From the desk the mighty PKM...

The following was written by Ms. Patricia Kennealy Morrison. What would we do without her?? Brilliant!!!

"We cannot accept to have in our country women who are prisoners behind netting, cut off from all social life, deprived of identity," Mr Sarkozy told the special session in Versailles.

"That is not the idea that the French republic has of women's dignity.

"The burqa is not a sign of religion, it is a sign of subservience. It will not be welcome on the territory of the French republic," the French president said.

Voila un vrai homme, et un brave aussi! Good for you, Sarko! It's about time someone took a firm stand against the creeping Islamization of the West.

Islamic clerics do not agree on the Koran-mandated necessity of the burqa or the niqab (a burqa is the full-length body covering with a mesh screen over the eyes, a niqab is the black full-length enveloping veil with slits for the eyes...), and even the hijab (scarf head covering) may not necessarily be required. All the Koran says is that both women AND men must clothe themselves modestly; that's it.

Muslim men require their women to cover themselves with sheets because they (the men) cannot master their own "impure" desires and thoughts, and so they insist that their women control their thoughts FOR them by removing the "temptation".

Hey, it's not the fault of women if Muslim men are a pack of juvenile lust-crazed horndogs who can't keep their minds out of their pants (or hers) every time they see a woman. How insulting is that, to both men AND women?

Grow up, guys, and join the 21st century. Show some REAL respect for women, because otherwise why should women show respect for you? Just because you have a dick? (Or ARE a dick?) Sorry, not good enough.

(I must add that Muslims are not alone in this regard: the other desert religions are equally offensive in their attitudes to women---Orthodox Jews thanking God they were not born women and shaving the heads of their wives, who then wear wigs, how nuts is that??, Christians subjugating women to all sorts of humiliation and denying them priesthood...you ALL SUCK, boys.)

It continually confounds me that Muslims move to the West for a "better life" or whatever the hell, presumably one involving more personal freedoms, and then they get their knickers in a twist because the West won't accommodate their medieval and inhumane culture. You can't have it both ways, people! YOU must accommodate yourselves and your beliefs to US and ours. Otherwise, go back to the desert and rot.

I believe with every fiber of my being that any so-called "religion" that allows women to be stoned to death for being out in public without a male companion, to be the victims of "honor" killings, to be kept illiterate and immured indoors, to be divorced at will, is no religion at all. And certainly not one that pleases Allah, or whoever.

That's not a religion. That's male medieval control freaks with their heads in an 8th-century tent and their souls stuffed up a camel's anus.

And if that sounds offensive, I mean it to.

An Iranian woman writer (exiled) pointed out the other day that it really didn't matter WHO was the president of Iran, because she would still be subject to all the anti-woman laws regardless of who was in office, that Mousavi was cut from the same bolt of "religious" cloth as Ahmadinejad. She could still be veiled, stoned, whipped, imprisoned, killed, kept from living a normal life, all in the name of Allah.

Well, I think Allah really hates this. At least, if he's a good god, he SHOULD hate it. And if he doesn't, what woman would want to worship him? I hope he strikes them down harshly, these sour-faced senile mullahs and all who cleave to them and their vile teachings.

In fact...wasn't Allah originally female? Al-Lat, the (female) Sun? A GODDESS??? One of three goddesses, IIRC? I do believe I read that somewhere. It's nice to think that perhaps SHE will finally take vengeance and obtain justice for Her murdered and mutilated daughters.

Insh'Allah, indeed.

Sully

That gorgeous creature is Sovran's Sullivan, a six year old Saddlebred who I'm in love with. Sully is for sale in Illinois for only $3200. The Universe is welcome to buy him for me. :)

The weight loss competition is going well. M and I are in the top ten and it's fun motivation to track our progress with everyone else. There's some real nutbags on there--obsessed with fitness gymrat types. I've lost about 7 pounds so far. M is looking fiiiine is down in the 230s once again, which makes him a tower of manly muscle.
Uh, anyway.... ;)

In other news...I still don't have an agent for my book, and if no one's smart enough to pick it up by the end of this year then it's self publishing here I come. I'd love the chance to design the cover myself and not change a word of it. Then I'd need to find people to promote the shit out of it. But the agent search continues....

I have an audition for a short film on Sunday. Hope I get it. I'm itching to act again. Getting new headshots at the end of July when the contest is over. I hope to be looking fantabulous by then. Onward...

Time to kick ass again...

M found a cool website with a fitness contest on it. So we'll be spending the next 2 months getting in shape with money at stake. Hee hee! There are 5 prizes-- 1st prize is a grand, which would come in handy indeed. It's judged on percentage of body weight lost. In any case I'm glad for the motivation.
Fell back off the wagon. We went out last night to BD's going away soiree at the Barton Springs Saloon. Drank beer and had a few laughs. Been smoking the past few days again. So this new effort and opportunity to start over is welcome.
I rode my dear Saddlebred this afternoon. He's so glossy with his short Summer coat. I have to get photos soon. There's a new bay mare in the pasture. She's taken a liking to Shaggy, my boy is always the ladies' man. Today I was feeding him carrots and she bit my chest! Luckily she only got my shirt, but she wasn't kidding. I gave her some carrots too for good measure. She followed Shag and I all the way to the pasture gate and then stood there watching while I lunged him in the round pen. She's a looker of a horse and has shoes on. I wonder if I could get P to let me take her for a spin.....
Onward.

OK, so I was wrong....

So I DID end up getting sick after my last post about how I never get sick. (of course) Been under the weather for several days now and in the course of enduring this flu bug, I ran out of weed and cigarettes-- and have not bothered to restock....

So, two days smoke free, really smoke free, which is quite rare for me. I've been coughing and sneezing and such, but mostly just feel tired and yucky. Spent a great deal of time in bed snoozing and tearing through the last of the Jim Morrison bio's I'm reading.

I paid the last of the big monthly bills: rent, car payment, and my horse's board. All of these are written against an empty account so I'm focusing all my energy this week on getting my finances out of the red. Tomorrow, Goddess willing, I will refill the one Rx I've been going without this week. Then things should start looking up again....

I got up to the Barn on Sunday and had a lovely time with Shaggy as we had the whole place (16 acres) to ourselves. I lunged him in the round pen for a bit before our ride to see if that would chill him out a little. It didn't really but it was cool to get to watch him move from the ground. He's such a pretty boy. I want to grow his feet out a little and put shoes on him so he really moves like a Saddlebred!

Saturday on the down low....

So the mold count in Austin is off the chart this week which means I've been suffering with horrendous allergies.

M has had the flu as well and I felt crappy enough yesterday that I didn't go to the salon. Last night I couldn't stop coughing and sneezing and blowing my nose ad nauseum. (although I did my 3 sets of push ups before bed 32 total) M said I must surely be coming down with what he had. I must say I almost believed him since I had that woozy "coming down with something" feeling--which I almost never get. Because I never get sick! Why? Because I've said all my life "I never get sick" and so people drop like video store prices all around and I never catch anything. I slept late this morning and didn't feel like I was getting the flu--just miserable allergies.

I do feel out of sorts in a weird, dizzy, head achey way since I ran out of that one med that I take. It will be another few days before I can buy the refill. Mdolla, Goddess of $$$ pray for me in this my season of need.....

M insisted that I was indeed sick and that I should take the day off today. I took a cue from my dogs and spent the day resting and healing. Even took Dag and Red out for our walk/jog in the high afternoon sun and had a good sweat. Crashed for three hours this afternoon. Colored my grey roots and gave myself a sparkly tan in a can so I feel a bit better. Tonight I will run out of weed. And so it begins again...

I have decided to cancel my Gold's gym membership since I have been running outside and working out at home. Partly it's because every dollar counts at the moment and partly I need a change of scenery. There's a new gym near the house that's 10 bucks a month so I may try that later on this year. But for now I'm getting creative and doing stuff at home. Our livingroom is plenty big enough to jump around in and the thick solid wood coffee table that was a present from DW for my massage graduation many, many moons ago makes for a good step.

I'm getting Women's Health magazine again and they have super cool at home workouts I've been dabbling in. Tomorrow I'm going up to the Barn to ride for the first time in a week. I patched the holes in the ass of my riding pants. :) Can't wait to hang out with my Shaggy!

Soldier on....

Onward through the fog....

That's the slogan for Oat Willie's, a marvelous head shop here in Austin. They are the only place I know of in town that carries my favorite AIRS incense. Must get over there soon with my darling TH whom I haven't seen in many moons....

So I've been meditating for brief 5 minute snatches here and there. I have my little prayer altar set up in the closet in my room with a single candle (white w/Lady Guadelupe on it). I've read that most people don't keep up with meditating b/c they get frustrated that they can't do it perfectly (ie: their mind wanders off to the laundromat or the porn shop no matter how they try to focus on their breath). I just decided it didn't matter whether I was doing it right, as long as I sat in the closet for a few minutes. It's definitely "working" b/c I look forward to stealing 10 minutes in the closet (I keep the door open in case anyone cares). "Studies have shown" that even just 3 minutes of sitting quietly with the intention to meditate can make a huge difference in one's general wellbeing. Knowing that I can run in there and sit quietly for 3 minutes and it counts as doing something to change my life for the positive makes me want to do it more. Maybe I'll really freak my freakin' freak and start doing it twice a day!!

I also worked out today--did a half hour run/walk with both Dag and Red around our 'hood(not the most graceful of maneuvers) and then did many push ups and curls with 12 lb dumb bells in my living room. Yay for progress. Yet sad to feel how weak I am compared to when I was training with weights and running religiously. The last time I had that going on was several years back now. I was running a lot and getting to the gym for weights a few times a week. And I had a nightly push up ritual. Those were the days when I was still really diggin' on Citizen Cope and could listen to song after song and work off my single-gal frustration with crunches arm-balances. How I want those lovely slightly protruding hip bones back!

The very best shape I've been in as far as strength and conditioning was a time when I was singing and performing on the Swing 5 nights a week, plus doing really challenging weight workouts and yoga several times a week. When I'm down at the low end of my lifetime weight swing I look all toned and solid--I daresay not unlike my girl Ms. Shue over there in the photo. (This shot was taken around the time of Leaving Las Vegas but she's still drop dead delish...) My goals now are to get back into yoga--my dear beau M has decided that he wants to try it in an effort to be a good Buddhist. I also want to be running the entire 1.4 mile route that M and I have been doing, well okay were doing.

Anyway, I'm trying to use this blog to inspire myself to break old habits and make healthier new ones. I alsoand help keep me motivated to face the truth of my life day to day. Today was pretty good. I did smoke--but didn't eat any junk food. And I meditated and worked out and made sure all 5 of my dogs got exercise today. I have an audition tomorrow for the US Army. A live theatre sort of gig I think. It pays fairly well so it would be welcomed if I got it. Will check in again soon..........

The killer awoke before Dawn, he put his boots on-- and kicked her ass...

I've been in the clutches of my disease Addiction this weekend. Been smoking the ganja from L since Friday and disturbed myself with how easy it was today, when I ran out, to say "I'm going to get snowcones" and then instead sent the old text to L and copped within ten minutes. I did heroin daily for years and never once copped it myself. Weed's too easy. Anyway, I'm not buying for the rest of the week. That's my final answer.

Still on my Doors kick, which my loving boyfriend informed me this morning has been going on since May 3rd. Observant/psychotic much? Reading the newest, and the best one I've read of Jimbo biographies: Jim Morrison: Life, Death, Legend by Stephen Davis. Really gives a full picture of Morrison's early life (all I've read so far). The author apparently had access to Jim's diaries and notebooks and the book includes little family details and personal musings that present Jim in a very human light, someone you'd like to hang out with. He was a crazy brat, for sure. But for the most part he was an intelligent, shy, goofball that worked in the library in college. How I wish I knew him. Hee-hee...

I finally got up to the Barn today and hung out with my boy Shaggy! It was a gorgeous sunny breezy day and way "only" supposed to be 90 degrees but it felt so much hotter. I was wrecked by the end of our ride and even Shag was breathing a bit hard. I hosed him down afterward and then stood in the deepest shade we could find and let him eat grass while the breeze dried us both off. Then off course he rolled as soon as he got back to the pasture. Got down in the dirt and flung all four legs into the air, rubbing the whole left side of his chestnut body from neck to flanks. He heaves himself to standing, turns around and kneels down again, this time rolling onto the other side. Most horses are too big to roll all the way over. I've only seen ponies do it.

My food has been OK. My weight has been hanging at the very number it usually settles at when I'm just doing OK w/food and slacking on workouts, which I have been, and dreadfully so this past week. M wants to take yoga now so I'm psyched to go back to that. I miss it a lot. I did do 30 push ups last night. Going to go for 35 tonight. Over and out.