A "No Trespassing" Sign I can support!Horrors!
The TV gets 14 stations, which is quite generous compared to what I grew up with (four channels). But far and away, PBS is my favorite. So when I turned on the TV last night, the Hospital Administration had decided to change the selection to the Trinity Broadcasting Network. I expected to see Bill Moyers and his ilk; I got Hal Lindsey instead.
We are in a recession. This hospital I work at is hanging on for dear life. I could go into the mistakes this hospital has made, but the Folks who run the place don't want to hear it. They have cut my weekend differential from 15 percent of my hourly wage, to Zero. They have stopped contributing to my 401K plan (frankly, I think Businesses were looking for a way to get out of that perk anyway). But when they changed the TV from PBS to the ultra-Fundamentalist, The Earth-Is-Only-Six Thousand-Years Old, Jesus-Was-A-Right Winger Garbage Stuff: I have to object! Loudly! With Vibrato!
Things don't look good for this hospital.
Work was fun. The Hospital Administration has cut fifty jobs which means they cut out the person who does the Creative Therapy for our unit. So I did a group (which I really enjoy anyway).
After work I decided to walk one of the roads that cut through the Napa Valley: Zinfandel Lane. Zinfandel is the grape that California is most famous for. I read that it's genetic heritage does reside in Europe, but has morphed into a wholly American Grape. It has been here for 150 years. I don't really like Zinfandel wines. I have yet to meet one that made me rave: "This is really good!" Zinfandel wines are what GM is to cars. Crap!
But I dutifully parked my car at Zinfandel Lane and walked. A nice walk initially. The vineyards are all organic here. To be politically correct in the Napa Valley, a vineyard simply must be organically certified. A good thing. This has led to an explosion of the Blue Bird population, as they are the one source that eats the scariest predator to grapes: the Glassy Winged Sharpshooter insect. Blue Birds are more popular in the Napa Valley than beards at a million man march of Amish men.
Anyway, the walk started well until my body told me that I had to go Number Two. Walk on. Ignore it.
Things started getting urgent. Perhaps I should go into the grape vines and drop my drawers? No. These grapes are all organic (and I just saw a "No Trespassing Sign" against chemical waste). My poop certainly would meet that criteria.
So I turned around and went (literally) back to the Monastic Dorm to take care of business. A forty minute walk.
P.S. As always when I am in the Napa Valley, I shall add photos when I return to the Foothills.
7 comments:
Come on now... there are still well-intending folks that believe in that TBN stuff.
Who are we to determine whether they are the lunatics believing whole-heartedly in magic or whether we are the overly dignified, scientifically minded bunch who can't much find anything to believe in anymore.
To which group would you rather belong?
Oh... and hating on Zinfandels... that is just barbarianism!
Jeepers....
Anonymous responses always make me feel a bit creepy.
I'm pretty certain I'm not a lunatic. After all, I am a psychiatric RN. I should know one when I see one. :)
I watched Hal Lindsey give a really awful, negative, garbage, unChristian view of the middle east. Of course, he summarised with an appeal for money. I'll take PBS anyday. And I'll bet you a zillion dollars that he is wrong. The rapture ain't gonna happen (whether folks are well intentioned or not).
As for Zinfandels...have any recommendations? I've hung out in the Napa Valley for six years and still haven't come across one that is drinkable.
Cheers!
allan
Ok, I laughed out loud at turning on PBS and being assaulted by TBN. I don't know about that "no rapture" thing. I'm wondering if your experience might be proof of the coming apocalypse. :)
No bike ride for me today -- no bike. I'm at a retreat center run by old friends of the family. See my blog for photos.
Great walking though! Around a big marsh and then out to the paved road and back. Many birds, including red-winged blackbirds, a family of ducks, and more. Pedometer says 2.02 miles. Don't know if that's accurate, 'cause it was all on trail and gravel. But does accuracy matter? ;-)
Funny stuff, in the post and the comments.
Not being a southerner or a Californian, I had to look up Glassy Winged Sharpshooter to see if such a creature actually existed or was a product of an imagination under the influence of zinfandel. Maybe it could be the TBN mascot.
Green,
Yup...the Glassy Winged Sharp Shooter exists. This most certainly might be a good mascot for TBN. I'm sure they would love to see a locust destroy a beverage which provides so much cheer to those who choose to imbibe in the fruit of the vine. Seems perfect.
allan
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