Reading On A Dark Sunny Autumn Day...

"Let us read, and let us dance; these two amusements

 will never do any harm to the world."

~Voltaire

I was doing a lot of thinking under this gorgeous tree the other day. Mostly depressing myself, and whining about what was. But I also did some musing about who I wouldn't have to worry about running into anymore. Boy do I have a knack for that. I could go on vacation, probably to some out of the way, exotically horrific place, like downtown Baghdad, and there he would be... Mr. November. Unexpectedly. Poof... a giant part of my life, right there, in front of me, and there I would be... helpless... praying a bomb would just hit me already! But really, I ask you, why would I plan a vacation to Iraq? Not very likely. But also unlikely is the remote chance that Mr. November will jump out at me here in Stockton! That's a definite plus to moving here! My thoughts the other afternoon made me smile in the middle of all that dwelling and contemplation. Of course now that I have said there is NO chance of running into him, I probably will, but we will worry about that if and when it ever happens. 

But while I was sitting under the tree I did think about other things, like how much I used to enjoy packing a water, a small snack, and a book, and sitting  in this very park reading, especially this time of year! I would get all my photography out of the way, then crack open my latest read, and just lose myself in the pages. I suddenly realized that it has been nearly a year since I read a book! That is a strange circumstance for me. I have been a voracious reader my whole life. It's one of the many things I always had in common with Alan. We love sharing books with each other! That's how we both became fans of Dean Koontz. Alan loved Stephen King, and one day I decided to help him broaden his horizon's by buying him something of the same genre, by a different author! The book was Dragon Tears, and he loved it, so the next one I bought him was this one...

He really enjoyed it, but I never got around to reading it, so when I saw it a box I was unpacking the other day, I knew it was about time I did! So today, I will open it and just jump right back into myself. Well, a little more of myself anyway! Is there anything like getting back to who you are? I need to kick up some leaves, eat some cheese, and do some reading.

 It's a start... right?

Leaf Of The Day

November 8th 2015

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Mr. November... And Suspension Of Disbelief

"Sometimes she sat and let her mind go blank and her eyes go out of focus, so that she watched the slow, jerky movements of the motes that floated across her pupils. They amazed her as a child. Now she saw them occasionally bumping into another body without acknowledgment,

 and then floating on, free and alone."

~Robert Goolrick

A Reliable Wife

I was out leaf peeping around Berkeley the other day, when I spotted a single leaf, seemingly floating in mid-air. I was fascinated. I wanted to just stare at the leaf, and take it's picture, and pretend it was indeed, somehow, floating in the blue space between the trees. Unfortunately, I knew deep down that it wasn't the case, it wasn't some kind of supernatural miracle, but the obsession was amazing while it lasted.

 I allowed the temporary suspension of disbelief for a moment or two, then I took a clearer look forward and found the leaf was resting on the thinnest of silk spider web strands. Apparently the spider and I share a fondness of Autumn leaves. LOL. And impossible situations. It's days like this that he crosses my mind. I wonder where Mr. November is. I wonder if he is happy, and I wonder what it would be like to see him again, even after I have gone to great lengths to never be in his web again. 

Why do I still do that?

Floating On Air

Is suspension of disbelief

Like Autumn leaves, people float in and out of your life... but some are unforgettable!

Leaf Of The Day

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

I Saw The Light In Your Eyes

"I am intrigued by the smile upon your face, and the sadness within your eyes."

~Jeremy Aldana

I came across this pair of broken glasses, while walking through Golden Gate Park last week. They intrigued me. It was a sad thought that someone had lost their glasses and their ability to see. No seeing the beauty in the park that day, or the amazing waves that are just off the park at Ocean Beach. No seeing the sunsets the Bay Area has been graced with.  I would hate to lose my ability to see, especially if I missed the light in someone else's eyes. I once knew someone who had so much light in their eyes that they nearly blinded me. All I wanted to do was look at that incredible light, even if it did scare the life out of me. Funny how things are sometimes. 

As sad as I feel sometimes, because I haven't seen that light for many years, I am so much better off for having got to see it in my lifetime. I think that is why when I meet someone new, it's always their eyes I notice first. The eyes tell a lot about a person, they share everything sometimes. Sometimes they share too much, but either way, the eyes are indeed the windows to the soul. I believe it completely. 

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed."

~Albert Einstein

Mood: Quiet

~Me :) 

By the way, it seems that scientists have indeed proven that the eyes really are the windows to the soul.

Daily Mail Online

Scientists Discover That Eyes Really Are 'The Window To The Soul'

Serendipity

"It's hard to believe in coincidence, but its's even harder to believe in anything else."

~John Green, Will Grayson, Will Grayson

It's really cold tonight, so cold in fact that the local weather forecasters are predicting snow as low as 1,000 ft, which pretty much means, that Mt. Diablo, Mt. Hamilton and the Santa Cruz summit will definitely be getting a dusting of snow... and so will Grizzly Peak Blvd here in the Berkeley Hills. That probably won't be until Friday, but our little house guest, Foster, who I told you about in yesterday's post, had to come in tonight. I am not sure Dylan and Hendrix are ready to have company over, especially someone so wee, but ready or not, we are all going to have to make it work! 

Sometimes people come into our lives quite unexpectedly. Sometimes people leave our lives quite unexpectedly. We don't have much choice in these matters. All we can do is... our best! When I think about all the human friends I have lost, for one reason or another, I get so sad. I remember the day I drew a personal line in the sand and said... ENOUGH. When Mr. November, ran screaming from my life, I decided I would never put myself in that position ever again. NEVER. And then one day, you find yourself making a friend, and you forget why you decided to shut yourself off so completely? It's funny how some of the best things in life, are so rarely convenient. I still love Mr. November, but I don't think about him much anymore. A fact that occurred to me just the other day, when I was thinking about the fact that I rarely think about him anymore. LOL!

"Of course, that's how life is. A turn of events may seem very small at the time it's happening, but you never really know, do you? How can you."

~Tom Xavier, Dark Curses and Faerie Dreams

Although I do smile when I remember how he used to make me laugh! And how everything was okay when we were around each other, and in the last little bit of time he was around, before he moved away, we were... well... understanding each other a lot better. I know, what I am saying doesn't make much sense, but it does to me. It's all good. But I really don't think of it much anymore, time passes, and feelings fade, and light replaces sad feelings.

Right now I have a feline house guest who needs me. His name is Foster, and he is already my friend. He was put on the same path Alan and I are on, and maybe he will stay with us forever, or maybe one day he will move on to a new family, and it's what's meant to be. Life is sometimes not convenient. Sometimes it hurts like HELL. Sometimes it's the work we have to put into things, that pays off the most. Time moves us along to each new adventure, whether we want to go or not, but moving forward with an open heart, makes any adventure more exciting!

Serendipity: noun; the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable things not sought for; also: an instance of this.

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

That's Me... Over There

From For Ellipsis

"It's not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory."

-W. Edwards Deming

Forgive me, I am feel introspective today.

I am a silly girl... well... woman. LOL. I haven't been a "girl" for a while now... but anyway... I live for autumn, yet I resist change at all cost! LOL. It's so strange, autumn is all about change. It exists to teach us that change is not only inevitable, but something that shouldn't be feared or resisted because change brings renewed growth if you just have a little patience. I bubble with excitement each September as the leaves on the trees transition from shades of healthy green, to the earthy reds, yellows, deep purples and browns, yet I rarely allow myself to think too long about what it all really means. Change.

It seems that everything changes too fast. But then again, is there any other way to move on but one day, no, one minute at a time? Time. Something else I will never understand. One day I am petting Elvis and putting his little chef's hat on him as we write up the menu for Thanksgiving dinner, and the next I am missing him to the point I am sobbing... and he has already been gone over a year! I miss him. I miss his little habits. I miss his insisting that there should only be 4 plastic bottles per recycle bag. I miss his kisses first thing in the morning, and I miss his whiskers, which he would rub on my knees as I sat typing at the computer. That was change I could have done without, and yet I love my two little boys Dylan and Hendrix so deeply, I wonder how I ever lived without them. Does that make sense?

I have had other changes in my life recently, changes which are a little less profound. I am probably the last person on the Internet to finally get a Twitter account. LOL. Yes, I am now a TWIT. LOL. I don't know... I guess I shy away from new things on the net because I don't really want to be found by folks I would rather not know any more. Does that sound mean? It's not that I hold any bad feelings, it's just that why reopen doors that aren't good for you?

I signed up for Facebook earlier this year, and it's kind of fun, but again I tend to keep myself in a small space by not adding every single person who asks me to. I don't know why, I am just not comfortable with adding the whole universe to my list of "friends." I was pleasantly surprised to get some invitations from some of my buddies from the old AOL days. Hi again Vince, Robbie and Amy. :) You guys always make me smile. But when I went to hit the "find friends" feature one day, someones profile came up that I haven't spoken to in at least 3 years... and it was difficult.

It's not that we parted company on bad terms, we didn't, we just didn't part as friends. Sigh. Sometimes there is a strange sort of limbo in relationships, and yes, it gets to me sometimes. I had forgotten this person was even in my Internet address book, and then POP there they were. I could have sent an invitation to be a friend on Facebook but why? 3 years seems like a long time, too long methinks. After all, I did the best I could to deal with the change presented to me at the time, and did a really good job of adapting, so why go back? Still, it's November and I always think about Mr. November when the leaves change.

Enough said.

Sometimes I wonder if there is such a thing as Internet Claustrophobia? I really like keeping my Internet life small, and yet I LOVE getting comments and seeing that my "Followers" list is up to 41! LOL. It's not a lot of folks, but I am happy to see each one that's there. I even get excited when I see "anonymous" has been by. Hi Anonymous! LOL. I sometimes click on the "next blog" feature and visit new folks just to say hello, that's how I met Suzanne, and yet I shy away from really getting to know people. I have some really strong walls built, and I can't help but wonder... why? When you add it all up it doesn't really equal claustrophobia, but it does have name, I am just not sure what it is.

Is it because it's easier to be lonely in a crowd? Is it because I don't want to get close to too many people because ultimately change will happen? I still miss my friend Pam. She died too young. So did my friend Frank. They were there when I really needed a friend, and now they are gone. I think about both of them during the holidays, and I miss them, but I am glad I got the chance to be on the path with them, if only for a little while. Sometimes I wish I could get an IM from Frank just one more time, asking to borrow some peanut butter. LOL. That guy!

At least I can see the next really big change coming. In today's news I read about AOL cutting back it's entire workforce by 1/3. That's big! I wonder how much longer it will even be in business? I haven't been a paying AOL customer for over 6 months, but I still log into it every morning because I prefer the way it looks to my current ISP Comcast. AOL always did have a nice look about it, but looks just aren't enough, so I finally made the big move, years later then I should have, and yet I have kept my email account, and still use it as my main contact information. LOL. Sing it with my now...

You put your left foot in,
you pull your left foot out,
you put your left foot in and you shake it all about.
You do the hokey poky and you turn yourself around,
that's what it's all about.

LOL.

One day AOL will be gone too.

Stuff happens.

Change happens.

But for now...

I am over here and here and here... and I am doing fine.

AOL Offers Buyouts To 2,500 A Third Of It's Workforce.

-Carly

"The View From Mt Tamalpias"
Mt Tamalpais, Marin County, California

Who Needs Rockefeller Center?

"Too bad Lassie didn't know how to ice skate, because then if she was in Holland, on vacation, in winter, and someone said, "Lassie, go skate for help," she could do it."

-Jack Handy

I have been watching movies and TV shows for years that feature skating at Rockefeller Center, in New York City, and I would daydream about how beautiful it must be to see it in person. New York City is at the top of my wish list of places to see one day, I would especially like to spend the holiday season there sometime. I would like to see the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and then the rest of the holiday celebrations throughout the season, finally bringing it all together by seeing the New Year come in while partying in Times Square. Romantic isn't it? Well, I am beginning to think that daydream won't be happening for me, but I am not too upset, because I think I have the next best thing right here. Holiday Ice Skating at Justin Herman Plaza on the Embarcadero, in San Francisco.

I don't know how to ice skate mind you, but I love watching the folks who do. The families, the couples on dates. Grandparents with the little ones. It is a nice vibe. You can't feel bad inside while watching them have fun. Happiness is contagious. I know of what I speak. For years and years I let ghost of Christmas past bring me down, which can be absolutely miserable for yourself and those around you. Finally, I pulled the chip off my shoulder, and removed the stick from my bum, and got on with the business of living happy. A few years ago, someone I loved, left my life at Christmas. I miss them so much sometimes, but life has gone on. I think of them at the holidays, and wish them love and happiness, and I spend a couple minutes in that reflection, then I move on. What else is there to do? Yes Mr November, sometimes I still miss you, but you were right... life will move you forward...

...And into the light if you are lucky enough to have the will to embrace it. "But how can I appreciate Christmas when it has been so commercialized?" Christmas hasn't been commercialized, that is a silly thing people say when they want to feel superior. Christmas is what you decide it is. Hanukkah is a celebration that everyone can participate in, Jewish or not. It's about miracles after all. New Year's Eve really doesn't have to come with pressure filled declarations of resolutions, it can simply be about the the chance to start over, with a better attitude. I think about these things while I watch the ice skaters at the Embarcadero. After all, I got up this morning, not everyone will be that lucky today. Life, and the holidays, are what you make of it, you can't expect others to fill the void you have, you have to make your own happiness. There I said it. ;)

Now... on with the skating...







The Gorgeous Tulip sculpture at Embarcadero Center. This is one of my favorite pieces of public art in the Bay Area. :)

If you need a bit of uplifting reading, I came across a different take on the old holiday classic, It's A Wonderful Life. The new approach concerns what it would be like if George Baily had Type 1 Diabetes. Go give it a read.

"If George Baily Had Type 1 Diabetes."
By Carey Potash ) dLife

-Carly
"Skating In The City"
Justin Herman Plaza
San Francisco, California
Saturday, December 20th, 2008
Late Afternoon/Early Evening

Let's Talk About Sex Baby

"Maybe the best we can do is not quit, play the hand we've been given, and accessorize the outfit we've got."

-Carrie Bradshaw, (Sarah Jessica Parker) Sex And The City

I am a Miranda... how about you? Well, at least that is the character from Sex and the City that I am most like, according to the cute little quiz I found at iVillage. Somehow I am surprised that I am a Miranda, most days I feel more like Charlotte, although don't think that there aren't plenty of days when I would swear my name is Carrie. That's what I found neat about the show... there was a little of all of these women in most women. Of course, that was the point I think. We were somehow supposed to identify with these ladies, and just because we were married didn't mean we were left out.

Ok, yeah I know, it was supposed to be all about the angst of post 30 dating, but as I watched the series, I could see my past a little clearer somehow. Just because you marry the right man, doesn't mean you don't still love your past loves just a little... or even a lot. That's just one of the little secrets about marriage no one tells you, until one day you find out for yourself. Well, at least in my case that's true. I am an overly sentimental person. I hold on to things until the brutal, bitter end. I guess it is a weird kind of collection that I still have in my heart. Mr. November, was my Mr. Big. Sigh. I got over most of them. Life does go on. Perfectly. Happily. And yet... sigh. That man completely broke my heart.

LOL. Anyway, Sex and the City turned out to be a better show then I thought it would be. We have all dated stupid men, and fell for the wrong guy, and fell for the right guy and found happiness, and lost happiness, and dealt with the absurdities of life in general. One of my favorite moments was when Carrie was modeling in a fashion show for a fabulous designer, of course, and right as she began her sexy walk down the catwalk, she falls right off her shoes... landing right on the floor. Yikes! She was fashion roadkill. But she got back up, and finished her walk down that catwalk... head held high! She ended her strut with a high five to super model Heidi Klum. It was perfect. If you have ever fallen on your face, either literally or metaphorically, you understood her triumph. :) By the way, that was Episode #50 "The Real Me."

That's why I liked the show. It usually left you feeling a little less alone. You know what I mean don't you ladies? If you are a female, you probably have those days, once in a while, when you are just out of step, no matter how confident you usually feel. No matter how fabulous you think you are, or even how fabulous your friends think you are, there are days when you just feel like giving up. If you aren't fashion roadkill, then you are emotional roadkill or relationship roadkill. Right? Well, like Carrie, all we can do on those days is pick ourselves up, and get on with that day's strut down the catwalk and hold our heads high. Thanks Carrie, you did good! High Five!

So tell me, are you planning to see the new movie "Sex And The City?" Will you go see it when it hits the theaters on May 30th, or will you wait until it makes it to cable or DVD? Which character do you identify with most? Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte or Samantha? Who was your favorite male character? Do you have a great love you have never quite gotten over? Is there a Mr. Big in your past? If you could see them again... would you want to? Come on... share. You know you want to! WINK.

"Can you get to your future, if your past is present?"

-Carrie Bradshaw

"I am good at crossword puzzles, I am not so good at people puzzles."

-Carrie Bradshaw

Trivia Question... What was Mr. Big's first name?

-OndineMonet

Things I Think About As I Batten Down The Hatches

"I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship."

-Louisa May Alcott

There is a huge series of winter storms headed for the Bay Area, and Northern California. The predictions for the next couple days are downright hair raising. Rain, Flooding, Hail, Thunderstorms, High Waves, as much as 30 feet high, Blizzard conditions in the lower Sierra, High Winds, which could reach 80 mph in the East Bay hills, Power Outages... Oh My! My local ABC affiliate is asking for amateur photographers to submit weather photos, so I might venture out if the roads are at least a little passable.

I love Thunderstorms. I used to occasionally swim during them if the temperature was even just a little warm. It was erotic, and yeah I know it was a little dangerous, but it felt great on the skin. But now, those days are over. I was thinking about those days, while I was checking on the yard to see if everything was covered properly. Actually, I had a lot of stuff going through my mind.

Things I Think About While I Batten Down The Hatches...

1. Today is the Iowa Caucuses. While it is a pretty good indicator of things to come, it doesn't mean everything. After all, in 1980 George H.W. Bush won 32% to Ronald Reagan's 30%, and we all know how that turned out.

2. I think Jose Canseco should win the coveted " Used-Up Brat of the Year" award for his mudslinging ways. I didn't like him when he was playing with the Oakland A's and I don't care much for him now. America has taken such a beating in the last 7 years, and it saddens me that even my favorite sport has been brought to it's knees by greedy, selfish individuals, so do we really need Canseco's two cents?

3. The worst hairstyle ever, the Mullet, was all about "business in the front, party in the back." LOL. Just shoot me if I ever end up with a Mullet. Please.

4. I took the above picture exactly one year ago today. It looks pretty much the same outside.

5. The San Francisco Zoo reopened today, after having begun renovations to bring it's big cat exhibit up to industry standards. They had to bring it up to standards? It's a spooky thought that I had been right there, in front of those big cats on a number of occasions, and apparently they could have very easily have mauled me at any time. Sigh. All I can think of is... why?

6. "And if I can't find my way back home, it just wouldn't be fair." Name that song! Tee Hee. Sometimes I just sing to myself.

7. I need to pick up some batteries, and cat pan liners, and milk, and...

8. Did you watch David Letterman last night?

9. God, I am so in love with Stephen Colbert!

10. I think I am finally old enough to do really well on any one of the current television game shows! Except maybe Dog Eat Dog.

11. I just heard the rain start outside.

12. I found a great pair of tights at Target last night. They are black with little white dots on them. They will look great with my black dress.

13. I love clearance sales. Wal-Mart had some great little boots on sale on their website the other day. I got two pair for $30.

14. My hands hurt.

15. That burger I ate for lunch yesterday rocked! I wonder if Alan would like Shepard's Pie for dinner tonight?

16. "Macho, Macho Man... I've got to be a Macho Man." I told you sometimes I burst into song. :)

17. I miss Mr. Whipple.

18. I haven't watched General Hospital in two weeks! Alan was home with the flu and I just couldn't put him through it. LOL. I wonder if anything has changed in Port Charles since I last watched it?

19. I should probably take a ride on BART soon. It would be a good subject for my entry for the next Round Robin Challenge: Railroads. Join us if you can.

20. A nice mug of sugar-free hot chocolate would hit the spot right now!

21. Gosh I miss Mr. November sometimes, and sometimes I really don't.

22. I wish the Ethereal Musician would play me a tune.

23. Last night, in a fit of laughter, Alan and I created the character of "Babbles The Wounded Goat." Don't ask. LOL


And that's just a sampling of what runs through a girls mind, when there is a series of storms approaching. :) There is a good chance I will lose power sometime in the next couple days, so, if I go missing don't worry, I will be back online when the clouds clear, if not sooner then that! And probably with photos. :)

-OndineMonet
"The Storm From Last Year"
Middle Harbor Shoreline Park
Oakland, California
January 3rd, 2007
Afternoon

The Last Sunset Of 2007

"We will open the book: It's pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and it's first chapter is New Year's Day."

-Edith Lovejoy Pierce

This was the view this evening, from up here on Grizzly Peak Boulevard. The lights in San Francisco hadn't even come on yet, so I thought it would be the best picture I could show you of the last sunset over San Francisco for 2007. It's time to tell the year goodnight... and thank you! :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Note: Please click on the photo to see it in a larger version. :)

-OndineMonet
"The Last Sunset of 2007"
Grizzly Peak Boulevard
Berkeley, California
December 31st, 2007
5:05 PM

Round Robin Challenge: Going, Going, Gone

"Don't count every hour in the day, make every hour in the day count."

-Unknown

Going Going Gone. Where has 2007 gone? LOL. When this year began, I couldn't wait for it to be over with. I was sad, and not feeling very creative, but eventually I found my way again, despite little sorrows along the way, like finding out that both Elvis and I have diabetes. Sigh. I should have known better then to try and fight the plans life makes for us without our permission, that's just what life does. I moves us ahead whether we want to go or not. All in all, when I think about 2007 on the whole, it hasn't been so bad. In fact, I think I have made my peace with the year, and I am ready, and looking forward to 2008. There are some good things coming I think... if nothing else, there is a national election to look forward to. Just that alone makes me smile. Tee Hee. Bye Bye Bush!

As a way to illustrate my year, and how it moved along through my time and creativity, I have created a round up of what I saw. Time flies whether we are having fun or not, so it's best to grab every moment of it, and save it if possible, to remind us that nothing last forever, so take nothing for granted. :) Thank you, Nancy, for submitting the awesome challenge!

January... A Little Bit Of Autumn In Winter!

February... The Queen Mary 2 As It Passed Under The Golden Gate

March... Pink Blooms In Golden Gate Park

April... Snowy Egret Wading in The Monterey Bay

May... A Dramatic Rose

June... The Beach In Pacifica

July... Mist And Painted Lady Butterflies In Half Moon Bay

August... My Favorite Rose... Love's Promise

September... The Sunset Reflects The Smoke In The Air After The California Wildfires

October... A Quiet Day Where The Ghost Of The "Blue Lady" Haunts

November... A Snowy Egret Wades Near Some Oil In The San Francisco Bay, Near Emeryville, California

December... Autumn Again Inspires Me...Even In Winter

Be sure to check out all the entries by the Round Robins. Just follow the links below. You can play along too. Just drop by the official Round Robin blog and leave us your complete information. If you can't join us this time, maybe you can sometime in the future. We will announce our next challenge this Sunday!

Linking List

Nancy... Nancy Luvs Pix
POSTED!

Steven... (sometimes) photoblog
POSTED!

Carly... Ellipsis
POSTED!

Lisa... Lisa's Chaos
POSTED!

Karen... Outpost Mavarin
POSTED!

Sandra... Strong Chemistry
POSTED!

Kim... Nekked Lizard's Adventures
POSTED!

Julie... Julie's Web Journal
POSTED!

Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
POSTED!

Janet... Fond Of Photography
POSTED!

Chrissea... Chris-seas Corner
POSTED!

Suzanne... Living... Suzanne R's Life
POSTED!

-OndineMonet
"The Watched Clock"
Lafayette, California
December 28, 2007
Late Afternoon

Odds And Ends

"You can't change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying about the future."

-Unknown

Just a short entry for today. Alan has been home with a cold since Christmas Day, and I have been fighting the same bug as well. It was 39 degrees in parts of the Bay Area last night, and the rain came as well. It's winter with a vengeance. That's ok, all things in their own time... right? So, while my body might be achy, my spirits are up, and Alan and I are playing a lot of board games, and drinking a lot of juice so what can be bad about that?!

In the meantime, how about some late 2007 business? There is still time to help name the mysterious man I wrote about earlier this month. He is still on my sidebar, right above the poll. So go choose your favorite name for him from the list, and let's give him an official handle for the new year, unless you happen to know who and what he is, because that would be even better! The poll ends on New Year's Eve.

Don't forget to visit the ScalziCelebration blog, and leave your comments for John. His last day as our Blogfather is New Year's Eve. I you are feeling in a playful mood, maybe you might consider playing, Where In The World Is Flat Scalzi." You can download your own Flat Scalzi, suitable for spotting, and do your own entry, but don't forget to comeback to the blog and leave us a link. Who knows where that guy will end up next?

We have a Round Robin Challenge tomorrow, "Going Going Gone." There is still time to sign up to play along. Just hop on over to the official Round Robin blog and leave us your complete information. If you can't make it this time, maybe you will be able to join us next time. Check the blog on Sunday, to find out what our next challenge will be. :)

There, that's it. That's the Odds and Ends for this now. :) How are things in your neck of the woods?

-OndineMonet
"Mr Unknownman"
Berkeley, California
December 2005
Afternoon

Without You (Haiku)

"Always watch where you are going. Otherwise, you many step on a piece of the forest that was left out by mistake."

-Winnie The Pooh

Without You (Haiku)
By Carly Gordon

One Day You Were There
With November In Your Eyes
It's Cold Without You


-OndineMonet
"Autumn Light"
Carson City, Nevada
October 24th, 2007
Late Morning

Perfect Autumnal Days

"it was one of those perfect autumnal days, which occur more frequently in memory than in life."

P.D. James

A November Ago (Haiku)
By Carly Gordon

My November Dream
Leaves Fall As Do Memories
Of Autumn And You.

Some autumn days play with my memories. It's soul stirring sometimes. The light you see in someone else's eyes can blind you, especially if the light is in November.

-OndineMonet
"Perfect Autumn Days"
Autumn 2007
Afternoon

Autumn Impression

"No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees, no fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds... NOVEMBER!"

-Thomas Hood, "No!"

John Scalzi is taking a break from assigning a Monday Photo Shoot this week, so I am on my own to run with my imagination... and my camera. I took this photo in Golden Gate Park recently, at a place in the park that I visit often. A haunt really. There is just something about the trees, and how their reflections play upon the water in the small pond that they surround. It's a peaceful place. When I am there I don't think about much of anything, other that the scene in front of me, which changes from moment to moment. I get lost in the colors that dance in and out of vividness, with the movement of the sun, and the usual afternoon fog that can be expected in the city in autumn. Where first there are shadows, all of a sudden, there might an instance of bright clarity. Sometimes, like a shadow, thoughts of Mr. November come to mind. I feel that old familiar sadness that I am learning to live with, and yet, the sun still finds me and warms me. I took this photo on a day in late October, but somehow, it felt more like November.

-OndineMonet
"November Impressions"
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, California
Autumn, 2007

Autumnal Equinox

"Change is a measure of time and in the autumn, time seems speeded up. What was is not and never again will be; what is, is change."

-Edwin Way Teale

I am a little tired. The rain and cold air we had this weekend, has sent me back into somewhat of a hibernation. This is my first autumn with both Fibromyalgia and Diabetes. I can see it will be quite a challenge finding the balance. My energy is low, but I am all kinds of inspired with the camera, so, as always, I am choosing my activities carefully. I have a trip to Sacramento planned for midweek, which will be good for me, as the weather is expected to be warmer by then. I am even looking forward to the 2 hour car ride. :) But until then, I am taking things easy, so here is a new haiku. I have had the words floating in my imagination for a couple days. Autumn always makes me introspective, and sometimes wistful. What's a girl to do?

Autumnal Equinox
by Carly Gordon

Leaves begin to fall
As long days become long nights
In dreams you remain

-OndineMonet
Botanic Garden
Tilden Park
Berkeley, California
September, 2007
Late Afternoon

Tell David Duchovny...

"Practical people would be more practical if they would take a little more time for dreaming."

-Unknown

Time for a mini-blogging break. My Fibromyalgia and I have a little agreement, it tells me what to do... and I do it or else! LOL. Ok, so I am a little more than tired, and my brain likes to substitute strange words, rather then the ones I am actually trying to say... or type. That just makes me kinda quirky... right? Sure it does. So, for the next few days or so, while I get my office in order and ready for the new Earthlink/DSL installation next week, I am going to take a little break from updating Ellipsis every day. I have only so much energy to deal with, and for the time being, I need to focus on some serious computer maintenance, and digital photo filing. Hopefully, I will finally be able to locate a file I have been trying to find for a friend of mine. But my health has to come first.

Jeepers, I was supposed to send a group of photos to Mr. November five months ago... I can't find them anywhere! So a little time off from things, might re-start my brain and I will finally be able to locate them. Anyway, I will be checking in on Ellipsis, and I will probably do an update to my previous entry, which is this week's "Weekend Assignment." So, if David Duchovny just happens to Google himself, and finds me, please tell him... "Don't move David, she'll be right back after this brief break." :) See you soon.

-OndineMonet

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 #153: When Computers Attack

"My computer must be broken, whenever I ask a wrong question, it gives a wrong answer."

-Ashleigh Brilliant

Weekend Assignment #153: with one person but in fact were Share a story of true computer horror. Your computer blow up just before a big presentation? You forgot to take down a compromising picture before the in-laws come over? Ever thought you were IMingIMing someone else? Share! You'll feel better. Really.

Extra Credit: So, ever actually hit your computer in frustration?

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

Tee Hee. I am so boring. I have never really had a problem with my computer. While I jokingly refer to her as, "Megan," as in "this computer is making me crazy," she, in fact, has been very well behaved and quite fun to be around. In fact, she is my friend. LOL. I celebrate her birthday and everything. She is a Libra, same as my car, Lilith. :)

Oh there have been the occasional moments of frustrating computer incidents over the years, such as the time my beloved computer interacted with the wrong riff-raff computer and got a nasty virus. That was a nightmare in a half, but at the same time I learned about how important it is to run full virus scans... often. And there are times when it seems like it takes forever to get an Internet page to load. That is when I tend to make this little... GRRRRRRRRR... sound, which my cat Elvis has now picked up the sound, and tends to use it, during moments he finds frustrating. It's too funny to see and hear that little mutter coming from him, but at the same time, I am reminded about how little patience I have at times, especially when it comes to my computer. Sigh... something to work on I suppose.

Extra Credit: Hit Megan? Never... she is my friend... she shares the world with me, takes me to exotic lands, and allows me to see my friends and family whenever I want. She helped me find my pal H. P. in this big world, and she helps me keep in touch with, among others, Mr. November. No, even with all the frustration she can provide at times, I am pretty happy I have her. :) No worries.

-OndineMonet
"Megan"
Berkeley, California
Spring, 2005
Late Evening

In Search Of...

"A person without a sense of humor, is like a wagon without spring. It's jolted by every pebble on the road."

-Henry Ward Beecher

Ever have one of those weeks when, for whatever reason, you seem to be an unwilling observer/participant in other people's drama? You know... you see two motorists ready to duke it out, over the last available parking space, or two consumers, who insist that the last box of hemorrhoid cream on the shelf, is the very last one in the whole, wide world, and therefore they must conduct their silly twit fight over it, right there in the aisle that you had just chosen as a shortcut to the aisle with the antacid on it? Or some rabid neighbor decides to begin yelling at another neighbor about how offended they are about the politically incorrect homemade windsock they have hanging in their yard. I found it funny, but then again... you already know about my sense of humor. Tee Hee.

I FEEL STRESSED!

Although, I have to say, I am pretty sure I have someone up there (pointing to the heavens) who kinda likes me, because not only have I gotten some pretty good advice about how to break through this period of winter blues I am having, but two good friends of mine in the last couple days, who don't know each other, have made me laugh... OUT LOUD! Isn't that the best feeling? It's so important to have good people in your life, who always know when you simply need a kind word, or sometimes, no words at all. So thank you Mr. November, H.P, and the anonymous one, for helping me to be able to think again. :)

There are ways to take care of myself when I feel this way... restless... I am going to take one of my pals advice, and go tomorrow to find some spring, but I think I might challenge myself a bit further by trying to find moments of all four seasons through my camera lens, which might be a bit difficult, but will be good for my life focus. Yes... it's time to realign my life focus. Wish me luck! :) I will post the results of my adventure this weekend.

-OndineMonet
"Focus In The Light"
Conservatory of Flowers
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, California
February 14th, 2007
Afternoon