Earth Day 2009

I remember my first Earth Day celebration in high school in April 1970. The entire student body was assembled in our football stadium and told it was a day to reflect on our planet, our environment and what we could do to keep them healthy. At that time many of us were also involved in the Vietnam War protests (called "teach-ins") and saw Earth Day as the same type of protest except on behalf of the environment. At least I did. I was always looking for a good protest back then.

At the grassroots level, Earth Day organizers were able to tap into the environmental concerns of the general public and infuse the student anti-war energy into their environmental cause, thereby forcing the issue onto the political agenda and finally into the national spotlight. Smart cookies, they were.

In the comics section of a local newspaper, “Baby Blues” showed the lighter side of Earth Day:

“It’s weird … Green is good when you’re talking about energy, but not bananas.
A green lifestyle is good, but green water is bad.
Green corporations are good, but green meatloaf will make you sick.
The world is a very complicated place.”

So what did I do for Earth Day today, I went home and watered my roses. I know, pathetic.

Why I Don't Twitter

Since I deal with a lot of students and faculty, I try and keep up with the latest crazes but I definitely don’t have time to add another life-sucking activity like Twitter to my life.

I like what Brian Williams said on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, that he will not use Twitter until he has something “interesting enough” to say in 140 characters or less. Even Beyonce admits that when it comes to Twittering, she just “doesn’t get it” and she’s not on Facebook either. That makes two of us.

I love technology, but I have to draw the line at Twitter.

The official Twitter website says: “Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?” Sounds more like a cross between blogging and instant messaging and enabling today’s attention-deficit disorder sufferers doesn't seem a like a particularly good idea to me. What am I doing? It’s 1:30pm on Wednesday, what do you think I’m doing? Does anyone care that I’m sitting at my desk flossing the chicken salad out from between my teeth? Or that I’m on my way to the bathroom for my second bowel movement of the day? (Shall I take a picture as well?)

We are losing the art of conversation by reducing it to abbreviations and emoticons for anyone to read. What about crafting a thank you note or the impact of a well-written sympathy card after a loved one dies. Remember letters? When was the last time you sent one? And I don’t mean a Hallmark card.

Twitter devotees claim that the value of Twitter is in the quality of those you follow. To make it interesting you need to have interesting people to follow. If you don't follow interesting people, it’s just a big pointless waste of time. But do we all really want to be connected to each other in this kind of giant kumbaya?

I guess what I really want to know is: Who in the hell has time for this stuff???

I’ve come to the conclusion that Twitter, or micro-blogging, is for people who want a blog but don't want to blog. Maybe Twitter is the latest manifestation of an undesirable trend. Remember when it was people checking their e-mail 50 times an hour, and phoning you to say, "Did you not get my e-mail? I sent it almost an hour ago." Then it was instant messaging, cell phones, and text messaging, all offering improved opportunities to "be in touch all the time," a fate I'd do almost anything to avoid.

Now it’s "social networks," like Facebook, My Space and Twitter. I suppose there’s value to each of these -although I suspect that the value drops over time- but it seems to me that each “new tool” seems to be taken to sillier (or stupider) extremes than the last one.

I also recognize that it isn’t going away anytime soon. Tell you what, why don’t we all just meet at the Pub and raise a pint or two?

The Susan Boyle Phenomena

I refuse to watch reality shows of any type because of the bad taste they leave in my mouth. Let's not forget that this is television where the letters NBC stand for 'No Butt-ugly Characters' and Cinderella stories don't just happen randomly. Producers seek out the unusual because that's what sells, but a friend sent me a link to the YouTube video of her performance on “Britain’s got Talent.”

I’ll admit, when she first walked onto the stage, I felt sorry for her, not because of the way she looked, but rather that the audience was already snickering and jeering at her before she even opened her mouth. Apparently, they expected her not to be able to sing simply based on her appearance. I was especially upset when I saw one specific woman in the audience rolling her eyes, shaking her head, and laughing -this is the same mentality of people who are now judging overweight people in the airline industry with financial penalties, but that’s ANOTHER blog rant- but it was when I saw that slow, well-known smirk come across Simon Cowell’s face, I knew poor Susan was going to become the butt of some sort of cruel and terrible joke. I didn’t want to watch.

Susan Boyle appears to be a regular person, maybe a neighbor or a co-worker, not a movie star with all the makeup and fancy clothes. She has heart, and it shows. She has kindness, and it shines through her. Her beauty inside and out is what makes her shine with talent. She's got great stage presence. Her face is strong and dramatic, which is an advantageous quality to have, especially in the theater. Susan’s performance was stunning, amazing, breath taking; I even got tears in my eyes (how could you not?) The fact that everyone keeps referring to her as a dumpy, middle-aged woman is bizarre to me. She’s a hero to all of us who aren't a size 0, with perfectly done make up and hair.

I say Congratulations Susan, you GO GIRL!!!

New Uses For Old Business Cards

In the spirit of Going Green (it's a slow day), here are a few suggestions:

Cleaning the spaces between your computer keyboard (use the sticky side of a used Post-it to get any crumbs)

Cutting the ends off to make labels for your hanging file folders

Attaching to CD cases to identify them as yours

Luggage tags

Making short grocery lists on the back

Entering "free meal” drawings at your favorite eateries

Makeshift bookmarks (instead of folding the corner of the page down – I HATE THAT!)

Getting that last little bit of chicken salad out of your teeth

Putting personal notes in the lunch bag of someone you love

Fingernail cleaner

Use as a wedge to balance a wobbly table in a restaurant

Noisemakers for your bike (remember clothespining playing cards to the fenders of your bike so they would struck by the spokes on the wheel creating a motorized sound?)

Wallpaper

Build a card castle

Shred them to make confetti

Tape them together to make drawer liners


And my personal favorite:

Use as a Tool Of Deception For People You Don't Like. Carry a few old business cards belonging to someone else in your wallet. When you encounter someone you wish you hadn't, hand them one of them as you leave

We're Heading North, to Oregon

Leaving early to visit a dear Niece and her husband in Beaverton. Have dinner reservations in Portland Saturday night on the waterfront (celebrating the 30th birthday of Niece's husband). Sunday we'll all spend the day in Seattle, one of my most favorite places on this planet. Monday, while the kids are working, the husband and I will scout out coastal property; serious negotiations are currently going on between us to retire there - he DEFINITELY wants to, I'm not so sure.

Problem is, I'm very close to my family, he's not (close to his). I don't want to end up living so far from everyone (except the aforementioned Niece) if ever I am alone again (i.e. husband dies before me). I think it's a reasonable consideration. The deal buster: if I can't live near the ocean (like I do now), I won't move. End of discussion.

I've checked the long-range weather forecast for the area and it'll be raining much of the time we're there, with temps mostly in the mid-40s - ahhhhh, my kind of weather. I think I was a duck in a past life.

See you all Wednesday, take care of each other.

Taking the Long Way Home

I don't remember who it was that said that the journey is more important than the destination but stopping to smell the roses was just what the Dr. ordered today.

I had a dental appt this morning - a little minor oral surgery and crown replacement - and had planned to go into work afterwards. No big deal. But as often happens, things didn't quite turn out that way and I ended up not making it to work . . . which didn't disappoint me in the least.

Anyway, when all was said and done, I decided to take the long way home. It's about a 20 minute drive from Capitola/Santa Cruz (the dentist) to my house via (the Pacific Coast) Highway One, or 45 minutes to an hour via the back roads. Since it was such a beautiful day (about 70 degs) I got me an iced latte at Starbucks (for when the novocaine wore off), opened the sun roof, put on the "Classic Vinyl" station on my XM radio and took a favorite route through apple orchards, commercial rose growing fields, and rows and rows of strawberries. I take this route when I have a lot on my mind or just need to think (this was also a favored drive of my Mom's and I always feel her near when I go this way). There's a llama ranch along this stretch of road too and a dozen or more were sunning themselves near the fence as I passed. How can people make rugs out of these beautiful animals?????

The sunshine, the music, the smell of the acacia trees in bloom was just what I needed. I even stopped at a flower stand and bought a bouquet of wildflowers to bring home. Violet "the Destroyer" will be pleased.

This was my unplanned day off and taking the long way home.

Odds & Ends, This & That

So, today I've made coconut macaroons (husband's fave), fruitcake bars for work (not yo Grannie's fruitcake) and now I'm making corned beef and cabbage. I know, I know, St. Paddy's Day is Tuesday but next Sunday the aforementioned husband is leaving (on business) to Long Beach (Los Angeles) for 4 days so we're having our Tuesday night dinner tonight (will make some Irish soda bread to go with it too - YUM!) We usually make a lamb stew using a few pints of Guinness and have some friends over, but it didn't work out that way this year. Also, the County Fair is coming up and I'm testing new goodies to enter . . .

Hope you are all well, having a wonderful Sunday and are spending it with people you love.

Madoff "deeply sorry and ashamed"

Back in the cowboy days he'd already be hanging from a rope - BASTARD!

My question is: where's the money?
Where did all that money go?
How come no one (in the media, judges, attornies, etc.) is asking THAT question?

Nadya Suleman Giving Birth

Too funny not to share

"Lane Cake, Scuppernongs and Pickled Pig’s Knuckles"

Since I’ve decided to pretty much boycott watching television in the evenings, except for Leave it To Beaver and M*A*S*H reruns - BUT not before I thank President Obama for finally ending The Chimp’s War on Science by undoing a 2001 Bush directive that banned federal funding for stem cell research - I’ve been spending that time baking and reading more.

Also due to my previously mentioned “foodie tendencies” and my current search for the perfect Lane cake recipe, I stumbled upon a Lesson Plan for teachers recently created by the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in, where else, New Orleans, Louisiana http://thebigreadnola.com/lesson-plan.pdf.

In the Lesson Plan's Foreword, “To Kill a Mockingbird” is mentioned as “a classic example of a great Southern novel filled with culinary information.” It was then that I remembered Harper Lee’s character Maudie Atkinson and her Lane cake, the one with the alcohol kick so powerful that another character, Scout, remarks "Miss Maudie baked a Lane cake so loaded with shinny it made me tight" (Shinny being a slang term for liquor).

I dug out my copy at home and sure enough, Harper Lee breathed life into her characters with food, in fact 52 foods - all Southern favorites - are mentioned in the book like ambrosia, fried chicken, collards, peach pickles, turnip greens, crackling bread, etc. No wonder I loved this book so much, I was a foodie before I even knew what a foodie was!!!

Basically, a Lane cake is a type of white sponge cake made with egg whites that consists of four layers filled with a mixture of egg yolks, butter, sugar, raisins (sometimes coconut and chopped nuts), and whiskey. The cake is frosted with a boiled, fluffy white frosting made of water, sugar, and whipped egg whites and typically served (in the South) at birthdays, wedding anniversaries, and other special occasions. The recipe was first printed in Emma Rylander Lane's cookbook "Some Good Things to Eat," which she self-published in 1898.

So ya’ll should thank Rush Limpbrain for my foray into the Southern culinary world, if it weren’t for him becoming the Leader of the GOP (couldn't have happened to a nicer guy!) I wouldn’t have turned off the tube and took up reading the book again.

Two guesses what I'm making for dessert at Easter?

Fat Tuesday (Praise the Lord & Pass the King Cake)

OK, so tomorrow is Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. I'm home tonight making a King cake . . . kinda . . . it's actually a lemon bundt cake without the baby inside. It is a lemon cake (with Meyer lemons from my own tree) with a lemony glaze. I'm going to sprinkle it with gold, purple and green sanding sugar and take it to work tomorrow for all to admire, Domestic Goddess that I am.

Don't hate me because I can bake!

Michael Steele: "Work" vs "Job"

STEELE: Well, the difference, the distinction is this. If you got a government contract that’s a fixed period of time it goes away. The work may go away. There’s no guarantee that there’s going to be more work when you’re done with that job.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But we’ve seen millions and millions of jobs going away in the private sector just in the last year.

STEELE: Yes, but they come back though, George. That’s the point. They’ve gone away before and they come back…

HUH?

By Steele’s definition, a contractor, who bids contract to contract in the private sector, is "making work," it’s not a job because there is an endpoint to the contract, after all, there is no guarantee that there will be another one (is there a guarantee that there will always be a demand for a product in the private sector?)

So, if you have a job building schools, bridges, roads, levees, or anything with money that comes from the Federal Government, you don't have a 'real' job. Isn’t making work *scratching my head* the exact purpose of the stimulus?

Good thing this doesn’t mean that a paycheck isn’t really money.

And I thought Sarah Palin was the worst the Republican Party could come up with.

I'm a Library Trustee

Last night at the monthly City Council meeting, I was nominated and appointed by my City Council Representative to serve on the city's Library Commission from my District.

Last October I attended a Candidate's Forum (many City Council members were up for re-election) and I was so impressed by the new faces I saw vying for the job - and Lord knows we needed some changes - I was inspired to get more involved in the community where I lived. And since I've worked (most) all my life in libraries I thought it a good fit. So I applied.

My first meeting is February 19th and with the state of financial affairs in this State, keeping libraries a float is going to be a real challenge. I'm up for it.

CHANGE HAS COME!!!

God bless us, everyone.

I'm Embarrassed to Admit This

I've lately become OBSESSED with taking online store surveys. You know, the kind that when you eat at a place like Applebee's (it's OK for an after-the-movies-supper) and your waiter comes back with your check and says "Congratulations, you have been spontaneously and randomly chosen to take our online survey and you could win a gift certificate for . . . "

blah, blah, blah. I usually just say thanks, pay my bill and shred the receipt when I get home. Never was a "coupon clipper" either. Too much to keep organized.

But with the price of everything going up so much, I've started paying attention to the fine print at the bottom of my grocery receipt for example. It says, and I quote:

"Win $500 gift card! Take survey monthly at ....... to enter. Thank you for shopping at ......."

OK, so I was thinking: how many people REALLY take these surveys and figured the odds of winning were pretty good. Well, I was wrong about that cuz apparently MILLIONS of peeps have been doing this for years before I caught on to it.

BUT

The amazing thing is that now I'm getting emails from the grocery store (yeah, it's a pain sometimes but I just hit the delete key) and this past Wednesday they emailed me a $20 off coupon on a purchase of $100 -which is about what a weekly trip costs me- so I went today and used it. I bought all my usual stuff and some fresh wheat grass for the cats (spoiled rotten animals!) and got the promised $20 off. I'd call this a Good Thing.

BTW, never got anything spontaneous or random from Applebee's yet . . .

WTF?

My youngest brother just declined my Inauguration Party Evite. Claims he voted for Obama but is "Republican by nature, and attending would be akin to drinking the kool aid..."

My response back: "Couldn't you just not swallow?"

Ahhh, family. Gotta love um.

A Game For My Inauguration Party on the 24th

The President Barack Obama Quiz (I got 6 out of 10)

1. Where was Barack Obama born?
A. Honolulu, HI
B. Chicago, IL
C. Jakarta, Indonesia
D. Wichita, Kansas2.

2. From what university did Obama earn his law degree in 1991?
A. Yale University
B. Harvard University
C. Columbia University
D. University of Chicago

3. Obama was a lecturer of constitutional law at what law school from 1993 until his election to the U.S. Senate in 2004?
A. Yale University
B. Harvard University
C. Columbia University
D. University of Chicago

4. In what year was Obama first elected to the Illinois State Senate?
A. 1994
B. 1996
C. 1998
D. 2000

5. What republican candidate did Obama defeat in the 2004 United States Senate election in Illinois?
A. Blair Hull
B. Peter Fitzgerald
C. Jack Ryan
D. Alan Keyes

6. In 1992, Obama married whom?
A. Martha Robinson
B. Maria Robinson
C. Michelle Robinson
D. Mary Robinson

7. In 2005, Obama co-sponsored the "Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act" along with what Republican Senator?
A. Sen. John Warner (R-VA)
B. Sen. Craig Thomas (R-WY)
C. Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN)
D. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)

8. What was the first electoral contest that Obama won in the 2008 Democratic presidential primary run?
A. Iowa
B. New Hampshire
C. South Carolina
D. Michigan

9. How many states did Barack Obama win on Super Tuesday in the 2008 Democratic presidential primary run?
A. 11
B. 12
C. 13
D. 14

10. Obama says that his alternate career choice would have been:
A. Architect
B. Pastor
C. Doctor
D. Psychologist

Yes, there will be a fabulous prize for the Winner. How'd you do?



ANSWERS:

A – Honolulu, Hawaii
B – Harvard University
D – University of Chicago
B – 1996
D – Alan Keyes
C – Michelle Robinson
D – Sen John McCain (R-AZ)
A – Iowa
C – 13
A – Architect

10 Best Movies of All Time

A lively lunchtime discussion sparked this post, here are my picks:

1. Gone with the Wind
2. Casablanca
3. Wizard of Oz
4. To Kill a Mockingbird
5. Saving Private Ryan
6. The Godfather
7. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?
8. Fiddler on the Roof
9. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
10. Sound of Music

I know, I Know, I’ve left off Citizen Kane, It’s a Wonderful Life, Rocky, Annie Hall, Midnight Cowboy, Raging Bull, Dr. Zhivago, Lawrence of Arabia, Mary Poppins, Ben Hur, Patton, The Graduate, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Shane, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn . . . and 3 million others!

Of course, lists like this tend to reveal more about the compiler than the merits of the movies, especially when you label them the Best of. What would your list of ten include?

P.S. Lemming, please upgrade to DSL so you can respond (LOL).

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I think.

No resolutions here (can't keep them anyway).

More later.

Soup Days

When the weather turns cold, I get out my biggest soup pot and have a marathon soup making day. I got to take home the leftover smoked ham from Christmas dinner last night so I am making my famous split pea soup. Think I'll make some nice homemade bread to go with it.

I love slow soup days like this.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

It's raining and storming here in sunny California. The air is crisp and cold, well, cold by California standards - it's about 52 but got down to 43 last night. Family scattered around the country - Oregon & Nevada - have been calling this morning to say Merry Christmas. I'll miss not seeing everyone this year . . .

My niece and her husband in Oregon are having their first "white" Christmas as snow is still falling in Portland and Seattle. My sister in Las Vegas is also having snow, although it's just raining this morning. Heard from husband's family in Sacramento, rain and fog in our State Capitol and Santa was good to everyone too.

My pumpkin pies are ready to transport to my youngest brother's for dessert tonight. We'll spend the night there also.

Merry Christmas to all of my blogger friends and hoping you're enjoying time with family and friends too.

Teeth Whitening Strips

So, I tried those teeth whitening strips this morning. The last time I bought my gallon size bottle of Listerine, there were free samples attached, and I'm a sucker for anything that has free samples attached.

I read the instructions carefully 3 times as these are my only teeth I'm talking about here.
It starts off telling you to ask your Dentist before using if you have dental work as it will not whiten dental work. Well, my Dentist goes to Hawaii every year at this time to surf so that was out. I was on my own and I felt brave. And I have a mouthful of dental work.

I carefully opened the first little foil packet and immediately dropped it in the bathroom sink. It melted clean away in less than 3 seconds right before my eyes!

Swell. So I open packet number two (not over the sink this time) and successfully apply the clear strip to my lower teeth - it says to start with the lower teeth because of the saliva factor, I know, TMI.

Good so far. Next I apply a strip to my upper teeth, getting a bit on my gums. THEN I read "don't allow strip to adhere to gums," but I decide to live dangerously and chance it. No harm done, it's only hydrogen peroxide for crying out loud!

I stand there grinning at myself in the bathroom mirror as these strips start turning into gel. "Does Paris Hilton do this," I'm wondering? The instructions say the strips should melt away in about 10 minutes for most people. 30 minutes later I'm thinking, I'm not "most people."

I can't stand it anymore and decide to brush the gunky gel off my teeth, floss too. I don't see much of anything different but it does "take twice a day for two weeks" the instructions say and I don't need another gallon of Listerine at the moment.

I think I'll wait until my surfing Dentist comes back from Hawaii and ask how much a professional whitening job costs. Free whitening strips are not for me.

Have Rolling Pin, Will Travel

How I am spending my Christmas vacation: I am having a blast!

Sleeping til 7:30 (three hours more sleep than usual), making my own coffee and drinking it by the light of my two Christmas trees. Having whatever I want for breakfast, sometimes going to my fave cafe for lunch and eating at a table all by myself.

Monday I took my rolling pin to bake with family in Santa Clara as we have been doing for the past two years - I guess this qualifies as a tradition. Yesterday, I baked 78 gingerbread boys and decorated them with my niece, ex-sil, and nephew's girlfriend - a five year tradition. This Sunday, I'm taking my rolling pin to Milpitas to make gingerbread boys with another branch of the family.

I could get used to this.

What's better than spending time, quality time, with family, especially the younger generation and building a legacy? My legacy is baking memories with the ones I love the most. It just doesn't get any better than that. It just doesn't.

P.S. I said Merry Christmas to the Salvation Army bell ringer and they said Merry Christmas back, not that crappy Happy Holidays . . . there's hope afterall.

Doctors as Friends

I have the best Doctor on the planet! Had my check-up this morning:

Heart = still beating
Lungs = still breathing
Blood Pressure = been worse (140/90 when the nurse took it, 128/92 when Dr took it) will stay on current medication
Blood Oxygen = normal (whatever that is)
Temperature = 99.8
Pulse = still have one
Weight = up a little (but I have lost 67 pounds in the past year)
Cholesterol = 160
All the Other Stuff = fine and dandy except I am overdue for a colonoscopy (she told me about hers and it still doesn't convince me) so I told her I'd make it a goal for 2009 - NOT!

The reason I bring this up is because at all my appts we have the most amazing conversations and I leave feeling really good about myself and that everything is as it should be. I always get a big hug too. This morning she remembered this was the first Christmas without my Mom and the second without my brother (sure, it's written in my chart) but it's nice she even mentions it.

I also always leave feeling a little sad because she is someone I could really have as a personal friend. She's about two years younger than me and has been through many of the same things I have. I left wanting to invite her and her husband over for dinner or something. But I don't know "the rules" about befriending or getting too chummy with your Doctor. I'll have to ponder this in my Happiness Project.

Speaking of, I told her about it and she thinks it's great and admires that I enjoy writing. She says she doesn't write because she's "too lazy." OK, so this woman went how many years to medical school, sees how many patients a year, has her own family to tend, and she thinks she's lazy???

Now I'm blathering . . . hope you're having a nice day (I'm on vacation until January 5th).

Do You "Wordle" Yet?

Go here to make some "word clouds" (I'm beginnning work on My Happiness Project).

Tag, You're It!

I've never been tagged but I liked this from lemming's progress:

Where is your cell phone? Charging on my desk
Where is your significant other? At work
Your hair color? Blonde (natural too)
Your Mother? Did the best she could
Your Father? Did the best he could
Your favorite thing? The ocean
Your dream last night? Can't remember any
Your goal? To start my own Happiness Project (more later)
The room you're in? My office
Your hobby? Baking
Your fear? Too many to list here
Where do you to be in 6 years? Retired and travelling
Where were you last night? On the couch watching MSNBC
What you're not? An extrovert
One of your wish-list items? A closet organizer
Where you grew up? San Jose, CA (aka Silicon Valley)
The last thing you did? Checked my email
What are you wearing? My new Santa scarf (knitted by my SIL)
Your TV? Old
Your pet(s)? 3 cats: Phoebe G, Samantha, & Violet and 14 fish in a 100 gallon tank
Your computer? Dell
Your mood? Tomorrow is my first day of vacation until Jan 5th, so you tell me
Missing someone? Mom, Dad and Ed
Your car's name? Olive
Something you're not wearing? Earrings
Favorite store? Sur La Table
Your summer? I hate summer!
Love someone? I love lots of someones
Your favorite color? Green
When is the last time you laughed? On the drive into work this morning
Last time you cried? Last Sunday
Tagging? anyone

The Christmas Decorations are up . . .

OMG, I am exhausted!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

It's a beautiful day here on the central coast of California, about 62 degrees, partly-cloudy - all the rain yesterday washed the sky blue again. GORGEOUS!

I've just pulled my homemade yeast rolls from the oven (my contribution to Thanksgiving dinner) and have the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on the TV; I only watch because of the giant balloons and Santa's arrival. We're going to my Mother-in-Law's today and to my family's on Saturday, sorta Thanksgiving and my Brother's birthday celebrated together. I can't wait!

Thinking about my Mom a lot today. She passed away in January and this time of the year was her favorite, probably why it's my favorite time of the year too. I'm going to say Mom's prayer at dinner this afternoon: "Rub-a-Dub-Dub, Thanks for the Grub, Yay, God!"

Anyway, I wish you all a very happy day and hope it's spent with people you love . . . or at least who you really like. Take care.

My Baby Brother Turns 50

We are all going to his house for a big party on Saturday the 29th. And since he doesn't read my blog (even tho I gave him the address), I will post the poem I wrote for the occasion:


On My Baby Brother Turning 50

Distinguished friends and family gathered here today,
please listen to me briefly as I have some words to say.

On this notable occasion we are here to celebrate
the birthday of my brother, who is fifty on this date.

We know him as a man of honor, honest and foursquare.
He is well-traveled, well liked, even somewhat debonair.

He’s now a half century old but still he looks fine,
more wrinkles will come, it will just take some time.

Yes, my brother is turning 50 and his hair is turning grey
but some of us remember him before he got this way.

Always a handsome lad who had been known to flirt,
but once he was a little boy known to me as Johnny Burt.

He’s laughed a lot and cried a little too, and of the hard times,
I'm sure there were a few!

He’s fallen and stood right back up on his feet,
and many good people he’s had the pleasure to meet.

He’s worked very hard and played a lot too, but John,
there's not too many who can do what you do.

There are so many people around him here that care,
and hope at his one hundredth, they will be there.

Turning Fifty's not such a terrible thing,
but I can't wait to see what the next fifty brings!!!!

All my love, Cissy

Worth repeating (from last year)

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Did I mention that I love Fall?

Actually, I am addicted to Fall: crisp air, that “autumn blue” sky, raking leaves, freshly picked apples, dried corn stalks, and pumpkin patches. (Note: I could be genetically predisposed as my birthday falls on the first day of Autumn most years.) My house begins to fill with the scent of cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice. Around the end of July, I begin scouring my old magazines for Fall arts & crafts and decorating projects, comfort food ideas, and new baking recipes. I am a woman obsessed! I go down to the basement to begin sorting through my Fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving decorations, all carefully packed in plastic storage boxes (I’ll spare you my obsession with Christmas and how I put up 3 Christmas trees each year).

This past Sunday, in honor of my birthday, my husband took me out to breakfast, my favorite meal to have out and also to cook. As we drove south on Hwy 1, along the coast to Moss Landing, overlooking Monterey Bay, I spied my first pumpkin patch of the season. My husband of 30 years knows well my reaction to seeing the pumpkins for the first time and pulled over just in time (he’s really as bad as me) to take in the gorgeous sea of orange and white. Pumpkins of every size imaginable, as far as the eye can see, rolling down to the water’s edge.

Did I mention that I love Fall?

Obama Cabinet Picks (just thinking ahead)

I won't try and guess the biggies like Chief of Staff (I have read Rahm Emanuel has the job if he wants it), Attorney General (a woman would be nice) or Secretary of State (?)
BUT
how about these names:

Treasury Secretary: Michael Bloomberg (he's a party swinger, kinda like Lieberman)

Secretary of Energy: Arnold Schwarzenegger (Repub who's actually done well here in CA)

Secretary of Education: Caroline Kennedy (a Kennedy in the White House again - Camelot!)

Secretary of Defense: Colin Powell (I know but he was a soldier and knows his stuff)

Press Secretary: Jon Stewart or Keith Olberman (Stephen Colbert is Canadian)

OK, I'll keep thinking . . .

Oh yeah, and I dreamed Michelle Obama asked me to come decorate the White House for Christmas - ME, not Martha Stewart - lol - it could happen!

Open Letter to Obama from Alice Walker

Nov. 5, 2008

Dear Brother Obama,
You have no idea, really, of how profound this moment is for us. Us being the black people of the Southern United States. You think you know, because you are thoughtful, and you have studied our history. But seeing you deliver the torch so many others before you carried, year after year, decade after decade, century after century, only to be struck down before igniting the flame of justice and of law, is almost more than the heart can bear.

And yet, this observation is not intended to burden you, for you are of a different time, and, indeed, because of all the relay runners before you, North America is a different place. It is really only to say: Well done.

We knew, through all the generations, that you were with us, in us, the best of the spirit of Africa and of the Americas. Knowing this, that you would actually appear, someday, was part of our strength. Seeing you take your rightful place, based solely on your wisdom, stamina and character, is a balm for the weary warriors of hope, previously only sung about.I would advise you to remember that you did not create the disaster that the world is experiencing, and you alone are not responsible for bringing the world back to balance.

A primary responsibility that you do have, however, is to cultivate happiness in your own life. To make a schedule that permits sufficient time of rest and play with your gorgeous wife and lovely daughters. And so on.

One gathers that your family is large. We are used to seeing men in the White House soon become juiceless and as white-haired as the building; we notice their wives and children looking strained and stressed. They soon have smiles so lacking in joy that they remind us of scissors. This is no way to lead. Nor does your family deserve this fate.

One way of thinking about all this is: It is so bad now that there is no excuse not to relax. From your happy, relaxed state, you can model real success, which is all that so many people in the world really want. They may buy endless cars and houses and furs and gobble up all the attention and space they can manage, or barely manage, but this is because it is not yet clear to them that success is truly an inside job. That it is within the reach of almost everyone.

I would further advise you not to take on other people's enemies. Most damage that others do to us is out of fear, humiliation and pain. Those feelings occur in all of us, not just in those of us who profess a certain religious or racial devotion. We must learn actually not to have enemies, but only confused adversaries who are ourselves in disguise.

It is understood by all that you are commander in chief of the United States and are sworn to protect our beloved country; this we understand, completely. However, as my mother used to say, quoting a Bible with which I often fought, "hate the sin, but love the sinner." There must be no more crushing of whole communities, no more torture, no more dehumanizing as a means of ruling a people's spirit. This has already happened to people of color, poor people, women, children. We see where this leads, where it has led.

A good model of how to "work with the enemy" internally is presented by the Dalai Lama, in his endless caretaking of his soul as he confronts the Chinese government that invaded Tibet. Because, finally, it is the soul that must be preserved, if one is to remain a credible leader. All else might be lost; but when the soul dies, the connection to earth, to peoples, to animals, to rivers, to mountain ranges, purple and majestic, also dies.

And your smile, with which we watch you do gracious battle with unjust characterizations, distortions and lies, is that expression of healthy self-worth, spirit and soul, that, kept happy and free and relaxed, can find an answering smile in all of us, lighting our way, and brightening the world.We are the ones we have been waiting for.

In Peace and Joy,
Alice Walker

AWESOME DAY FOR AMERICA!!!

Proud. Proud. Proud.
I am especially proud to be an American today.

The dark clouds over this nation are moving away;
Good bye to the old, make way for the new.

It's not going to be easy, let's roll up our sleeves
and get to work!

The page has been turned.

We've looked in the mirror and have finally become
the country we always knew we were.

(Party at my house January 24th, you're ALL invited!)

Dr. King had it Right

"I look forward confidently to the day when all who work for a living will be one with no thought to their separateness as Negroes, Jews, Italians or any other distinctions.

This will be the day when we bring into full realization the American dream-- a dream yet unfulfilled. A dream of equality of opportunity, of privilege and property widely distributed;
a dream of a land where men will not take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few;
a dream of a land where men will not argue that the color of a man's skin determines the content of his character; a dream of a nation where all our gifts and resources are held not for ourselves alone, but as instruments of service for the rest of humanity; the dream of a country where every man will respect the dignity and worth of the human personality." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Yet ANOTHER reason to vote tomorrow

Free coffee at Starbucks

I voted Saturday, wonder if that counts?

Happy Halloween (from last year)

1) Never read a book of demon summoning aloud, even as a joke.
2) Do not search the basement or attic when the power is out.
3) As a general rule, do not solve puzzles that open portals to Hell.
4) When it appears you have killed the monster, never check to see if it's really dead. It isn't.
5) Do not take anything from the dead. No matter how much you like it, it's bound to disagree with you sooner or later.
6) If you find a town that looks deserted, there's probably a good reason for it. Don't stop to look around.
7) Don't fool with recombinant DNA technology unless you know exactly what you're doing.
8) Never stand in, on, or above a grave, tomb, or crypt. This rule also applies to any other house of the dead.
9) If you're running from the monster, expect to trip or fall down at least twice--more if you're female.
10) Beware of strangers bearing strange tools like chainsaws, staple guns, hedge trimmers, electric carving knives, combines, lawn mowers, butane torches, soldering irons, and ice picks.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Halloween Candies - Top 10 Worst

According to "Serious Eats.com," the little beggars who come calling every October 31st have a preferred and despised list of Halloween candy. Just in case some of you'd like to avoid the "tricks" associated with the holiday, here's the despised list (and why):

1) Toothbrushes - apparently Dentists & Orthodontists should NOT bring their work home with them on this night.

2) Raisins - the little goblins want treats that will actually rot their teeth, not "wrinkled grapes."

3) Candy Corn - now this is just unAmerican. What is Halloween without candy corn? It's the "fruitcake" of Halloween.

4) Smarties & Necco wafers - I agree, who wants to eat chalk!

5) Dum-Dum lollipops - oh come on, who can resist a 3,000 count package of suckers for $1.99?

6) Apples - remember when bad peeps would hide razor blades in these . . . makes me shudder just remembering the days of ex-raying all candy at the local ER.

7) Tootsie Rolls - yeah, no chocolate in them at all anymore and a destroyer of dental work.

8) Miscellaneous, Hard wrapped candy - reserved for Senior Citizens? What about the bagged stuff they put in Pinatas?

9) Laffy Taffy - hey, it's their dental work NOT MINE!

10) Anything "Fun-Sized- " apparently anything "portion controlled" shouldn't apply to Halloween.

OK, so, that means the 3 Costco bags of 250 count tootsie rolls, tootsie pops, sweet tarts, and miscellaneous hard-wrapped candy I just bought have to be returned? Phhhhhhhhhhtttttttttttttt, beggars can't be choosers!!!!!!

“Donde esta la Cerveza?”

From drunken college frat boy to when he finally admitted there were no WMDs in Iraq, Oliver Stone’s “W” tries really hard to make us believe that all poor George W. Bush ever wanted to do was watch baseball and drink beer all day. Sounds like a reasonable request to me. Then again, this was the starting point to understanding how Bush got into office, why he got into office, and why he never should have gotten into office.

If you are a fan of George W. Bush, you're going to be more fond of him than ever. If you are not a fan of George W. Bush, you're going to be surprised at how sympathetic his character appears. Whatever your political beliefs, you won't find anything unexpected in "W."

I do wish the film would have explored the connection between Bush's alcoholism and his born-again Christianity with some depth or curiosity - what addicts and born-agains share is a terror of ambiguity, an absolute need for a belief system that removes all doubt- but at least the film lets us know the American people made a HUGE mistake.

It’s worth the price of admission just to see Richard Dreyfuss play Dick Cheney. One of the most chilling movie scenes ever is when Cheney is asked about his exit strategy from Iraq - “There is no exit. We stay.” I swear to god, it gave me goose bumps!

Josh Brolin's performance as “W” is really amazing; in fact, Brolin's so good, he almost makes you feel sorry for Bush. Almost. An equally stellar performance by James Cromwell as “Poppy,” George H.W. Bush, Sr., makes me understand why Daddy Bush would rather hang with Bill Clinton these days.

Still, leaving the theater, I had the sense that, really, it is too early for this movie to have been made.

Sarah Palin Explains It All

"We believe that the best of America is not all in Washington, D.C.

We believe" -- here the audience interrupted Palin with applause and cheers --

"We believe that the best of America is in these small towns that we get to visit,

and in these wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America,

being here with all of you hard working very patriotic,

um, very, um, pro-America

areas of this great nation.

This is where we find the kindness

and the goodness and the courage of everyday Americans.

Those who are running our factories and teaching our kids

and growing our food and are fighting our wars for us.

Those who are protecting us in uniform.

Those who are protecting the virtues of freedom."

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yeah....she loves those small pockets of "pro-americans" a.k.a. small pockets of uneducated white republicans who actually like her. Or is that pro-America like Todd Palin is pro-America?

The Final Debate

They say a picture is worth a thousand words . . .

New Candidate Alert!!!

OMG, I've never been so excited about a potential Presidential candidate in my life . . . view here:

http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.php?id=46832&altf=JutNf&altl=Djttz

Greed Is Good?

Little Boots’ New American Way: social welfare for the rich by giving $700 billion to Wall Street so that they can turn around and lend it back to us.

I had to giggle when I heard Republicans blaming Nancy Pelosi's scathing speech near the close of the debate — which attacked Bush's economic policies and a "right-wing ideology of anything goes, no supervision, no discipline, no regulation" of financial markets — for the vote's failure.

Thank you, Nancy Pelosi, for calling things as you see them. You (the Democrats & a few brave Republicans) made me proud today when you stood and refused to be bullied into signing on to this joke of a plan and insisting on more detail and oversight.

Socialism is not Patriotic: Don’t bail them out, Jail Them!

Dow Jones Industrial Average - Then & Now

January 20th, 2001 = 10,588
September 17th, 2008 = 10,605

Bush says: "We must act now to protect our nation's economic health."

This is the same loser who's been telling us over and over for years that the economy is "strong."

Three months left in his miserable presidency and all of a sudden we need to "act now to protect our economic health."

Way to go Little Boots!

Happy Birthday To My Best Friend Karen!

We met in the middle of 6th grade. I was blonde and Anglo, she was olive and Mexican-American. What she saw in me that first day I’ll never know but she held out her hand in friendship to a very shy 11 year old that had been to three different schools that year.

I always thought Karen was lucky. She had a nice house full of older sisters who could do the most AMAZING things with their hair. And they had BOYFRIENDS! Her parents, especially her Dad, loved her to pieces (I can close my eyes right now and feel the love in that house).

Karen taught me to toast corn tortillas over an open flame on the gas stove in the kitchen. I’d sometimes sleep over and we’d sleep in middle of the same double bed, giggling, about boys, until we both fell asleep.

On weekends, we’d ride the city bus “K & C’s Excellent Adventures” to downtown San Jose to window shop at Woolworth’s, Macy’s, Hale’s & Hart’s, completely fearless about being MILES from home (no cell phones then). We’d go to movies in old theaters that had velvet curtains and ushers with flashlights. We’d play with Barbie’s at my house, devour my Mom’s homemade bread the second a loaf came out of the oven, and went (indoor) roller skating every Friday & Saturday night. We’d drink “suicides” almost until we were sick. Anyone else know what a “suicide” is?

And Karen had DOGS, a big white poodle named Cognac who had a litter of puppies with their black poodle Fluffy. It was one of the best days of my life when I was given first pick from the litter who I named “Mademoiselle Michelle Cognac La Fluff Reyes Parsons” (Mimi for short).

In High School we were on the Yearbook Staff together, in charge of Clubs. Karen was a beauty (looked EXACTLY like Marlow Thomas aka “That Girl!”) and became a song girl; I joined the Spirit Club and painted the banners the football team ran through at the beginning of every game. She was “front of the house,” I was “behind the scenes.”

Karen married right out of High School and after the birth of her first child, we lost touch. Last October, her husband found me on the Classmates.com website and we have been trying to catch up on the last 30-something years ever since.

I hope you have a very Happy Birthday Karen and I am so glad we found each other again.

The Bush Doctrine ("Caribou Barbie" Edition)

The Bush Doctrine is based on delusions of grandeur about America's ability to dominate the world and endorses the use of unilateral preemptive force & persuasion rather than honest multi-lateral cooperation.

Just remember these four words: “Preemption, rather than reaction.”

In order to justify the invasion of Afghanistan, Bush came up with the policy that the United States has the right to treat countries that harbor or give aid to terrorist groups as terrorists themselves. Later, in order to justify the invasion of Iraq, he added that the United States should depose foreign regimes that represented a supposed threat to the security of the United States, even if that threat was not immediate.
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Obama was right about one thing, even if you put lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig.

7 Years Later: Rememberng 9/11

Life-altering changes. I guess if you live long enough, it probably happens more than once. For me it was the assassinations of JFK, RFK, MLK, Jr., and the Challenger explosion. I will always remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard about or witnessed these events.

The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 were different.

While I didn’t have any family or friends die that day, I did have a friend, a Nurse, working in Manhattan who lived through the whole nightmare. At the University, we were deeply saddened when we learned that Alumni Jason Dahl, a 1980 Graduate in Aeronautical Engineering, was the Pilot and Captain of the crew of Flight 93, the plane that crashed in a field just outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

The overwhelming majority of casualties were ordinary people like you and me, including nationals from over 90 different countries. Let’s never forget that excluding the 19 hijackers, 2,974 people died in the attacks. Another 24 are missing and presumed dead.

Now, seven years have come and gone. In those years we moved on, we put 9/11 aside with all our other memories. Very briefly, we came together as a nation to help and comfort each other when we were all just human beings on common ground.

I hope on this tragic 7th Anniversary, we remember what is still good about our country and the innocent men, women and children who lost their lives. Let’s also remember the Heroes who responded to the emergency and the people who continue to sacrifice every day to help stop conflict around the world.

McCain's Speech

Yes, I watched the speech, I watched the whole stinking RNC this week as a matter of fact. With a barf bag at the ready of course. Only used it once when the "Cindy Show" was aired. Even 3 glasses of wine did not help to dim the pain of watching THAT. Does the woman get it that spending over 300K on an outfit for that night alone is...is...that vein in my neck is proturding so I better stop.

Unemployment is at a all time high in 5 years at 6.1. Did McShame say how he going to move this Country foward? Did he talk about: creating new jobs, improving economic fundamentals, shifting the tax burden from the lower pay classes back to the upper pay classes?

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What the critics said:

Former Bush Speechwriter: "Pretty Disappointing"

National Review: "Flat, Forced"

David Gergen: "Mostly A Rerun Of A Lot Of Old Republican Ideas"

New Republic: "No Overarching Themes"

CNN'S Jeffrey Toobin: "Worst Speech By Nominee Since Jimmy Carter In 1980"

NY Times Blog: "Some Delegates Fell Asleep" (I think I heard the snoring...)

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TOM BROKAW: But the fact is, governor, that you have had eight years of a bush administration and a lot of Republicans in Congress for the last eight years, so why wouldn't the american people say, look they had their shot we're going to change?

TOM RIDGE: Because John Bush - because John McCain is very much his own man...

No Tom, you were right the first time.

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Oh, and I know this is trivial, except when it applies to Obama, but where was McCain's flag pin?

Sarah Palin?

O-M-G!

This is like GHWB picking Clarence Thomas and saying with a straight face: "He's the most qualified candidate in America for the Supreme Court."

Biden vs Palin will be like King Kong vs Bambi, I can't wait for the debates! She is wrong for all the right reasons!!!


Typical Republican Tokenism.

Steve Jobs' Obituary, Retracted

Apparently the Bloomberg financial newswire decided to update its Steve Jobs obituary - and accidently published it instead. Now I know it's fairly standard procedure for news organizations to prepare obituaries in advance - Mr. Jobs is fighting pancreatic cancer - but imagine waking up and reading about your own passing in The Wall Street Journal?

I guess the best part is getting to read your own obit . . . or is it? If it wasn't so creepy, it would be funny.

Heads are gonna roll over this one that's for sure.

Why I'm Not Watching the Olympics

When people ask me if I’m watching the 2008 Summer Olympic Games I always answer with a question: “Would you have watched the 1936 Berlin Games?”

They always respond back “it’s not the same.”

They’re right, it’s not the same.

The Nazi's only killed about 6 million people.

Since 1949, the Chinese Communist Party has only killed about 60 million people.
(Wasn’t it Stalin who said “the death of one man is a tragedy, but the death of one million is merely a statistic?”)

Yes, the Olympics should be all about the athletes and not about politics -but always is- and since China is requiring gag orders of the athletes and most of the world press, restricting Internet access, lying about the ages of it’s gymnasts, displacing and making homeless thousands of people to build the Olympic venue (I could go on and on), it is China that is politicizing the games - all in the name of “putting on a good face to the world.”

Many of us are not fooled.

Growing up, I embraced the view that the Olympics promoted world peace and celebrated human accomplishment and dignity, but would it not be better to show our support of a country whose government actually shares the beliefs of the Olympic Charter?

I went to the same High School as Mark Spitz (graduated with one of his sisters - pardon my name-dropping) and cheering him on during the 1972 games were the most exciting ever. And yes, Michael Phelps is amazing and deserves his moment of glory, but even he should have thought of the sacrifices we sometimes have to make when we choose to do the right thing.

I am also convinced that the human rights abuses in Beijing, the atrocities in Darfur, Burma, and Tibet, as well as the myriad of horrific and sometimes macabre incidents that occur in China reach FAR beyond the restraints of politics. But surely the difference between war and peace, comfort and torture - even life and death - are enough to call a halt to any international celebratory event, no matter how good its intentions?

08/08/08

I asked a Chinese-born colleague yesterday why the big deal? She said that numerology is a BIG BUSINESS in China and that in Cantonese [the language of Southern China and Hong Kong], the word 'fah' means 'eight,' but it also sounds like the word for 'make a lot of fortune.' (Nevermind that China's official language is Mandarin, not Cantonese). But the tradition apparently gained national traction in the '80s "when the Cantonese speaking parts of China excelled economically.

She went on to tell me about other "lucky" numbers based on Chinese words that sound similar to other Chinese words:

One = good- means unity
Two= good- good things come in pairs; it also sounds like their word for 'easy'
Three= good- sounds like their word meaning 'life'
Four= good & not good, depends on the dialect- sounds like their word for 'business' or 'job'
Five= good- associated with the "Five Elements" (metal, wood, water, fire, earth). For example, the Tiananmen gate, being the main thoroughfare to the Forbidden City, has five arches.
Six= good- means "everything goes smoothly"
Seven= good & not good (unlucky in Northern China)- mostly symbolizes "togetherness"
Eight= good- the word for 'eight' in Mandarin sounds similar to the word that means "prosper"
Nine= very good-historically- associated with the Emperor; sounds like the word for "longlasting"

So now you've had your numerology lessson for the day and I really need to get some coffee!

What I'm Reading Right Now

Everyone who knows me knows that I like to talk about and think about food (I also like to cook but baking is my REAL passion and I consider cookbooks “recreational” reading) but a lot of the foods we think of as Chinese are actually more American and virtually unknown in China: General Tso’s chicken, chop suey, egg rolls, broccoli beef (broccoli is originally an Italian vegetable) and the origins of the ubiquitous fortune cookie (I won’t ruin the surprise) that is now exported to China as American fortune cookies. If you’re going to the Olympics this year, note “Made in the U.S.A.” on the label and tell me I'm wrong.

What I like about the book "Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food" by Jennifer 8. Lee (the 8 symbolizes prosperity to the Chinese) is that it is an entertaining and well written narrative of a world most of us are familiar with but none of us really know. One chapter is devoted to everything you need to know about the distinctive shape of Chinese take-out containers in the U.S. ; another one on the soy sauce trade war of 2005 (bet you never heard of that one); and my favorite chapter covers who it is who writes the fortunes found inside each cookie. You'll be surprised!

The book delves into the dark side as well, highlighting statistics on how many Chinese deliverymen, many of whom barely speak English, are murdered in New York City simply for the cash and takeout meal they carry. The racism and discrimination faced by Chinese immigrants in America is also noted, where many Asians are invisible, including the Japanese, Koreans, Filipinos, etc., and treated as if they are all the same.

In the first chapter, the author challenges the perception of apple pie as the ultimate in “Americanness." If that is your benchmark, ask yourself, how often do you eat apple pie? Now how often do you eat Chinese food? Great food for thought.

See, I told you I like to think about food.

So go support your local public library and check this book out.

My Single Entry for July (I've been busy)

Three contractors are bidding to fix the White House fence, one from New York, another from Tennessee, and the third from Florida. They go with a White House official to examine the fence.

The Florida contractor takes out a tape measure and does some measuring,then works some figures with a pencil. Well, he says 'I figure the job will run about $900: $400 for materials, $400 for my crew, and $100 profit for me.

The Tennessee contractor also does some measuring and figuring, then says,'I can do this job for $700: $300 for materials, $300 for my crew, and $100 profit for me.

The New York contractor doesn't measure or figure, but leans over to the White House official and whispers: '$2,700.

The official, incredulous, says, 'You didn't even measure like the other guys! How did you come up with such a high figure?

$1,000 for me, $1,000 for you, and we hire the guy from Tennessee.

Sex and the City

This is a tad late but some female friends and co-workers have now seen the movie and are urging me to also. Other than being a great excuse to drink Cosmos, the movie was a short topic on another (hi bob!) amazing blog I read religiously, and this was my response there:

"I never really watched the show, mainly because I don’t have HBO at home, but I did watch a couple episodes while traveling (hotels ALWAYS have HBO). Sex and the City may have been a great study of female friendship but like Miranda pointed out in one episode I did watch, “How does it happen that four such smart women have nothing to talk about but boyfriends?”

I’m not saying it wasn’t a good show since it dealt with many important topics like infertility, bereavement, ageing, single motherhood, sexual discrimination and divorce, to name a few. And the way they spoke, and the things they talked about, were (supposedly) very revolutionary

BUT

If I had been a loyal fan of the show, I think I would have been disappointed at the end. Why do they (and most all other networks) always have to go back to the “traditional view” that the future for (most) women means marriage and children?"

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I would add: why is it that otherwise intelligent women are not seen as "fulfilled" in our society until they are married and have produced children? The one network program I did enjoy watching every week was "Mad About You." At last, an obviously in love couple enjoying life together without children - - - until the final episode when "Mable" came into the world and ruined it all. She was given a god-awful name that was proof positive (at least to me) that Jamie & Paul really did not want children in the first place, else why would they name their child Mable???????

OK, for a slow day, that's my two-cents on Sex and the City.

Letter to the Editor

I am modestly famous for my "Letters to the Editor" of my local newspaper. This latest was written in response to 2 rampaging pit bulls in and around my neighborhood. A neighbor's kitty cat I was particularly fond of was killed by these dogs and I've written a response to the article that appeared last Friday. It makes me even more glad my 3 kitties stay inside at all times.
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To the Editor:

Four neighborhoods were terrorized by two rampaging dogs on Friday and beloved family pets slaughtered yet witnesses to the carnage “requested their names be withheld for fear of retribution from the dogs’ owners.” What is going on here? The fact that these witnesses are afraid to be identified speaks volumes about how these unfortunate dogs were used as tools of intimidation and will (hopefully) attract the police attention so badly needed.

The irresponsible and ignorant dog owners in this case obviously lack morals and have no respect for how their actions affect the rest of society. They should face felony charges for recklessly allowing their dangerous dogs to run at-large. I've also noticed how many owners of attacking dogs (of any breed) share so many commonalities: they are often known criminals and have not properly raised or trained their animals. They use their aggressive dogs solely to intimidate and are generally cowards. I am outraged that any thought of these animals being allowed back into our community is being entertained, they should be destroyed at their unremorseful owners’ expense.

I know it's very hip nowadays to have a potentially deadly dog as a fashion accessory and it just goes to show how few brain cells some of these morons have. We’ve all seen them around town, walking around with the crotch of their pants hanging down to their ankles, hat on sideways, tight “wife-beater” tee shirt clinging to their scrawny chest holding a leash attached to a vicious looking pit bull breed with a spiked collar. It’s a laughable sight to see since we all know what “inadequacy” they really suffer from.

The Sabres are Rattling...Again

Where there's smoke, there's fire. Although entirely within the realm of possibility since the Bush regime has shown that it will tell any lie and orchestrate any event in order to “finish the job” in the Middle East.

“Finishing the job” means to destroy the ability of Iraq, Iran, and Syria to provide support for the Palestinians and for Hezbollah in southern Lebanon against Israeli aggression. With Iraq and Iran in turmoil, Syria might simply give up and become another American client state. With Iraq and Iran in turmoil, Israel can steal the rest of the West Bank along with the water resources in southern Lebanon. That is what “the war on terror” is really about.

I hope I'm wrong.

Saudis say No More Oil

Guess holding hands with King Abdullah didn't do any good, Dubya was told to go pack sand. Not to mention another ass-kissing trip to Saudi Arabia -at taxpayer's expense- shot to hell!

Maybe he should try flowers. Yeah, "Say it" with a dozen roses. Or chocolates, just not Godiva cuz she rode around neckid as a jay bird and we wouldn't want to add insult to injury by offending those camel molesters.

Hold on, I've got it: offer the hand of daughter Barbara Jr. in marriage to the King's son. WOW, what an alliance THAT would be. Instead of giving up golf (for the troops) Little Boots could sacrifice his own flesh & blood.

If I Were a Terrorist

by James Pence

Just got my "stimulus" refund

Woop-de-freakin-do!

Money borrowed from CHINA so's we can all go out and spend it on CRAP made in CHINA to bolster the economy of CHINA (hope it's not in Yen).

Seriously, the only stimulus this will provide is additional income for the gas companies, as I continue to pay the gouging rates to go to my job to earn money for gas to go to my job to earn money for gas to go to my job to earn money for gas…

Thanks for nothing Uncle George, you shure is watchin out for us little guys.

See ya'll at WalMart!

The CSU is the Solution!

The California State University that is, but our illustrious Republican "No New Taxes" Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to cut $386 MILLION from the CSU budget. In a time of budget crisis there are MORE reasons to fund public higher education than not:

1) California's economy thrives on knowledge-based innovation; higher education is the key to a troubled economy; people with bachelor's degrees earn more and add more to the tax base

2) Every dollar the state invests in the CSU directly generates $4.41 in spending; add to this the higher earnings by CSU graduates, and the return increases to $17 for every dollar invested by the state

3) The CSU prepares the people who do exactly the type of work the Governor says we need - engineers, teachers, and nurses; of all degrees granted in CA, CSU awards 51% in engineering, 64% in nursing ad 65% in business. If too few Californians are earning four-year degrees, we will not be able to meet future trained workforce needs


In perspective, spending for the War in Iraq now costs $720 million per day, including deferred costs such as long-term care for the wounded and interest on our debt. According to the American Friends Services Committee, for just one day's funding for the war, we could provide health insurance for 424,000 children; put 35,000 students through a 4-year college; pay the annual salary of 12,500 new classroom teachers, or buy school lunches for 1.2 million needy kids.

And, imagine what $720 million would mean to the CSU?

(OK, off my soap-box)

Just What I Needed

This past weekend was a three-dayer for many of us here on the Left Coast thanks to Caesar Chavez, so my husband and I took a 4th day and went to visit my younger sister and her family in Las Vegas, Nevada. This being our second trip there, we knew to stay somewhere off "The Strip" for a little more peace and quiet. We don't gamble or smoke either so there's really nothing attractive about The Strip for us and having already walked up and down both sides TWICE our first trip, we didn't even go there this time.

Besides seeing my sis and her family, the highlight was driving through the Mojave Desert and seeing Red Rock Canyon. Even better was being overtaken by an unexpected cloudburst with whipping winds and big fat rain drops falling from the sky. We rolled down the windows to catch the wet, sharp freshness that touches the soul and literally takes your breath away. Being an artist, the colors of the desert are like nothing else I've seen after such a rainstorm and I've already begun a new painting in my mind's eye. The various shades of pink, red, brown and white are amazing as are the desert plants: lupine, Indian paintbrush, sand verbena, sages & Joshua trees. We also saw a few Hawks & falcons patrolling the canyons and cliffs.

This is just what I needed. Quiet. Solitude. Sanctuary.

4,000

The lives of 4,000 U.S. soldiers and 1,033,000 innocent Iraqi civilians have been wasted on Little Boots’ deceitful and failed war, not to mention the 5-6 million Iraqi’s internally and externally displaced.

$13,000,000,000,000 that could have satisfied immense humanitarian and social needs have been squandered on the reckless Iraq military fiasco.

What will Clinton or Obama REALLY do when elected?

In Honor of St. Paddy's Day

The Leprachaun
by Robert Dwyer Joyce (1830-83)

In a shady nook one moonlit night,
A leprachaun I spied
In scarlet coat and cap of green,
A cruiskeen by his side.

'Twas tick, tack, tick, his hammer went,
Upon a weeny shoe,
And I laughed to think of a purse of gold,
But the fairy was laughing too.

With tip-toe step and beating heart,
Quite softly I drew night.
There was mischief in his merry face,
A twinkle in his eye;

He hammered and sang with tiny voice,
And sipped the mountain dew;
Oh! I laughed to think he was caught at last,
But the fairy was laughing, too.

As quick as thought I grasped the elf,
"Your fairy purse," I cried,
"My purse?" said he, "'tis in her hand,
That lady by your side."

I turned to look, the elf was off,
And what was I to do?
Oh! I laughed to think what a fool I'd been,
And, the fairy was laughing too.

My Life (right now) as a Methaphor

"Screensaver mode" which doesn't actually save energy, or at least significantly. It is just designed to protect your monitor from getting an image burned into it permanently.

I'm thinking, I'm thinking...

Happy "Hallmark" Holiday!

A quick story why I kinda, sorta dread Valentine's Day:

A few years ago, my husband was badgered by his female co-workers into getting me a Valentine's gift. None of these women could believe that I didn't want anything for Valentine's Day. He asked me one day if there was anything I wanted. "No, nothing," I said. He replied heatedly "You never want ANYTHING!" To which I replied "Oh, I'm sorry, perhaps you should find a wife who gets angry and pouts if you don't buy her diamonds, rubies, emeralds, or pearls. Poor you, you have a wife who doesn't think that love is measured by how much you spent on a Hallmark Holiday."

The female badgering at work won out however, and he presented me with a small diamond & ruby heart on a gold chain. It is beautiful (and thankfully not showy or flashy as I'm definitely not that kind of person) and I've worn it every Valentine's Day since but always with a stinging reminder of the brief argument.

This year we are going to the ballet to see Swan Lake and then out for dinner on Sunday, the 17th. Time spent together is better than any bouquet of roses or piece of jewelry. Whatever you do today, tell the people dearest to you that you love them.

About that "Stimulus" Nonsense

Article from the Wall Street Journal and a reader's comment:

The logical extension of the stimulus nonsense described in the article reminded me of the aphorism spoken in Eastblock Czechoslovakia:

"Everyone has a job.
Everyone has a job, but nothing is produced.
Nothing is produced, but quotas are met.
Quotas are met, but nothing is available in stores.
Nothing is available in stores, but everyone has a job."

Couldn't have said it better myself!

Why it’s called “Berzerkeley”

On January 30, 2008, as a result of organized anti-war demonstrations, the Berkeley, California, City Council voted to rid the city of the Marine’s recruiting office. They even went as far as drafting a letter calling them “uninvited and unwelcome intruders” in the city.

“By taking a stand against recruitment we are protecting the health and safety of our youth,” said Phoebe Sorgen, a member of the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission. “I see the protest as taking a proud and courageous stand.”

OF COURSE THE TOTAL IRONY IN THIS FASCIST STATEMENT is that without the military Ms. Sorgen, and "The People’s Republic of Berkeley" would not have the freedom of speech that is allowing them to be making such embarrassing asses of themselves!

Berkeley has always been known for its hyperbolic silliness but the sixties have long past, guys, and this schtick is really getting old.

The Hillary - Obama Dilemma

The problem with Obama is that I am not allowed to dislike him simply because I don't agree with him. If I say I don't like him, I'm called a racist. Even sadder is that if he loses it will be because he's black, not because he's boring, anti-Semitic, uninformed and inexperienced.

Hillary doesn't have the same advantage. Over the years people have gotten so used to finding her so dislikeable that it's pretty hard to attribute those negative feelings to her sex, but rather to her personality.

In a nutshell: Obama’s melanin does not make him a better choice any more than Clinton’s hormones.

Super Tuesday!

I voted, have you?

My Mother Passed Away 1/3/08

My Mom passed away peacefully in her sleep after a lengthy battle with congestive heart failure. She was only 76 but she was tired and her body had worn out. I've spent the last couple weeks taking care of all the paperwork, i.e., notifying social security, Medicare, her pensions, her insurance, etc. All has gone fairly smoothly but is very time-consuming.

My family and I decided to have her cremated and will scatter her ashes here in the Monterey Bay when the weather gets better. Last Friday we had a beautiful Memorial Mass for her and it was comforting to have my entire family around me. I could even feel my late brother's presence and am convinced he and Mom are drinking margaritas every afternoon now that they are together again. I know she's in a much better place and that her suffering is over. I take comfort in knowing she was relatively happy and in no physical pain at the end of her life, just as she wished.

Still, it feels strange to have no living parents, I feel like an orphan.

Best Quote of 2007

"the right wine in the right amount with the right food and right folks is about as right as i ever care to get."

(stolen with the permission of the author, thanks bob!)

New Laws for California in 2008

To name just a few…

#1: The Mel Gibson law. It’s now a misdemeanor for a peace officer or law enforcement employee to leak confidential information for financial gain.
This is silly. When was the last time a cop earned a thousand dollars for passing on a photo? Besides, Paris Hilton needed the publicity...

#2: It is now an infraction punishable by a $100 fine to smoke with a child under 18 in the car - whether the vehicle is in motion or not. Note: Traffic officers would not be able to stop a driver for the smoking violation alone but could tack it on to another infraction such as speeding.
OK, call this “Nanny Government” but it’s about time we start protecting kids from smokers.

#3: July 1st, it will be illegal for any driver to use a handheld phone except during emergencies. It will also be illegal for a driver under the age of 18 to use a wireless phone - even if it's hands-free - as well as other mobile devices like PDAs, laptops and pagers.
Ever seen someone text-messaging while driving 85 mph on the highway? My sister does it in Las Vegas (sorry Pudd!)

#4: Increase in the minimum wage: $8.00 per hour ties us with Massachusetts.
If you live here, you know why this is important

#5: New rebates will be available for homeowners and businesses that install solar water heaters.
I’m going to take advantage of this one this year

#6: The state's presidential primary has been moved to earlier in the campaign season.
Got my primary election voting material in the mail this past Saturday – can’t wait for February 5th!

#7: Sperm washing: this allows women to have healthy babies with partners who are HIV-positive.
… who may not live to see the child grow into adulthood?????????????????????????????

And my personal favorite…

#8: We now have a law that prohibits a person from being forced to have a radio frequency identification device implanted in his/her body.
OK for library books and pets, but not for humans, ROFLMAO!

Merry Christmas!

Happy New Year and all that jazz, see ya'll next year.
Peace.

The Blasphemous Teddy Bear

What is it about Islam that it inspires such hatred and violence?

The people calling for the death of Gillian Gibbons because she "insulted Islam" are the same people who for the past 5 years have been complicit in the murder of more than 300,000 of their Muslim countrymen because of the color of their skin.

The problem with organized religions is that, whether it be Islam, Catholicism, orthodox Judaism or right wing Christian fundamentalism, it is far too easy for extremists to use a selective interpretation of their religion in order to justify their political beliefs.

I do wonder what has happened to the Teddy though. Forty lashes maybe? A stoning? No wonder so many Muslims want to live in the West.

The War on Christmas

Lou Dobbs has it right, my blogger friend also.

America is losing her culture bit by bit to political correctness. We no longer require immigrants to learn the language, we have to be understanding and caring of their culture, a culture that was so good they left it to come here. Americans are told they cannot have public displays of their religion, or pray in public schools (unless your religion is a politically correct religion such as Islam). I'm not offended if someone wishes me Happy Chanukah or Happy Kwanza, so why should anyone be offended if I say Merry Christmas?

Don't tell me that I can't celebrate Christmas.

Don't tell me that I can't say Merry Christmas.

Don't tell me that a Christmas tree is a "family" tree.

Don't tell me that December 25 is no longer Christmas Day because the United States Code, section 5-6103, states that December 25 is a legal holiday and that legal holiday is called Christmas.

Christmas is a wonderful holiday, it wishes peace on earth and good will towards all, what other holiday makes that wish? If you don't want to celebrate Christmas, don't. But don't tell those of us that do, that we can't.

We are losing the freedom of speech to political correctness, and we are losing the freedom of religion to political correctness.

A Funny Thing Happened at Mass

My brother would have been proud:

In the Catholic Church, after Communion and all the "housekeeping rituals" are complete (washing the chalices and eating the remaining Hosts), the Priest stands and lifts his arms and (kinda) chants "Let Us Praaaay." Well, my brother always muttered "ooootay" (in a kinda chant) under his breath in response. On the day of his burial, the three front rows of pews on both sides of the aisle was all family, so when the Priest said "Let Us Praaaay" we all quietly chanted "ooootay" in unison. The whole congregation seated behind us paused for a split second and then broke up laughing. Even the Priest had to stop and share why we had done that and was laughing himself. I could almost see my brother give us all a "thumbs up" and flash that shit-eating grin of his.

My Brother Ed Passed Away 11/1/07

RIP dearest and best big brother in the known Universe. What am I going to do without you?

Some Halloween Safety Tips

1) Never read a book of demon summoning aloud, even as a joke.
2) Do not search the basement or attic when the power is out.
3) As a general rule, do not solve puzzles that open portals to Hell.
4) When it appears you have killed the monster, never check to see if it's really dead. It isn't.
5) Do not take anything from the dead. No matter how much you like it, it's bound to disagree with you sooner or later.
6) If you find a town that looks deserted, there's probably a good reason for it. Don't stop to look around.
7) Don't fool with recombinant DNA technology unless you know exactly what you're doing.
8) Never stand in, on, or above a grave, tomb, or crypt. This rule also applies to any other house of the dead.
9) If you're running from the monster, expect to trip or fall down at least twice--more if you're female.
10) Beware of strangers bearing strange tools like chainsaws, staple guns, hedge trimmers, electric carving knives, combines, lawn mowers, butane torches, soldering irons, and ice picks.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

5.6 Earthquake in California, 8:04pm

When I got to work this morning, the elevators were shut down and we were escorted to our offices by Security. Pictures and books were on the floor, a flower vase I had was smashed beyond repair, and this being an 8-story library, you can IMAGINE what the book stacks looked like. We all helped re-shelve them throughout the day.

They say we've had about 30 aftershocks, with the epicenter being about 9 miles from downtown San Jose, on the Calaveras Fault. I actually live about 60 miles away, on the San Andreas Fault, and felt it fairly strongly at home last night. The Loma Prieta quake (on the San Andeas Fault) in 1989 was 6.9 but this one felt just as strong. No major damage has been reported so far. Lots of stuff tumbling off shelves, etc.

The scariest thing was that for about 10 minutes afterwards, we had no land or cell phone service. The funniest thing was watching (in disbelief) my husband trying to hold up our 100 gallon fish aquarium (which was in no danger of collapsing). I asked him who he thought would win, him or 800 pounds of water? OK, so that's a no brainer!

When you live in Callifornia, you gots to live with earthquakes. Thankfully, all is well.

California Fires

Since they began Sunday, the fires have burned at least 373,000 acres, or 583 square miles — an area larger than New York City. Fully a quarter of the California coast is ablaze. More than half a million people have been ordered to evacuate across California. 20,000 weary evacuees are huddled inside Qualcomm Stadium, home of the San Diego Chargers football team right now. There are at least 17 separate fires, spanning a region from north of Los Angeles to south of the Mexican border. Some of the fires are so vast that they can be seen from space and the smoke so thick that weather radars mistake it for rain clouds. Can you imagine?

Side note: our illustrious leader, Little Boots, said in a news conference today that not only were prayers being offered for those affected, but that we will “send the help of the of the federal government as well.” Now that's a real comfort...Wonder if those words sound vaguely familiar to the victims of a hurricane named Katrina?

I'm about 330 miles north of where the fires are but my thoughts and prayers are with my neighbors to the south.

My brother Ed

My oldest brother, Ed, is 62 years old and losing his battle with inoperable liver cancer (first appearing in his stomach).

It was early September 2006 when he was first diagnosed. I blogged about it last year. Chemotherapy was a real roller coaster ride and has had no lasting effect. He’s had the best Doctors, even some from Stanford University Medical Center. This past Tuesday, he was told he had “a couple weeks.” He probably will not make it to Thanksgiving, maybe not even to Halloween.

The jaundice has returned. He is losing bowel and bladder control and has difficulty swallowing (he has to wears Depends and hates it). He cannot walk or stand alone. He has refused Hospice and does not want to die at home. Morphine is his best friend.

I am going to visit him this weekend. I’m baking his favorite cookies: chocolate chip with toasted pecans. I cannot stand to think that this may be our last time together. I cannot imagine my world without him in it. 62 years, 30 years, 99 years, it all goes too fast! It’s not fair. It’s just not fair!!!

Did I mention that I love Fall?

Actually, I am addicted to Fall: crisp air, that “autumn blue” sky, raking leaves, freshly picked apples, dried corn stalks, and pumpkin patches. (Note: I could be genetically predisposed as my birthday falls on the first day of Autumn most years.)

My house begins to fill with the scent of cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice. Around the end of July, I begin scouring my old magazines for Fall arts & crafts and decorating projects, comfort food ideas, and new baking recipes. I am a woman obsessed! I go down to the basement to begin sorting through my Fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving decorations, all carefully packed in plastic storage boxes (I’ll spare you my obsession with Christmas and how I put up 3 Christmas trees each year).

This past Sunday, in honor of my birthday, my husband took me out to breakfast, my favorite meal to have out and also to cook. As we drove south on Hwy 1, along the coast to Moss Landing, overlooking Monterey Bay, I spied my first pumpkin patch of the season. My husband of 30 years knows well my reaction to seeing the pumpkins for the first time and pulled over just in time (he’s really as bad as me) to take in the gorgeous sea of orange and white. Pumpkins of every size imaginable, as far as the eye can see, rolling down to the water’s edge.

Did I mention that I love Fall?

Touched by an Angel

So, yesterday morning I was hurrying through the library (where I work) to the upstairs cafe, trying to get my morning cuppa before the line got too long. A little girl, maybe 2 years old, was being strollered through the security gates by her Mother. I had a lot on my mind and do tend to furrow my brow when deep in thought, but looked up just in time to see her beam me a smile. It stopped me in my tracks. I gave her a short, somewhat embarrassed little smile in return and hurried on my way. Ten minutes later - short line for a Wednesday - returning with coffee in hand, I heard a child yelling "hi" over and over again. Annoyed that some slacker parent was letting their child yell in the library AGAIN (and thinking why weren't they in the children's room instead of the adult browsing area), I looked around for the source: that's when I realized the loud hi's were for me. The same smiling angel was trying to get my attention. Did she know I was going through some difficult times? How did she know I needed a smile and a friendly hello at that moment? So I gave her my best smile and a wave in return because you never know when you're going to be Touched by an Angel.

Riverbend has left Iraq

I have followed the blog of an Iraqi woman who calls herself “Riverbend” since August 2003. She has not written since April 2007. A new post appeared today! Riverbend and her family have made it safely out of Iraq and are now refugees in Syria.

It shames me that it is this country’s fault they were forced to leave their home. I wonder if they will ever forgive us, or if it makes any difference to them that so many of us have been against that ugly invasion from the very beginning.

I'm sorry, Riverbend, for what my country has done to you, and done to Iraq.

Abu Gonzales has resigned

Better late than never. Next?

Four suicide bombings kill 175 in Iraq

Ah, yes, further proof that Little Boots' surge is working.
Mission accomplished.

More Snails and Nails and Puppy Dog Tails...

Our family welcomed a new wee one into the world yesterday: Andrew David (the David in honor of my husband) was 8 lbs, 12 oz. Andrew is the new son of our nephew Richard and his wife Susan. Big sister Reagan isn't sure if she wants to keep him or not...

I'm going to the hospital Friday to "Ooooo and Ahhhhh" over him.

"Snails and nails and puppy dog tails"

Jerry Falwell must be rolling over in his grave.

Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne Cheney, welcomed their sixth grandchild, Samuel David Cheney, Wednesday, May 23, 2007. He weighed 8 lbs., 6 oz and was born at 9:46 a.m. at Sibley Hospital in Washington, D.C. His parents are the Cheneys’ daughter Mary, and her partner, Heather Poe. White House photo by David Bohrer.

North, to Alaska!

My husband and I are off on our 2nd trek to Alaska, returning on May 25th. I can't explain the beauty or 'majesty,' I've never actually used that word, but somehow it's appropriate (if you've ever been to The Great Land, you'll understand.) We will spend this week in Seattle -my fave BIG CITY (must be all the coffee!) - then sail on Friday. Signing off until we meet again...Peace.

Le Petit Prince

I have begun reading for the upteenth time, The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Originally written in French in 1943, there's always been a debate whether this is a children's book or a children's book written for adults. I tend to believe the latter. Having read it for the first time in my early college years at about age 19, it was a life-changing experience- REALLY! (I was also reading Alan Watts and Krishnamurti at this time-ahhhh, those were the days!)

Basically, a pilot crashes in the Sahara Desert and meets an extra-terrestrial -the Little Prince- from planet B612, but the powerful essence of the whole story is spoken by the fox (my favorite character) to the Little Prince: "On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux" = "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye." The first time I read that it BLEW MY MIND!

If you haven't read it, check it out at your local public library. If you have read it, read it again this summer, you won't be sorry.

Last Night's State Dinner Menu

Spring pea soup with fernleaf lavender
Chive Pizzelle with American caviar
Newton Chardonnay 2004
Dover sole almondine with roasted artichokes, pequillo peppers and olives
Saddle of spring lamb with a chanterelle sauce and fricasee of baby vegetables
Peter Michael Les Pavots 2003
Arugula salad with savannah mustard and mint romaine in a champagne dressing
Trio of farmhouse cheeses
Rose blossoms
Schramsberg Brute Rose 2004.

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I wonder what the survivor's in Greensburg, Kansas had for dinner?

May 1, 2007 -High School Students Walkout in Protest

Isn't it interesting that when such protests are scheduled after school hours, the turnout of student "activists" is usually very small.

Too bad these young "activists" do not understand that their parents came here to make their lives better, and part of that is education.