but that's getting way too close for comfort. And I've actually been turning on the heat in the bathroom the last few morning to help fight off the chill and the urge to plunge back into bed underneath the covers and go into hibernation for the winter.
Perhaps the funk is made worse by the fact that I'll soon be marking another birthday. It doesn't feel like I've made much, if any, progress with my life in the last couple of years, so I could do without that milestone as a reminder.
Some people in this part of the country actually claim to like the winter weather here west of the Cascade Mountains, with all it's rain. Someone today even told me they enjoyed listening to the heavy rain that fell the other night. I did enjoy those occasional showers we would get when I was living in the desert. I loved the electric smell of rain after a long dry spell. Those showers were refreshing, rejuvenating and mercifully brief. But I honestly can't see how people can like the unrelenting rains -- the "liquid sunshine" -- for which this area is known. Maybe that's just something longtime residents here have to tell themselves in order to keep themselves from slitting their wrists every winter.
It may be time to warm up the old "songs about rain" 40-song playlist on the iPod.
Speaking of that, here's the top 5 most frequently play songs from my iPod from the rain playlist.
5. Rain on the Scarecrow -- John Mellencamp
4. Over the Rainbow -- Ray Charles and Johnny Mathis
3. If It's Gonna Rain -- George Strait
1 (tied) Rhythm of the Pourin' Rain -- Vince Gill w/ Bekka Bramlett
1. Something Sexy About the Rain -- Kenny Chesney
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Chill of an early fall
I looked at the date on my watch today and realized that September is almost over and it is now officially fall. This month has gone so fast. I was not ready for autumn's arrival, but the signs that it was coming have been apparent for a while now. Shorter, cooler days. Some trees are already changing color. There has been some rain.
Fall can be a beautiful season in Oregon, but here in the western part of the state it also means that the gray, rainy winter season is not far behind. And the gray days seem to go on forever once they set in.
It's been an interesting month. I have probably driven 2,000 miles so far this month in parts of Oregon and Washington. On one hand, it has been nice to see some places and people I have not seen in a long time and people and places I don't see often enough. But it's made me realize that I really haven't made the place I've lived the last couple of years my home. My ties to the Northwest are based too much on long ago or people too far away.
I feel like a wondering vine, with my roots in one place, but my tendrils stretch far away from that nourishing soil that sustains me. I need some roots where I am. I need some connection here.
I have always been the type of person that is slow to make friends, and am cautious about who I commit to as a friend, but when I do those friendships are deep, meaningful and important. I want more of those type of relationship here.
But I miss friends who are miles away. I miss them especially now, on the nights when there is a chill in the air and I crave warm arms wrapped around me, making me feel safe and warm and at home in my own skin.
Fall can be a beautiful season in Oregon, but here in the western part of the state it also means that the gray, rainy winter season is not far behind. And the gray days seem to go on forever once they set in.
It's been an interesting month. I have probably driven 2,000 miles so far this month in parts of Oregon and Washington. On one hand, it has been nice to see some places and people I have not seen in a long time and people and places I don't see often enough. But it's made me realize that I really haven't made the place I've lived the last couple of years my home. My ties to the Northwest are based too much on long ago or people too far away.
I feel like a wondering vine, with my roots in one place, but my tendrils stretch far away from that nourishing soil that sustains me. I need some roots where I am. I need some connection here.
I have always been the type of person that is slow to make friends, and am cautious about who I commit to as a friend, but when I do those friendships are deep, meaningful and important. I want more of those type of relationship here.
But I miss friends who are miles away. I miss them especially now, on the nights when there is a chill in the air and I crave warm arms wrapped around me, making me feel safe and warm and at home in my own skin.
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