tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47319072472871884512011-07-13T10:35:07.699-07:00Riding a train of thought with no particular destination.<br>Life. Love. Then. Now.<br>And all the stuff that goes on between the box cars.Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.comBlogger571100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-79482208938086346962010-02-25T09:32:00.003-08:002010-02-25T09:50:35.318-08:00

I'm pretty certain other people have done this.This is normal behaviour for adults... Right?Red marker: JoanGreen marker: MoeIt started as a Note to Self to not to over-fill the dishwasher. (Dry-erase markers are sooo handy!) Moe decided to chime in at some point last night. I am not sure when; he can be pretty sneaky. It was about to spread to the refrigerator just before we went to bed last

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-23922777603457165752010-02-19T13:27:00.010-08:002010-02-19T18:31:29.881-08:00

Dear Spammers:Thanks so much for following me on Google Buzz... Oh wait! If you followed me, I have already blocked your sorry spammy backside, so how can you possibly see this? What a conundrum!Let's start over: if you don't know me, but wish to enthrall me with your company's awesome schtuff, DON'T DO IT ON BUZZ. Just sayin'. I am perfectly capable of searching the rest of Google for your

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-85110840145296722702009-12-01T13:02:00.006-08:002009-12-01T14:07:26.470-08:00

... Or anything besides wedding planning.The last two months have been a couple of the most stressful of my life and I have no one to blame but... Moe? Bless his little avoid-getting-sucked-into-the-vortex-of-her-wedding-planning-insanity heart, he's been a doll. Tolerating my incessant badgering over what "our colours" are (I know he's colour blind), worrying over who to get to act as MC (I'm

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-61814331888194505992009-10-07T19:27:00.007-07:002009-10-07T19:54:11.502-07:00

My inner three-year-old is having the mother of all tantrums in my head.I don'wanna quit smoking.Don't want to count calories.Can't make me stop eating junk. Especially gravy-covered, cheese-melted-into, bad-for-me food-like products.Accountable? Why should I tell all those people?I don't wanna!But I'm a grown up. An adult. Sometimes ya just gotta.No, I haven't lost any weight this week.I have

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-18172169118719609272009-09-30T06:00:00.005-07:002009-09-30T06:00:07.312-07:00

The working title for this post was "Evil Monkey", however, that's a bit harsh. This is a slip, a backslide, not a falling-off-the-wagon-and-plunging-back-into-the-Abyss episode in the ongoing quest for self-improvement.I bought cigarettes. And am slowly smoking my way through the pack. I know what some of you are thinking: one would think that after 6 weeks, one day and 6-1/2 hours the scent of

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-22891942817764333212009-09-23T12:23:00.003-07:002009-09-23T13:02:32.536-07:00

I know we haven't been together very long, but there's something I need to tell you: I'm eating other food.This should not come as a surprise. You knew when we started that Potato Chips and I had a long-term committed relationship. Remember? It came up when you first asked me to keep track of what I was eating. Yes, I know you asked me to stop--or at least cut back on--eating Potato Chips, and I

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-59507007277311297292009-09-18T14:33:00.004-07:002009-09-19T10:44:59.982-07:00

My writing has slowed to a dribble this week, published and drafts. I don't mind, though, because I have a new project. A friend has just completed her first novel and I am one of the fortunate few she is allowing to beta-read it.For anyone unfamiliar with the concept of Beta Readers, it's quite simple: we are the folks who get to read and provide feedback on a draft of a written work --

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-15025178828805767262009-09-16T06:00:00.001-07:002009-09-16T23:17:25.789-07:00

The second in my "Weighing In" series. This series follows some of the changes I am making in my life. Originally posted on SparkPeople.com as "Adding Exercise to My Daily Routine" on August 31, 2009.***Today I did some exercise. According to my fitness notes, it's been over three months since I exercised. Fellow SparkPeople, my mood immediately dropped and all of those negative thoughts we're

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-31874988033486592752009-09-09T06:00:00.002-07:002009-09-09T06:00:01.215-07:00

2009 has been a year of personal change. Not all of those changes have been apparent in my blog -- and some have. As promised, on Wednesdays, I will be updating everyone with my progress. Some posts will be from other websites, some may be out of date: each of those posts will have a note with the website, original title and date. For example, this one was originally posted on SparkPeople.com as

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-12845975658941525802009-09-02T23:31:00.006-07:002009-09-03T16:51:38.636-07:00

It's been a while, hasn't it?Oddly, I have been writing nearly every day for the last month or so... Just not here. Checking my drafts, there are at least seven in the works for 'sCat, but none I'm happy with. In the works are a few series, however, they too are not quite ready for their debuts.A quickie update for my followers, public and private (Thanks for sticking with me, gents and ladies!):

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-41466343134086120932009-08-18T06:00:00.001-07:002009-08-18T06:00:06.124-07:00

Open SceneMoe and a more-technologically-savy friend are discussing computers Moe: I'm not certain my machine will be able to run that program.Friend: Yeah, you may need a couple of tetrabytes of memory to run it.Moe: Right. Those little bugs that eat wood.Friend (laughing): Ex-Actly!End Scene

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-86616689939745033432009-08-17T15:54:00.003-07:002009-08-17T16:12:05.658-07:00

What they don't tell you when you decide to quit smoking is that your body will try to purge all of the toxins that have built up over the years. Some will sweat it out, some will pass it in other ways, however, most of us will end up coughing and hacking and spitting a lot.I'm not to that point, yet. The guck in my lungs is loosening, but not enough to make me cough. What it has done is given me

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-15526338345693465522009-08-14T15:07:00.003-07:002009-08-14T15:30:53.532-07:00

This is a note I wrote today, addressed to my friends that don't read this blog. They've all been very supportive and have tolerated the vicious mood swings remarkably well.***Most of you know that I've been trying to quit smoking. I've been posting fairly regular updates and they all start the same way: determined, hopeful, strong. Perhaps with a touch of humour. Within 24 to 36 hours the tone

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-13825257195200755622009-08-12T14:28:00.007-07:002009-08-12T15:33:58.770-07:00

The withdrawals this time weren't as bad as during the last two rounds. At first. I had an inner monologue over the last few days that, if anyone else could hear it, might have sounded a lot like:"A little bit light-headed, the familiar tingly feeling of the nicotine in my system going way below its half-life, a faint gnawing in my gut that feels a lot like hunger, but isn't... WAIT! That IS

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-84505630505630809862009-08-08T06:00:00.000-07:002009-08-08T06:00:02.190-07:00

Note to self:a.) When making smoothies, ensure the carafe has sealed to the base of the blender before adding liquids.b.) Do a check of the seal with a bit of water ~ OVER THE SINK ~ if necessary.Pros of having pre-smoothie ingredients oozing all over the place:One corner of my kitchen got a much needed cleaning.Found and cleaned mystery gick from usually-hidden parts of the blender.Discovered

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-54708157909801939382009-08-07T09:57:00.003-07:002009-08-07T10:13:50.583-07:00

It's a safe bet that a few of you have tried to quit a chemical addiction, like cigarettes. Remember how everyone else seemed to become complete morons, incapable of understanding the simplest of concepts? That's what happens to me during the first few days without the nicotine monkey.Here's how nicotine withdrawal affects my normal conversation. First, what actually happened last night, less

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-21728408589788682312009-07-31T10:38:00.004-07:002009-09-03T16:51:38.636-07:00

I'm too freakin' hot to think. Not in the oh-wow-you're-so-sexy sense of hot, either. My poor little brain seems to be turning into some kind of cerebellic sludge, judging by the slow synapse responses it's giving me. When there's a response at all.Neighbour: Want to come over for some wine?Joan: Duh-uh? Wine?Yeah, it's that hot. Normally, the response time to that question would have been...

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-26681791970657108932009-07-29T13:39:00.004-07:002009-07-29T14:30:21.305-07:00

Quitting smoking is a time-consuming endeavor. All of my energy has gone into it over the last few days...No, not really.The truth? Quitting any addictive substance (or behaviour) only seems all-consuming. That's the nature of the beast. Because there's so much attention put on the not-smoking, it becomes the biggest, baddest priority. It's worse than chasing the next fix... You'll have to trust

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-70847428260780645012009-07-18T06:00:00.001-07:002009-07-18T06:00:00.141-07:00

Open SceneJoan and Moe are watching TV. A commercial for a stomach remedy comes on.Moe: Acid reflux? Isn't that the movement your head makes right after you accidently squirt yourself in the eye with lemon juice?Joan groans.End Scene

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-22866481464529183002009-07-04T11:34:00.007-07:002009-07-04T12:07:12.422-07:00

So some aquaintances and family have been wondering, "Why haven't you been online?"My puzzled response: "What do you mean? I'm on three social networking sites daily and my IMs are all running, plus I've actually been checking all my email accounts and a club forum at least weekly for a change.""But, your site, your blog... You haven't been writing."Oh, that. This.I'll take that as a compliment.

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-28977487331873991942009-06-29T09:44:00.011-07:002009-09-03T16:45:45.619-07:00

Seven years ago, I had a conversation that changed my life.I was single, renting a very small bachelor apartment, and still had custody of one of the three cats from my split from the Ex a few years previous. You got it: over thirty, no husband, no kids, going to school and, other than the occasional date with some bad-boy wannabe, I spent most Saturday nights hanging out with my cat. (Yes,

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-32228583982295997762009-06-18T06:00:00.001-07:002009-06-18T06:00:02.252-07:00

Open SceneJoan has just commented on Moe's physiqueMoe (mock-offended): I'm not "skinny". (confidently) I'm Aero-Dynamic!Joan (archly): Oh, you are, are you?Moe: Yeah.(pauses) Chicks dig that.Joan (twitching): Suuure they do... End Scene

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-19714062154766341962009-05-22T23:03:00.005-07:002009-05-22T23:30:27.066-07:00

May has been a good and a terrible month.Emotionally, it has has had some ups and downs, thus my functionality has likewise had some wild swings. Not blogging has taken a toll on my ability to process some pretty complex issues. The half-dozen unpublished blurbs, rants and verbal meanderings I am still working on are not working out at all the way I envisioned, therefore the mental baggage is

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-57402216240551122042009-05-18T06:00:00.001-07:002009-05-18T06:00:00.653-07:00

Open SceneJoan tells Moe about a friend with a cold who describes himself as "expectorant"Moe: Oh, tell him that's great... And ask how many months until he's due.Sound of Joan's head hitting a solid surfaceEnd Scene

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-18967062496604234012009-05-03T09:20:00.000-07:002009-05-03T09:20:04.537-07:00

Life was chaotic for the past couple of weeks. It interfered with my delusion that nothing truly bad can ever happen to those I care about. Knowing that bad things can and do happen is a far different experience than actually having those bad things thrust full into my face. Even though there was very little that directly impacted me, I managed to worry myself nearly to the point of exhaustion.

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-3221531653966014572009-04-26T11:17:00.003-07:002009-04-26T11:20:48.182-07:00

My apologies to everyone for not checking in sooner. My off-line life has been rather full lately and my head has been even fuller. There's a lot to tell, however, I am not in the right head-space to do so quite yet.Stay tuned... You can listen to Tom Jones while you're waiting.

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-35030929727835603642009-04-18T06:00:00.001-07:002009-04-18T06:00:01.200-07:00

Open Scene Joan and Moe are out at a dinner with friendsJoan: Oh, that was wonderful! I am sooo full, I'm not sure I can walk. (innocently, to Moe) Carry me? Moe (resigned): Okay, but it's going to feel a lot like dragging... Male friend: (laughs uproariously)Sound of friend being pushed off his seatEnd Scene

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-89255416439496684312009-04-17T15:38:00.003-07:002009-04-17T17:13:26.055-07:00

Yeah, I said it: it's a crappy day.There have been some personal issues I have been trying to deal with lately so I haven't written or posted as often as I would like. Writing about them may be cathartic someday, however, they're just too close to the surface to verbalize right now. A by-product of having those issues on my mind is mild depression. It's not serious or clinical; it's just been

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-16193072659367244182009-04-15T13:04:00.002-07:002009-04-15T14:02:13.329-07:00

The spring equinox was a few weeks ago, and, while great for the calendar and some of my friends who celebrate old pagan feasts, it doesn't mean much in reality. For the so-called first day of spring, it was really just another day. There was still a foot of snow in the yard and fresh snow was coming, if not daily, then a few times per week. We still had snowtires on the vehicles and were wearing

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-4725388804583483892009-04-10T12:00:00.000-07:002009-04-10T12:00:00.491-07:00

Note to Self:If you are...a. Wearing a shirt with pockets on the chest;b. Female;c. In the habit of storing stuff in those pockets;d. Forgetful of where you put stuff; and,e. Standing in front of a window;... Don't pat yourself down looking for stuff that might be in your shirt pockets.I think the neighbours think I was feeling myself up.

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-45067985807190115482009-04-09T06:00:00.003-07:002009-09-03T16:51:38.636-07:00

It has been two months since my first post on this blog. Thanks again to my friends and family for your support, interest and encouragement. And thanks to the anonymous readers; I know you're out there. Well, I'm pretty certain you're there. All both or three of you.Since last month's milestone, I have been pondering how to keep improving. Layout, content, language, theme... There are changes I

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-19806454540376223902009-04-08T13:43:00.005-07:002009-09-03T16:48:19.278-07:00

Right. New topic. Ish.Moe and I have known each other since high school and have been friends for most of the 20-plus years since then. We even dated a bit in our late teens and early 20's. About seven years ago, we both found ourselves single. The tentative emails, phonecalls and letters resulted in a mutual decision to 'try again'. I may write about that and the preceding soap opera years

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-28226368797480514072009-04-07T14:20:00.004-07:002009-04-07T14:42:25.391-07:00

Since I started this blogging schtick, I've wondered if I'm 'doing it right'. I've read a few blogs off and on over the years, but never really got into any one. The assumption was that everyone who blogs is a professional writer or budding novelist. Like most assumptions, that one was way wrong.I now have a new hobby. Lately, instead of writing, cleaning the house, walking the dog (that's what a

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-85435480973174183692009-04-05T20:14:00.006-07:002009-09-03T16:49:55.226-07:00

Imagine you are in the first house you -- you, not your parents -- have ever owned. It took a long time to get here, but it was worth the wait. So what if it's not that dreamy ranchesque-style two-story cabin with the sweeping verandah that you've wanted since you first discovered floor plans in the real estate section of the paper? The monthly payments go into your home's equity and not some

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-41412005844909380372009-04-03T11:30:00.000-07:002009-09-03T16:48:19.278-07:00

Today is my grandmother's 92nd birthday. While it's getting more difficult for her, she lives in her own apartment and still gets out to do her own shopping when she can. She values her independence, but has resigned herself to relying on others to help her with many of the day-to-day chores that are beyond her abilities now. After raising her family and helping raise some of her grandchildren,

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-83922028578812085842009-04-02T12:20:00.000-07:002009-09-03T16:51:38.637-07:00

When I was a child and teenager, I loved art, especially drawings and paintings. Looking at it, learning to critique, developing an unbiased eye, studying the history of artists and individual pieces, even creating it. Fingerpainting, colouring outside the lines, vandalizing my clothing with pens, teaching myself to mix colours when the ones in the paint-box weren't the ones I wanted... The path

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-62124987592534308202009-04-01T12:17:00.003-07:002009-09-03T16:49:18.805-07:00

This Plinky-provided topic is apropos after my recent trip. Kinda.I love listening to music when travelling and Moe and I both sing along to the radio or one of our CDs. I remember taking trips with my parents singing along to 8-tracks and tapes and, later on, with friends and we always sang along to our mixed-tapes, too. A road trip without tunes just doesn't feel right.My car is very basic.

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-73817765212493505152009-03-26T18:53:00.007-07:002009-09-03T16:45:45.620-07:00

Open SceneJoan and Ella are chatting.(Adapted, not word-for-word, from an actual conversation.) Joan: ... and I caught another cold from Moe.Ella: Is it a productive cold?Joan: No. Not a thing is happening. I feel like crap; can't stop coughing.Ella: Then you need to try Delsym for a dry cough.Joan: What about the phlem?Ella: No, for the dry cough.(a pause)Joan: When you said "productive", you

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-5661550582718468802009-03-25T12:54:00.010-07:002009-09-03T16:45:45.620-07:00

Last week I did a bad thing. Perhaps 'bad' is not the correct word; it's more of an 'unwise' thing. I finally broke down and opened an online payment account.Frugality is nearly second nature to me. Most of my life, I've lived either below or on the cusp of the poverty line. Lessons in only buying what was needed came with every bill that arrived in my parent's mailbox. During the few times of

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-24805759267100073842009-03-24T11:27:00.003-07:002009-09-03T16:49:18.805-07:00

Today, I thought I'd try something new. Scroll down, and on the right side you will see a new gadget. Yes, you can now listen to music [of my choosing] while you read!To get feedback, I have also included a short poll below the player. Let me know what you think.Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-31380671216626788062009-03-23T07:38:00.003-07:002009-09-03T16:48:19.278-07:00

Blogging is frightening.Some days the blank page... ahem... the blank screen seems like it is a chalice just waiting to be filled with the pithy remarks and witticisms pouring effortlessly from my cranium. Other days, it's a reproving, judgemental stranger who has absolutely no compunction at all against tearing into my faulty grammar, contradictory statements and poorly-formed ideas.Frankly, I

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-64149817978141189942009-03-20T11:34:00.001-07:002009-09-03T16:49:18.806-07:00

Music has always been a part of my life. My grandfather played his fiddle every night before bed. My mother perpetually had the radio on and sang along to everything. My earliest memories are of sitting in front of the stereo, listening to 8-tracks of Roy Orbison, Neil Diamond and ABBA. Or putting on stacks of records so that, in one afternoon, we could hear throughout the house Johnny Cash,

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-6378198355566341892009-03-19T09:05:00.001-07:002009-09-03T16:45:45.620-07:00

Yesterday, I allowed myself to be optimistic. The sun was shining (for most of the day), a chinook-like wind was blowing, puddles were forming on the street where previously there was only packed ice, and the pile of snow on the back deck was noticably smaller than a few days ago. Yes, I thought, spring is approaching.Joyfully, I reviewed all the tasks and chores that need to be done in the

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-43144770743444684492009-03-18T10:04:00.001-07:002009-09-03T16:51:38.637-07:00

I am a smoker. Of tobacco; nothing illegal... Well, if I smoke inside a public building, restaurant or in a vehicle with children, I'll get fined. Or even near a public building, for that matter. I guess it's just a matter of time before smoking tobacco becomes illegal. But that's not my point...With one parent who smoked, I have always been a smoker, if only passively. My first purchases at the

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-26564027013912302252009-03-15T12:30:00.001-07:002009-09-03T16:45:45.621-07:00

Success! The goal of blogging on a semi-regular basis has been met. Thanks to my friends who encouraged me to "keep at it", the mystery readers that have looked at nearly every post, and to Moe, who, letting his new-found notoriety go to his head, has tormented me daily with his not-always-successful attempts to be funny and blog-worthy. Knowing the readers are out there is a wonderful incentive

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-80319784987598334802009-03-08T06:00:00.000-07:002009-03-08T06:00:00.967-07:00

Open SceneJoan, quite, quite unwell, is in the washroom.Moe is trying to cheer her up.Joan: I think I'm going to die...Moe: You may have already died. You are in the Purge-atory.Joan (softly, with feeling): I think I hate you...End Scene

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-52953220411885278612009-03-07T12:30:00.000-08:002009-09-03T16:45:45.621-07:00

For over 24 hours I've had The Flu. Technically it's not influenza: it's one of the noro-viruses. Since that's a relatively new term, I still think of this particular group of symptoms as The Flu. Anyone who has contracted The Flu already knows all about the discomfort and misery of this illness. I won't bore or disgust you with the gory details. Most of us have been there and do not need a

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-33138127488719631712009-03-05T16:50:00.000-08:002009-09-03T16:51:38.638-07:00

It's happening again. That inner critic that will not permit me to submit anything less than the perfect post is quietly subverting the resolution to publish on a regular basis. My list of drafts grows daily, while the actual posts on this blog... well, you can see the dates for yourself.If Mneme is my muse, Perfectionism is my demon. It's insidious, tenacious and subtle. There are tendrils

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-64753472296477667022009-03-01T09:20:00.000-08:002009-09-03T16:45:45.621-07:00

Moe and I are cigarette smokers. It's a filthy, expensive habit and very tough to quit. We are more than ready to give it up and we have gone over the many good reasons to quit. We will be healthier, our clothing, hands and hair won't stink, our sense of taste and smell will improve, and the money not spent on tobacco will certainly come in handy. My vanity is betting that my skin will finally

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-71952277235269927902009-02-25T11:40:00.000-08:002009-02-25T12:30:42.432-08:00

Let me just sit down for a moment. I have a cold. Another one. I was feeling rather sorry for myself yesterday, yet today the sun is shining and my mood is much better.For the last few days, I've been trying to guilt myself into getting stuff done. A futile effort. I don't "do" guilt. It has never been a good motivator. Either the task gets done resentfully and poorly or it doesn't get done at

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-66309082205341589962009-02-23T10:51:00.000-08:002009-09-03T16:51:38.638-07:00

... with apologies to Seinfeld.A few people that know I'm doing this have asked what I am blogging about. Stumped, I realized that I have no idea. Listing the vague premises of what I want to write about does not seem sufficient."I haven't worked it all out yet, but I've got a few themes.""What themes?""Um... a bit about memory and stuff like that, maybe with some reminicing, and stuff about how

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-75627667355011828542009-02-20T09:57:00.000-08:002009-09-03T16:45:45.621-07:00

This is one of those days. Sorting out my thoughts feels like sorting out my junk-drawer. There's lots of potentially useful stuff in there, just nothing that I can use right now. If ever. I wonder why I hang onto hundreds of old twist-ties that we never use, nearly-dead batteries and owner manuals for appliances we don't own any more.Some of the junk in my brain is no more use than the leftover

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-85197553525546121422009-02-19T09:35:00.000-08:002009-09-03T16:45:45.622-07:00

A friend paid me a compliment yesterday. He didn't realize at the time that it was a compliment until I thanked him for it. Perhaps he still doesn't see it as a big deal, however he had the good grace to accept my thanks in the spirit they were given.My friend is a musician. He composes, plays, sings and teaches. I would say that music is his life, however, that would be misleading. Frankly, I am

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-70164761655597861012009-02-18T10:30:00.000-08:002009-09-03T16:48:19.279-07:00

I am engaged to a great guy, I'm calling Moe. Rather, he's great most of the time. He's smart, generous, hard-working, creative, funny, and is under the delusion that I am beautiful. He has also been one of my best friends for nearly 25 years. It all sounds wonderful, doesn't it?Sometimes the creative and the funny get together and... Well, it's a good thing he's cute, too. Moe thinks it's

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-19011160498823495752009-02-17T11:42:00.000-08:002009-09-03T16:45:45.622-07:00

"I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant." ~ Robert J. McCloskey, U.S. State Department spokesman (attributed)Recently, while visiting with a friend, I realized that we were not having the same conversation at all. A metaphor, rather than rehashing the actual details: it was like we had both started

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-74432228478847463542009-02-13T17:23:00.000-08:002009-09-03T16:51:38.638-07:00

From Mirriam-Webster's Dictionary ~ mne·me \ˈnē-(ˌ)mē\ noun (medical): the persistent or recurrent effect of past experience of the individual or of the raceMneme, in classical Greek mythology is one of the original three Muses. She was -- or is -- the muse of Memory. I firmly believe that I am the sum of my experience, that the lessons of the past are what define me as a person. Much of what I

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4731907247287188451.post-872501251997024452009-02-09T23:48:00.000-08:002009-09-03T16:48:19.279-07:00

I have been wanting to blog for a while. I have begun and quit - or lost interest - many times. There's a lot I want to say, but haven't until recently had the courage to just put my fingers to the keyboard. With some mild encouragement from some and the good examples of others, the time to "just do it" has come.My goals are still quite vague. I hope to entertain or amuse without cruelty. To

Mneme's Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15529412728323096675noreply@blogger.com0