Let's Talk Weather!!!

Houston is expecting snow today. That's wild!

My sister lives in Houston and she actually got snow weeks before we did here in Pennsylvania.

I haven't written about "black ice". Mainly because I haven't seen too much of it, which is a good thing.

I first learned of black ice when I was in Iceland. I took this picture while in Iceland. This was right outside the door of my hotel. I wonder why they didn't put salt on the ground. The sidewalk was one sheet of ice. I walked in the street most of the time I was there. Talk about slippery.

Well, I guess by now everyone knows that we are experiencing an El Nino affect. Which will be followed by a La Nina affect.

I was poking around on the Internet and found an interesting website that pretty much forecast the weather for quite a bit. Talking about how the global warming that began in 80's would be ending around 2017 and then a global cooling will begin. Here is the link if you want to check it out http://forums.accuweather.com/index.php?showtopic=13603. It's a fascinating read that's for sure.

So right now California's bracing for more rain. Houston, Pennsylvania and Delaware are going to get a few flurries, not a big snow storm like we experienced a couple of weeks ago.

Ciao

Yea, Yea, Yea, It's Cold!

Well in the last 24 hours I have heard from 3 different people in Texas how cold it is. And for those of you reading this blog that aren't in Texas. It is about 32 degrees (0C) right now and it will be going down to 16 degrees (-8.8C) in Jasper, 29 degrees in Galveston (-1.6C) and 20 degrees (-6.6C) in Houston.

Here in Bloomsburg, PA it is currently 28 degrees (-2.2C) and will go down to 16 degrees (-8.8c) tonight. Tomorrow the high will be 23 degrees (-5C) and the low will be 5 degrees (-15C) tomorrow night.

My friends and loved ones in Texas, I realize that this is not normal weather for the south. And you should realize that it isn't like it is going to stay this way for more than a couple of days. I have heard so much pissing and whining about the cold in Texas, actually more pissing and whining than I heard from my relatives who lost everything in Katrina. Maybe the Katrina victims were too in shock to whine. Only one of my friends in Texas will have her job affected by the weather because she has garage sales and people won't come out when it is too cold. I can understand her whining a little. And trust me, I know.... Ya'll hate the cold! It is a different cold down south cause you have the humidity and the cold feels like it goes to your bones. And that is why I am thankful that none of you in Texas are postal workers or construction workers ;-)

I am soooo thankful that I do not let things that I can't control, like the weather affect my happiness. And I would much rather be in the cold because all you gotta do is put every piece of clothes you own on or get under every blanket in sight and you will be okay. Now if you have every experienced heat, like I have in Los Angeles, 119 degrees (48.3C) there is nothing you can do to get cool. Air conditioners are maxed out and won't even blow cold air. Try cooling off the interior of a car that is 130 degrees (54.4C). Ouch!

I love you guys in Texas and know that you aren't suffering... just whining...lol..lol... Be thankful for the down time. Down we all wish we didn't have soooo much to do? Grab that book you have been wanting to read, watch that movie you have been wanting to watch, surf the Internet with a clear conscious that there isn't anything else you should be doing. And know that this too shall pass... nothing ever stays the same..... and this time next week your weather should be back to normal ;-)

This picture is one that I took when I went to Iceland.

Ciao

Shoveling Snow is a Social Thing Here

So yesterday morning I walked outside and within minutes ALL of my neighbors where out. The sun was shining and it was sooo beautiful. Lots of chatting going on and a little bit of shoveling. Other than the chatting... it was super quiet!

It really wasn't as bad here as they said it was on tv. It went up to about 40 degrees (4.4C) and the sun was out for most of the day. I actually got in the car and ran a couple of errands.

It's funny... in October my neighbors said "November is when the weather gets really nasty." And that didn't happen. Then they said, "December is when the weather gets really nasty." And well.. that hasn't happened. And now they are saying, "January is when the weather gets really nasty." Okie..dokie... I'll just sit back and wait for that nasty weather to arrive!

Well, it's going to be a short but busy week. Only 3 work days. Lots of people will be on the road Thursday, Christmas Eve, or running last minute errands.

Another techie picture of Mario. I was looking all over for my remote!

Ciao

Reason, Season and Lifetime

Have you seen that poem? It's great and I am going to post it here for you today.

Some news.... I have been bad this week about blogging... but promise to be better ;-)

Lot's of changes going on... the weather has changed and gotten colder and not much snow so far. It snowed one night but since the sun has come out all of the snow is gone. I went to Wilkes Barre and Williamsport, both are a bit north of here and they must have gotten a lot more snow because people's front lawns are still blanketed with several inches. On Friday the high was 27 degrees (-2.7C). I was out running errands. Yesterday the high was 37 degrees (2.7C) and that seemed a bit warmer to me, instead of just plain cold. I hear it is raining in Woodland Hills, California.

Besides the weather changing.... there have been other changes in my life... "special guy" has gone to North Carolina to be his special self. And the #1 question I have been asked is... "Are you going back to California?" And the answer is, "NO." I did not move to Pennsylvania because of him. I am eternally greatful that we met and he provided the opportunity for me to get to see and know this place.

Check out this beautiful poem. Ciao


Reason, Season and Lifetime


People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.
When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need
you have expressed outwardly or inwardly.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty,
to provide you with guidance and support,
to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrong doing on your part
or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something
to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met,
our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered
and it is now time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON,
it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn.
They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
those things you must build upon
in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson,
love the person/people (anyway);
and put what you have learned to use in all
other relationships and areas of your life.

It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

~Author Unknown

Only 7 Weeks Left in 2009

It's hard to believe that in less than 2 months we will beginning a new year.

Yesterday we didn't make it to Worlds End State Park, instead we went to Ricketts Glen State Park. Driving along one of the roads in the mountain we saw about a dozen Amish, with their families loaded in their buggies. I couldn't tell where they were headed or where they had been. People waved to them as the buggies went by.

The weather is beautiful. It is suppose to be sunny and in the 60's (15C) this week. Next week the high is suppose to be in the 50's (10C) and on November 28th the weather website is predicting snow and then the high for the week will be in the 40's (4C). The weather sounds reasonable to me, after all we still have 5 weeks till it is officially winter (December 21st).

It's funny because last month the weather was gorgeous and everyone kept telling me "Just wait until next month, November, it gets really nasty." Yipppeee... I got lucky. November turned out to be a beautiful weather month too!

I woke up with the urge to write again. Not a strong urge just more like a thought. 2007 was the massive writing year for me. I got lots of books out into the world. I have been asked quiet often, "What are you working on? Are you writing?" And I am flattered when asked those questions. My thoughts have been that I really don't want to begin writing until the weather does get nasty. Then I will have nothing to focus my energies on except writing. Right now everything here is still very new to me and I want to get out and see and experience it all.

I took this picture last week. I think you'll agree, this beautiful tree just stood out from the rest.

Ciao

The Leaves Have Begun to Change...

The weather has begun to change here. It is in the 40's at night and the 60's and 70's during the day. I love it.

Another thing I noticed about Pennsylvania is that people have yard sales in the middle of the week. You can be driving down the street at 11am on a Tuesday and people have all their stuff out on the front lawn and they even have attracted a crowd looking at their stuff. It's wild. In the south and California people only have yard sales on Saturday and Sunday.

My creative endeavors have been temporarily put on hold. I have got to get rid of a ton of stuff before next Spring. I absolutely do not want to move another thing that is unnecessary.

I also have decided that my next move will be my last move in the United States. I am going to purchase a home and that's it. I will purchase a place in Europe in the next few years. And then move between the two properties.

Another thing I have decided is no more buying anything new... except of course mattresses. I got a thing about mattresses. Any additional furniture I need will be purchased from the thrift store and refinished. That way when I exit this world all ya gotta do is call the thrift store to come and pick it up.

I have been putting stuff on Ebay for 1 month now. I am making headway but still have a ways to go. I am hoping I only have 2 more months of Ebaying and then I can pull out my writing projects or work on my videos.

Ciao

What Have I Been Up To?

I have been busy trying to simplify my life. It has been a process that I have been working on for quite a few years now.

Several years ago I told everyone I knew two things:

1) Please do not give me anything that I can't wear or eat. I don't dust or collect things.

2) They say you spend the first half of your life collecting things and the second half of your life getting rid of them. That is soooo true. Any gifts given will be something that I previously owned.

What I am not giving away I am selling on eBay. I wanted to have a lot of stuff eliminated from my life by the time that I moved from California. However, moving became more important than anything else and so I left with a lot of stuff that I didn't have time to get rid of. I did give a lot away... just not nearly enough.

Now that I am unpacking I have begun to put stuff up on eBay. I have found that making a video of something (where you can show the entire item - front - back -sides and bottom) and then posting to YouTube and then putting the html link in your item description to be the most efficient way to show your item without the additional cost of multiple pictures. This process is a bit time consuming, but worth it to me.

A bit more about Bloomsburg. The hottest it gets here is in the mid 90's. Yes, we have humidity but nothing like Florida has. I actually prefer the humidity to the dry heat. The moisture feels good on your skin and is good for your skin. Today we'll be in the high 80's. This is normal. I heard it was 108 in California this week. That my friends... is not normal. I hope I never experience heat like that again. Keep in mind the hottest I have experienced was 119 in Woodland Hills, California in August 2006. I also hear that Houston is experiencing heat in the 100's.

With the rain comes life and the bugs are out. I took a walk the other evening and felt nibbling on my arms and legs. I thought to myself "Wow, I haven't felt anything like this in the last 23 years."

Ciao

Hummm.... another 4.2 Earthquake

A 4.2 earthquake in Ojai, California a couple of hours ago. Ojai is 58 miles from Woodland Hills.

This isn't very good news. 2 earthquakes in one week over a 4 magnitude... it's something to keep your eye on.

Several weeks before the 1994 Northridge earthquake there were lots of smaller earthquakes that were in the 3 range of magnitude. These could be foreshocks to a bigger one.

You know we are waiting for "The Big One". A group of scientists and engineers, working with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), released an official forecast of California earthquake probability, and the findings were frightful: They suggest a better than 99% chance of an earthquake measuring 6.7 or greater hitting the state sometime in the next 30 years, and a 46% chance of one posting a 7.5. (The Northridge quake, which claimed at least 60 victims and rang up $25 billion in damage, registered a 6.7.)

Today it's still 100 degrees in Woodland Hills. Has been for quite a few days now. The weather man says that we should cool down into the 80's in a few days.

The air quality still sucks. Santa Barbara is still burning and the smoke has made it's way here.

For those of you who don't live here... yea, the sun is shinning.

The picture is of some earthquake information.

Ciao

96 Degrees in PA Today & 65 Degrees in Woodland Hills

The weather is wild I tell you... pretty wild.

Most of my friends here in California have asked "What about the weather?" regarding my upcoming move.

The weather chick said that the weather here in California should be warming up towards the end of the week. Keep in mind that just a week ago it was 100 degrees for 3 days straight.

You know, to me, the weather is pretty much like life... you have no idea what the day will be like until it gets here. I bet the people in Pennsylvania had no idea that it would be almost 100 degrees today. Also, it is obvious that the past.... is in the past. What the weather or the day was last week or last year doesn't matter. It can be totally different tomorrow.

The picture is of a Spring day in Santa Barbara taken last year.

Ciao

3rd Day in a Row It's 100 degrees - It's April!!!!

Man I can't wait to experience Spring time. Right now it is between 50 and 75 degrees in Pennsylvania and that is normal. That is spring time.

It is hot here! I personally start to feel sick to my stomach when it is over 110 degrees. Here in Woodland Hills the temperature can get as high as 113, 115, 117 and in July of 2006 we were on CNN as we reached 119 degrees. It was so hot you could hardly breath.

Last year we had over 100 degree weather in April. People were concerned for two reasons; the really warm weather appears to be "earthquake" weather; and, if it's 100+ in April... what will it be like in August and September?!?!?!

There was a 2.2 magnitude earth quake in Santa Monica, 2 days ago, and everyone seems to be concerned about it.

Before the Northridge Earthquake in 1994, there were lots of earthquakes felt up to 3 weeks before the Northridge earthquake, mostly felt in Santa Monica.

This picture is of the Pacific Ocean, in Santa Monica, taken November 2008.

Ciao