Sunday, August 24, 2014

August 24 Day 24

I am finally doing what I have said I was going to do for the past 10 years- get the old VHS tapes onto DVDs and onto a hard drive. You can get up off the floor now.  Yep. I bought a transfer machine about 8 years ago because it seemed like something I could do myself. Except I didn't. Then I got a newer one about 3 years ago because the first one was out of date. That also seemed to be full of hope. Except it wasn't.  So, I finally realized that without Facebook, I had some free time to procrastinate in new ways. Not to do the work myself though because that was a complete failure, but to send the tapes OFF. I went online and found the number one rated video transfer place, which is in California somewhere. The only thing I needed was some labels, so I ran and got those. I noticed most of the tapes are labeled with some nebulous wording- like "home" or "school play" or the famous "Ryan". It ought to cost me a lot of money for that crummy labeling job done way back when. I can blame my ex- its his handwriting not mine (end of comment). I am anticipating plenty of video of the ground, one particular dog in Wales, and possibly nothing on some. Did I mention I'm not very good with turning OFF the video camera?  I'd feel sorry for the tape transfer people, but they charge the same as a trip back to Wales, so I'll wait to see what comes up. I am sending off 22 VHS tapes of various and unknown lengths. If I were willing to check them all out, I would have copied them myself. But, on the optimistic side, the box is IN MY CAR ready to go to the FedEx place.  Ryan said that I should realize that once those tapes leave my hands, they are public material. They could show up anywhere at any time, and was I SURE nothing was capable of being used against me. I'm thinking "What does Ryan think I would put on video? These were from the 80s and 90s, NOT now!!!"  Jeez louise.

The earthquake in Napa has probably shaken up people all over the world of wine. I hope they all recover soon- the residents of Napa not necessarily the wine lovers. Priorities. Priorities.  I've been through a 7.0 up here and it was a terrible experience. I ran out of the house and then had to scream when it was over. You haven't lived until you've felt your house lift up and slam down and then watched the sidewalk roll.  But this is really about wine. I had a friend once tell me how sick and tired she was of the wine culture. I hadn't ever thought about it. Her point was that if you had a friend who hoarded bottles of vodka and whiskey and bragged about how well they aged, and then poured it into your glass until you were overserved, you'd pretty much think that person had an alcohol problem and was encouraging you to have one, too. But she'd go into people's houses and they'd show off their wine cellars and pour 12 ounces in a glass (several times) and think they were just enjoying fermented grapes. Not real alcohol.  What brought it up was my very polite refusal at a dinner table for a glass of wine- she asked me why I didn't want it and I said the truth- I don't like it and it burns my stomach. Now, if I'd been offered a White Russian or Brandy Alexander made with ice cream and sprinkles, I'd have downed that in a second. But no wine. But thanks.  I have watched a lot of people ruin lovely evenings being sloshed because they drank half a bottle or more. I've seen lovely dinner tabs jacked up to many times the price of the food by all that merriment. So I'm just saying I do have sympathy for my wine loving friends who worry about vineyards and wineries. I don't drink hardly at all, but if the drinks I like went away, I'd probably be a teensy sad.

On the sweet side, my friend Susan recognized my friend, Mary Ann, when they were at the same Mass. Susan just knew she knew that person, and she had the persistent thought that I was their common link. So Susan dashed up to Mary Ann and said Hi and compared notes. That is a sweet moment for me. Two of my great friends meeting up in Houston. I do have to say Susan has some sort of genius mind to have recognized Mary Ann and associated her with me.

The kitties are sleeping next to me and Alex is going to make spaghetti. All is well with the world.
xoxo

Today's music is a really cute little opening scene from My Best Friend's Wedding. Why? Because my husband, for some unknown reason, thinks it is fun to watch. I have no idea why. Excuse the ad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c74BSImG4xM







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