OK, who here is enough of a BT old-timer to remember our short-lived but oh-so-lively Curmudgeons' Corner?

Let me eshplain: A fellow Braintalker told me about this site today. I checked it out, saw all the familiar names, started to feel almost *festive.* Decided to settle in with a glass of wine -- actual wine, my first in months -- and catch up with all the invisible people.

And there my problems began . . . of course, I couldn't even wrestle the freaking cork out of the bottle. And it looks like such a *nice* bottle. "Promessa Rosso Salento." Hah -- false promises, apparently.

So, now that I'm all disappointed and grumpy and, well, curmudgeonly, I figured it was my duty to bring back that fine tradition.

Perhaps this thread will sink sadly to the bottom of the page, unnoticed, untended. But perhaps somewhere out on the board there exists another soul who has been waiting for just this chance to leap on the curmudgeonly bandwagon and get something off his or her burdened chest.

Nice to see everyone . . . I'd add my usual happy face, but someone yelled at me once for using it in a curmudgeon thread, so I will instead sign off with a poem:

"The Red Wine Bottle"

by bluesky carlos bluesky

so much depends
upon
a red wine
bottle

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
laptop.

ROFL!! Don't give up your day job, Blue.

Oh lord, the old cumudgeon's corner. Let's face it, MS
make curmudgeons of us all.

Let's see, how did we use to do this, Oh yea, we picked
something that peeved us off and wailed on it.

So is opening wine bottles the subject of our rant? If so,
I have a perfect solution. Get the screw on capped wine.
Noooooo! Wine "connisewers" are coming at me. Back, Back,
I say.

Someone gave me a giant bottle of M&R Asti Spumanti
(the expensive stuff). Well I couldn't even lift it off the
floor, so I went and got ye ole corkscrew and began to
tackle the monster. The cork popped off with out knocking
me out, so I went and gots me a wine glass.

So, how do I lift this monster to pour it into my delicate
wine glass, without breaking the glass and my back? I'm
in my Scooter, mind you, so this isn't going to be easy.

I did the only thing I could do, I put the wine glass on the
floor, making sure it was sitting flat, so I wouldn't knock
it over. Then I took the bottle with both hands and leaned
it toward the glass, steadied it and out came the wine,
with most of it going in the glass.

As the bottle got emptier, the chore got easier. So that's
my story.

Next.....

A tragic tale of frustrated antici..pation bluesky -- Pablo xo adds to the derivative Carlos:

Wine, color of day,
Wine, color of night,
Wine with your feet of purple,
or topaz blood,
wine,
starry child
of the earth,
wine, smooth
as a golden sword
soft
as velvet,
wine spiral-shelled
and astonished,
amorous,
oceanic,
never have you been contained
in one glass, one song, one man, one bottle ...
until today ... merciless cork.

Zat You Mark? Welcome home.

Love the poem.

Oh boy! I ain't a curmudgeon, but I am loving the literary wittiness and the fact that bluesky and, apparently, Mark are here!



I'm putting in smiley faces and I dare anyone to erase them!

Nancy T.

I have nothing witty to write just another type of whining (oh that was sad).

Just a general rant I guess. I've never participated before but I'm feelin kinda down. It's the weekend and I always feel more lonely on the weekends.

I am sick of my husband being gone. I hate worrying that something will happen to him in Iraq. I hate worrying that I will see a government car parked in front of my house when I come home or my heart stopping when the doorbell rings unexpectedly. I hate being a military family sometimes.

I am sick of having little patience with everyone around me because I am so tired. Taking care of my kids without him is the hardest thing I have ever done. They are so little and deserve a mom who isn't so tired and frustrated and one who can walk more, play more, do more. I hate MS.

Okay, I'm done. Thanks.
Jean

Hi guys! Sorry, I'm not that grouchy today. I just found BT2, and I went a round at work on Friday with a philosophy professor - in a large meeting. He blustered for 55 minutes of a 1 hour meeting, except when I was correcting his facts. They sometimes direct their attacks at me instead of my bosses, but I'm not easily intimidated - especially by BS.

The score?

Lowly Secretary with Brain Damage - One
Pompous ***** - Zero

Afterwards, my boss (and his) thanked me for speaking up in the meeting and told me I was appreciated.

I guess my biggest complaint today is that our weather forecast is for storms, hail and tornadoes until tomorrow afternoon. I'll have to keep my computer shut off and maybe spend some time in the basement.

Nice to see you all!

All this talk about wine really has me peeee--oooood!!!! Ever since my stupid, miserable, lousy #%&#% MS (Grrrrrr) has progressed, just one little sip of wine, any color, gives me an instant headache!!!! Not fair!!! My pretty wine glasses just aren't the same filled with Pepsi!!

And Jean -- your bravery and hubby's willingness to serve our country touched my heart. Hugs to you and God Bless you both.

Well, here we are again. Saturday morning, and I even slept in until . . . 6:30 a.m., when my youngest child woke me up to announce proudly that he would be playing quietly by himself so I could rest. (This is the same child who is impossible to rouse on school mornings, of course, and usually has to be dragged out of his nest.)

Sally, I love the screw-on lid idea. Have you considered what else has screw-on lids? Like rum? It's cold and windy outside, and a hot toddy would be just the thing. I will be thinking of you this morning all wrapped up in something warm as you go about your day, expertly dodging the wine splotches on your floor . . .

Good morning, Mark. Pablo would be honored to join this group. May I say that as always, you know the way to the hearts of the forum members -- through our little purple feet.

Nancy! Hurray! In the spirit of the smiley face, let us break from the curmudgeonly feeling and take a moment for a lovely feel-good anthem:

"The 59th Street Bridge Song"

Slow down, you move too fast.
You got to make the morning last.
Just kicking down the cobble stones.
Looking for fun and feelin' groovy.
Hello lamppost,
What cha knowing?
I've come to watch your flowers growing.
Ain't cha got no rhymes for me?
Doot-in' doo-doo,
Feelin' groovy.

Got no deeds to do,
No promises to keep.
I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep.
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me.
Life, I love you,
All is groovy.

Jean, I am so sorry you're having a tough time. I have three children, and I know I feel terrible about how my MS affects my parenting and our whole family. I know what you mean about being tired, about being impatient. It's also that much more difficult when you're by yourself -- I'm a single parent; your husband is in Iraq.

You don't need to be done venting. Venting is great. Venting helps. Please, vent! That's what this thread is for!

Susan: do I understand correctly that you dropped into this thread just to brag? Hmph. Perhaps when you come out of the basement you'll be appropriately depressed and have something useless to add, like a new recipe for a brain mold. (That's what I'm really depending on you for, you know . . .)

Judy, I'm sorry to hear that your beverages are restricted. It's frustrating to see your world shrinking, no matter which area is involved. However, have you considered Dr. Pepper? At least it's a pretty color . . . purple again!

Had an elderly neighbor once---after 4 years we actually became friends. My husband and I got into the habit of calling him 'mudgeon'.(Perfect fit for him)

One day his wife was chatting with us at the intersection of our backyards. I forgot myself and referred to him as 'mudgeon'. She asked...my husbad choked and I explained...and I'll never forget her laughter that I can still hear although 'The Mudgeons' have long since passed by.

Linda
Hi Bluesky!