Toadfish Monastery

Something in my world is right again... now that I have resumed the delivery of the NY Times

Although a horrifying story was featured in yesterday's business session. It was entitled "Facebook is using you".
I have always been a bit weiry about this FB stuff, but indulged for the sake of family and friends overseas who would be otherwise estranged from my life...
put up with the privacy bs FB has tried to pull over the years, but this article took the whole FB thing to a new dimension.
Net:
Since there aren't laws about data aggregation here in the US, companies can use FB data to put you in a consumer or payer category or another and the next thing you know, your borrowing power is affected with no better explanation (because companies are not obligated by law to provide a reason).

I am really sorry I am unable to share the link to the article...because it is behind subscription level 

but this is truly distrurbing... let's set FB on fire man! 

How to clean a toilet
This was simply too much of a time saver not to share it with you.
1. Put both lids of the toilet up

And add 1/8 cup of pet shampoo to the water in the bowl.

2. Pick up the cat and soothe him while you carry him towards the bathroom.

3. In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close the lid.
You may need to stand on the lid.


4. The cat will self agitate and make ample suds.
Never mind the noises that come from the toilet, the cat is actually enjoying this.


5. Flush the toilet three or four times.
This provides a 'power-wash' and rinse'.

6. Have someone open the front door of your home.
Be sure that there are no people between the bathroom and the front door.

7. Stand behind the toilet as far as you can, and quickly lift the lid.

8. The cat will rocket out of the toilet, streak through the bathroom,
And run outside where he will dry himself off.

9. Both the commode and the cat will be sparkling clean..

Can someone please explain to me how can you tell  the difference between a friends with benefits situation and a romantic involvement is???

I mean... you read things like : "I want a friends with benefits situation, to hang out, go out to dinner and activity partner"...

that sounds like a relationship to me...

what you siblings think?? )

At the local Walmart checkout... after fighting the crowds and my 7 year old high on sugar for two hours, while the machine is doing its magic charging....
the attendant takes upon herself to educate me
"Is this your Xmas shopping?" - she goes with a very evident judging demeanor
"Yes" I respond while getting my bags into the cart
"Xmas is all about Jesus, you know?" she goes pointing proudly at the large badge on her chest and pursuing her lips in a disapproving manner

I look at her almost flabbergasted.

For a split second I want to lie and tell her that I am Jewish just to see that smirk of superiority and self righteousness disappear into an embarrassed "I am sorry".

I also so want to tell her that the actual day of birth Jesus is actually unknown (and the most prominent theories tend to identify a late September-mid October date) and that the day of Xmas was chosen in the 4th century CE based on the fact that it  coincided with the Pagan celebration of Rebirth of the Sun God (The Roman - natalis solis invicti or Mithras, the Iranian "Sun of Righteousness") so that the Pagans repression and forced conversion to Christianity would be easier on them.

Then I looked at her, smiled and thanked her for her help and walked on.
Why waste my breath on someone with such an evident narrow mind?

Have you guys seens this LMFAO!!!!

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/benetton-s-controversial-unhate-ads-1321492332-slideshow/benetton-unhate-obama-hu-jintao-dps-ssh-jpg-photo-005624332.html

Today I was trying tosync my iPod touch when an alert came thu that I could not sync until I had installed the new OS.

So I download the OS and initiate the update.

After a ridiculous long time (30 minute or so) I get "The update could not be completed- Error unknown"

Ar this point iTunes is not recognizing the device anymore and the iPod goes into Recovery mode... but the recovery cannot be completed either for Error unknown again!

My iPod in a coma, I go to the help page of iTunes about this unkonw error and I find suggestions...

a. download new version of iTunes. I don't like to do it because it forces you to download Quicktime too and it's a hopping 90+ MB, but I do it to rescue my iPod...

restart machine, open iTunes and restart restoration ... same error

b. Update iPod OS - no! really? Genius!

c. Restore iPod to original factory settings...

At the c point I am getting ready to call apple and tell them what I think of their policies and support...

the only thing is: there is no Phone number !!!!!



eh... too frustrated... I will try again tomorrow...

I used to be a consumed night owl, prior to single parental duties of a super hyper child (from day one!)

After a period of healthy grudgin at the little suck...aehemmmm... bundle of joy , I resigned to the inevitable: I had given up for ever my wild nights and weekend late morning sleep in for years...

Now that I could go back being a night owl... I DOn'T want to

it's really cool to look at the clock at 7.30 and know that I am done with my daily bike ride/walk, wights and tai chi/qi qong routine!

What do you guys think?

oh and just in case... this article made me laught, I thought I share
http://www.slate.com/id/2193208

Today I decided that it was about time I gave some loving to myself!

So I surrounded the bath tub with candles, filled it up and added some White Tea Dead sea salts to the water and soaked to my heart's content!

Then, I used my favorite sugar scrub (lime and coconut) and completed the whole experience with Shea butter moisturizing lotion... 

I smell great!

Of course, some Korean or Thai massage would have been the ultimate pleasure, but hey... :mrgreen:one cannot have it all right?

How do you pamper yourself???

I guess this is the ultimate stage of my slow road to the a mental institution...

I have found myself lately fantasizing about wedding venues, picking my colors...

today I went as far as registering an account at theknot.com (how embarassing!)

what is the big deal?

well... I am not even dating!!!!!
someone please DAVE ME FROM MYSELF!!!!

Oh well... despite the fact that the international community has been giving many many signs of being disturbed by the current Italian Prime Minister, Mr Berlusconi has kept on going and is now on the verge of passing a law that would silence the media reestablishing a censorship the world has not seen since Stalin...

Now the UN has announced an "observation" mission for 2011 since it has picked up very concerning time for the freedom of information in Italy...

about time I would say...

Some thing really concerning is going around the globe these days... is 2012 really the end (kidding people just kidding )

Sooo... instead of sitting here contemplating the volcanic ash mess, I have decided to hop on my hiking boots and explore the meadows close to my dad's house...

one good thing about this country is that there still are wild patches close to home that are left alone to grow...

I was kinda curious as to what I would find and if I would be able to recognized any of the plants I am in tune with to my delight I have found a very large patch of Mugworth and its nice brother Absenthium...

Now I am debating if I should collect some or not...

I am planning to to return to the meadow tomorrow and test my wild medicinal herb finding skills some more....

OH I LOVE SPRING!!!!

You can find me at Stellin_Cadente

Need to... it's the only way to fin out when my new phone will be finally up for grab!!!!

DROOOOOOLLLLLing and Lustiiinnnnnnng


http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/products/mobilephones/overview/xperiax10?cc=gb&lc=en

Now... I was just logging into my Yahoo! messanger and This http://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.ap.org/vatican-says-avatar-no-masterpiece-ap

captured my attention..

Now I have seen Avatar and I am not particulary found of it only because my impression was of just another Big guns vs good guys movies and they make me nervous and mad...

The only thing I have appreciated about the movie was the fact that somebody has had the gutts to bring onto the big screen the Spiritualism of Nature that organized religion has attempted to wipe clean for two thousand years...

what really makes me laugh is that the Catholic church still feels threatned by the "witches"....

but if the Old Religion was so false... why bother???

It  really makes me wonder LOL

Hi guys!

Daughter and I made it safe and sound to the Coast and are spending a fantastic evening with family and friends...

This was a good move!

Hello...

I have finally been able to get around to plants dome herbs and not having them die on me!!!

So I am at a point where I am asking myself how to harvest and when.

The Herbs I have planted on my deck are:

SAGE
LEMON BALM
DILL
TERRAGON
THYME
ST. JOHN'S WORT
STEVIA
RUE

Also would you have suggestions as to why my camomille, st john's, rue and stevia are not blooming?

well... after the inactivity of the winter months... (except for trips to the Y)... I took my daughter on a whim to a wonderful place called Fall Creek Falls...

although, the view from the observation deck was breath taking... I had the bright idea that we'd go down the trail to enjoy this natural wonder...

it turned into a very intense descent...and a much more intense return... but it was worth it don't you think???

I bought this plant at Valentine's (yeah, ok it was my gift to myself )... I kept it inside given the merciless temperatures of Nashville these days...

It was exposed to direct sunshine 4-5 hours a day...and I water it 2 times a week...

But its leaves are turning grey green and loose energy and go soft like they are lacking water and then they dry up and die...

part of the pant is like that and the other half is still fine...

What can I do??? can I save it? is there a way!!!!?

Any suggestion welcome

Hello dear Siblings,

I have missed your company during the past few weeks... I am hoping I am back on more stable way now...

this post is to ask for someone to share some light on how to post pics on the "Museum' ...

I can (obviously) post pics, but I can only see two galleries (Generic and Nature) am I doing something wrong???

Thanks for your help

I have been driving thru Alabama on Hwy 65 Northbound in Alabama most of the day on Sunday and it really cracked me up to see this ads signs...

"Heaven or Hell? You choose"

"If you don't go to church, you'll go to hell..."

I mean _seriously_???

It really made me wonder about the capacity of elaboration of the indigenous crowd... or do they think that strangers are brainless?

Most of all though it really made me sad because in these ads I could see the past thousands of years of "dark ages" in which this choice between heaven and hell has thrown the human kind into...

Fear seems to be the only and last argin that keeps the Church (the institution, not Christianity as a religion, I don't believe any good christian would have anything to do with _any church_) of any sort from collapsing... and in IMHO it would be just as well...

so that mankind could go back to feeling as opposed to fearing all the time...

Guys, I don't know about you, but I have sent to hell my job search for today and I have been glued to the TV most of the day to follow the inauguration of Barak Obama...

I have been crying most of the time (of joy mind you and many other positive feelings...especially when monkey face boarded the helicopter and rid our nation of his fastidious presence!)

But one particular moment made me realize how the air has really changed in our nation... when Barak and his wife scrolled along Pensylvania Avenue on foot....

maybe I am wrong, but I recall a much chillier parade for Bush and some eggs throwing as well (?)

Anyway, I just wanted to share how happy I am that I am here to see this day ( I even taped it for my daughter to be able to see it one day!)