The Big Galoot...

"If you're a gifted flirt, talking about the price of eggs will do as well as any other subject."

-Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotics Notebook, 1960

There I was, traveling a lonely road, as I went about my errands. Then HE entered my life. I met him at a red light, and as our eyes met, I knew he was trouble, but I didn't care. All it took was one look, and I could see his soul. "Hey good lookin," he said, "wanna nibble on my poppers?" He was hot, and so were his fries, and everything else he had that put my thighs in harms way. You see, I am just a weak willed woman after all, and he was convenient. All too soon he was gone from my life as fast as he had arrived. I will never forget that hot august day, with the handsome stranger. The big galoot!



Historical Dictionary Of American Slang

-OndineMonet

Clark & Sarah

"Death is a distant rumor to the young."

-Andy Rooney

::Sadness::

Something devastating happened to the small East Bay town of Castro Valley this week, when the small community of friends and neighbors lost two children, well young adults actually, after the very bad decision was made to street race. Police reports say the car, a 1997 Corvette, had lost control on a curve on Dublin Canyon road, just after 12:30 am, slammed into a telephone poll, and then rolled, ending up on it's roof. The impact was so hard, that a front tire was propelled a half mile away, and the police estimated the skid marks to be 300 feet long. It has been determined that it was speed alone that killed those two lovely people, no drugs or alcohol was involved. Just speed.

Those two kids had their whole life in front of them, and years of accomplishments behind them. One story I read about Clark Wright, touched me in particular. It was told to the media by a good friend of Clark's, and detailed a trip to Mexico Clark had taken with his church to help poor children. He was a young man who "could be counted on," said another friend, and coworker, at PW Market, where both Clark and Sarah worked. 18 year old Clark Wright had just graduated from Castro Valley High, this past June, with plans to attend Las Positas College.

Sarah Streicher was just 17, and would have begun her senior year of high school, at Castro Valley High, in a couple weeks. She was a beautiful girl, who could have been a model. Not too much has been mentioned in the media about her life, but from what I read at the makeshift memorial to the two at the crash scene, she was loved very much, by many, many people. I do know that she planned to be a teacher someday. She had a lot of promise, she would have been somebody, had that singular bad decision had not been made the other night.

I am fond of Castro Valley. I grew up there, and went to Castro Valley High. I still have friends in the community, and visit there several times a month to pick up my mail at the PO BOX I don't have the heart to close. I am a sentimental person, sometimes too sentimental, but I think even if I had never lived there, this story would have touched me just as much. I had seen both Clark and Sarah at Joey Franco's PW Market, where they both worked, on numerous occasions. They were nice, friendly young people. I didn't really know them, but in a way I did. It's just all so sad.

The anger grief dishes out tell us to look for blame. It makes things hurt less to be able to blame someone, but I am hoping that this community will look toward healing. The driver of the car Wright was racing, stayed at the scene, and didn't run in fear. I am impressed with that, because so often you hear of no one taking responsibility for their actions. Whoever the driver of the other car involved in the race was, it seems as if they stepped up. Rare in situations like this one. There is a little glimmer of hope in that action alone. Another indication that these were good kids, who made a bad decision. I feel for that person, and the remorse they must feel.

Please keep the families and friends of Clark Wright and Sarah Streicher, in your thoughts and prayers this weekend, as they lay their children to rest.

100 ft section of fence damaged by the accident

Sarah Streicher

"Castro Valley Football Will Always Remember"

Pieces of the car remain nearby as a stark reminder of the accident.

"We understand death for the first time, when it puts his hand upon one whom we love."

-Madame de Stael

-OndineMonet
"Memorial To Clark and Sarah"
Dublin Canyon Road
Castro Valley, California
August 14th, 2008
Early Evening

Good Days

"The dance is a poem of which each movement is a word."

-Mata Hari

Lots of quiet movement. This butterfly was hovering for, what seemed like a long time, but in actuality was probably only about 10 seconds. I noticed it was almost running in place, which made me smile, because it kind of felt like I was watching her doing her aerobics for the day. LOL. I smiled because I know how good it feels to get a good long workout in, whether it be from a bike ride, or a jog or whatever. My body just feels sexy and invigorated when I am finished. It is a definite mood enhancer. :)



Yesterday, I took a long ride along Chrissy Field and around the Presideo. About 5 miles total. Ahhh... that's the stuff. Afterward I did some photography around the city and along the coast. It was really warm, so my knee was doing really well, and my mind was clear, so I think I did really good with my photography. It's amazing what a little bit of exercise will do for the body and the mind. Anyway, movement was catching my eye yesterday. Butterflies, birds, the wind in the trees. It was a good day, in the middle of a stressful week.



-OndineMonet
"Dancing"
Conservatory of Flowers
San Francisco, California
Golden Gate Park
August, 2008
Afternoon

So Far The Moon

"The moon, like a flower
In heaven's high bower
With silent delight
Sits and smiles on the night."

-William Blake

So far tonight, all I have captured is the moon. A nearly full Sturgeon moon to be exact. Lovely it is, as is Elvis when he is playing with one of his neighborhood pals. A little while ago, he left my side and walked very slowly up the hill toward the lemon tree, where his newest opossum pal was waiting patiently. A large opossum it was is, I think it might be a lady opossum, and she might be with babies. I haven't learned her name yet, maybe by tomorrow night I will get a proper introduction. You shouldn't rush some things. I think she is feeling shy, because just after they said hello to each other, she climbed back up into the poplar tree. We will make friends soon, I am sure. This is practically a tradition for us you know. Elvis usually introduces me to his opossum pals, on or near the peak night of the Perseids. If the new lady and I don't have a chance to talk tonight, I will leave a bowl of dog food for her, and by the end of the week, we will be old friends. Remember Miss Agatha Pendragon, and her son Ipson? I like the magic that lives in this yard!

Mr. Ipson Pendragon. "IP" to his friends!

-OndineMonet
"The Nearly Full Sturgeon Moon"
Berkeley, California
August 11th, 2008
9:22 PM

California Budget Crisis Update: Monday, August 11th

"Budget: A mathematical confirmation of your suspicions."

-A.A. Latimer

:(

Well, just to bring you all up to date about the stalemate going on with the California budget, as of this afternoon, Governor Schwarzenegger has filed a lawsuit against the state controller, John Chiang, for refusing to comply with the executive order he signed last week, lowering the pay of approximately 200,00 state workers. Schwarzenegger gave Chiang until noon today, to give him a time frame on how long it would take to convert the current pay system to the new enacted pay scale for state workers to $6.55 per hour and $11.38 for supervisors. This afternoon, Chiang sent the governor a three page memo, asking for an extension until this Friday, so that he could deliver a more thorough report, but Schwarzenegger made good in his threat to sue, and the lawsuit was filed. The really frustrating part is that Chiang informed the governor, that as of the end of July, the budget still had approximately $10.1 billion in unused, borrowable resources that the state could use to meet it's bills, including the payroll.

:( I will continue to keep you updated, as I learn anything new. If you would like to call Governor Schwarzenegger, to tell him what you think of the budget crisis, here is his number...

1-916-445-2841

Office Of The Governor

To Send An Email, See Official Website at http://gov.ca.gov/interact#contact

Schwarzenegger To Sue Over Pay Cuts

Chiang's Full July Cash Flow Statement

Summary Analysis

-OndineMonet
California Capitol Building
Sacramento, California
October, 2006
Afternoon

It's A Meteor Shower Mulder...

"...Then there are those who care not about extraterrestrials, searching for meaning in other human beings. Rare or lucky are those who find it. For although we may not be alone in the universe, in our own separate ways on this planet, we are all... alone."

-Jose Chung (Charles Nelson Reilly) The X-Files, Jose Chung's From Outer Space

I got an email this past week from, SpaceWeather.com, reminding me that tonight, into tomorrow morning, (August 12th) will be the peak of the annual Perseid Meteor shower. I am going to take a nice, long nap this afternoon, to prepare me for the all night event. I look forward to this every August, when little bits and pieces of the comet Swift-Tuttle, streak across the sky, in a striking display. It is estimated that watchers might see as many as 50 - 100 per hour, and according to Wikipedia, the meteor shower has been observed by sky watchers for around the last 2,000 years. In fact, in medieval Europe it was known as "The Tears Of St Lawrence." According to star lore, the Perseid Meteor Shower commemorates the time when Zeus, the king of the gods, visited the mortal Danae, in the form of a Shower of Gold. As a result of their union Zeus and Danae became the parents of Perseus.

I love the sky, and the stars, and with all the stress lately, it will be relaxing to set up the tripod and camera, grab a bowl of popcorn, and Elvis, and lay back in the grass to do a little daydreaming at night. The weather has turned warm today, with little fog or overcast, and the forecast is for a warm day tomorrow, which makes it perfect conditions for viewing the meteor shower! I don't know if I will get many photos or not, that would be a bonus, I am just looking forward to cuddling up with Elvis and letting my mind wander across the sky. If only I could call Mulder and ask him to join me! LOL. "Hello Fox, it's Carly here, wanna come over and watch the meteor shower with me?"

How about you? Will I be all alone in the night, or will you be out there with me? If so, do you plan to photograph the event, or will you just sit back and enjoy the show? Will you watch it from your own yard, or will you visit an observatory? If you could watch the meteor shower with a fictional character, who would it be? Tell me everything!

Perseid Meteor Shower

2008 Perseid Meteor Shower (NASA)

-OndineMonet

IMAGING And X-RAY

"When I get down on my knees, it's not to pray."

-Madonna


Tee Hee... wicked, wicked girl! Forgive me, but I couldn't resist using that quote when I came across it. ;) You see, I have been having some knee problems recently, well actually, I have been having knee problems since an injury back in the mid 90's, but lately my right knee has been hurting more intensely then usual. I thought at first it might be the old knee injury reminding me that I am now middle aged, and yeah, in a way I was right. It seems the damage I did to my knee, way back when, has turned into Osteoarthritis.

LOL. When it rains, it pours. LOL. It has been really cold in the Bay Area this summer, and I used to laugh about how my knee could predict the weather, and now I have proof, because come to find out, most folks who have OA experience increased sensitivity during cold weather. Yep. Oh well, according to what I have read, it's not unusual for the symptoms to become worse during middle age, but what was hard to hear was my doctor calling it, " mildly severe degenerative arthritis." Those are some yucky words. And by the way, how can you have "mildly severe" anything?

I have options. I can do some quad exercises a couple times a week at her office, and stay on the pain medications I have now, or I can take a shot of Cortisone every month or so, which I would rather not do, or I can have surgery, and do a knee replacement. So far, I am leaning toward the quad exercises and pain medication, but I know that in the foreseeable future I will probably be leaning on a cane to take some pressure off my right knee, especially as we get closer to the really cold months. How attractive is that? Jeepers, I used to be young. LOL. Stupid time, how dare it move forward and not warn me. LOL. Remember that old quote, "If I knew I were going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself." Well, yeah!

Ok, well, there is some pluses to all this too. I mean first and foremost, I have health coverage, not everyone does. And I can still ride my bike, in fact, it's encouraged, but I will have to rethink the walking perhaps. The other day, I started to bounce up a flight of stairs, and my knee just collapsed. Silly thing. It was then that I called the doctor to have look see at what might be going on. I just don't want the whole thing to keep me from doing my photography. I like my long walks in Tilden, and Golden Gate Park, I know some things will have to change, but hopefully they will take place a little at a time, as I get used to being an old lady. LOL. I don't know, maybe the knee replacement thing isn't such a bad idea. LOL. "It's solid plastic, so don't settle for imitation!" The only problem is, if I replace my knee, how will I know when it's raining?

Arthritis Of The Knee (American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons)

Knee Pain Symptoms... What Do They Mean?

-OndineMonet
"Imagining and X-Ray"
Kaiser Permanente
Union City, California
August 8th, 2008
Afternoon