STUpendiousSTUtters

The Demise of Snowwoman

2009-03-19T18:12:00.000-07:00

I can't quite figure out how to position pictures the way I want them. It is pissing me off but I guess it is a learning experiance. Below is a picture of Snowwoman from Saturday. I actually learned some HTML this week at work to publish web pages instead of turning them over to my staff who occasionaly do what I really want them to do. I think they like me so I guess that makes up for my lack of management accountability.

So I had to delete the second picture because of what I percieve is poor editing capabilities of this program, and then put it below instead of side to side, which would of been more effective. I do acknowledge that I may not know how to use this program. Below is Snowwoman after a warming spell. We did have several inches of snow on Monday that make the landscape more white than it should be in late March.

I had a pretty good week at work so I won't go negative. We are doing some things that I think will be up on the web pretty soon and put geography in the forefront. We are off to Missoula this weekend to see Siobhan's orchastra concert tomorrow. I will try to take some pictures of the concert and post again on Sunday. Why is there no damn spell check?

Marge the Snowwoman

2009-03-15T18:04:00.000-07:00

March and the temptation of spring is always tempered by the next storm that blows in. That is happening tonight but yesterday was maddeningly close to real spring. From a practical standpoint the cats needed to explore the yard without getting little paws in the snow. From a more whimsical point of thinking, my wife asked me if we should build a snowman. Totally unlike me, I said yes. It did provide pathways for the cats to navigate the yard.

This was good therapy. Siobhan was home from college along with boyfriend Tyler and I think they though this was totally out of character. They did have a good laugh. After a little afternoon sun we all agreed that the snow woman had a great deal of resemblance to Marge Simpson.I will have to write about Siobhan later but it was good to see her. We are going to Missoula next weekend to see her perform at the University of Montana Symphony Orchestra concert of Friday.

Work is going to be difficult this week. Of course the stimulus package is a big deal at all state governments and many are using maps and geographic data to depict the status quo and progress. Our state site is one of the worst imaginable overall, but cartographically it breaks every know rule on the books. Of course I am a geographer and cartographer by degree, but when I saw what was on there I was horrified. It is embarrassing piece of crap. If you want to see the worst maps ever created please go to:

http://www.recovery.mt.gov/docs/rechargingmontana.pdf

http://www.recovery.mt.gov/docs/finalCARDDrrgl2009Map.pdf - what the hell is this. It isn't the Lewis & Clark diary for God sake.

I need to do something about this but I have precious little support to do this and I'm tired of fighting. Marge the snowman is melting so I will post a portrait of her demise early this week. Hopefully my demise will hold off for a while.

Dresden's plight

2009-03-04T18:00:00.000-08:00

First of all let me thank those who have commented on my previous posts. I find the comments much more insightful and better written than the original posts. To Zen, I can relate to your observations about Bill'O. I used to listen to him as well, telling myself that I just wanted to be informed as to what the other side was thinking. Eventually I found the anger consumed me and Siobhan and Janice made me swear off. My advice is to switch to music without commercials and let it go. Now to Dresden. Dresden is the Sun Bully. I have literally seen him run the other cats off from his small patch of winter sun on the living room carpet. He is also the ultimate troll, lying in wait behind the coffee table for poor Patches or Holly who may come down from upstairs. He is very comparable to Bill'O - bully, troll, and controversial figure. Yet we still keep coming back to him so in a way we encourage his bad behavior much like 10% of the American public encourages slimes like Bill'O and Sean Hannity as well as enabling them to make millions of dollars a year. Dresden only gets a third of a can of Fancy Feast and some Science Diet hard food every day.

Patches may be normal or?

2009-03-03T16:00:00.000-08:00

Patches is our 15 year old cat. While the family generally likes Patches the same probably can't be said about Patches' relationships with the family or other cats. Her and Dresden (Black male cat - pictures to come - got in a fight at noon and Dresden spent the afternoon locked downstairs - I determined it was his fault).Most of the times Patches appears on guard, defending her territory, as in the picture on the right. I can identify with that, especially after work today and generally after any day at work lately. Things at work seem juxtaposed with role issues in question and good ideas in short supply. For the last 8 years, even though correlation might be a stretch, I could usually blame things on GWB. I guess now I am searching for other options. But I need to have time to relax a little like Patches on the left (picture March 1, 2009). Absorb the first spring rays of sun - hope of warmth to come. Both Patches and I hate the snow but look how close Patches can curl up next to something she despises. I can't seem to curl up next to those I dispise - we used to call that brownnosing. Should I become more like Patches ..............

2009-03-01T16:08:00.000-08:00

Stuttering is defined as:

1 : to speak with involuntary disruption or blocking of speech (as by spasmodic repetition or prolongation of vocal sounds) 2 : to move or act in a halting or spasmodic manner

My daughter often says that I speak in spasmodic repitition especially when talking politics. And actually making progress learning to blog will certainly be halting and spasmodic.

I'm posting a picture of my yard - today March 1, 2009. I'm really sick of winter. I'd like to roast a marshmallow on the outside fireplace I built last year. Not today. Will learn one blogging technique a week and someday this might be an interesting sight.