Friday, August 31, 2012

In search of the beautiful

The last few days have been involved with going over plans for the kitchen renovation, looking at and discussing some of the things that we will be replacing and then ordering them.  We actually sat with both laptops within ten feet of each other and would look at various products and talk about whether we liked them or not.  LOL--it was an efficient way to do it but seems so businesslike.

Anyway, the great news is that we agreed on various things so now we are just waiting for the cabinets, the sinks, the faucets, the microwave and the stove to come in.  We are going to use recycled glass for the countertops which is so neat.  If you haven't seen this stuff, it is really beautiful and yet makes use of recycled bottles along with some shell.


We will be cooking on a camp stove for a while.  I'm sure that there will be a point when we are both on our last nerve about the mess and noise, but hopefully, it will all be okay and made into a contemporary beautiful space.

I spent much of the day on Tuesday with the young Mexican fellow whom I sponsor.  He is now on Step Four and is so willing.  We talked some during lunch about what kind of pay he gets for the jobs he does.  He has worked in a lot of agricultural settings where he picked tomatoes for $2.00 a basket.  His mother gets paid about $50 for 8 hours of cleaning.  His father makes around $8.00 an hour.  Thankfully, the family is about six months away from getting a visa which will lead to a green card and then to citizenship.  At least, that is what they are hoping as they work with one of the local attorneys who does this kind of pro bono work.  If that happens, he will be able to have a driver's license, can apply to college, and seek out scholarships.

I don't know whether we are going out on the boat this weekend.  It might be a good weekend to stay at the marina and enjoy the view there, go to an open AA meeting on Saturday evening, and join the marina group for a party on Labor Day.

I am feeling good but tired.  I've stayed up too late each night and last night was no exception.  I turned to the RNC coverage and saw Clint Eastwood give a bizarre "speech".  It was as if I was watching someone self-destruct.  I thought that he might be drunk, but apparently it was an off the cuff ramble.  Maybe it was meant to be funny, but all I felt was embarrassment for him and his rambling diatribe at a chair that was supposed to have the President seated in it. I would have been better off sleeping.

I am wondering where we are going these days as a society because we seem to be so polarized that I wonder can there really be any healing.  I hope so. But have to say that I am not happy with the political atmosphere.  I am concerned about our planet and what we are doing to it.  I am concerned about the interjection of religious views into government.  It's best that I don't go on here.   I am passionate about a lot of things and the environment is probably at the top of the list.  Enough said by me.  I'll leave the rest to George Carlin:


“Oh Beautiful for smoggy skies, insecticided grain,
For strip-mined mountain's majesty above the asphalt plain.
America, America, man sheds his waste on thee,
And hides the pines with billboard signs, from sea to oily sea.” 

16 comments:

  1. I don't watch politics, so I slept wonderfully! I should pay more attention, but I educate myself about their positions before I vote. I just can't take all the stuff leading up the election.

    Enjoy your week end.

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  2. For me, the thought that keeps ringing through my mind from the very beginning of this election cycle to right this moment is, "Really? This is the best the Republican party can come up with?"
    Somehow, I don't think that's true. Somehow, I think that the real powers of the party are the ghostlike billionaires who are choosing their puppets for reasons we don't even want to fathom.
    That's what I think. Not a conspiracy- just business.

    I hope you'll post some before and after pictures of your kitchen.
    I hope this weekend is a very, very good one.

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    1. I do think big business runs more than we know. Hard to tell who tells the truth anymore.

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  3. i agree on the polarization and i think it is only going to get worse...why is it we allow these to be our only options...and let them tell us who we can vote for....hmm....

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  4. I have learned that when doing remodeling projects it is always wise to choose a contractor that has a marriage counselor on staff.

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  5. Cool countertops. I stayed up and watched Clint and Mitt, too. Clint's looking old. I thought he got a couple good comments into the speech/ramble. "When somebody doesn't do the job, we have to let them go."

    I brought a mom of an addict to Alonon last night. Her first. She shared her story. I hope she goes again. It works when you work it. :)

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  6. I love the recycled glass to be used as countertops. I've seen it on a bar and it was gorgeous. Kindof offsets the words by Carlin. I, too, am frustrated with what's happened to our country.

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  7. Syd, we are going to be remodeling our kitchen soon as well. This will be our second remodel. The last one was 19 years ago. I want to hear about everything you picked out. I think I'm going with a coral and gray color scheme.

    Clint was pretty bad the other night. I am not a fan of his politics anyway though. And I don't care for tea if you know what I mean. lol

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  8. since I'm in the business you're getting unsolicited advice, make sure after that counter top is installed they seal it really well for you. If it's not sealed it will stain and etch kind of easily. It's acts like a concrete counter top, will absorb stains of not properly treated.

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  9. Wish I could have seen Carlin live! He just knew how to cut through it all and get to the point that is so danced around.
    There are many people in America who are barely surviving with their salaries. I want all peoples to be treated fair and just with CEO's making such incredibly large salaries in the last fifteen years it just doesn't seem right.

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  10. That recycled glass is incredibly beautiful Syd.. _ haven't see anything so lovely in ages.

    And yes, the ranting and blaming and bizarreness -- out here we also have our buffoons and tyrants who buy their way into electoral power and then act out, make a mockery of democracy. But most voters admit that we get the politicians we deserve if we are misled by glorifying war records or charisma or being driven by fear.

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  11. Your countertop material is beautiful. Good for you and C. being able to agree on new things!

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Let me know what you think. I like reading what you have to say.