Beating the Winter Blues & Cabin Fever...# 2

"Yes" to both observations, but in my decades of observation on this issue, the older "leaders of war" either started out in the military, or were raised in a culture that viewed violence as a first step to a solution, and not as a "last resort."

In the interest of fairness, one of the biggest monsters of mass killing was a middle-aged female in the Middle East, who was a chemist/physicist, who devised chemical warfare techniques against large scales of innocent citizens.

I can find her name/identity if I'm challenged on this; she was written up several times in national info publications.

(Perhaps she devised war weapons against the Kurds? I know she did something horrible.)

War, like violence, poverty, misery, etc., has always been around and probably always will.

And exactly how did my tangerine fragrance trigger this discussion????

It's winter, Victor.

Tangerine fragrance!!
- That reminds me I have to change a light bulb in the basement! Thanks Victor!

Wheee...

Victor, my apologies on the dire topic.

It started out by my sad comparison between the joys of nature and the dismal reality of the human race.

My bad....

For historical purposes, I will point out that the Russian works of dark fiction were borne of the somber long winters, and the psychological introspection that we hope will clear with the strong rays of Spring, and the first buds of nature's joys.


(But I'm still guilty of a "downer" response, I apologize.)

No problem, BA.

Maybe I'm just really envious of your plant activity in February!

(Would'nt be the first time...)

^_^

I remember that pumpkin bread! yum!!

I could go for some tangerine fragrance, I'm jealous :) I do have a dozen roses in the house right now, but they're florist roses, no scent.

A dozen roses in winter is the height of luxury, Weeze. Enjoy!!!!

Why do they breed( I know that's not the word I'm having a senior moment) the scent out of them?

I have no idea but I call them useless roses:) I realized (the hard way) that if a rose has the name 'Meidiland' attached to it...it prob. doesn't smell.

I want to go to Celeste's house for the goodies, and I want to smell Victor's porch.

Karen

Thats a stretch Karen. LOL LOL

Just ship me down to Louises's place please! I'd love to smell the citrus essences basking in the FL sun! My son & family are heading to Disney in early March....I am soooo tempted!

Oh, I vote that you join in the fun in March, RD. All in favor? Say AYE

nutsfordaylily, do you want to smell it with Victor in it?

Robindog, Jump in with them and have fun in the sun. You might get lucky and miss a March snow storm and then you could thumb your nose at the rest of us stuck up in the NE during Mud Season or as we call March on Nantucket, "Hate Month". Everyone not so lucky to be in a warm place is just fed up by then with the winter and in a foul and hateful mood, thus the moniker, Hate Month. Lots of marriages go down the tubes in that month apparently too. I am generally in a good mood as my bulbs are starting to emerge.

Mubarak has resigned. yippee Patti

Patti:
He's like an old lover who just doesnt get it, the romance is over.
Cousin in Maine calls me in March so I can give her some objectivity on the situation. Its called mud month there and cabin fever is rampant. She has almost called the marriage quits many times.
Of course she does this in nice weather too.
Murder rate rises then too, not her just as a nation in general.

Patti: PS I will play in GF's studio Monday. I want to make drawer knobs for my new vanity. Maybe some left over for other potters who have bowles to trade hint! hint!

Not counting my chickens before they are hatched. She works in a white clay close to porcelaine. My knobs will be funkie.

OHHH OHHH. I might regret that last remark LOL

Funky chicken knobs. Cool. I might be almost ready to share my wares, but still not quite good enough for another Potter. Have fun playing in the clay. I am heading up to the studio tomorrow and will keep you in mind and try to throw something worthy. Patti

OMG You are better than you think.

You should go, Robin

21 March is wedding anniversary for me and DW. She's a keeper but don't know if it's recipricated (lol). Dont think we'll have much of a mud season. Snow covered ground before very deep freezing. I'm actually looking forward to March. Hopefully I won't regret it.

Cheering myself up by sorting slides for an iris meeting tomorrow. It would go faster if I was not looking at CNN, following the situation in Egypt.

Yeaaaaa Egypt.

I'd really love to get to FL, but I'm thinking of the $60 per day kennel fee for the dogs, plus airfare....I would stay with my friends in The Villages, so that would save money....on the other hand, I would miss sub jobs! And to tell the truth, once I got down there, I wouldn't want to come home for at least a month!

This mizzery and confinement has gone on long enough.
I will walk to the mailbox tomorrow. If I get that far I will survay the roads and consider a walk.

Walk in a safe place, Jo......the top of the dam is finally bare....that's where I walked today....Lord, it felt great!

I'll be happy when/if I actually see democracy in Egypt. People are talking as if it's a fait accompli. Far from it in that part of the world. Not inconceivable that what comes next could be worst - just like Iran.

Robin - the trip south may do you more good than saving the money. Of course I'd expect a visit while you are down here, so my opinion may be biased. lol

I am hopeful for the people of Egypt, but with all the anti-American sentiment there, it's still an open question for the next phase. God bless them for their courage and commitment! I sincerely hope they get the freedom and stable democracy they are seeking.

Me too. Not the anti-American sentiment that matters. Lots of that in Europe! It's the lack of a real democratic movement or group, the history of one type of dictatorship or another, and, more ominously, the propensity toward hard-line 'religious' rule. Many do not realize that the mother ship of all today's terror groups, including al Qaeda, is well established in Egypt.

To follow up - democracy does not happen with the flip of a switch. Many countries who suddenly embraced democracy after the end of the cold war, are still struggling, or even regressing. Turkey is sliding backwards. Democracy does not come naturally to all.

I think the anti-American feeling does matter to many there, as they will lean toward a leader who is not believed to be complicit with or directed by the U.S..

True, but that does not necessarily mean anti-democratic.

As you say, moving towards democracy is a complex process and not quickly accomplished, especially in terms of amending or creating a new Constitution. Patience often wears thin and that's when militant influences grow in power. Let's all hope for the best for the Egyptians!

Yes.

Wow Robin, I guess I shouldn't complain about an $18 day kennel charge, but that is one dog, is the $60 for 2 or 3? Our old dogs we could leave overnight with the doggie door, and my son would check on them. Now since he left me, it's the kennel.

Chile did it. They had that creep Pinochet supported by the US for a long, long time. They got rid of him and today we are allies. Only took 25 years, a drop in the basket in politic time. 175 in dog years.

Basket or bucket?? ^_^

Errrrr....bucket