8/14/2009 "The Washington Post"

did a wonderful story about a senior who moved from OH to ND for a job......in her pick up truck with over 200k miles on it.

"Who taught you how to dance?"

Many people have asked me that over the years. I've been thinking; who DID teach me to dance. Probably the soul train dancers, michael jackson, james brown...................but I wasn't intentionally copying any of these people. I also took modern dance at university of maryland.

I'm considering going on craigs list to start up a group for folks who want to disco, funk, r and b, and freestyle dance. I doubt I'll get many responses. I'm not really willing to go into Baltimore city much for dancing, especially after dark.

I haven't been to a really good dance spot since 2002; the "have a nice day cafe" downtown.........................................

Perhaps i should do a google search on where the dance spots are. Another obstacle is that I prefer 70's and 80's for dance music, and that's probably not a very popular format for the youngsters....................................

"At Least I've got my readers!"

I think you're just about the only ones who are taking the time to listen to me. Today, I had an appt. with a specialist on Westminster Pike. But the paperwork said that I was supposed to go to Westminster Road. I followed the signs to W. Road and all there were were houses no clinics. A stranger on the highway let me use his cell. The receptionist couldn't give directions. I discovered that even though the paper work said I was suppose dto go to W. Road the clinic was on W. pike. By the time I got there I told the recep. about the error. She said, "you're wrong, this is westminster road"

(oh no, i'm not wrong, if you drive along westminster pike you expressly see a sign for a service road entitled westminster road. there is nothing but houses there and it dead ends into another road with another name)

I said, "you need to correct your paperwork"

Another recept. came from the back "I can assure you Ms. Snyder, this IS west road." Since no one would listen to me, I told the Dr. about the error. He was excellent as far as being a Doctor goes. Sensitive, warm, smart. But as soon as I told him about the error on the paper work he said: "I don't have time for this, I have a patient"

He just walked out on me!

Doesn't anyone take the time to listen?

"Can I Have a Hug?"

That's how my day ended today.............................with a four year old in a coffee shop asking me if she can have a hug?! (Of course you can have a hug!)

Yesterday, I drove 46 miles round trip to the only emergency service agency that I thought might help me with auto expenses.  The only thing they were able to help with was my auto emissions fee......................................but if I've willing to make an appt. with a job search counselor they are willing to help in more of an ongoing way.

Zoe told me I'd have to get to the agency before 12:30 in the afternoon. When I got there, the receptionist said: "Well, she's not in today!" (I'll tell ya, if I was a receptionist I'm sure I'd say "but I'm sure there is something we can do to help since Z. told you to be here!) The recep. was ready to just turn me away, but I said, "I just drove 23 miles because I was told I had to be here!" They did find someone who helped me.

Today, when I went to get the emissions test done, I think the clerk took joy in telling me that I failed. Wanna know why I failed? Because the "check engine" light stays on all of the time. I tried to have that corrected when the car was under warranty, and the light only stayed off for a couple of days then came back on again. I can't spend my whole life in the auto shop! As it stands I have to have the mechanic re-do the work he did in the first week of June because the repair went awry. The whole society is broken.

Thank goodness for children. I talked to this 4 year old for quite a while, and I felt by the end of the conversation that I might have been adopted by this family! They walked me to my car, then helped me with directions!

"What's better about life and what isn't"

What's better? I no longer have to hide my journals, my food, my underwear, my quarters under my blankets for fear of daily break ins. I've just begun sleeping. I estimate that I haven't slept since about 1974 or 1975, and in the last 4 nights or so, I've begun to sleep. I seem to sleep best in the living room which creates more of a buffer against the noise of motorcycles, trucks and broken mufflers. As long as carroll county residents aren't in their cars, they're very open, not suspicious like Baltimoreans. However the bulk of the folks i've met here, are originally from balto, and like me came here to get away from crime.

I've been able to personalize my apt. without fear of robberies, bought crimson colored bathmats, aquarium designed shower curtain and hand towel; a coffee mug that says "100 percent qualified, attentive, life enhancing friendly caring social worker. I have been lusting after that mug for a year. They sell "career" mugs in greetings and readings in hunt valley. The pain of Fibromyalgia is excruciating and round the clock, but now that I'm not in constant fear of being murdered, I can go on more appts. and find ways of lessening the pain. I'm still waiting (and perhaps I shouldn't hold my breath) for medicare to cover massage, chiropractic, and accupuncture, and dental and glasses!

What Isn't Better

Here's what's not better....he roads. I'm thoroughly disgusted with the violent way in which people drive.
It's so sad, that, there is a good chance that I'll be killed every time I go out in my car. Some things I'll have to stop doing altogether. For example, there is a 7 mile stretch of Black Rock Road that I frequently have to drive, and a 5 miles stretch of Falls. I've got multiple people passing me over the double line at 100 mph. There are people coming from the opposite direction in oversized vehicles also going at 70 or more mph. Many of them are riding the yellow line, or even going over it.

If my car breaks down on these rural roads, I'm a dead duck!  Because people are driving too fast to be able to stop for a broken down car, a car abiding road rules and doing the speed limit, a car who is making a careful left turn for example. I really do feel endangered. Everyone tailgates me. If you see my Buick, I advise you don't tailgate because it will not cause me to go faster, in fact it might make me slow down. I plan to write a letter to the editor on how deadly our society is in this respect. I just can't see myself making a long term commitment to places that are so car dependent!

 Prior to 1993, I can't recall American roads being this deadly. I was not scared all of the time, and I was not constantly being bullied by folks in bigger cars than me. Yes, women can be just as bad as men. And the risk multiplies with  drivers combing their hair, texting, eating and putting on makeup!   Watching the road or watching out for peds is not even a thought in their minds! Sad, sad, sad. I feel powerless to change this.

I'm still doing an aggressive job hunt, I use at least 10 job search websites, some are specific to nannying. I haven't had an interview since April............................It's very discouraging.

The property is gorgeous where I live but I rarely see any signs of human life on the grounds. I"m one of the only ones who uses a porch light after dark. I don't like how dark our property is.......................................

If it weren't for the philanthropist who put $1500 into getting my car repaired,  getting out of La pew would not have been possible. she probably saved me from being murdered...................................

"I always feel like somebody's watching me"

That Michael Jackson song has always resonated with me!  I think about big brother all of the time, because I know that I am constantly being scrutinized...............Now, for the ironic twist:

Today, when I approached the broken traffic light at route 30 at the wal mart, i came upon 4 "traffic directors." These traffic "directors" are a huge problem. Route 30 and the bypass have been undergoing major construction, and they have these morons with no more than a kindergarten education supposedly directing traffic.

I was the first at the light, and I needed to make a right on 30 going south. I would wait 10 minutes. But what happened in that 10 minutes will take your breath away.

There were 2 workers at my "post" and 2 workers just north at another post fairly far away. There is an ongoing screaming dialogue between the four employees. 2 are threatening the other 2 with firing them! At the same time worker 1 is juggling his orange juice bottle with his "directing" hand. Worker 2 throws worker one an ice tea which he catches with his "directing hand" meanwhile, worker 2 yells the following at a driver:

GO GO GO GO GO COMON GRAMMA HURRY IT UP


worker 1 is sexually humping the portable stop sign that he is holding...................................he begins singing!:

"I always feel like somebody's watching me" (by michael jackson) none of these 4 workers are paying any attention to the traffic at all, this is just all fun and games for them.

Well, my windows were down when i heard worker 1 sing that song.

I yelled out the window at him "OH, I CAN ASSURE YOU THEY ARE"

What did you say , he asked?

"I can assure you, someone IS watching you!"

When I got home I made a # of phone calls until I found the right place to file my complaint with. You should have heard that worker's response when I told her the worker was fucking the stop sign.....................................

Now this my friends, was just one eensy weensy part of a day filled with everybit as much drama, as most days are..................................................

"Sing the R.V.R. song!"

Last week, I saw an ad in the paper for family fun day at river valley ranch in millers, md. I was reminded that I went to camp there for one week in 1976. When my parents sent me they had no idea it was a Christian camp so they did not send a bible with me. I think I recall they had to drive one up to me!

The first night, my cabin mate stole my nightgown. The 3rd day, Wendy, another camper, said I should follow her over to the gift shop so she can show me how good she is at stealing!

Perhaps these parents are sending their kids to Evangelical Camp in the hopes of reforming them? Or to get a break from them for a week?

I went to family fun day and nobody really spoke to me until meal time. But the rodeo was real cool, and I ended up sitting with a beautiful family for the Chuckwagon dinner, with 3 kids and their mom. The 22 year old man was from Pikeville, and an artist who has always wanted to draw a painting of what he remembers from riding the #8 bus along York Road. I encouraged him to follow thru with that so I can see the final piece.

The ranch look like it always did except that many young folks were glued to their cell phones or Blackberrys seeming disconnected from real life.

I overheard a teen girl say the following into her cell phone:

"I hate butterflies, day still bugs!"

I won a horse trophy in 76 that labelled me Camper of the Week. It wasn't clear to me how I could have won something like that short of the fact that the hellfire and damnation sermon convinced me to become Born Again!...................................

I was hoping they'd sing the RVR camp song on Saturday but they did not.

All I can remember is that it went:

Sing the rvr song, as we're riding along....................."

perhaps it's on the website?

www.rivervalleyranch.com