Leetee's Journal

05/31/2006 16:59 #25638

I Need A Title To Publish

(e:Uncutsaniflush) and i went for a walk last night to cool down. I'm so with other (e:peeps) who've posted kvetching about the heat. I have never been a fan of hot weather. Anything over 75F, and i'm melting...

We had a nice walk... the breeze was so nice. Saw all sorts of animal life out there. Humans parking... lots of those. Who knew Bird Island near a waste water treatment plant could be romantic? We also saw what we thought was a beaver. Can't imagine what else it could have been. Too big for a rat (i hope!!!) and had too short a nose for that. Lots of seagulls, of course. And this guy. We think he's a black-crowned night-heron...

Along with the breeze and the wildlife, we got to partake in some very nice views...

The fog rolling in made everything look mysterious...

I can only imagine what (e:Matthew) could have done with his eye, his camera and those views!

Today, we went to the Indian Diner on Sheridan for lunch. Not bad. They had an Egg Curry that was really good... worked way better than i thought it would. The pomadoms were spicy and good. And i would have taken pics, but the camera was at home, charging.

Also found some of my favorite tea at Lattina's, called Luzianne.. least my favorite kind for making ice tea. Good southern ice tea. Yum.

We also went and got some tomato plants. Poor (e:Uncutsaniflush) is out there digging right now. He found out that along with many others, there were paving stones underneath the grass where we wanted to have the veggie garden. Someone who used to live here loved those damn stones!

matthew - 06/11/06 11:41
beautiful pics lee! The sky looks amazing.

05/27/2006 10:33 #25637

Week Of Anniversaries

First, there was the anniversary of my cat, Diamond's birthday (e:Leetee,15) . She would have been 20 years old on the 21st (for some reason, in my previous jounal entry, i said it was the 23rd.. i dunno why... i reckon i could change it) of May. She was a fairly healthy kitty up 'til the beginning of the end, and whenever i would tell people how old she was, even when she was, i dunno, say 16, they would say she looked like a kitten. Every woman's dream, huh, girls?

Then, there's the anniversary of (e:Uncutsaniflush) 's Gran. Memorial day weekend, 2001. Sadly, she wasn't healthy until the beginning of the end. She was in skilled care. I remember meeting her and wishing i knew how to speak Polish... and that my presence wasn't confusing to her. When (e:Uncutsaniflush) and i were getting together, our choice for me to move to Knoxville rather than him to move to Hamilton had a lot to do with her health. Moving her across town would have been horrible, let alone half way across the country. A little over a month after i moved to Knoxville, she passed away.

On a more possitive note, it is also the anniversary of (e:Uncutsaniflush) and i moving into this house. We can't remember the exact date of the move for some reason (i guess i could look through our papers for the bill from the moving company... knowing me, it is filed away somewhere), but we both remember very distinctly that the closing was on the 23rd of May.

paul - 05/27/06 10:46
Congratulations on the house, I can't wait till closing is over and we are in our new house.

05/25/2006 16:38 #25636

The Shaggs Rock

From (e:LeeTee,182) , (e:mrdt) wrote:

This comment has no relevance to your post but rather your user sound. I know you think U2 sucks for whatever reason but I have to say that I think a three year old could create a better avant gard musical composition.

Sorry Lee, I've wanted to get the off my chest for a while.

Are you actually asking why i think U2 suck, or is that just a dis on my taste? If you want to know why i think they suck, i am very willing to tell you. But if it's a dis, then i guess all i have to say about that is those that live in glass houses shouldn't throw rocks. From what you have directly told me about your own taste, you "like everything". I, unfortunately, can't say the same thing... since we have already noted i don't like U2.

As for my user sound -- they, The Shaggs, are not, never have been or will ever be an avant-garde musical group. Check out my journal, (e:LeeTee,159) and

to find out about outsider music or the same journal and

to find out about The Shaggs.

In case you aren't in the mood to, or are so inclinded to be able to click a link, this is part of my journal, (e:LeeTee,159) :

And now, as i type this, i am listening to Philosophy of the World by the Shaggs (thanks to (e:Uncutsaniflush) for downloading it!) and i am loving it so much. How could i not love the atonal enthusiasm!?! How could i not love a song called "My Pal Foot Foot"? I can't! Since the song was inspired by a pet cat, if i ever again have a pet cat, i now want to name him or her Foot Foot.

I would love to hear the 3 year old that you think could create a better avant-garde musical composition. That would so rock!

Hmm... should i have some Wesley Willis as my next user sound?

Oh, and for the record, folks, i still can't hear usersounds (ok, i could if (e:Uncutsaniflush) did his geek thing on this 'puter too), and i thank each and every one of you for mentioning what and who your usersound is when you change it, or just 'cause you want to! :O)

mrmike - 05/26/06 15:52
Sorry I never mentioned it. My current sound is "Never Said I Loved You" by the Payolas. On the hunt of a new tune....

leetee - 05/25/06 19:43
I decided to "make this a post" because, as you stated, it had no relevance to the post you were commenting on. Since you didn't comment to me in private via a post-it note or an email, i thought it might be interesting to have a open conversation about it. I was also curious if your comment to me about the band U2 was a further dis on my taste or genuine curiosity or even just an offhand remark about taste.

I am aware of the dictionary definition of avant-garde, but thanks anyway for writing it out. You said that a "a three year old could create a better avant-garde musical composition" and my only point was that the Shaggs are not avant-garde. Not even by the definition you wrote out. They are rather "out there" (hence the term "outsider music", i reckon), i agree and i can actually understand why the term "avant-garde" might come to mind.

That's what's so interesting about taste. By your definition of judging "music by its effect in moving me spirituallaly, emotionally, or physically", is pretty much the same as mine.. and that is what The Shaggs do for me. I adore the unabashed enthusiasm, the pureness of the energy and i can imagine these teenage girls, encouraged by their father to become rock stars, pouring into their creations with all they have in them. My gut reaction to them is what fuels my taste.

As for Mozart.. i don't know enough about him to comment too much. I liked Mozart well enough, little too... hmm.. how did Gary Oldman say it in "the Professional? Too light and frilly? Something like that. I've always been more of a Beethoven fan.

But, Mozart was creating this avant-garde music at age 5, though? Not 3? Ah, what's a coupla years, eh?

Luckily, taste is all in the eye of the beholder. I have always had sorta off taste. And i don't expect anyone to share it. I guess it would be safe to say if you don't make me listen to U2, then i won't make you listen to The Shaggs. I can't listen to user sounds (no, dear, that wasn't a hint, honest!), so even if your user sound is U2, then i am "safe". I don't know how to turn off user sounds, but i am sure (e:Paul) or some of the other (e:peeps) might be able to tell you how to turn them off (or mine? how does that work?) if you ask. :O)

mrdt - 05/25/06 17:58
Just out of curiosity, why did you make this a post?

But anyway the music I heard whether the band classifies themselves as it or not is avant-garde. By definition avant-garde is described as original - being or productive of something fresh and unusual; or being as first made or thought of; "a truly original approach"; "with original music"; "an original mind." Maybe a lot of bands bang on instruments to make noise and yell some lyrics into the microphone with out any melody, harmony, rhyme or meter. Sure you could argue that a lot of bands lack one or two of those components but the song I just heard lacks them all which makes it "original" and "unusual." Maybe it's not avant-garde enough to be avant-garde, I don't know, just sounded that way.

As far as this music rocking, I have to say that it doesn't do it for me but that's just my taste. I usually judge music by its effect in moving me spirituallaly, emotionally, or physically.

Lastly, at the age of three Mozart's music ability became noticed when he started to create musical composition that could not have been taught to him. At age five he published his first works of Andante and Allegro, which at the time were both considered avant-garde.

05/23/2006 10:08 #25634

Bank Recomendations?

We hate out bank. I would like to say that the time some dude on the phone called me a fucking bitch was the last staw, but no, it was just the beginning. There was also the monthly call for about 6 months that i had to make because they took out 14 bucks too much for service charges. The manager also had the balls to ask my husband why he called when they didn't follow up on a timely issue. So, no more M&T Bank on Elmwood for us...

Anyone have an horror stories for a bank or branch we should stay away from? Or somewhere they are decent?

leetee - 05/24/06 10:40
Thanks, everyone, for the input... :O)

imk2 - 05/23/06 17:25
i worked for bank of america for a while, and will have to tell you to stay away. the way it usually works is, the bigger the organization the worse the customer service, but cheaper services, and the smaller the company is, the better the service, but more expensive. i would try one of the smaller banks like greater buffalo, but i dont know how much free stuff they offer. good luck lee!

zobar - 05/23/06 16:28
I've been using an online bank :::link::: for a while, with mixed reviews. My checking account gets crazy interest, but their service leaves something to be desired.

I've also had HSBC for a while. I wouldn't consider them to be either exceptionally good or exceptionally bad in any particular way - which is just about what I want from a bank.

- Z

shawnr - 05/23/06 15:06
I'm with the Hong-Kong/Shanghai Banking Concern (HSBC -- gotta love those opium war residuals...). We heard horror stories about M&T when we moved here, and HSBC has been good so far -- everything online for free. The people at my branch, on the corner of my street, are really nice, and I do GF! stuff thru them, too.

Of course, if Washington Mutual (I think they're rebranding as WaMu, haha) come to town, then that's probably the way to go-- everyone I've ever known with them loves it and they've gone national.

mrmike - 05/23/06 10:46
I did M&T for awhile - They managed to lose a direct deposit check -- bad times. All are sort of evil, but I hear good things about Greater Buffalo Savings Bank. I'm marooned at HSBC and they max out any services charges -- Satan's financial advisor

05/25/2006 10:22 #25635

Clear up Those Cluttered Patios

Now, smokers no longer have to go outside for a quick drag. Forget about freezing your arse off when you are drinking and need to leave and go out on the patio for a smoke!

A Frosty Brew to Help Smokers Quit?
July 13, 2005

STUTTGART, GERMANY -- How about the taste of combining beer with nicotine?
A new beer has been launched by German company Nautilus that claims to help smokers kick the habit by infusing nicotine into the brew.

Here's the whole story...

mrdt - 05/25/06 14:21
This comment has no relevance to your post but rather your user sound. I know you think U2 sucks for whatever reason but I have to say that I think a three year old could create a better avant gard musical composition.

Sorry Lee, I've wanted to get the off my chest for a while.

sbrugger - 05/25/06 11:47
Ahhhh...perfection!!

libertad - 05/25/06 10:33
Leetee,

That is insane!