Thursday, April 20, 2006


Bit of housecleaning here. Haven't done that lately...

Wow, US Death rates dropping. And yet, from the same source last August, US Obesity continues to expand... from this can we extrapolate that the extra tonnage provides an insulating cushion from the Grim Reaper?

Hmm, how could that be happening when the smug gits like those who made "Super-Size Me" are working so hard to persuade us we've never been less healthy? I've been waiting for us all to start dropping like flies early because we haven't all signed up for sweat-lodge yoga and vegan diet bullshit. Could it be possible that Super-smug me is just a bit of hall-monitor-style condescension that is not borne up by facts? Tell ya what - let me know when the health disaster strikes. They need to get their story straight - I'm sick of the shrieking Cassandras in the media wanting to play the hysteria both ways. Tired, folks, just plain tired.

Took doglet to the vet today, and she's going in to get her teeth cleaned next week. I'm probably going to run down to the vet's office and watch the procedure. Hell, I've been enjoying her atrocious dead-fish product breath for long enough, I feel entitled to the jollies of seeing her enamel jack-hammered clean. Woohoo!

My job is tapering off a bit, which is good. I was already planning an exit strategy and this works out very well. Beginning May I'll work one day less a week, which means more time for making jewelry and more importantly, goofing off. Goof-off time has been in woefully short supply of late. Yes, I know I've blogged almost daily, but that falls under "public service" category, don't you think? Time to kick back in the pool, put on Jack FM and catch up on reading.

Tuesday is tv night for phlegmmy, as I hook up to the borg and mainline a grand snort of American Idol, then the delightfully sardonic House, with the capper of Boston Legal. The ONLY reason I started watching these shows (NEVER did before) is because I got DVR, which I know I have ballyhooed on previous occasions. The great thing is I can put them off until another day if necessary. I'm going to make American Idol predictions each Wednesday for the next few weeks. I'll predict who should go home and who will go home. This week provided the ultimate travesty - of 7 performers, Kellie Pickler was in the top 4 with her abortion of a rendition of Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered (from the musical Pal Joey - check out Ella Fitzgerald to hear it done up proper) which she had NO chops for, my darlings. Then she freaked out and started running for the barn, concluding her singing more than an entire measure before the orchestra. SOOOOO amateur hour. Frankly, I'm bewildered by her popularity. 10% what you say, 20% how you say it, 70% how you look when you're saying it. I guess AI audience is drinking the Kool-Aid.

Had Indian food for lunch, and was able to eat pakoras comfortably for the first time since July '04. Yay! I had to buy a baby Hello Kitty toothbrush because my gums are raggedy since they dremeled the resin bracket-holders off my enamel. Yeowch. I'm not being obsessive or anything. I've only flossed, like, 8 or 9 times since Monday morning. I heard a statistic once that the average USA usage of dental floss per capita is 12 inches. I was shocked it was such a short amount. Husband said my mom and I alone use 12 inches per year per usa citizen. wow.

I'll have to photograph my Nasturtiums, which are going bananas. They're amazing. I also got a great verbena I've been trying to find for years, and several varieties of Bee balm (monarda, bergamot) which is the herb flavoring of Earl Gray tea. It smells luscious, and the flowers are particularly attractive to hummingbirds. Garden is looking pretty swell, I must say.

Well, have a great Thursday, you sexy bunch of people!

10 comments:

June Cleaver's Revenge said...

I am completely obsessed with flossing. I have not skipped a day in years. I should probably be medicated for this because it is a mild form of OCD, but the thought of being relaxed enough about it to possibly skip a day sends me into a panic. LOL

I wish we could get Indian food here.

Barbara Bruederlin said...

I want to be you right now - pakoras and verbena, does it get any better than that? Doggie breath I could do without, however. Not that YOU have doggy breath, your puppy does ... aww never mind.
I'm a daily flosser as well. I hope to be knighted for this one day.

Kelly said...

You should have heard me yelling at the tv last night "It better be Pickler or Ace! If it isn't I'll never watch this show again!" Course, then I immediately panicked and regretted saying it because I know I just can't stay away.

Supersize me condemns fast food, but what people don't realize is the extreme level that man went to. Hell yeah, I'll indulge in McD's fries and a cheeseburger every once in a while. I think the extra fat kick starts my heart a little. Moderation. That's all it takes, and certain groups don't seem to understand that concept.

I love bergamot and I love Earl Grey tea, especially iced.

Hope your day is good!

Jay Noel said...

Did I get kicked off your blogroll? Geez.

Anyway...the scientific explanation for the death rate dropping while obesity is increasing (especially in children) is a simple one.

Life expactancy has increased because of technology and medicine. The advances they have made have really cut the rate of deaths, and since the baby boomers make up such a large percentage of our population - they're simply living longer. Even with ailments such as high blood pressure that would've killed them just two decades ago, people are living longer.

Now, the problem is with the younger set - the generation that is in love with fast food and video games. They are eating more refined, high fat foods...and they are exerting themselves physcially much less than their parents.

They're not dying, but they are becomming diabetic at an alarming rate.

You've got two totally separate statistics there, and they are only loosely correlated even.

Now you'll have to excuse me, my Sonic burger is calling my name.

Heather B said...

I was so upset about Kellie in the top 4 ... although I was not sad to see Ace go!

Crazy Dan said...

mmmmmm.... super sized burrito!! YIIEYEYEYEY

- fat and proud!!

phlegmfatale said...

nongirlfriend - me too - bergamot=phlegmnip
Wow - iced tea? I'll have to try that -- sounds like a very fresh flavor

june c's r - about a year into the braces thing, I started feeling like my teeth were furry and I could grow 'taters on them, and flossing was so difficult that I just had to stop. my gums are a mess because of it.

barbara - my breath is certainly LESS doggy since the braces came off, thanks to the miracle of flossing. Ah, freshness! Oh, and Indian food is glorious!!!

og - I'm going to swear off AI forever if Taylor doesn't win. Bottom line. Oh, and the super-size me thing - totally ignores the fact that we have genetic pre-dispositions to die of certain things. I've said it before - people spend a lot of their lives trying to avoid what's going to kill them anyway.
wow - another earl gray iced-tea person - there must be something to this!

phoenix - no, hon - meant to add you for ages but finally remedied that tonight. Wow, that's an interesting point about the flabby inactive yoots of America. So long as they keep social security alive long enough for me to collect, I'm ok with them dropping off early. *tee hee* Not really. Oh, whatever.

heather - Ace is so Constantine all over again - Yuck. Himbo types make me want to retch. Kellie is LOUSY.

crazydan - Bless you, honey.

FatQuarterQuiltFarm said...

Nice bee balm baby!!!!Don't believe I've ever seen that color but will be on the lookout at my new greenhouse job. Hope all goes well and soon with the job slowdown thing.You know it when you're way past some serious goof-off time. Enjoy! oh and lurve the gang of baby fluff buns.thanks for not posting the alternative .....

phlegmfatale said...

YEah, I got 3 colors - that purple, scarlet, and a pink bee balm - they smell glorious. Try highcountrygardens.com - they prolly have all these colors and they have great stuff! Yeah, all will go well if I convert the job time into jewelry production time - it'll be great, in fact.

Glad you liked the baby fluff buns - I thought they were cuteness on wheels!

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