Brian Williams Lied

"You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees, and the stars. 

In the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul."

~Max Ehrmann

This year, 2015, is turning out to be no more rational, no more explainable, than last year was. Something clicked in me last year, early in the year, as we transitioned from one disaster to another, which made me believe that one day, perhaps midnight on New Year's Eve, everything would suddenly make sense. Plane crashes, gifted people overdosing, police shooting unarmed children. Planes shot down from the sky. Suicide. Not one bit of it made sense to me. NOT ONE BIT!

So, I had a million or so questions, and very few answers. I had high hopes for 2015. As the clock struck midnight, suddenly, everything would fall into place, every question would be answered. How could my thinking be so immature? Of course the answers wouldn't just come to me, or anyone else for that matter. Life doesn't make any sense, starting with each defying the odds of being conceived, and actually making it into the world we share? What was I thinking? NOTHING MAKES SENSE!

I remember when it used to, but then again, I think I recall the same lament from my parents! But when they complained, I took them aside and explained the Walkman to them, and the remote, and answering machines, and VCRs and microwave ovens and so on.

So, I am going to pretend you, my followers, are my children and ask you...

Q. Why did Brian Williams have to tell that stupid lie?

I always liked him.

I still like him. He's human. But now he is a little more human then he used to be.

Mood: Quiet

~Me :)

 

Berkeley On A January Day

"I will go to campus alone dressed in antique silk slips and beat-up cowboy boots and gypsy beads, and I will study poetry. I will sit on the edge of the fountain in the plaza and write."

Francesca Lia Block

Girl Goddess #9: Nine Stories

A couple years ago I posted a set of photos that highlighted what I love about Berkeley. It's been a while since I have posted anything new from around town, I am not sure why, I just seem to do most of my photos of Berkeley either within the acres of Tilden Park, or sunset photos from Grizzly Peak Boulevard. Both lovely mind you, but it's far from telling the whole story of Berkeley. So, above is a photo of a January day in 2005, which looks pretty much the same today, as it did back then, and below the collage from 2013 and a new one I put together today from archived photos. I need to get out and about with the camera soon, well, as soon as my Fibromyalgia gives me a break. Hopefully next week sometime. Until then, here is a look at one of the loveliest cities I know... Berkeley, Ca.

Set #1 From 2013

Set #2, From The Archives...

Art
Free Speech
Museums
Sather Tower
Cool Mannequins
Gorgeous Trees In Autumn
Tilden Botanical Garden
Tilden Little Farm
The Berkeley Marina
Tilden Park Carousel
 Shattuck Avenue
And there's so much more, so stay tuned!

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Sometimes They Come Back

"I got food poisoning today. But I am not sure when I am going to use it."

~Steven Wright

I am very pleased to say that I have never given myself, nor anyone else, food poisoning. I have a fairly mild case of the food meanies right now, caught from some uniquely bad food I purchased at a Mexican restaurant on Friday night. OH MY GOD. Never again. When I read to Yelp review several months ago, the place seemed okay. Most folks liked the cheap prices, and apparently they are well known for their "Orange Sauce." Let me tell you... BLECH. Salty, separated and strange tasting. Nothing about it to like. I ordered the cheese enchiladas plate, that came with the rice and beans on the side. I figured meatless and mild was the way to go, boy was I wrong. While the enchiladas were nice and cheesy, as they should be, something just didn't taste right about them. The beans were really tasty... but cold. No heat at all. Like they came from a can. And the rice was, again tasty, and again cold. Cold as the air outside.

 About half way through the meal, I stopped eating. Half way through my meal I had apparently formed two large bricks in my stomach. LARGE BRICKS WITH SPICE ON THEM. I was pretty much in pain the rest of the night. Well, pain, and trips to the bathroom. Sigh. I should probably go write a lengthy Yelp review, detailing vividly how the food came back on me, but why? Other folks who have been to this establishment are split down the middle. This is one of those places that either one loves or they hate, but the people who hated it, ended up with the same circumstances as I did. So, rather that engage in online bashing, I am going to call the Health Department on Monday and suggest they have a look see for themselves. Too many folks have become ill in the same way I did, for it to be a mere coincidence. I am pretty sure what got me was the improper handling of cheese.

Damn shame. I used to love Mexican food, in fact it was my favorite cuisine.

It  really, really was. 

And the thing is, I am still liking 2015 better than 2014

Mood: None

~Me :)

Tortilla Chips (Archived Photo)

Photographed October 31st 2013

1:58 PM

Kodak Easy Share

Winter Subjects

"In the New Year, you carry all the experiences of the past years and that is the greatest power of every New Year! This year again, you are less student and more master."

~Mehmet Murat ildan

This is the first posted photo of 2015, but obviously I took this picture in 2014. December 30th is close enough to 2015... right? Oh well, I had a great time taking the photo, and while I did so, I began to consider where I want to go with my photography this year. I know there will be the usual subjects of Public Art, Flowers, and the occasional candid city scenes, but I think I want to be better about my online organization of the photos I do. I have decided to create online albums on Flickr, rather than just post new photos to Ellipsis, Pinterest and Instagram. I finally put all of the autumn leave photos into an album, and it is ready for viewing. It was a great project that taught me a lot about color, light and of course, backgrounds. I did a little photo editing wizardry, and a lot of framing, and I was happy with the results. But when I began to look at the photos I took this past autumn, I saw some tendencies toward certain color schemes, and realizing that forced me to choose a bigger variety within the subject. The whole process has me thinking about where I want to go with my photography, and a clearer path of how to achieve it. With fingers crossed, and time on my side, I hopefully will see some amazing results.

We'll See!

Stay Tuned!

Flickr (My Photostream)

Flickr: Autumn Leaves 2014 (Complete Album)

Mood: Inspired

~Me :)

Winter Subjects

Robin

Photographed 12/30/2014

3:55 PM

Nikon CoolPix S3500

Happy New Year 2015!

"Tomorrow is the first page of a 365 page book. 

Write a good one."

~Brad Paisley

Day One: It was a very good day!

I am determined to get off on the right foot with the new year.

That's my resolution this year.

It's going to be a very good year!

"For last year's words belong to last year's language

And next year's words await another voice

And to make an end is to make a beginning."

T.S. Eliot

Little Gidding

Mood: Positive

~Me :)