Anecdotes, Antidotes, and Anodes

Gold Prices Soar

Gold bullion just crossed $1,000 an ounce. But what's it really worth?

Bud Conrad, chief economist at Casey Research and a leading gold bug, says it's worth far more. Based on long-term analyses of macroeconomic trends such as the money supply, he says, "a lot of ratios… get you into the $4,000 to $5,000 level without any problem.

Congressman and former presidential candidate Ron Paul also a major gold bug likewise sees the price of bullion rising from today's levels. "It's trebled in the last ten years," he says. "There's no reason it can't triple in another ten years, that wouldn't surprise me." Congressman Paul says the government will erode the dollar's purchasing power, so gold will gain value however, he says this is a political opinion, and not investing advice.

Is it realistic to think gold could really go to $3,000?

Read THIS ARTICLE for the rest of the story.

Moving right along, for those of you who have been reading here for awhile, (why you're still coming back baffles me) you have learned that living with AnodeMan does produce an abundance of blog fodder. It also gives me an outlet so that I don't blow my top...sometimes. This brings up the old saying, "I'm going to jerk you snaggle-toothed.'   Ok, so maybe you haven't heard that. Just go with me here. You might possibly be wondering, what does the price of gold and AnodeMan's teeth have in common. Or not. So as not to hold you in suspense any longer...

Owmuchforzeetooth?

Did that just totally gross you out ? 

Good. That's what I intended it to do.

The Globbies. Not to be cornfoosed with The Emmies.

Once again, it's time for The Globbies which is my lysdexic term for The Bloggies, an award celebration that happens here occasionally, at random, sometimes.  So, drag up a chair so I can brag just a little.

Two very special awards have been bestowed upon me by two very special globbers bloggers.

 

The Encouraged Award came my way from Di the Blue Ridge Gal...who states this as her reason for giving it to me...

Anecdotes, Antidotes and Anodes who makes me laugh until I pee my pants on almost a daily basis. Most notably her Recipe For Disaster post which you HAVE to read to believe.

Come and get your awards ladies... and thanks for always encouraging me with your photos and funny stories to have another wonderful day in the world of blogging.

Di...you encourage me to keep you laughing and peeing, in no particular order. Thanks. I'm assuming there was no fine print that came with this award that requires me to hang my mug shot at someone's blog.

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The Measure Up Award ended up here from the Smart Mouth Broad, which seems to have originated from Goodfather  and Captain Dumbass, who, while having their regulary scheduled pedicures decided there weren't enough "Manly Awards" out here, so the MANWARD idea was hatched.

Like any award worth it's salt, this one comes with rules, and they are as follows:

1. Say one nice thing to the man in your life.
"So, is that a gun halo in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?"
 (My apologies to Mae West, darlin')

2. List at least six ways that you measure success in your life (or for your blog).

Success is a multi-faceted word...a prism with every color of the rainbow.  Most people are like hamsters running on one of those little wheels. They chase "success," but that wheel just keeps on turning like Proud Mary.  Success comes from the inside. The first word that comes to my feeble little mind when I think of success is happiness which I have addressed in another post. (Clink the link for my take on happiness.) 

Success to me is not measured in the material things. Because, on my life's time line when I lived in a hovel, with no money, only an apple and a can of cream corn in the pantry, working two jobs and attending college...my happiness meter was off the charts...that was success.

Success was when life threw me on the ground and kicked me around...FOUR different times. I threw myself a pity-party, wallowed in it, but no one came to wallow with me. So, I dragged myself up, got on my feet, and headed in a different direction, UP...that was success.

Success is doing my best under any circumstance. My dad always told me to take pride in my work. That if I was digging a ditch, to dig the best ditch that I could. A job well done...being the best that I can be...that is success.

Success is speaking with truth and love. Saying only what I mean and meaning only what I say...that is success.

Success is being immune to the opinions and actions of others. Realizing that what others do is not because of me but a projection of their own reality. Not being a victim of needless suffering...that is success.

Success is communicating with others to avoid misunderstanding. I don't do this one well, so it's something I work on constantly. I wear a size 6 shoe, and both feet seem to fit nicely into my size 12 mouth. Finding the courage to ask questions and express myself clearly...that is success.

Success is breathing in the moment surrounding me. My tendency is to look back, second guess myself, worry about tomorrow. So, when I can become mindful of the present, I am more understanding and compassionate...that is success.

Success is respecting differences in others and seeing how these differences enrich my life. Understanding that we are more alike than we are different...that is success.

Success is making mistakes...admitting them, learning from them, and not repeating them. In my classroom, I had a sign that said, "If you can't make a mastake, you can't make anything." Making mastakes...that is success.

Success is being a life-long learner. I love to learn new things...and then the next day, try to remember what I learned. Realizing that knowledge is power...that is success.

Thank you Smart Mouth Broad for this award. See, I can be cereal serious sometimes. It is my hope that the award comes with a bit of testosterone, as I seem to be lacking in it. 

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I will be sending out my own award in the very near future. It looks like this:

 

Just kidding...this is the Official Swampy Award...

 

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As I mentioned the other day, I'm off on my broom. Amazing to me that my friend, Beth at The First of Six  guessed where I was going. No, I'm not telling you where I am. We'll just play, "Where in the World Is Swampwitch." 

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Update !

Message from the Emergency Swampcast System:  If all goes as planned, I hope to be on the "front lines" (with all the other crazy people who are freezing) at the Today Show on Saturday, the 13th. Watch for me. I'll be the one saying, "Hi Mom ! We're number one !  Or maybe, I'll be holding a sign that reads, "Swampwitch says hi to all her blogger buds from Grand Junction, Colorado."  Who knows ?

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No Google AdSense Here...Only Smiles and Hunger

Instead of Google Ads along my side-bar that would bring in thousands and thousands of dollars to The Swamp, I choose to post my awards. They certainly don't put food on my table but they are colorful and make me smile.
Moral to this story:  I'm hungry, but I'm smiling.

RDHMOM and Karisma gave me this one:

 

 “This blog invests and believes in ‘proximity’ [meaning that blogging makes us 'close' - being close through proxy].”

There weren't any rules for Proximidade that I could find other than give it to someone else. Well, as most of you know, I hand out my own award...

 
...and will host an Official Swampy Award Presentation sometime soon.

Smart Mouth Broad gave me this award:

 

I love the colors and design, but as a retired teacher, that spelling does cause me to hear fingernails  scraping across a chalkboard. (If you listen real closely, you can hear me screaming.) I spent TWENTY-FIVE years trying to teach kids to spell words correctly, and now I'm plastering "KREATIV" on the side bar of my blog. Oh well. Who cares?

This one comes with an assignment: List six (6) things that make you happy then zap five others with the award, link the giver, link the receivers, and notify them. Easy enough.

The first rule I shall break is listing the Top TEN (10)Things That Make Me Happy:

10) When I make it upstairs without my knee buckling, and remember WHY I went upstairs in the first place, especially if it was to tinkle.

9) When I learn something new and remember what it was 24 hours later.

8) When I eat sushi and do not mistake the wasabi for an avocado.  Believe me. That will open up the old sinus cavity...and nose...and ears...and eyes...and colon...
On a hotter note...when I do not make the mistake of sprinkling cayenne pepper instead of  NUTMEG on my egg nog and live to tell about it.  Yes, I've done both.

7) When I wake up in the morning and still have hair on my head along with the aches and pains...if the aches and pains were gone, I fear I might be dead. (Translation: I'm happy that I'm normal healthy.)

6) When I knock one gallon of milk off the grocery store check-out-counter and escape from being attacked by the grocery store check-out-clerk.

5) When I don't slide down and fall in the gallon of milk that some klutz spilled at the grocery store check-out-counter.

4) When I successfully exasperate the telemarketer and have HER hang up on ME.

3) When I finally find my list that I spent two days preparing...and can then read what I wrote.

2) When I exercise patience and do not whack the clerk at the store for returning all the merchandise to the sales floor that was on hold that I spent TWO hours shopping for the night before.

and the number ONE thing that makes me happy:

1) When I finally don't worry if anal retentive obsessive compulsive has hyphens
AND
if KREATIV is spelled correctly or not.

Seriously now, wasn't it Swampwitch President Lincoln who said, "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."  (Indicating that  happiness comes from our own minds, who knew? )

As far as happiness goes, I tend to categorize people into two categories:
1) Happy
2) Unhappy

An astounding, profound statement. Huh?

Aren't there those whose happiness and laughter are just infectious and leave us with a glow and lightness when we associate with them?  And others who have what I call "The Eyeore Syndrome" whose very inflection, intonation, and tone of their voice flattens you on the ground making you want a dip of snuff ?

As I was sitting here composing this little piece, I thought to myself, "Self, look around and spot the first thing that makes your heart smile." 

So I did. Know what it was ? The faces of my two dogs looking at me with love, and I swear, smiles on their faces. Bubba and Bug just seem to have an innate ability to be happy. They get up on the same side of the bed every morning. (Meaning, they are in the same good mood everyday.) They follow me around the house, wagging those stubby little tails, anticipating our next adventure. Whether it be doing the laundry and lying on top of the many piles of stinky clothes and me trying to pull the sheets out from in under them fully engaging a tug-of-war, or jumping with delight when I take their harnesses and leashes off the hook, meaning we're going for our daily walk.

They don't seem to be concerned if KREATIV is spelled correctly, or if Obsessive-Compulsive has a hyphen. That worry does not exist with them.

Granted, they are blissfully unaware that we are fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, that the AIG executives have once again housed themselves at yet another Five Star Resort and insist that my tax dollar didn't pay for it (Bull$hit), that the word recession has descended upon our heads and many people are without work, being forced out of their homes, have had their retirement stolen by some white collar A$$hole, and that California may burn down before it falls into the ocean.  Bubba and Bug only know that  life here in their neck of the woods is good. Their tummies will be rubbed and their ears will be scratched. That if needed, they can turn over the dog food bin and never be hungry.

Your life and my life can never be as simple as Bubba and Bug's. We won't really ever experience the bliss of ignorance they enjoy.

It is true, not every day is meant to be filled with happiness. But given a small bump in the road or a full-fleged crisis like being diagnosed with cancer, and there will of course, always be bumps in the road along the way, I hope I can choose a positive outlook and try to find happiness in the little things...like having my tummy rubbed or my ears scratched.

 

 

An Award from JulieBug

One of my VERY first Blog Buds is JulieBug at Another Chance Ranch.  It was my pleasure to have had the opportunity to not only meet HER, but also her husband, McDreamy, a couple of years ago.  During my struggles to learn about blogging, she helped me, doing a lot of the work herself, and to also walk me step-by-step through some HMTL HLMT HTML jargon on the phone. At the time, she was commuting to school every day and finishing her degree at Oklahoma State University. She was a busy lady but never hesitated to help me.

 

Photo taken at Bad Brad's BBQ with Little Miss P in October 2006

Now, she has bestowed this award upon me:

You can see that it is proudly displayed on my left side bar.

Now, there are rules that come along with this award, and they are as follows.

1. Put the logo on your blog  

2. Add a link to the person who awarded you  

3. Add a bit of information about the person who awarded you

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs

4. Add links to those blogs on yours

5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs

As usual, I'm changing the award process just a little. The following FIFTEEN bloggers have a choice between "The Brillante Weblog Premio 2008" to add to their sidebar OR The Swampy Award OR both. Yes, you may add BOTH awards.

This design was created
by another long-time Blogbud,
PamelaPamelaJamelaGramela 
at The Dust Will Wait.

The pink ribbons in the background,
of course, represent
Breast Cancer Awareness.

So, without any more hesistation, here are the recipients of either the Brillante Award or the Swampy Award or both. I've not listed why, because each one of them knows why.  For those of you who have received the Swampy Award before, thanks for keeping my mug up on the side bar of your blog.

 

1.   Beth at The First of Six

2.   Rayne at Crunchy Bits 

3.   Lisa at Lisa's Chaos

4.   Chris at Ms Cellania

5.   Karisma at Karisma's Kids

6.   Slick at Slicksumbich

7.   Alison at RHDMom

8.   Nikki at Antics of a Crazy Mom

9.   DubYaT at A Dingo's Got My Barbie

10. Robin at Pensieve

11. Tif at Tiggerlane

12. Mike at Rambling Stuff

and now for just a wee bit of NEPOTISM:

13: B. at Tales of a Dethroned Princess

14. C. at MartinDocuDrama

15. M. at Baby Cakes

 

 

Good Chat Blog Award

Message from the Emergency Swampcast System:

The broom has landed ! ..but there isn't much time for blogging today.

Whoever wants to accept this challenge, PLEASE summarize the comments and add a conclusion to this melodrama.  PLEASE!  You can use as many words as necessary.

Message #2 from the Emergency Swampcast System !

My dear friend, Karisma, has finished this "Fairy Tale"...THANK GOODNESS and THANK YOU KARISMA ! Please read the exciting conclusion in the comment section. ...and THANKS TO ALL of YOU WHO PLAYED THE GAME !  I hope to be blogging again soon.

These are the words of my blog buddy, Chris B who bestowed this award upon me:   "There are no rules ( you will be pleased to hear!) I was just given the button award  so you can pass it on to whom ever you like."

Since there are no rules, I will make up my own. As you have probably surmised, I'm not blogging much these days, (see photo on post below for explanation) but do like to keep things stirred up here at The Asylum.

Here's the deal, I'm going to start this post and let you continue and possibly finish it.  I know. I know. This is a lazy way to create a post, but it is the Good Chat Blog Post, and what better way to "chat" than to let YOU do the chatting?  Recipients of this award will be announced later this week.

Whoever is the first to post, will continue my "story" with a comment of no more than 20 words, leaving it open-ended for the next person to pick up where you left off. You are welcome to come back and post again as many times as you like.  Please use other blogger's names, places and people of interest who might be in the current news...just be creative and make us laugh.

...Swampy knew it was going to be "ONE OF THOSE DAYS" when...

Thank You, Pamela

Mosey on over to PamelaJamela's to see what this is all about.

Thank You.

Message from the Emergency Swampcast System:

Bill will be 80 years old on Feburary 25. When I left him that day at the bar, he gave me his address. I have since mailed him the photographs.

I would love to mail him personal "Happy Birthday" /"Thank You" e-mails or cards from all of you.

We can do this two ways:

1) Just e-mail your message to: swampwitch06atgmaildotcom
I will print and mail them to him.

2) Many of you already have my USPS address. You can mail cards to me and I will send them on to  him. If you don't have my USPS address and are really interested in mailing a card, e-mail me at the above address and I will send it to you.

What a surprise this will be for one of OUR HEROES !  (Clink the link.)

Please notice this award has taken its place on my left side bar, thanks to
Nekked Lizard Lady.

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Karisma has her MiMeMe up and running. For the funniest picture of a cat you have ever seen AND for a wonderful MeMe, go look.