Friday, December 31, 2004

#457...Cut. That's a wrap. Print it.

The Floralilian Queen of Flimflammery has been living in a parallel holiday dimension of late - I looked for wormholes to pop in now and then, but I kept missing the exit ramp...

see, this is what happens when there aren't enough hours in the day, or days in the week....

dust bunnies collect, plants die from not being watered, strings of lights go half unlit (because it takes too long to find the rebel bulb exercising it's right not to light), cookies go unmade, wash piles up, pets beg to be fed, and journal posts go undone.

What.  You mean to tell me you didn't get my psychic updates?  I was emitting messages like crazy - I really was.  You people need to get a tune up.

So let's do a little recap rewind, shall we - lest before we know it - it will be a new year.  No, really.

The Commercial Christmas Beast came and went again this year - it was blurry, but wonderful still. The kids are happy. The stores are happier still.

And I am not ashamed to exhale a big sigh of relief.  I feel lighter.  In fact, I feel happy too. (Even though, I had to work the holiday. Well, someone had to take care of the babies afterall...) 

Thank you to all, who took the time to send along Holiday wishes - how wonderful of you ~

The real blessings (which are unmeasureably wonderful) came from spending belly laughs with family and friends even if it was compounded by a little too much imbibing of the especial holiday spirits and victuals...(but we won't go there - will we, dear sisters...)

All I have to say is - thank heaven for elastic waistbands....and uh, Excedrine.  Excedrine migraine headache formula.  And water. Lots of water.  Lots and lots of water...

On the other, other, parallel dimension - the business front - Believable Balderdash is off to a good running start - with a nightly burning of the midnight oil to keep up with the demand.  (I am not complaining.)  The next project is to update the website with new designs - again, a victim of not enough hours in the day - stay tuned folks..

Of course, attention has also been fixed on the wake of the tsunami's in south asia - a terrible ending to yet another eventful year.  Mother Nature always knows how to grab our attention in large and amazing ways.  She is the Queen Overall, the force so adept at putting things instantly in perspective in a world which takes her too much for granted. She reminds us to what is eternally important - family, not things.  We would do well to remember to take care of her too methinks.

In tragedy, comes a humbling thankfull=ness, eh?  "There but for the grace of God go I"...especial prayers to her vicitims, and her survivors. 

Speaking of prayers - please, please visit Sir Slacalot - the resident knight in shimmering armor - and offer your support.  For it seems that the good Matriarch, Hane - insists on having tea with the angels - even though the "fambly" awaits on her decision with love. Slac is luminous and gracious -  as always - even under this heavy strain...

Well, as they say in show biz - "That's a wrap"...so prayers and best wishes to all on this eve of the New = Year - this anno domini 2005 -  a full 365 and one quarter days of new happenings about to begin. 

I can't wait - good or bad - it's always a wonder, eh?

 

 

 

Sunday, December 19, 2004

#456...on strength.

 

A Christmas beast update:

 

         I have moved mountains this Week.

 

My arms are tired.

(but my heart is light.)

 

I hope yours is too.

 

                                        

 

 

Tuesday, December 7, 2004

#455...popping in.

and out.

because I still haven't started the Christmas thang yet.

i need to hire a surrogate mother

and wife

and business partner.

anyone available?

and don't anyone dare tell me that they are bought, wrapped, and ready to go - lest i shall chop off your head.

and plop it on the nearest lighted candy cane for all to see.

i can do that remember -

for i am now the self-proclaimed - frenzied, unprepared queen, who happens to be thin on patience at the moment.

so yes my children. be afraid.

be very afraid....

                                              

Saturday, November 27, 2004

#454...earthmother's delightful cupboard

oh heavenly delights !! -

good ol' amy (donah42) of earthmother's cupboard - surprised me with my very own special potpourri blend called, what else - flora!

 

                            

My home smells soooooo lovely!! Thank you Amy!  The blend is just beautiful!!

The Floral Queen however, is not surprised.  Okay, well, I was surprised to get the package - but I am not surprised of Amy's talents - she is, after all, the official j-land alchemist of amazing aroma's....

All of Amy's blends are perfect and lovely, lovely and oh so perfect!  Trust me, you will be delighted with any of them!

Now run, shoo - order for the holidays!

 

 

 

Wednesday, November 24, 2004

#453..an official holiday wish

 

                                    

 

 

Here ye!  Here ye!  One and all - The  Beading Queen of Floralilian Flimflammery has hereby directed this special order:

With tomorrow being a day of thanks and giving - The Queen has granted you all the day off - to spend time with your family and friends.

You are so ordered to eat tons of good food, imbibe in the spirited libations, join in lively converstations, wear silly hats, hug your family, settle old grudges, help in the kitchen (the mom's are exhausted), take a nap, and above all - give love to each other in the form of sharing a feast, with the most important ingredients being your time and attention.

And at least once during the gathering - raise a glass to our brave and weary soldiers - fighting the battle in terrible conditions - so that we can be nestled and snuggled safe at home with family and friends. 

Remember, they would trade you the mountain of dirty dishes, the laughter, and the spilled glass of red wine on the white rug

                                                       - in a heartbeat.

 

                                           

Monday, November 22, 2004

#452...come one, come all -

 

The official Believable Balderdash display case is now open for "bidness"...check out the goodies here - just email me if you need to purchase more baubles for your jewelry box, girlfriends, or holiday gifts...                                                    

Question:  is aol's easy designer the crappiest pagemaker in history, or what?

                            no wait, don't answer that - I already know it is.

Ah well, it's the best I can do for now - but at least you get to see some of the other pieces - and will show just what, some of you have asked that I've "been doing all the other 231 hours away from Jland"... sheeze, you people are real taskmasters...

Remember too -  the site is a work in progress - slow going progress - and I will be adding to it when the damn program allows me to save the work....

I have lots more to show you...feedback is encouraged gang - now shoo!

Open 24/7 for your shopping convenience, I present to you now,

              ~Believable Balderdash~

 

Thursday, November 18, 2004

#451...the unveiling...

It seems that I have been bitten.

By a beading bug.

and now, truth be told, I am addicted. 

Here then, is a peek preview of the results of the beading frenzy...

I hope you all are as delighted with it, as I am...

Picture from Hometown

This bracelet is called moondancer - it is filled with little treasures - genuine hematite and Swarovski aurora borealis crystals, aqua blues, black, clear, fused and lampworked beading, bali beads, Sterling silver toggle clasp and findings - it is strung on very strong, nylon coated 20 lb test wrapped beading wire.  It measures 7.5 inches.  As you can see by the numerous amount of tasseling, it is very labor intensive, taking over an hour to create - but I think the results are worth it. These are true examples of wearable art - with no two creations being fashioned exactly alike. 

Picture from Hometown  

 Picture from Hometown  

Picture from Hometown    

 

Whoops - thanks Tara!  I forgot to mention - this collection of hand crafted jewelry - is a new line in my craft business - Believable Balderdash ~ designs for the light-hearted~

Moondancer will retail for $42., if anyone is interested in purchasing it, please email me. 

These bracelets will range from $12 to $42, depending on material and design - I'll be posting more pics of various designs, including earrings, soonest...

stay tuned...

 

 

Monday, November 15, 2004

#450...on body language.

                      Picture from Hometown  

          Picture from Hometown      

                                             

                                               body language.  

                                              it's a great thing. 

       

           painful hemorrhoids?...or the embarrassment of resignations?...hmmm.
                                                   you decide.

Saturday, November 13, 2004

#449...stupid batteries

okay.

update:

haven't forgotten.

still creating.

continuous and frenzied.

very cleansing.

grabbed digital pics.

went to post...

crap.

dead batteries.

damn kids took extras.

sigh.

working weekend.

so now, like monday.............

bear with me.

blowing kisses.

going to bed.

wait.

scott guilty.

mandate my ass.

salute to the veterans.

pray for our soldiers.

thanksgiving '04 at my house.

not enough seats. (29!)

can you say "buffet"?

feels like snow.

christmas carols already

on the radio.

really, what's up with that!

sucks.

 

 

Sunday, November 7, 2004

#448...a floralilian journal post it note...

In case you're all wondering -  no, i'm not sulking.

 

i am creating.

 

                            ... ooh...just you wait and see...

 

(it's a sickness i tell ya.)

 

Wednesday, November 3, 2004

#447...and the winner is....

 

WE CAME,

 

WE SAW...

 

....AND OHIO SCREWED UP. 

 

ah well - we did our best...

at least we get four more years of the same...

I just hope we can shoulder it, George. 

             

Tuesday, November 2, 2004

#446...make your voice heard.

 

                                        

 "The margin is narrow, but

                   the responsibility is clear. "

                                                                                      ~jfk

 

                   It's November 2nd - you know what that means....now shoo..

 

 

Saturday, October 30, 2004

#445....happy halloween!

  Picture from Hometown <----don't you just hate
when that happens....


(sung to the tune of jingle bells...)

Oh, dashing through the slime
 in a big, black, shiny hearse,
past witches casting spells
to place a nasty curse -

o'er the tombs we ride,
screeching with delight,
oh, what fun it is to sing
a spooky song tonight!

oh halloween...halloween...
bats are overhead,
now's our chance to play
and dance

with all of the undead!

 

                    Have a ghoulishly fun Halloween gang! 

 

                       (psst...click  here for another trick...and treat...)

Friday, October 29, 2004

#444...whoops.

                                 

"WASHINGTON (AP) -- Videotape shot by a Minnesota television crew traveling with U.S. troops in Iraq when they first opened the bunkers at the Al-Qaqaa munitions base nine days after the fall of Saddam Hussein shows what appeared to be high explosives still in barrels and bearing the markings of the International Atomic Energy Agency...."

of course, you can link to the rest of the story, right here.

and the video link here...

 

I guess that "if" was a pretty big IF after all, Armandt - huh?

 

Wednesday, October 27, 2004

#443...because I *like* airing my dirty bloomers in public...

 "It has been the political career of this man to begin with hypocrisy, proceed with arrogance, and finish with contempt"  ~Thomas Paine



  Once upon a time, in the Hypocritcal land of King Armandt, a
questioning Queen came for a visit; and because she didn't kiss his
combat booted feet and camouflaged arse in the proper order, and
agree with his choice of woolen blinders, (by brazenly voicing a
general warning about the company he keeps at the
altar of his idols...)

The self proclaimed King of (now obvious) Selective Free Speech,
dideth promptly and most pompishly stomp on the now shunned 
and questioning Queen in double time order. 

This then, is how it happened...

````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

 that looks like an abnormal EKG...

i wonder why george dubya didn't think to inform us of the 338 tons
of unguarded and now, missing explosives....
Comment from
floralilia - 10/25/04 10:04 AM

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

Flo,

I'm not an Administration spokesman, but I'll take a shot at
your question...

Beside the fact that it wouldn't be the President's job to notify us of that
kind of thing, perhaps the SECDEF or an appointed spokesperson
should be the one doing the informing of that level of information.  
Presidents have more important things to tend to than "play-by-play."

Being as they claim they were notified only in the past month, my
immediate reaction is they didn't announce the information sooner
since they were likely in the throws of an investigation.  Why would
they tip their hat to inform potential bandits that they were coming
under the microscope?

I'm sure the administration would have liked more time to investigate.
(I'm sure they would too - to cover their arse....hey! anyone notice how
many times I've used the word "arse" lately?...)
Certainly, noone expects that any administration has 100%
knowledge of everything going on throughout the battlefield.  
It's unfathomable.

And why would anyone tell anybody they've left anything of value
to the enemy - unguarded?  The site wasn't even a high priority on
the Mission Essential Vulnerable Area list. (niiice..) Not knowing
the full story, I have to think that the military was tending to higher-risk
areas elsewhere. (of course!)

I know.  If we had more people there, this probably wouldn't
have happened
 If the Dems (primarily) hadn't slashed the size of the military,
we'd have more people we could put there.

That damned cause and effect comes back to bite every time.

(why yes, yes it does...)

Comment from armandt - 10/25/04 10:34 AM

````````````

  uh-huh. go ahead, blame the democrats - that's way easier than
holding good ol george to accountability...

i don't know why i was thinking "the buck stops here." silly me.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/v-pfriendly/story/
126699p-113448c.html


ah well, it doesn't matter - it's just considered high explosives
under the bridge, another day of easy pickins for
the insurgents -  c'est la vie, lah de dah..

- it just goes to show, once again, that they were
not as prepared for this war as he and dick hitler
wanted us to believe.  (gasp!)

Comment from floralilia - 10/25/04 4:10 PM

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````
(stomp)

Flo -

For one, it's not even known if the explosives weren't
moved before the war even started.  Jumping to
conclusions after believing the first thing you hear is
selective ignorance at best. (ya think?)

For another, "Dick Hitler?"  You're comparing Cheney to Hitler?!

That reflects on YOU, not on the Vice-President.

You've got the right to say what you want, but to be that
irresponsible and wreckless with your Freedom - that'snot
the Freedom I fight for.  That's the kind of wrecklessness
I fight against. (?)

Game on.

Comment from armandt - 10/25/04 4:19 PM

````````````````````````````````````````````````````

I love it when people jump to conclusions and step on their...
well, on their vulva. (whatever that means...)

NBC News now reports that the "now" missing 380 tons of
explosives at al-Qaqaa were ALREADY missing on April 10,
2003 when US forces arrived (with an embedded NBC news
crew) to secure the facility - only ONE day after the liberation of Iraq.

One day?  That sounds pretty efficient to me.  

If NBC is correct, and if we should have secured those weapons
sooner than one day after Iraq was liberated, then wouldn't
we have had to invade Iraq sooner?  Is that what Kerry
and his lemmings are now telling us?  That we went in too soon,
but we didn't go in soon enough?

Am I the one living in an alternate universe here?!

(well...)



Comment from armandt - 10/25/04 10:33 PM

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````

 and the key words would be...that's right...

"if" nbc is correct...
Comment from floralilia - 10/26/04 12:00 AM

 

and the grande finale:  (justifying my demise to another journaller)

Tara,

You're comparing apples and oranges.  

No.  I don't support "any" Free Speech. (yes. i see that now)
 It's not a free for all. With all of our Rights come very real
Responsibilities. (yes dad.) There are laws against using one's
Free Speech to yell fire in a crowded theater and against other
forms of un-necessarily inciting mass hysteria. 
(mass hysteria? rolling my eyes)

If you scan through the comments, you'll see someone (me)
refering to the VP as Dick Hitler.  That person later linked
to a page of Hitlerquotes in another comment.  I deleted it.

(I didn't: http://en.thinkexist.com/quotation/Great_liars_are_also_great/170869.html ) 

I wont tolerate someone using my journal to promote Hitler, (promote!?!)
his quotes or their selectively ignorant, irresponsible and ridiculously
unsubstantiated connections between ANY American politician and Hitler.
(how patriotic of him.)

Let me be clear.  I wont tolerate anti-American speech in my Journal. (unless of course, it be Kerry bashing)  They can exercise that Freedom in their own Journal.  (and I am...)

I'll be damned if that kind of speech is going to wrest (http://www.m-w.com)
in my journal! (dammit! pounding his fist on the table.)

Comment from armandt - 10/26/04 6:44 PM

``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
And so, after the King's last rant, the questioning Queen was then stripped of her Hell Bent for Greatness Award, locked out, and forever and one day banished from the Land of Hypocrisy. The End. No strike that...

It's - And the Queen lived happily ever after,
~The End. 


 and now, a final word from me, regarding those missing 338
tons of explosives...

Dear Mr. President The Buck Stops Here, Commander and Chief,
George Dubya and the puppetmaster Dick Hitler -

The timeline is of no consequence. What is though, is this -
unlike the supposed WMD's - you and the UN already knew about
these (now missing) explosives with certainty before the war - 
you also knew where, what type and quality, what purpose
and how much was stored there -

and still you and your intelligent war advisors chose not to make 
this site and probably many others - a top priority - to secure
and safe guard it. 

I guess maybe you all were just meaning to get around to it?  Is that it?

guess what - I don't have to be a war "expert" to see the obvious. 
Hell, you'd get better results consulting a schoolyard full of kids
playing tag for better strategy plays.

And no, this isn't Monday morning quarterbacking from the
peanut gallery - Simply, this is just your bad war planning.  But we'll
never hear your administration admit that now, will we...

God only knows how big this particular iceberg is going to get...
I can't wait to see just how much damage we're all potentially in for...

so yes Mr. President, I believe I have a right to be a little pissy on your
handling of the war.

And yes, I still believe that you were not as prepared for this
war as you and Dick Hitler and the rest of your gang wanted
us to believe you were, going into this.

So don't piss on my back and tell me it's raining. 

Unlike Armandt, I know the difference.

 

#442....I am blocked, stripped, and deleted....

 

~ Guess my opinion and free speech are only free - as long as it agrees with the world spun according to our big, little man, Armandt....

also otherwise known, in some smaller circles as, - Sir Armandt, the Hypercritical Hypocrite....

just goes to show, eh? - hitler is as hitler does....

ah well, c'est la vie...

                                   

            AOL and now, Armandt - proud recipients of my 
          "You Can Kiss My Royal Floralilian Arse Award."

 

 For the record, (which is obvious to the majority of thinking, rational people here) -  I am NOT promoting Hitler, but instead using him as a mindful analogy (yes, still my opinion) in light of the scary similarities...sheeze - you would think that someone who works in government "intelligence" would see that............wait....uh, nevermind. 

 

 "Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it"  
~A. Hitler

Monday, October 25, 2004

#441 - to promote, or not to promote - that is the question.

  and the answer is....

to unabashedly self promote. 

Okay gang - I've recently listed a few of my paintings on Ebay - if you're interested in owning an original piece of floralilia art - then by all means - bid away!  

A portion of all sales will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Society. 

 

 

 

           The Harlequin and His Companion (the two saltimbanques)

Picture from Hometown            Picture from Hometown

 

                       "Blue Vase with Flowers"

Picture from Hometown    Picture from Hometown  

 

                          "Serenity Shoreline"

                  Picture from Hometown       Picture from Hometown

 

#440....blundering Bush succotash Batman!!

 

While Bush continues to look for WMD's - maybe he should also look for the  MISSING 338 TONS of high-density explosives too...

 

"Officials in Washington said they had no answers to that question. One senior official noted that the Qaqaa complex where the explosives were stored was listed as a "medium priority" site on the Central Intelligence Agency's list of more than 500 sites that needed to be searched and secured during the invasion. "Should we have gone there? Definitely," said one senior administration official.

In the chaos that followed the invasion, however, many of those sites, even some considered a higher priority, were never secured."

 

niiiice going George Dubya...

 

Thursday, October 21, 2004

#439...Mother and Child

 

mother and child  

(so cancer was to be my future)  

these dubious breasts...  

the very keepsakes       
               of her life,                     

                          and my death.      

 

~2001floralilia                                                                                  

#438...Necessary Illusions

Necessary Illusions

Well, I see the hospital beds have now been replaced
by polished cherry and
cream quilted lining
rose-colored lights, dimly lit -
to hightlight and warm your cool skin.

The necessary illusions in place now.

Mementos from loved ones too, photos
and trinkets neatly tucked
here and there along side you,
soft sobs, uneasiness, stand behind me.

Funeral flowers to the right of you
funeral flowers to the left of you
funeral flowers above you
and even under you,
all carrying messages of love,
and loss,
and rememberance.
(You hate gladiolas.)

And look, over there,
your husband,
your two small children
the littlest unsure of where you are, really.

Standing shakily as escorts
receiving, in duty, well-wishers
comforting awkward others even.
(Your son doesn't want to be there.)

I look hard for you again,
in that ravaged worn body
under all that manufactured brown hair,

but you aren't there,
are you...

You, wonderful you,
are right here beside me
cursing the make-up artist.

 

~2001floralilia                                                                                   

#437...Brave Goddess Warriors - Michele and Sharon

In honor of Breast Cancer Awarness month, I thought I would share with you some poems I wrote in memory of two of my good friends, Michele and Sharon - who both died too young, at age 38, of breast cancer.

Sharon found a small pea-sized lump - went for a Mammogram - and was told to wait and recheck it in six months.  Upon rechecking it they found spots on her lungs, liver, and brain.  She fought a vicious battle and lost her life to breast cancer three years later.  She left behind a husband and two small children.

Some of you might remember me talking about Michele a while back - She had fought breast cancer literally all of her childbearing years. She was considered to be in remission, having celebrated five years free of cancer. Just weeks after delivering her second child, a baby girl, and while nursing her with her one good, remaining breast - she felt pain in her left shoulder. 

Tests showed the cancer back - firmly imbedded in her bones.  She too, fought with every fiber of her being - and lost the battle two years later.  Two more small children were left behind.

Two mothers dead, four children motherless, two families destroyed, two friendships gone.

Michele, Sharon - I miss you. Every day, I miss you.

Ladies please. Check your breast regularly. Get your Mammograms yearly. Doing so is the singlemost effective way to give you the best advantage should you too, be called into battle.  About one in five of us will, you know.

 

brave goddess warriors  

I remember the luncheon
of Breast Cancer Survivors,
a celebration of collective battles,
a war rally
of the otherworldly kind.  

To the right of me, my sister
looking frightened and already tired
yet still cheering the tribal cries
with false bravado
at the prospect of now,
her second battle,
with the insidious and invisible Monster.  

This time,
she
was to be                                                                                      

The Chosen One -
in this room full of casualties and prisoners of war.


This time
it came back
for Her
unwilling to accept defeat
from this most worthy opponent,
who wore the pink ribbon
of Purple Heart and Medal of Honor.  

This time,
it came
to claim,
as it's decided rightful owner -      Her Life.  

No matter how tattered,
how weathered,         
               how maimed.

This time just for sport - and thrill of chase,
this savage cat chased this field mouse
in a game of cruelty
designed to deceive,
despair,
and destroy.  

And this time
she was not to slip through
it's claws
or parasitic rank fangs.  

No, this time
it would bite down hard -
and drink
her slowly,
more slowly
than even before  

- as payment for making it wait.    

 

That Bloated Dark Lord,
who waited in the shadows of her remission
who eyed her so quietly and carefully
until her fear was replaced with hope
and her hope was replaced
with security
at completing her five-year tour of duty.


That Mercy-less One,
was back to
obscenely rape
with unequalled stealth and determination -
      
That Evil One,
who attacks with
such silent precision
that shatters the worlds
beyond even its victim  

so
matter
of
factly...                                                                                    


And still she defied -                                                                         
and vowed the fight                                             
with dazzling otherworldly abilities

with courage                                                  
and convictions that surpass                                             
even the most seasoned, elite                                                      
soldiers of conventional wars.      

Yes, I remember the luncheon
that honored the breast cancer survivors.                                                       

Those Brave Goddess Warriors 
whose individual and combined strengths
know no bounds.

 

~2001floralilia                                                                                    

#436.....Bush Bashing - Moi?

Okay, in all fairness, perhaps I have been a little too hard on George Dubya and Dick Hitler...

I thought I would balance it out some with a little something from the Kerry Campaign..

"Go, balloons. I don't see anything happening. Go, balloons. Go, balloons. Go, balloons. Stand by, confetti. Keep coming, balloons. More balloons. Bring them. Balloons, balloons, balloons! More balloons. Tons of them. Bring them down. Let them all come. No confetti. No confetti yet. No confetti. All right. Go, balloons. Go, balloons. We're getting more balloons. All balloons. All balloons should be going. Come on, guys! Let's move it. Jesus! We need more balloons. I want all balloons to go. Go, confetti. Go, confetti. Go, confetti. I want more balloons. What's happening to the balloons? We need more balloons. We need all of them coming down. Go, balloons. Balloons. What's happening balloons? There's not enough coming down. All balloons! Why the hell is nothing falling? What the f--- are you guys doing up there? We want more balloons coming down. More balloons. More balloons."

        --Democratic Convention producer Don Mischer, overheard on CNN having an apoplectic seizure when the balloons failed to drop from the ceiling of the Fleet Center in Boston"    

 

everyone happy now?

good.                                                                        

Wednesday, October 20, 2004

#435...most stolen cars in the us...

 

"The Escalade EXT and Nissan Maxima are the hottest targets for thieves according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety."

 

grrrreat....

guess which car I drive - at least for now...

#434....if it's October...

it's breast cancer awareness month...

                          Picture from Hometown

                     Go on ladies - check your breasts!!!...

 

                           or at least have someone else do it for you.....

 

                                             need info? click here