Not So Much A Bombshell, More Like A Hand Grenade

"I'd like to kiss ya, but I just washed my hair."

-Bette Davis

I told you I take my camera everywhere. Tee Hee. Last weekend, I finally treated myself to that "day of me" I had planned. I had my coupon from Supercuts for a free haircut, and my coupon from, La Salsa, for a free, Overstuffed Grilled Burrito, and I was all set. I picked a lovely cut, like the one actress, Diane Lane, wears, and I was all set to go blond, till I got into the chair at Supercuts, and fell into the panic attack from hell! Words that hadn't occurred to me previously, such as, BLEACH, BRITTLE, LOSS OF HAIR, UNNATURAL, were swirling about my ears and brain. "Ummmmm.... gulp.... just make me look like Diane Lane. OK?" LOL

Hmmm? Will Alan be disappointed that a blond bombshell wouldn't be coming through the door that night? "I am such a chicken," I thought to myself. Sigh. As I looked through the color book, I pondered, I fretted, I sighed long, indecisive sighs, until I came across a color I liked very much, "Sunny Auburn." Sounded like a nice day in autumn, and come to find out, it wasn't a whole lot different from my natural color, at least as it appeared when I was in my 20's, or what I like to call my... "pre-gray-haired-nervous-breakdown-years." My late thirties were interesting to say the least. LOL. But I have put that time behind me now. :) Sometimes it's so hard to let go of pain, of loss, grief can be a comfortable place after a while. I know it sounds strange, but it was true for me. I had no idea how far I had climbed into myself. Oh well, like I said, that is all behind me.

I like who I see in the mirror. I like my new hair. I feel secure inside my own skin, and confident in who I am. I have my days, don't get me wrong, but I am OK and happy and every day I get the old me, the confident me, back. It was nice to sit alone, over my freebie lunch, and consider where life has taken me, since the last time I visited a salon, 7 years earlier. First of all, had it really been 7 years? Yep, it had. Sigh. I missed a lot while I was on my vacation from living. The Internet has been instrumental in my recovery, but I have a hunger for living more in the "real world." To meet more people, who don't live in a box on my desk.

Please don't misunderstand, I wouldn't trade the experiences I have had, and friends I have made on the NET for anything, but there is nothing like hearing someones voice, or looking into someones eyes, hearing laughter, feeling rain on my face. Is there anything better than the sound of a friend saying, "I love you?" I felt pretty good when I got home from my special day. When I walked through the door, I said to Alan, "Honey, I am not quite the bombshell you expected, I'm more like a hand grenade." To which he replied, "You look lovely, a little like Diane Lane, and besides, a hand grenade going off in my hand can knock me off my feet as well." LOL. Oh Alan! LOL. Sometimes I get the feeling he kinda likes me! ;)

Glamour...

My former long hair, in a pile on the floor. :(

Is there anything better then a sale on hair care products? :)

I thought about getting the "Spector" look. Nah. :)

Does anyone else think that one bear looks a lot like Phil Spector?

My new color "Sunny Auburn"

This is the style I finally chose. Alan says I kinda look like Diane Lane now. I really like Alan! :)

Music Legend Phil Spector's Murder Trial Begins (ABC News)

-OndineMonet
"Heads On A Shelf"
Berkeley, California
March 17, 2007
Afternoon

At Every Turn

"I will need your support, and I will work to earn it. I will do all I can do to deserve your trust."

-George W. Bush

Earn our trust?

"The most important thing is for us to find Osama Bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him."

-George W. Bush, 9/13/2001

"So, I don't know where he is. You know, I just don't spend that much time on him... to be honest with you."

-George W. Bush, 3/13/2002

"Uhh gosh, I don't think I ever said I am not worried about Osama Bin Laden. It's kind of one of those... uhhh, exaggerations."

-George W. Bush 10/ 13/ 2004


It doesn't surprise me that the Bush administration is fighting tooth and nail to avoid giving sworn testimony before the senate, regarding the ousting of 8 federal prosecutors. Bush and company are liars. We all know that... right? I think we will be seeing even more examples of their corruption of office come to light, before he finally does us all a favor and slithers back to Texas. In the mean time, the administration is lying, and they are using the office they were elected to, to hide their long list of misdeeds. Ok, what I said was strongly put, but if there is no smoking gun, if they really did nothing wrong, why run and hide from testifying? And doesn't it make a lot more sense now, as to why George W. Bush tried so very hard to get Harriet Miers confirmed to the Supreme Court? A nominee, so lacking in experience in constitutional law, that it left even some members of the republican party shaking their heads. Ok, now it all makes sense. Executive privilege does have it's privileges... doesn't it?

So you want to earn my trust George? Turn Miers and Rove over to the senate for sworn testimony. Find Osama Bin Laden, not just his flunkies. Keep your promise to rebuild New Orleans. Bring our military home... NOW. Stop messing around with the constitution, and oh yeah... STOP LYING!

Ok, your turn. Opinions please. Do you think the White House has something to hide in regards to the firing of the federal prosecutors?

-OndineMonet

Neither Emotions Nor Conflicts

"Flowers are restful to look at. They have neither emotions nor conflicts."

-Sigmund Freud

The tulips at the Queen Wilhelmina Garden, in Golden Gate Park, is gorgeous right now. Tulips everywhere, and in my favorite color combination, yellow and pink. Every spring it is a different color of tulip to look forward to, right now it is spectacular. Alan and I are going back next week to have lunch there, I wasn't really on my game today with the camera. Sometimes getting out with the camera after therapy is, well, therapeutic. Sometimes... sigh... I should just put the camera down, and enjoy the view in front of me. That's the thing about taking pictures, occasionally it comes down to the photo, or the memory. There's no shame in choosing the memory over the moment, you just come back later, when you are ready to focus.

-OndineMonet
"Beautiful"
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, Ca
March 21, 2007
Afternoon

Round Robin Challenge: "Nature"

Click on the above image to see a larger version.

"And spring arose on the gardens fair
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast
Rose from the dreams of it's wintry rest."

-Percy Bysshe Shelley, "The Sensitive Plant"

It's Round Robin time again, and what could be a better choice for a topic that, "NATURE," to celebrate the first full day of spring? Our challenge subject comes to us by way of Gina, author of the AOL Journal, "Gina's Space." I can't wait to see what we all come up with! :)

"Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of it's own; and from morning to night, as from the cradle to the grave, it is but a succession of changes so gentle and easy, that we can scarcely mark their progress."

-Charles Dickens

Sometimes NATURE brings us storms...

Sometimes NATURE is delicious...

Sometimes NATURE becomes cheese :)

Double Coconut

Sometimes NATURE is... um... RAW...

Sometimes NATURE is angry...

Sometimes NATURE is calm...

Sometimes NATURE isn't fair...

Sometimes NATURE doesn't want it's picture taken...

Sometimes NATURE shows us it's strength...

Sometimes NATURE shows us it's vulnerability...

Sometimes NATURE is misunderstood...

Meet my opossum friend, Ipson Pendragon.

Thank you Gina, for the awesome choice for this round. Be sure to visit all the participating Robins, to see their interpretations of this challenge! Just follow the links below. And be sure to check the official Round Robin Blog this Thursday, to find out the topic for our next challenge!

Linking List

1. Gina... Gina's Space
POSTED!

2. Karen... Outpost Mavarin
POSTED!

3. Nancy... Nancy Luvs Pix
POSTED!

4. Janet... Fond of Snape
POSTED!

5. Kerrin... A New Day, A New Photo
POSTED!

6. Carly... Ellipsis... Suddenly Carly
POSTED!

7. Annie... The Light's On... But No One's Home
POSTED!

8. Suzanne R... New Suzanne R's Life
POSTED!

9. boliyou... Percolation
POSTED!

10. Brad... We-Is
POSTED!

11. Meg... In Quest Of ***Welcome New Member***
POSTED!

12. Steven... (sometimes) photoblog
POSTED!

13. Dorn... Through The Eyes Of The Beholder
POSTED!

14. Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
POSTED!

15. Teena... It's all about me!
POSTED!

16. Julie... Stately Barrett Manor
POSTED!

17. TJ... Photo Inclusions: Every Picture Tells A Story
POSTED!

-OndineMonet

"Spring Arrival"

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Night Shots

Please click on the above image to see it in a larger size.

"I haven't a clue as to how my story will end. But that's all right. When you set out on a journey, and night covers the road, you don't conclude the road has vanished. And how else could we discover the stars?"

-Unknown

Your Monday Photo Shoot: It's Night! Take a picture. Naturally, taking a picture at night (i.e., where it's well lit and indistinguishable from day) won't do; take a picture that captures some of the quality of the night time. Also: No sunset photos. We'll save them up to do another time.

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

I love the view of the San Francisco waterfront, as seen from Treasure Island. This photo was taken last April, as the city was celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 1906 earthquake. There were city wide events, but my favorite was the light show at the Ferry Building, on the Embarcadero. A rotation of beautiful colored lights lit up the building, and the night, it was a gorgeous, peaceful sight. :)

Ferry Building, as seen from, Justin Herman Plaza

Ferry Building, as seen from, Market Street at the Embarcadero

-OndineMonet
Ferry Building
1906 Anniversary 100 Years
San Francisco, California
April 18, 2006
Evening

On The Last Full Day Of Winter...

"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape... the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show."

-Andrew Wyeth

Today is the last full day of winter... thank goodness! It has been a mild winter in the Bay Area, as winters go, but it has been a cold ride for me at times. I think I am more happy to see this winter go, than any other I can think of off the top of my head. Still, as goodbyes go, there is a part of me that will miss it's cold. I will miss how the sun shines warm on my face, while my toes are cold and tingly. I will miss Elvis getting up in my lap, and how he snuggles into my arms for warmth. The way how he sometimes manages to steal my winter afternoon nap blanket. Strange cat. LOL. I will miss my friend Mr. November, who I only really know now in emails, since he left my life in search of the future. Funny Mr. November chose a few days into winter to tell me he was leaving. Shrug. Seasons. Maybe I will bake some cookies later.

Carly Steps Up To The Karaoke Machine...

Big Yellow Taxi
As Sung By Carly

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique and a swinging hot spot
Don't it always seem to go,
That you don't know what you've had till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot

They took all the trees and put them in a tree museum
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to seem 'em
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot

Hey farmer, farmer
Put away your DDT now
Give me spots on my apples
But leave me the birds and the bees
Please!
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot

Late last night I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi took my friend away
Now don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've had till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

I said...
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't always know what you've had till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

Winter ends at 5:06 PM Pacific Time, Tuesday.

Note: I will be posting more photos from my trip to Lake Tahoe later in the week.

-OndineMonet
"Lake Tahoe In Late Winter"
March 14, 2007
Afternoon

John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #156: Your Favorite Weekend Assignment Entry

"Making the simple complicated is commonplace, making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, now that's creativity."

-Charles Mingus

Weekend Assignment #156: Repost your favorite Weekend Assignment from the past three years. Or, if you can't choose, post the first Weekend Assignment you ever participated in.

Extra Credit: Should we keep doing the Weekend Assignments? Or after three years, should we give it a rest? Let me know, I'm curious.

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

Wow! Decisions, decisions. Well, actually when I thought about which Weekend Assignment might have been my favorite, it turns out that it was mostly the humorous entries I wrote, that came to mind first. It makes me happy to share my weird sense of humor, and hopefully I can bring a smile or two to your day. While my humor isn't for everyone, I got a few (11) comments when I originally posted the following entry on the AOL version of Ellipsis, in December of 2004. I hope it brings you a grin or two.

Extra Credit: Please don't stop giving us the Weekend Assignments John, I have enjoyed them so much, and learned a lot along the way! Thank you for them and the Monday Photo Shoots as well!
********************************************************

Warning: The following entry is rated PG-13!
Originally posted on December 10, 2004
********************************************************
"Nothing is as mean, as giving a child something useful for Christmas."

-Kin Hubbard

For this Weekend Assignment, we're going to get creative. After all, if someone could make Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, certainly we can do better.

Weekend Assignment #38: It's the Holidays! Create your own festive Holiday Character and give him, her or it, at least one seasonally appropriate magical ability (or use it's native traits and skills to save the holiday season.

Extra Credit: Provide at least one stanza of your Holiday Character's theme song (to help you out, you may borrow the music of any familiar song).

-John Scalzi (By The Way )

Josie The Undercover Quake Whore Saves Christmas

By Carly Gordon

When Josie Duckinspicter, of the Santaville Duckinspicters, wasn't working undercover as a Quack Whore to keep the mean streets of Santaville a safe place to waddle in, she gave her all for Sitting Duck Platoon of the 101st Airborne Mallard Brigade, stationed at Ice Station Platypus, located just outside of the Last Chance section of Santaville. By day, Josie serves Santa's Air Brigade hot gourmet dinners all through the holiday season. Minnows in a Tangy Octopus Flambe, which is Josie's speciality. She works hard each day squeezing fresh octopus to give the dish it's unique flavor. "One must squeeze hard to get the right amount of juice, for the minnows to flame properly." Josie instructs. She has been known to squeeze 30 octopus a day, and she never complains.

One year, Santa wasn't feeling one-hundred percent, so Josie came through for the jolly old man, by preparing him a magical, homemade herbal remedy of "Mock Chicken Soup." Actually it's octopus in it's own juice, with some eucalyptus and lemon oil. Recipe to follow. In no time, Santa was feeling in the pink again, and he declared Josie to be an important part of the holiday season. He spread the word from land to land, "Josie, the Undercover Quack Whore, You'll Go Down In History!" Ho, Ho, Ho!

Mock Chicken Soup
By Josie

2 whole, recently deceased octopus (suction cups in tact)
10 cups vegetable broth
3 cups long grained wild rice
2 stalks celery
17 tbs. lemon oil
41 tsp. eucalyptus oil
11 different herbs and spices

Note: If octopus is unavailable, substitute squid squeezings (smooth, not chunky)

1. Bring to boil, broth, celery, and the 11 different herbs and spices, and simmer for 45 minutes.

2. Hollow out the head of the two freshly deceased octopus, reserving the eyes and beak for garnish.

3. Boil the octopus in a heavy sauce pan, until suction cups are tender and rubbery to the touch.

4. carefully remove the octopus to a decorative platter, and garnish it alternating eyes and beaks in a circular pattern around the platter.

5. carefully pour the broth mixture into the hollowed out cranium of the octopus and serve immediately with crackers and cheese.

Serves 6
Enjoy!

Extra Credit: "Josie The Quack Whore" to the tune of, "Frosty The Snowman."
As sung by, Leonard Nimoy

Josie the Quack Whore was working Christmas Eve
To make the streets of Santaville a safer place to be
Josie would work hard on special recipes
Taking her job just as serious, as serious could be...

Note: The song now fades into the tune of "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" for the medley effect...

Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say
"Josie my throat is sore and OH my aching head."
Josie the Quack Whore knew exactly what to do
She made some magic with a stewing hen and knocked
Santa's cold right out, and ended Santa's Flu.

The End.

-OndineMonet