Mad Macedonian

The Mad Macedonian Conquers Wi-Fi!

May 7, 2013 - A day that will live in Houston history!

 

Wi-fi, oh what fun!
My very first connection has been done.
Going live, I felt no dread.
I found logging online easy, let it be said.

 

The Blogs of Kiril Kundurazieff:

1. Mad Macedonian

2. The Opinionated Pussycat

3. SMFCB: A 365 Day Project

 

The Final Countdown Begins & it's Silly Season at Our Place

I can't weight to get to Texas! :-D

As of this morning I am 192.6  :-D

In July I was as high as 204, ending the month at 201.

I've not been at 200 or above, since....

It has been years since I last saw below 195, much less below 190! By the time I get to Houston I might be, but after Sunday morning I will not see my scale until around the 24th when my stuff arrives. :-D

My goal has been to get down to around 170, which is about right for my height and build.

Breakfast has been a small bowl of cherrios, an apple, and  a glass of water, or a diet coke.

Dinner has been 2 cups of various macaroni, mixed with a small can of corn, and tomato sauce, and a glass of water, or a diet coke.

Not sure what I'll do my 1st week in Houston, until my stuff arrives.

ODD THOUGHTS 3: Happy National Empty Chair Day!

Odd Thoughts That Wander Through My Brain While Taking a Shower 3

Thanks to the brilliance of the National Treasure named Clint Eastwood a new holiday has been instituted to inform the voting public about "The Chair With No Occupant" in Washingto DC. :-D

As I stood in the shower, this morning, my thoughts turned to how I could toss my 2 cents in, and join the celebration. :-D

If you watched the recent Republican Convention on the channels of the Mainstream Media, or read certain websites, newspapers and magazines, you might have got the impression that all the speeches were given, mostly by pasty-faced White Folk, to a room full of Crackers. :-D

In the last 5 years I've rarely delved into politics on this blog. This is one of those times. :-D

Life in the state of my birth is no longer what it once was, not just because of the empty seat, and empty heads, in DC, but because of the similar emptiness in Sacramento, our state capitol.

So, as I've announced, the cats and I are moving on, looking for a fresh start in Houston, TX.

California, It Was Fun, But I've Found Another...

 

I Know a Cracker When I See One, & I Ain't It! This Is!

I'm the Family Genealogist, and can trace my roots back to KY, IN., and PA., on my Mother's side.

That being said....I know a Cracker when I see one....unlike some folks I could mention. :-D

It May All have Started With Marx, But Is It Continuing With Obama?

Growing up in Pomona, in the 70's, & 80's, my peculiar Sense of Humor was influenced by many sources, often courtesy of the Dr. Demento Show, but writers also were influential.

One such author was a local legend, in Pomona, and Claremont, Ca.

Prolific, outspoken humorist, poet, author (More than 65 books!), and Porfessor of English, Richard Armour. :-D

I devoured any of his books I could rescue from local Thrift Stores for pennies.

Yesterday, at a local library, I discovered a book I missed. :-D

It was written in 1958, and is described this way:

"A brief and objective history of Russian Communism, the objective being to leave not one stone, but many, unturned, to state the theories of Marx so clearly that they can almost be understood, and to show how these theories and many old friends were carried out by Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin, Malenkov, Krushchev, and others."

IT ALL STARTED WITH MARX. :-D

The copy I picked up, for a $1, was the British Hardcover, published in 1959.

From the Forward:

"Once upon a time there was no such thing as Communism. People ignorantly toiled and saved, hoping to Get Ahead like the heroes in Horation Alger's books, which they forgot were fiction...

Lacking vision, many were unable to see anything shameful about accepting the rewards of industry and thrift...

There were also those who believed in some sort of Deity, or at least had an uneasy feeling that there was something bigger than the Head Man. They did not know, until it was pointed out by Marx, that religion is the opium of the people and should be sold only on prescription...

Conditions were dreadful, with so much freedom and family life and churchgoing and money in the bank. Something had to be done, and quickly, or the Decline of the West would be followed by the Debacle of the East, and the North, and South would come tumbling after...

This book, dedicated to the proposition that all men are created, tells how a new philosophy arose to fill the void and how it swept men's minds like wildfire, burning them to a crisp..."

Armour went through many original & unoriginal sources, and claimed to have interviewed many people who have never been to Russia. :-D

His scholarship is, as he brags, "not only beyond question, but beyond belief!"

Anyone seeking a trustworthy account of the History of Communism, and Socialism, and some idea of what we quite possibly might be in for in America, and the West, if Barrack Obama is re-elected, and Europe continues its leadlong dash down the Rat Hole of their own Socialist making, need go no farther than this book. :-D

NOTE: The Font used for Obama saying "Yes we Can!" is Vladimir Script...as in Vladimir Lenin. :-D

Laguna Beach People's Council Too Stoned to Critique Poetry, and Stories?

In the city of Laguna Beach can be found what many call the Creative, & Artistic, capital of South OC, if not all of Orange County.

Art, and the written & spoken word, are things on sale, display, and performed, through out the year, and at special events during certain times of the year only.

As readers know I, as well as Nikita, & Elvira Mistress of Felinity, my 2 Cats, are creative writers, poets, storytellers, and amateur journalists, with hopes, and dreams, regarding our collective talents. :-D

After spending some time, the other afternoon, visiting The Poet's Table, in Huntington Beach, I decided to head on over to Laguna Beach.

As readers also know I've given a couple of Public Presentations (REI, & Riverside Bicycle Club), and performed twice at Poetry Open Mics (Including locally at The Ugly Mug), over the years.

I want to do more of both, as well as do more with Meowsings of an Opinionated Pussycat, with Nikita, & Elvira and, maybe, even someday become an article contributor (print, or online), or book author.

In order to do more with the blogs, & publishing notions, I have to find ways to attract audiences that are not made up mostly of visitors doing Google Searches, and the 2000 spam comments a day that Meowsings attracts. ;-D

When I heard about a small group of creative types, billing themselves as "The People's Council", who have hung out, daily, since 2006, on the same street corner, between the Laguna Beach Police, and Fire Depts., downtown, I decided to pay them a visit.

I figured why not share some of my, & the Cats, stories, & poetry, with these folks, and get their opinions, and advice?

So, off I went, on the bus down PCH, all full of confidence, and hope! :-D

When I arrived I discovered that the group actually consisted of 2 men, & a woman, & that one of the men was a Dog Person (A rather promising discovery, I thought.), and the woman had a way with Birds.

As I proceeded to introduce myself I couldn't help but notice how silent they were.

Maybe they were meditating, I thought.

Afterall, at their feet, in a circle, were the words Safety, Happiness, Strength, Victory, Wealth, Success, Love, Fertility, Peace, Freedom, Health, and Justice.

As I proceeded to read some of my work, and that of the Cats,  they just stared at me, not budging an inch, refraining from giving any sort of feedback, positive, or negative.

They didn't even call the cops on me for, um, occupying their space, & ruining their day! ;-D

 

WARNING: Conservative Carrying Camera! 2 -- Take Back Irvine!

Hello, fellow Patriots!

It's me, The Mad Macedonian, a sort of 1 man Patriotic CCC (Civilian Conservative Corp, um, hee, hee!) for the 21st Century. ;-D (For late comers the series began, and is explained, here)

Take Back Your Republic! Times Up! ;-D

Yesterday, I was out, and about, doing some clothes shopping, when I decided to take a peek at Occupy Irvine.

The City Council, in an effort to make nice, and show their willingness to let people express themselves so long as they don't bring down property values, and cause a rucus, has allowed the Irvine contingent of Occupy Orange County, and Occupy Wall St., camp out on the sidewalk at the Civic Center.

The intersection, at Harvard & Alton, is a wide one, and my bus stop was far enough away that I couldn't smell anything out of the ordinary, and could barely hear the demand of, "No Pictures!", when I set up my camera on my hiking pole, and took the photo. ;-D

Not wanting to cross the street to the bus stop for the bus I next wanted to catch, since it was within smelling, and interaction, distance, of the Useful Idiots, I walked 3 blocks to the next bus stop. ;-D

WARNING: Conservative Carrying Camera!

The last 2 months, or so, have seen the Media & the Far Left, working overtime to embarrass the hell out of themselves, participating in, and supporting, the nationwide Occupy Wall St. Movement (OWS), full of Liberals, Socialists, Commies, Anarchists, and assorted other Radicals, as well as the generally clueless.

From the President himself, to Democrat politicians, to Mayors, City Councils, and Religious leaders, on down, The Useful Idiots are EVERYWHERE!

Like most Americans, especially of a certain political persuasion, I'm more than a little annoyed with these people, and more than a little concerned about the future of the Republic.

In case you haven't noticed things have sort of gone to Hell in a Handbasket, under President Obama, since he bamboozled the American Electorate into voting him into office in November 2008.

R U better off than you were 3 years ago? Me neither.

I could tell, even then, even reading the sorry excuse for a newspaper that is The Los Angeles Times, that we were in serious trouble.

This was even before I put on my Pajamas, and went online to check out the news from dedicated, reliable, mostly Conservative in nature, sources. ;-D

*******

Pulitzer Winning Journalist Al Martinez, & Me --

Is the world obsessed with Nudity?

Is it true that anyone looking at this picture will be at first curious about a certain aspect of it, then intensly interested in whether their suspicions about it are true, or not, lusting after that which this suspicion makes them imagine is hidden in plain sight?

According to Mr. Martinez the Puritans would not be pleased with this simple, ambiguous, bit of whimsy. ;-D )

*******

I have used my camera to express myself politically since my misbegotten days as a Liberal, attending a Clinton Campaign Rally at a park in Ontario, Ca., in the early 90's, and I've been doing so, even more, once I became a registered Republican, my politics having gradually become more Conservative, right around the time I was a couple years into my life as a blogger around 2002-04.

As we head into 2012, the campaign for President heats up, and OWS, and Socialists, Commies, and Anarchists, continue to act up, I'll be wielding my camera once again. ;-D

Beginning with this post....

 

Next Time You Ride Public Transit Notice the Activity Around You

Writer Julia Cameron, of The Artist's Way fame, and the several other, related, books that came after describes an Artist Date this way, more or less:

In seeking to nurture our creativity, we need adventures that can be counted on. We are out to romance or woo our artist. We do so by taking a weekly solo expedition to do something that is just plain fun. As with any date, the planning is a part of the adventure. The anticipation is a large part of what makes it special....An Artist date is an adventure, a lark, a flier in to the unknown, that gives our inner creative youngster some time and attention and a chance to speak to us, and expect to hear the unexpected.

Artist Dates connect us to a larger and more fascinating world than our normal beaten path.

When I think about it I've been taking myself on Artist Dates for the last decade, and never knew it.

Mostly via my long bike rides, but also trips to parks, museums, the movies, Open Mic Poetry Readings, a genealogy convention, trips to phoenix, Chicago, Virginia, and Washington DC, and just riding the bus around town on errands, I have often found creative inspiration for my writing efforts as a blogger.

I've recently begun reading the Cameron books, beginning with Artist's Way, and begun doing the Morning Pages, and other exercises, all in an effort to recharge my Creative Mojo.

On Monday afternoon I took a bus, and train trip, from my home in Santa Ana, to Downtown Pasadena.

Often, when riding the bus, or train, I spend the time reading a book, or the newspaper, however, this time I decided to do what Julia suggested, and pay attention to those around me on the bus. ;-D

What follows are my notes from the journey:

The MTA 460 leaves Disneyland, at 11:40am, with a dozen passengers, & will be packed by the time we reach downtown Los Angeles.

A huge American flag can be seen hanging on the outside wall of the Ramada Inn, on Disney Way.

Across from me sits a young Hispanic Mother, in blue jeans & brown shirt. She has a dark yellow purse/bag in her lap, and one hand clutching the handle of a folded , cheap, purple stroller. Her 2 yr. old boy sits next to her in the window seat, looking out the window.

Up toward the front of the bus sits a 40ish black woman, in a flowery blouse, who hasn't stopped chatting on her cell phone since we got on the bus.

Across from her sits an elderly Hispanic man, in a black baseball cap, fast asleep. ;-D

I look out the window, up at the partly cloudy skies, as we leave the Fullerton Park & Ride Station, off La Palma, and I see a huge Military Transport Helicopter heading, no doubt, toward the base in Seal Beach.

2 young ladies, from a local Technical Med School, are now sitting behind me in the back of the bus, and a young Hispanic lady in a white sweater, with a beautiful yellow flower of some sort tying her long hair back, is sitting up front across from the Cell Phone Chatter.

Thankfully, the noise of the bus is too loud to hear Cell Phone Lady from where I sit, and too bad I also can't hear the 2 ladies behind me. ;-D

As we pass Knott's Berry Farm I'm reminded that it's been more than  20 years since I last visited the place, & the last time I visited Disneyland was during construction of Toon Town!

Utterly disgraceful behavior to admit for a native Southern Californian, I know. ;-D

Oh, look! At the 1/2 hour mark of our journey Cell Phone lady turns it off, & suddenly remembers her young male traveling companion sitting next to her!

Meanwhile...across from her is an Hispanic lady, with braided hair, studiously filing her finger nails, while  also, alternately,  picking her nose.

The interesting thing about her is how, when "Going for the Gold", she turns her head face front, as if this will prevent the other 25 bus passengers from noticing what she is doing. ;-D

As we approach La Mirada Ave. an 18 wheeler passes us on our left, & I notice 2 large yellow sickers, with black writing, on the back door.

The left one says, "Passing Side", and the right one says, "Suicide".

By the time I got my camera out for a picture it was too late, darn it! ;-D

Meanwhile our fingernail filing nose picker has her eyeliner, & make-up kit out, Cell Phone lady is on the phone again, & the sleeping Baseball cap guy is awake, though, since he is across from these 2 fine ladies, he probably wishes he was still asleep. ;-D

 

A Radiation Cloud Arrives in California, and This is a BAD THING? Hellooo...

Hey, didja hear the News?

A Radiation Cloud Reaches California!

Santa Monica, West Hollywood, San Francisco, Berkeley, Rio Linda, and the offices of the Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, and OC Weekly, are particulary at risk.

Governor Brown warns of the danger of the state turning Republican, and Tea Party Conservative, and encourages everyone to stay indoors, take the recommended pills to prevent poisoning (Get subscriptions to Mother Jones, & The Nation), and tune to your local NPR/Public Radio station for updates, until further notice.

Local TV is showing scenes of dancing in the streets of Orange County. ;-D