Haiku Wednesday

Procrastination
Is such a lonely talent
At which I excel.

I should be cleaning
And laundry is a-waiting;
And yet here I sit.

Articles to write,
A resume to update;
And yet here I sit.

A trip to pack for,
Instructions to write for pets,
And yet here I sit.

The dogs should be walked,
The kitchen must be cleaned up,
And yet here I sit.

Blame it on Facebook,
And the videos of cats,
And so here I sit.

Haiku Saturday

Well, here it is, the day of the South Carolina primary. It is amazing to me that in such a short time, Newt Gringrich has surged to the point he may actually beat Romney despite all his morality-challenged past actions.

And it's not all because Rick Perry dropped out; it seems as if people down there just seem more excited about Newt than about Mitt. As columnist Paul Mulshine says in the linked article, "An excess of emotion trumps a lack of emotion every time in the Deep South. That might explain why Romney’s in so much trouble in a race he was expected to win in a walk."

It probably isn't helping Mitt much that Stephen Colbert is down there campaigning with former candidate Herman Cain, further confusing the voters, some of whom may not even realize he's a satirist.

And of course, in the meantime, Romney is still reeling from finding out he apparently didn't win the Iowa caucuses after all; Santorum apparently beat him by 34 votes.

It will be very interesting to see what happens today. Since I have no real news to talk about until after the vote, I thought it would be a good time for some haiku. And the first one I am going to post is by Jeremy over at Chew the Fat - and I'll send you over to his place to read it. Hint: It's about Newt and it is very good!

Now here are mine...

First snow of winter
Drapes cotton over the cars
And makes my feet slip.

The dogs aren't walking
We drove to get the paper
We are pathetic.

This is the Northeast
Snow is a normal event
But we were so spoiled.

One snowstorm in Fall
Nothing but good weather since
What do you expect?

It's warmer down South
Where things are getting hotter
Newt may beat Romney.

Running neck and neck
Santorum and Paul behind
But they're still trying.

After tomorrow
The race may get more narrow
We will wait and see.

That's all I've got today! Tomorrow is another day and will provide plenty of entertainment, I'm sure. In the meantime I'll post this highly amusing and very pertinent song by the Austin Lounge Lizards, "Gingrich the Newt." The ironic thing is, this song is from Newt's FIRST era in politics and is still true today. I love the reference to orphanages; apparently Newt said back in the 90s that kids would do better in orphanages than in the welfare system. Now he thinks poor kids should be janitors. Really, the more he changes the more he remains the same! (If I've posted it before, apologies for repetition, but it is definitely worth repeating. There isn't really any video to this but do listen to the words!)

Summer Haiku Tuesday

After a whole week up at the cabin in cool springlike weather, coming back to New Jersey was a shock. It's mid-July. It's hot. It's humid. The only good thing is, there is a nice breeze. In fact, it was such a nice breeze yesterday, apparently, that two branches broke off and fell in my neighborhood - one on the sidewalk around the corner and one on our front porch steps!

The brinksmanship between President Obama and John Boehner slogs along. I think the President is playing it right for a change - actually holding out and saying that he won't accept any budget that doesn't include revenue, i.e., tax, increases. I just hope he doesn't fold at the last minute. At some point the Republicans will have to either give in and accept some tax increases, even if only in the form of closing loopholes, or else they will take the blame for the economic mess that would follow if the debt ceiling isn't raised.

But in the summer heat it's hard to get worked up about anything in politics. In the back of my heat-drugged mind I have questions: "If the government defaults on its debts, does that mean investments in treasury bills will tank?" "Do I have any investments that would be stable if this happened?" but I can't bring myself to think any further than that or bother to Google something to find out. Maybe I don't want to know. After all, what can I do about it anyway?

So, I decided today would be a good day for some haiku. As part of my resolution to get back to blogging, haiku is always a good way to get over any writer's block I may have! So....

Summer has arrived.
Cicadas are chattering
High in the treetops.

The dogs are panting
Diva's too hot to walk far
We sit on the deck.

The news is dismal
Haven't read the New York Times
Or the Star Ledger.

Budget talks drag on
Boehner meets with Obama
No progress is made.

My computer's on
My MiFi is blinking green
Where shall I go next?

Facebook is sluggish
The blog world is beckoning
Time to go explore.

I often wonder what we ever did without the internet? Can anyone remember? And don't say we read, because I still read. But I find the world has opened up and become so much more accessible since the advent of the internet. It would be very hard to go back to the past.

Haiku Tuesday

I just spent about an hour trying to find a suitable cartoon or other illustration of how totally dreary the weather is today. However, I couldn't decide on any one thing and finally gave up. It was fun trying though.

In the meantime I'll provide a few February-themed haiku to tide myself over till the next time I actually get up enough energy to write something.

Freezing rain today
Drizzling on the grayish snow
February's here.

Huge mounds of old snow
Obscure everyone's driveways
Driving is risky.

Snow looks so pretty
Right after the snowfall ends
Then it gets dirty.

I'm tired of winter
Spring is still so far away
Days are creeping by.

Sooner or later
Even this much snow will melt
Hard to imagine.

People in Egypt
Having a revolution
Too cold for that here.

Haiku Thursday - Autumn Leaves

October Autumn
Means bright yellow leaves against
A royal blue sky

While red maple leaves
That turned rosy weeks sooner
Are quickly falling.

Some trees are now bare
Showing dark against the sky
Dramatically stark.

Some days are still warm
But you can smell the dead leaves
Wafting on the air.

Winter's not here - yet
But it's around the corner;
November looms close.

I'll be back next week to let you know how the Rally to Restore Sanity (and/or Fear) goes. Hope the weather is good in DC!

Haiku Wednesday

Winter seems endless
I'm so tired of winter coats
And sloppy weather.

More snow is coming
The weather forecast is dire
I'm so sick of this!

Naked black branches
Against leaden winter skies
So very dreary...

Winter is boring
The dog has cabin fever
The cat doesn't care.

But there are some signs
That spring will be returning;
I hear birds singing.

And on the TV
I hear pitchers and catchers
Have come back to train.

I know it will pass,
This long winter from Hades
But please, tell me when!

Haiku Thursday

Live from the Adirondacks, this is Haiku Thursday!

Spending time up here provides new perspective on current events. I start noticing little things instead of worrying about big things. A small blue wildflower peeping up from the grass, a shaft of sunlight brightening the goldenrod; tracks in the soft dirt - whose? Somehow the rest of the world seems far away - and I know it will still be there when we get back. But in the meantime I think I'll just watch the ripples in the pond and listen to the geese call. I think they still migrate up here, unlike in New Jersey where they remain all winter long, fat and happy in the well-landscaped office parks.

So, without further ado...Haiku (yes, that rhymed!)

GM killed Saturn
But Jupiter still remains
Up there by the Moon.

I heard some sad news
Earthquake in Indonesia,
And a tsunami.

Roman Polanski
Is being extradited
After thirty years.

Michael Vick endorsement
Being denied by Nike
"We just give him stuff."

The healthcare debate
Continues in Washington
But news is not good.

Democrats will fight
To get a public option
Against all the odds.

Diplomats meeting,
Discussing nuclear bombs,
Progress being made?

Here it is chilly
And autumn winds are blowing
The leaves are turning.

Red, yellow and gold
Contrasting with cloudy skies
And a patch of blue.

The leaves on the ground
Will camouflage the chipmunk
As he scurries by.

Squirrels are furtive
Gathering nuts for winter
Under the bushes.

Birds still flit in trees
But now they are quieter
Mating is over.

Frogs' voices are still;
But the owl is still calling
Deep into the night.

Things are different here
Life passes by the seasons
No news is good news.

Sunday Night Haiku

A million crickets
Fill the night with their singing
Late August is loud!

During the daytime
The cicadas are screaming
"Today will be hot!"

But then comes the autumn
And the first frost of the year
All becomes silent.

Dark will come early
Winter will be setting in
My spirits will drop.

How long must I wait
Till summer comes 'round again?
Will I last till spring?

Haiku Tuesday

Today's News in Haiku

It's no easy road
To get on the Supreme Court
But so far so good.

Sonia's responses
Have been calm and reasonable;
She's one smart cookie!

She had good answers
And she really knows her stuff;
She follows the law.

Health care reforming
Is on the House agenda
The bill's been laid out.

It would tax the rich
To pay for others' health care
I'm OK with that.

This is not the end
But it is the beginning
And it's about time.

Cheney's pet program
To kill al Qaeda leaders
May be investigated.

Pet Airways has launched
Your pet flies in luxury
Without any risk!

Barack Obama
Threw the first pitch from the mound
At the All-Star Game.

It wasn't perfect
But it made it to the plate
That's what really counts!

Haiku Tuesday

Going to New York
As if I were commuting
Makes me very tired.

Two days in a row
I schlepped into the city
One more day to go.

It's fun for a change
Going to a conference
But not for long term.

Today I drove in.
Yesterday I took the train;
Tomorrow, who knows?

Sitting in meetings
No access to internet,
A girl could go mad.

I've learned a few things
And sat through some boring stuff
And eaten too much.

Work will await me
When I'm back at the office
And have to catch up.

My brain is worn out
From getting up earlier
Than I ever do.

No blogging today
But I'll be back very soon
To visit you all!

Haiku Sunday

I see naked trees
Against the leaden gray skies
Snow is on the way.

The first day of March
We should be entering spring
The groundhog was right.

Six weeks of winter
It's continuing for sure
Up to twelve inches.

I'm sick of winter
Sick of shoveling the snow
And walking on ice.

Tired of winter clothes
Bulky sweaters, shoes and socks;
Give me my flip-flops.

I want to wear shorts
And a comfy loose t-shirt
And sit on my deck.

The dog is barking
She's sick of the winter too
She wants to be out.

We're stuck in the house
Until winter is over
So when will it end?

Haiku Monday

I'm kind of adrift today. I took the day off, but my company is working so I don't dare ignore my e-mail. On the other hand, I have no intention of doing actual work, so I have spent the day so far reading blogs, playing around on Facebook (my new addiction) and doing laundry.

Oh yes, we also walked the dog. Yes, this dog. (See below for gratuitous picture of Diva looking cute).
Moving along. I am tired of hearing the Republicans whine about the "wasteful spending" in the Stimulus Bill when they have wasted our money for the past eight years and I don't have the energy to actually blog about it so I am going to just post some haiku and call it a day!

A Series of Haiku Entitled "Republican Thoughts"

Hear them all whining
"It's generational theft!"
What about Iraq?

Billions and billions
For murdering Iraqis
And that was OK?

But spending at home?
Oh, no, that's Socialism!
A total disgrace!

Money spent on war
They all call patriotic
Must support the troops!

Spend it on the poor?
Or even the middle-class?
That's Socialism!

Pinko liberal scum
Spending taxpayers' money
On their commie schemes!

Rebuilding the roads?
Funding mass transit projects?
Not patriotic.

Must have more tax cuts!
It's the one way to survive!
Nothing else will do.

If you don't listen
We'll all just filibuster
You know that it's true.

****

(Hey that last pair even had a rhyme!)

Hope those of you who are off from work today are enjoying your holiday and the rest of you poor souls are having a quiet day at work!

Oh, come on...Who are you kidding?

First it was Timothy Geithner, now it's Tom Daschle. Yes, I'm talking about failure to pay taxes.

In the most recent case, the administration refers to Mr. Daschle's failure to pay over $100,000 in taxes from the previous 3 years a "serious mistake." But is it really just a "mistake" if Daschle didn't ask his accountant to look into it until 2008 when he owed the taxes for the car and driver he was using starting in 2005? Or was it more like "Hmmm, Obama might win this thing and since I'm a close adviser of his, maybe I'd better get that little tax issue in order in case I'm nominated for something."

What I don't understand is why all of these people who are clearly in public life are always turning up with back taxes they owe, or an illegal housekeeper, nanny or some other snafu, whereas we ordinary folk manage to pay our taxes and not hire illegal aliens. You'd think people in public life would be more careful, not less. It is a mystery.

There are other issues with Daschle as well - as Jolly Roger points out, there are other aspects of Daschle's more recent career that may pose a conflict of interest for him to deal with the healthcare industry.

I understand President Obama's wish to support Daschle but I would like it if Daschle had the honor to bow out and let someone else with less baggage take the position. Surely he's not the only person around that could handle Health & Human Services.

There is another thing this week that is troubling me and I hope it's only temporary. Despite ordering the closure of Guantanamo, apparently President Obama is not going to end the practice of rendition. If, as he has said, we will no longer torture prisoners, what then is the reason to keep this practice? What will be done secretly to prisoners who have been spirited away to some other country that can't be done openly?

Let's all make sure to send President Obama a message on his website asking him to end this immoral practice immediately.

I'll end this with a few haiku since I haven't done any in awhile!

Paying back taxes
Is a popular pastime
For new nominees

Why they just noticed
They owe all these back taxes
Is rather unclear.

In much lighter news
Chuck bit Mayor Mike Bloomberg
No shadow was seen.

Punxsutawney Phil
Came out and saw his shadow
Winter will go on.

Phil's original
Chuck's only an imposter
Six more weeks to go.

Each time it's snowing
Feels like it happened before
It's still Groundhog Day.

It's snowing again
Beginning in the morning
Will it never end?

Haiku Wednesday

Too busy to blog
So I'll resort to haiku
Better than nothing!

Work is too busy
But I really can't complain
Employment is good.

Baxter is Annoyed,
His patience is wearing thin
It's his turn to blog!

Diva is barking
She wants to go up to bed
Countdown is still on.

Must go upstairs
In time for the Daily Show
So good night to all!

OK, I know this is lame but I am burned out from work! I'm hoping things will calm down in the next day or so but in the meantime here is a LOLCat for your amusement.

This is truly the way cats think, as Baxter would certainly agree. In his case, he just has to get up on the desk between me and the computer screen. He's a very 21st century cat.


more animals

Sunday Afternoon Haiku

Sunday afternoons are always iffy. Sometimes I can forget for awhile that the next day is Monday; sometimes I can't. It started back when I was a kid and had to go to school the next day. Now it's work that I'm trying to avoid.

And it's worse in the winter when it starts getting dark at 4:15. And the holidays are looming and I'm not ready. Not even close!

In honor of my melancholy mood, I will post some holiday haiku:

Once upon a time
I couldn't wait for Christmas
Now it's more like dread.

I miss those old days
When Christmas meant excitement
Now it's just a chore.

Rush to get a tree
Hurry up and decorate
Then take it all down.

In between all that
You have to buy the presents
And then wrap them all.

Order stuff on-line
No malls this close to Christmas!
Gifts arrive daily.

Send out Christmas cards
Or perhaps "Seasons Greetings"
With the yearly note.

"Another year passed
Here's what we've been doing...
Hope you all are well."

Plan out Christmas Day
Should we have beef or turkey?
Beef is easier.

Then Christmas Eve comes
We watch "A Christmas Carol"
And then it's all good.

Our own ritual
Instead of going to church
It still does the job.

It still reminds us
The real meaning of Christmas
Is love and giving.

The Christmas tree glows
The radio plays carols
Peace and love to all.

There's still no Santa
And our gifts for each other
Are not a surprise

But for a moment
The magic will still return
When Christmas Eve comes.

Our favorite version of "A Christmas Carol" - the one with George C. Scott as Scrooge.

No Time for Blogging!

Now that we've moved into our new office building and gotten settled in, work is getting back to normal. In fact, it's busier than ever. And since my new office has walls and a door, unlike the cube in my old office, I am actually concentrating better on my work than ever before. I even lose track of time and end up staying until 8:30 p.m.! That has to stop!

Of course, this is detrimental to my blogging - and my visiting other people's blogs. Lucky thing NaBloPoMo has ended!

So for tonight (so I can leave before 8:30) I'll just leave you with a few haiku - and will catch up over the weekend. Baxter has been complaining to me that he hasn't had a chance to blog in AGES. I promised him he'd get the next post.

Work is so busy
I have no time for blogging
It makes me so sad!

My reader is full
And my sidebar is tempting
But I must work on.

My new office rocks
With its door and its ceiling
Privacy galore!

I can write in peace
And talk aloud to myself
I get much more done.

Hazelnut coffee
And our own little lunchroom
It feels so cozy.

We're on our own now
No more Big Corporation
It's better this way.

My commute is short
Though it's a longer trip,
It is all highway!

Life is pretty good
Maybe I'll stay here awhile
Instead of retire.

The stock market's down
And so's my 401k.
I don't have a choice!

Luckily for me
I'm now remotivated
And I will survive!

Last NaBloPoMo Post!

30 days! I did it. Two Novembers in a row I didn't miss a day. Woo hoo!

I will close the month, and the long weekend, out with a haiku or two. We just arrived home and it was a long drive in the snow which became rain south of Albany.

Here I am again
Back in familiar Jersey
And it's cold and wet.

Thanksgiving's over
And so is the long weekend
How quickly it flew.

I can't help but think
Our lives are also like that -
Flying by too fast.

When I was a child
Looking ahead to summer
It seemed like forever.

Now it just flies by
A few months of warm weather
Then winter is here.

(Sorry, think I'm having a little episode of Seasonal Affective Disorder here. Bear with me...)

Saturday Haiku

My last post inspired several comments about how important it is for us to continue to try to make a difference, and to keep thinking of ways to solve our country's problems. I certainly agree with that, make no mistake! I am just glad that we finally are going to have a competent administration that may actually know what they're doing - and is willing to listen to our ideas, for that matter.

So tonight I thought I'd do some haiku with that theme.

When Bush was in charge
He hired incompetent hacks
And useless cronies

When Katrina hit
New Orleans was in trouble
The Feds did nothing.

Bush gave to the rich
And took away from the poor
No more middle class.

But that's all over;
Barack Obama's in charge
It's a brand new day.

It won't be easy
The stock market is tanking
We're in a hard time.

People are worried
About their jobs and houses
Who can they turn to?

Barack Obama!
A president with brain power
Just what we needed!

His judgment is good,
His hires are all competent
He'll get the job done.

He wants our ideas
You can go to Change-dot-gov
Tell him what you think.

Supreme Court judges
Are another good reason
We all love Barack.

He may appoint three
What a difference that could make
Thank God they held on.

We all now have hope
That things can be different
Obama is here.

Lazy Sunday Haiku Day

Weekends are for being lazy so I'm skipping the serious stuff. Like DCup, I'm having a non-political morning and doing laundry. Oh, did I say "morning"? Excuse me. It's 1:49 p.m. But since I just finished my third cup of coffee and am still in my sweats, I still count it as morning.

Last night we went down to the Ironbound section of Newark for dinner at a Portuguese restaurant we hadn't been to in awhile. We used to go down there every Saturday without fail back in the 80s and 90s, then somewhat less frequently in the past 8 years.

We even had a waiter we considered "ours." We followed him from one Portuguese restaurant to another when he changed jobs. He eventually stayed at one particular restaurant and we just kept going there.

But our favorite restaurant closed a couple of years ago, and our waiter retired, so we've been searching for a new favorite Portuguese restaurant. So last night we went back to another one that we used to go to occasionally, and realized we had forgotten how much we like the place.

It's called El Pastor (warning: turn sound down if you're at work and click on the link - it has music), and it attracts a lot of local folks with its good food and live music. People actually get dressed up and come here and dance! Lots of salsa music, tangos and various other exotic dance forms that I wouldn't have the least idea how to do. The couples who get out on that dance floor sure do though. It's fun just watching them.

Last night there was also a big birthday celebration for a gentleman who had just turned 94. He was out there on the dance floor all night with women of all ages.

Even though we didn't know a soul there, it was like being part of a big party full of friends we hadn't met yet! We'll definitely be back.

Finishing off with some Sunday Haiku:

The weather is gray
And a cold wind has come up
It is November.

Leaves have all fallen
They lie in heaps on the ground
It is time to rake.

The dog needs walking
The laundry needs laundering
But I sit and blog.

Sunday is lazy
Let's brew a batch of coffee
And just vegetate.

I'll read the paper
And not bother to get dressed
Until I have to.

Haiku Thursday and some lighter fare

Hat tip to Sue J for reminding me that I'd been meaning to post some of the funny key word searches that managed to lead some unfortunate blog readers to my site. (Check hers out, she's got some good ones).

In looking at my recent key word searches, these are the more interesting ones I saw pop up:

-fake diseases
-messiness is a sign of genius (lots of people are looking for signs that messiness is a sign of genius - I guess we messy people are trying to justify our existence).
-obama boomer (Apparently I'm not the only one who noted that Obama IS a Baby Boomer)
-charmin lint commercial
-blogs on communication differences in males and females
-scary woodpecker poems (Scary woodpecker poems?! I know there's a scary bird poem by Edgar Allen Poe - but it's about ravens...)
-what does armistice mean?
-i fucked my mother-in-law (!!!)
-lebanese restaurant in potsdam
-palin wilderness nixonland (A scary location)
-obama bush cousin cape cod (Obama has a cousin who's related to Bush and lives on Cape Cod?)
-pot boys democracy lyrics (Are Pot Boys a singing group? I'm so old)
-messiness and the state of mind (there's that messy thing again)
-marry late or never (Not bad advice for many)
-crabtree texas tech blowjob
-use disillusioning in a sentence ("I often find politics disillusioning." How's that?)
-palin maverick hard haiku
-lieberman wildlife chairman palin
-cat's eye, explaining the art
-youtude video barick obama (With spelling like that I don't think they got much from that search)

OK, now what to do with these? I know, I'll write haiku based on some of them!

No fake diseases
Ever really bother me
The real ones do, though.

Never fear you slobs
Messiness is a virtue
And a sign of brains

He may not claim it
But Obama's a Boomer
There is no escape.

Charmin is squishy
Leaves no lint on your hiney
So lovely to squeeze.

I prefer haiku
To scary woodpecker poems;
Maybe a sonnet.

This I ask of you
What does armistice mean?
Peace: lay down your arms.

Unlike Oedipus
I fucked my mother-in-law
So it's all OK.

Shall we meet again
At that Lebanese restaurant
Over in Potsdam?
(yes, the middle line had too many syllables. Too bad.)

It's a fearful day
In the Palin wilderness
Here in Nixonland.

Messiness alone
Does not really indicate
True insanity.

Who really cares if
You marry late or never
It's your life to live.

Under the crabtree
At his college, Texas Tech
Bill had a blowjob.

It isn't that hard
"Palin's not a maverick"
There! It's a haiku.

Looking at my cat
The artfulness of his eyes
They shine green at night.

Thus ends Haiku Thursday.

Tomorrow is another day of NaBloPoMo. We're almost halfway through November...