You Want Me To Eat What?

"Insanity is my only means of relaxation."

-Unknown

One day I was driving south on Hwy 80, on my way to the Bay Bridge, when I saw this car. I thought it was the neatest thing. He is probably one of the many enthusiasts of one of our favorite days to party, here in Berkeley, "How Berkeley Can You Be? Day." :) That is the day, we folks of Berkeley, celebrate the unusual, the eccentric, and the wild side of life. For me it is a time to go out into the world, and just experience...life, sans it's inhibitions. You know, that inner voice that says you must be proper, follow all the rules, and be normal to be accepted. Now, I believe in being on one's best behavior, treating others they way I would want to be treated, remembering that manners is a GOOD thing, and so on, but every once in a while I like to just go and enjoy, and see and be a part of life less routine.

Maybe it is because one day, a few years ago, there came a terrible day in the universe, a day which in effect changed my life, and how I live it, and it wasn't necessarily for the better...at least not right away. See, everything crashed in on this one day, and be the late afternoon of that day...I had lost my ability to speak. I didn't know what to say. People kept asking me," what is wrong?" "How can I help you?" All perfectly good questions, but I had no words to tell them. It was like, for a brief time, I had lost the English language. I had gone eccentric.

So, off I went on a brief adventure to, "The Home For What-The Hell Happened." LOL. Now THAT is a place where one should really have a digital camera with them. Nah, it is actually a place of many things, sadness, loneliness, but in a strange way, it is also a place of hope, when you realize that you are not alone, in having a day that changes your life. So, there is I was, on my own, in a very strange environment, Alan had just left, and I wasn't really sure what was going to happen next. I had no real feeling at this point, I was just going on faith I think, and I was just along for the ride.

What came next was a series of tests. The usual ones. Ink sqigglies on white cardboard, Where's Waldo? And my personal favorite...Free Expression drawing...with Crayons. LOL. It was a bit overwhelming, and it was a bit funky, and like it or not...there I was. So, I did all the tests, and passed all of them fabulously, but still, NO words could be spoken. The doctor, a nice man 5 or 6 years younger then I was, UGG, didn't prescribe me any medication, because he wasn't sure what was going on with me. I think that was a good idea, I have never been one for weird stuff like that. Now there were folks who had clearly been diagnosed, all around me, because when it came time for medication time, the nurse brought a HUGE cart of drugs onto the floor where I was, and I am pretty sure it contained more then Valium.

About an hour after med time, came the dinner hour. Now this was an event. A tiny little nurse of about 4 ft tall called all of us to line up so we could, "attend the dining hour." Oh my goodness, was it dinner already? No, as it turns out I was a bit confused, it was time for breakfast! I guess I got my hours backwards, when I lost my ability to form words. It didn't matter, I was just going along with the flow anyway, so off i went to have breakfast. Funny thing...I still didn't care about where I was heading to. It could have been Denny's for a "Grand Slam," or the IHOP for a, "Rooty Tooty Fresh & Fruity." It was all good...or was it all bad? Whatever.

So, we all lined up, and went into the elevator, and down to the diningroom we went. I had the tune, Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Off To Work We Go," in my head, thank goodness I wasn't speaking at that point, or I may have burst into song! LOL. As the others each took a tray, I was whisked away by the hospital Laison, which is another doctor who basically sits with you, to help you feel more comfortable. My person was a nice little lady of about 50, who was wonderful. She didn't talk down to me, she didn't speak in hushed tones, she just spoke to me like I was normal. "Carly, since this is your first morning with us, I am going to prepare your breakfast tray, then every day from now on you can go through the line yourself." "Ok," I thought silently to myself..."Whatever."

When the nice doctor came back to the table, she had a 16 oz. glass of orange juice for me, and a juice box for her, she then excused herself and said my meal was on it's way. I looked around, and suddenly I became VERY aware of those around me, and what they were eating. It was huge. All the platters were piled high with food. "It must be an all you can eat," I reasoned. Shrug. That must be nice. :) As it turns out, it wasn't an, "All you can eat," it was, "this is what we want you eat." It all sunk in as my liaison put my tray in front of me.

It contained, 12 scrambled eggs, 2 Lg Blueberry muffins in a cute little basket, 4 slices of toast, a Lg. fruit cup, 8 pieces of crispy bacon, and 4 sm. Buttermilk pancakes. Ugg. Huh? LOL. Ugg again. "Carly, I know it looks like a lot, but we need to keep your strength up, and get plenty of all the right nutrition in you. So eat up. I sat there, began to cry, began to laugh, felt completely lost, and all at once, suddenly I felt found. I began to eat. I picked up my fork, set it back down, and looked at my liaison and asked of her, "You want me to eat what?" Sigh :)

She looked at me, and gave me the biggest smile. "So, the cat doesn't have your tongue." "No, I guess not," I said smiling through my tears. I hadn't spoken a word in 24 hours, I kinda thought maybe I wouldn't speak again, but here I was...speaking, because somewhere in me, I thought it would be rude to not say why I couldn't possibly eat this meal. LOL. As it turned out, I wouldn't have had to eat all that anyway. That meal is given, on a very limited basis, to those who have been prescribed some of the more serious medications, usually in higher doses. It helps them to have a lot of proteins and other nutrients to help with digesting their food properly. The next words out of my mouth were, "can I have a toothbrush?" This made the doctor smile as well. If I cared enough to ask for a toothbrush, then I would be ok to go home. And I was released a couple hours later. Slowly over the next few months, I got back up on my feet and regained my ability to express myself. :) Therapy is a good thing.

We humans should never think we have to handle life alone. I get so frustrated with people who think the hard work Princess Diana, in trying to bring awareness about mental illness out of the shadows and into the light, was a waste of time. She was one of the first of the big celebrities to have the courage to stand up and share her problems, to provide hope for depressed individuals, and those suffering from eating disorders. It takes courage to do that, especially given her life, and how appearances seem to be what matters in certain circles. Therapy is hard, painful work, but so worthwhile. Here I am, years later, and while I really feel that somehow my vocabulary was affected by my momentary snap, I feel emotion again. I can enjoy days like, "How Berkeley Can You Be?" While it may not be for everyone, it is a day to shun the inhibitions that hold us back from sharing ourselves...our true, eccentric, free, selves. We all have joy and fun in us, but if we don't use it once in a while, we stand a good chance of losing it. ;)

Go somewhere today and be silly! Make a child laugh! Make yourself laugh, and give yourself a, "How Me Can I Be Day." :)

How Berkeley Can You Be Day? (2005)

-OndineMonet
"Baby, You Can Drive My Car"
Berkeley, California
Spring, 2005
Early Afternoon

The Return Of Madlibs :)

"Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one."

-Dr. Seuss

It has been way too long since we have played a round of Madlibs. :) I thought it might be fun to bring the game back , because all of us just need a little time for whimsy. Life can get so...so...sad. I think we could all use a healthy dose of the silly. Balance in all things...otherwise one can become unbalanced! LOL. Trust me! :) Maybe one day this week, I will share what they fed me on the first day I spent in the "Home-For-The-What-The-Hell-Happened." I hope you will play along, as always there will be a nifty prize for the winner. This month I will Pimp the winner outrageously, and email them an original photo taken by moi, which will be retired and will belong solely to the winner!

Here is your word list...

1. Color
2. Plural noun
3. Adjective
4. Exclamation
5. Silly word
6. Verb...Past tense
7. Plural Noun
8. Verb
9. Plural Noun
10. Verb
11. Plural Noun

Here are the rules...

Compose a list of words following the list above exactly. The words you send me must be in that order, so that they fit the short Madlib story, which has already been chosen. Email your list to me. (OndineMonet@AOL.com). DO NOT POST YOUR LIST IN THE COMMENTS! Feel free to ask me a question in the comments if you need to know something, that way we can all share the answer. Please put "Madlibs Submission," in the subject line, so I know it isn't SPAM. You must submit your entry no later then Wednesday, April 12th, at 9:00 PM Eastern Time. The winner will be announced on Thursday, April 13th! The winner will receive an email from me, and as I said before I will give their journal a good promotion. Alan is back on board as the official judge of the game, to keep it all fair. Instead of playing once a month like we did on AOL...how about once a week or twice a month? Leave me your ideas. :)

Ok, tell your friends, tell your neighbors, tell your friends neighbors...everyone is invited. :) Lets see if we can have a good turnout for our return to fun!

-OndineMonet
"Sign Of The Time"
Daly City, California
April 2nd, 2006
Afternoon

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Opening Day!

"If people don't want to come to the ballpark, how are you going to stop them?

-Yogi Berra

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Present a picture of something baseball related. It could be of opening day, if you happen to be at opening day this year, or it could be a picture from previous years of you enjoying a day at the park, or just batting a ball with friends.

Remember that although this is called the Monday Photo Shoot, posting your pictures on Tuesday, Wednesday, or even Thursday morning is perfectly acceptable as well.

-John Scalzi (By The Way...)

I love baseball. :) I haven't been to a professional baseball game in a number of years, however. I don't know...it seems things, life, keeps getting in the way. This is a condition I plan to remedy this season. I want to head out to the ball park, if we can work it into Alan's schedule, but if not, I am going to spend my weekends getting reacquainted with my favorite sport. :) I thought it might be fun to do this entry with more then one image, and to share with you some of my favorite quotes from baseball great, Yogi Berra. He was quite a character. :)

"Never answer an anonymous letter."

" The future ain't what it used to be."

"If you come to a fork in the road...take it."

" I don't remember leaving so I guess we didn't go."

This is a madame Alexander doll I keep on my desk. It is called, "Team Mates Girl." She came to me by way of an McDonald's Happy Meal, sometime back. Yes, I buy the Happy Meals for the toys. LOL. I used to collect the original Madam Alexander dolls for a while, and I was feeling kind of nostalgic, so I bought her. :) Hey, it's my way of keeping in touch with my inner child. :)

"If you don't know where you're going, chances are you will end up somewhere else."

"It's deja-vu all over again."

"It's not too far, it just seems like it is."

"We were overwhelmed underdogs."

"We're lost, but we're making good time."

One night, Alan and I were at the first vista, after you cross the Golden Gate Bridge, on the Marin County side, taking some night photographs of the bridge and the Lone Sailor Memorial, when the most beautiful fireworks display began at the conclusion of a San Francisco Giant's Game. I was very lucky to be able to capture this photo. The fireworks over the San Francisco skyline was nothing short of breathtaking. Ahhh...magic! :)

"Little League baseball is very good, it keeps the parents off the street."

"You should always go to other peoples funerals, otherwise they won't come to yours."

"Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical."

"You can observe a lot just by watching."

"I knew exactly where it was, I just couldn't find it."

The first picture above, is of the direction you would go,if you were attending a game being played by the San Francisco Giants, and you were coming westbound across the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge. I took this photo sometime, early last year, before the ballpark's name was changed from, "SBC Park to AT & T Park." The Oakland Coliseum, home to the Oakland A's, has now become, McAfee Coliseum. There is a possibility that will change soon, the owners of the Oakland A's are considering moving the team down to Fremont, California. Still the East Bay, but closer to San Jose, then San Francisco.

And here are the scores for both Bay Area Teams, for Opening Day, 2006. Click on the team names to view their schedule for the year!

Oakland A's (2) Yankees (15)

San Francisco Giants (1) Padres (6)

-OndineMonet

"Baseball Directions, Team Mates Girl, After The Game"

Bay Area, 2005/2006

The Resting Place

"Animals have these advantages over man: they never hear the clock strike, they die without any idea of death, they have no theologians to instruct them, their last moments are not disturbed by unwelcome and unpleasant ceremonies, their funerals cost them nothing, and no one starts lawsuits over their wills."

-Voltaire

Recently, I decided to visit the Presidio Pet Cemetery. I wasn't sure how it would feel to see all the tiny headstones that dot the small piece of ground it sits on. Placed just beneath the approach to the Golden Gate Bridge, it is a place of peace and quiet reflection. This was a place, where soldiers of the military, stationed at the Presidio, could place their beloved pets, who served them so diligently. That sentiment is reflected over and over, through the epitaphs on the markers and headstones. Some speak of their pets as, "true friends,"while others remain blank, providing no information at all.

I was expecting to find tributes to mostly dogs and cats, but in actuality, there were many different types of pets who were laid to rest here. Hamsters, goldfish, birds, rats, rabbits, cats, and of course, "man's best friend." It was touching to think that soldiers of all ranks in the military, had this little spot to honor their pets in a dignified manner. Some monuments were made from granite, while others were made up of a simple wooden sign, with the animal's name and age written on it.

When I did some research into the cemetery, I found that this quiet, gentle, little place of rest has been the object of controversy over the years. It seems it was even used to make a political point when Representative John J Duncan Jr., (R) of Tennessee, in 1994, referred to the Presidio as the country's "smallest and most expensive national park. Duncan was drawing attention to the fact that the Presidio had been recently converted into a national park, and was therefore yet another burden on the national deficit. He sent out letters to his supporters with a picture of the Presidio Pet cemetery, with the headline, "Is This Your Vision Of A National Park?" All one has to do is walk around the cemetery, and read the headstones, to appreciate the compassion that was shown by the servicemen who had laid to rest their animal friends. It is a tiny, yet very powerful part of the park...it is a place of peace. Is there a more fitting place, for these loyal animals to be laid to rest?

The Presidio became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in late 1994, and it is believed that it was the debate regarding the pet cemetery's merits, that led Congress to establish the Presidio Trust, a public-private government agency which will attempt to make the Presidio self-sufficient by 2013. The cemetery has been officially closed since, 2001, but is being cared for by a nonprofit organization, Swords to Plowshares. Whether or not the tiny parcel of land will remain in the Presidio is unclear, there are plans for possibly building a new approach to the Golden Gate Bridge, which may necessitate the removal of the cemetery.

-OndineMonet
"Pet Cemetery"
Presidio
San Francisco, California
March 29th, 2006
Afternoon

The National Pastime

"The length of a film should be directly related to the endurance of the human bladder."

-Alfred Hitchcock

Did I mention that I was once a movie star? LOL. Well, actually, I was a movie extra, in the 1994, Danny Glover film, "Angels In The Outfield." I was featured in the crowd scenes, waving and cheering on the team. If you put your DVD or Video on still, then search frame by frame, I can be seen in the front row of the crowd, and the back row...and three seats to the left. LOL. You have to remember, we filmed all day, 11 hours to be exact, just to get about 20 seconds of actual material for the movie. Whew! That was some hard work. LOL. It was a lot of fun however, and we got to meet Danny Glover and we got a nifty T-Shirt and sports bottle that was available only to the crew. It was a long day, but it was tons of fun. Somewhere, I have more photos of my day as a movie extra, I might share them if I can locate them.

I am thinking a lot these days about the game of Baseball. There was a time when, I would rather go to an A's game, then just about any other outing. Most of my courtship with Alan was spent at the Oakland coliseum, or so it was called at the time, sitting in the bleacher seats, taking photos of the game Alan and I both loved. We even collected baseball cards for a while. It was a good time for us, and the game. The "Bash Brothers," Jose Canseco & Mark McGwire were hot, and the Oakland A's in general was experiencing a great time. There were rumors here and there about a rivalry between the two, but when one was at the game, it wasn't apparent. I remember thinking at the time, that even if all the rumors were true, every one of them, there was so much to enjoy about the game, and the other players such as Terry Steinbach and Dennis Eckersley, that I still just enjoyed the game. It was baseball after all.

Sigh. So much has changed since those days back in the late 80's and early 90's. There have been so many changes in life in America, that I wonder if there is anything left that hasn't been touched by some kind of scandal. I am thinking specifically, of course, about the Balco steroid scandal, and the trouble Barry Bonds has been going through. I got the chance to meet Barry Bonds, in October of 1999, when he appeared on a taping of, "Live With Regis & Kathee Lee." The show was taped live from the Marina Green, in San Francisco, and after his segment, he interacted a bit with the audience, chatting and signing autographs. He was there with his family, and he just seemed like a nice, warm, average person. There was no snobbery that I had seen other professional players display, Barry Bonds seemed...genuine.

Sigh. It seems like his life today, as opposed to all those years ago, has taken on a lot of shadows amid the claims of his steroid use. A once brilliant career, is in danger of being lost forever, if those claims turn out to be the true. I can't help but wonder, who gains if it is proven that Barry Bonds used the substance? If it is true, then the record books would wipe clean what he has accomplished. If he is innocent, it might be tough to prove, because of the admission by other players of the game, such as Jason Giambi. Could it be a case of guilt by association? Could it be Barry Bonds has actually lied about his participation in taking the illegal substance? Is he telling the truth? It's all become convoluted, but one thing seems apparent to me, the powers that be, seem to be conducting a witch hunt, rather then an investigation.

It seems to me, that the game of baseball has been hopelessly changed, not just through this mess, but with the gambling scandal involving Pete Rose. I can't believe the question is still being pondered, about whether or not he should ever be allowed into the Baseball Hall Of Fame. Should he be forgiven. YES. Should he be allowed into the hall of fame? NO. Pete Rose's record as a professional player stands on it's own, and I realize that the scandal came along after he became a manager for the Cincinnati Reds, but doesn't his conduct as a manager count as well? Does the fact that he never bet against his own team make a difference? What circumstances do you believe must be met, in order for him to once again be considered for the hall of fame?

And what about Barry Bonds? Right now he is beginning another year with the San Francisco Giants. He has said that this will be his final year as a player, but he has said that before. He has let his feelings be known about how he has been hounded by the press, and that he contends the recent book that names him as a steroid user is all fabrication. I expect as the new baseball season begins, and the new investigation into this situation is conducted by Baseball Commissioner, Bud Selig, there will be a lot more information coming to the surface about what goes on in baseball.

Sigh. Do you think there is more pressure put on players today then in the past? Are their salaries part of the problem? Do the fans contribute to the pressures put on professional players? What part of a players record should be deleted, if the allegations are proven true? If there is widespread steroid use among today's players, should it be left to one player to be made an example of? And should it mean a banning for life? What about the record books...should they be wiped clean? There is a lot up in the air regarding this story, I wonder, is baseball still the national pastime, or is the pursuit of the latest scandal the way we Americans choose to spend our time now? Tell me what you think.

-OndineMonet
"Angels In The Outfield"
Oakland, California
October, 1993
Afternoon

Fools

"If there is reincarnation, I want to come back as Pamela Anderson's fingertips."

-Woody Allen

When Reincarnation Goes Bad...

Bootsy Von MacInerney, learned the hard way that one should never apply for reincarnation on April Fools Day!

-OndineMonet

New Life...A Round Robin Promotion

"If humankind would accept and acknowledge this responsibility and become creatively engaged in the process of emotion, consciously as well as unconsciously, a new reality would emerge, and a new age could be born."

-Jonas Salk

I love spring. Everything and everyone get a chance to emerge from the cold anew. With flowers blossoming everywhere, how can one feel downhearted? I enjoy visiting the various public gardens in the Bay Area, to see the new blossoms. Golden Gate Park puts on a beautiful show. Cherry blossoms, roses, California poppies, you name the flower...it will be in glorious bloom.

I was thinking about a favorite movie the other day, Cactus Flower, starring, Walter Mathau, Goldie Hawn, and Ingrid Bergman. Wonderful movie, with a wonderful message. It may take some blossoms longer then others to bloom, but when they do, you will find it was well worth the wait. It's about learning to enjoy your life, even if you are not a spring chicken any longer. It's about giving yourself permission to reinvent yourself, from time to time, to let your inner beauty shine though. We all deserve that...don't we?

In my 43 years, there have been many occasions to stop what wasn't working in my life, and try a new road I had never been down. It was a day like that, when I decided to start my first journal on AOL, "Ellipsis." The title seemed fitting, because I had been doing a lot of pausing in my life, and a lot of jumping from one subject to another. I had been quite ill, from 2000 until the summer of 2003, when I finally had a breakthrough with my emotional turmoil. One day, it all changed for the better. Suddenly I was on a new, much more brighter road in my life. Everything had color again, and finally, everything mattered. It was as if, someone breathed new life into my soul. I felt like I had been brought back from the dead. Here I sit, 2 1/2 years later, and while I still have days where things feel like a struggle, I don't feel the profound sadness I once did. I look forward to writing in my blog, to playing with Elvis, to inventing new recipes, and yes, I even enjoy the occasional flirt. ;)

I like the idea Sassy came up with for the next Round Robin Challenge,"New Life," because it is something all of us have enjoyed at one time or another. If you would like to share what this subject means to you, we invite you to join us on Wednesday, April 12th. All you have to do to play along, is to visit the official Round Robin Journal, read the entry for the current challenge, and follow the instructions for signing up. I hope you will consider joining us. It is a great way to meet new people, and see some awesome photography from our other Robin participants. I am always surprised an amazed at the talent I see, and we are gaining new members each time we play! Come on and join us...you know you want to. :)

-OndineMonet
"New Life"
San Mateo, California
March, 2006
Morning

Steven's Feline Friday

"Dogs come when they're called; cats take messages and get back to you later."

-Mary Bly

Elvis was a very happy boy yesterday, the sun came out for a few minutes and he was able to go into the yard and play. Elvis is a very social cat. He has made friends with most of the kitties we have up here in the hills. He best friends with an opossum family, Agatha and her babies, but sometimes I think he remembers, and maybe misses, his brother Jack Kerouac. Jack and he were born in the same litter, and although Jack outweighed Elvis a good bit, Elvis had always cared for him...under some very trying circumstances. Sometimes I look at Elvis, and think about all we have seen each other through, and I wonder how much of the bad he might remember.

Over all he is a pretty happy little guy. He smiles, he giggles at times. He plays tricks on Alan, I willshare with you about the hamburger incident sometime. LOL. He is a vocal cat, he and I coo with each other a lot. Mostly he just loves, people, other cats, birds, stray animals and me. :) I love this cat. :)

If you have a kitty friend, be sure to play along with Steven's Feline Friday, because, "Friday is for cats!" It's really easy to do. Just write an entry or post a picture of your cat, and then drop by Steven's blog (sometimes photoblog) and leave him a link in the comments for the current round of Feline Friday. You can find this week's entry here. :)

-OndineMonet
"Elvis In The Sun"
Berkeley, California
March, 2005
Afternoon

John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #105: Share A Favorite Poem

"Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not expression of personality, but an escape from personality. But, of course, only those who have personality and emotion know what it means to escape from these."

-Emily Dickinson

Weekend Assignment #105: Share a favorite poem.

Extra Credit: Ever write poetry yourself?

-John Scalzi

I love poetry, and have many books, and the collected works, of many different poets, but on cold, rainy evenings...no matter what season it might be...I always seem read Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Her poetry just soothes my soul, and stirs all kinds of memories that warm me like the most comfortable of blankets. The sound of the rain outside, like tonight, inspires me to feel and dream. Sigh.

Sonnets from the Portuguese X
By Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Yet, love, mere love is beautiful indeed
And worthy of acceptation. Fire is bright
Let temple burn, or flax; and equal light
Leaps in the flame from cedar-plank or weed
And love is fire. And when I say at need I love thee
I love thee in thy sight, I stand transfigured, glorified aright,
With conscience of the new rays that proceed
Out of my face toward thine.
There's nothing low in love, when love the lowest:
Meanest creatures who love God, God accepts while loving so
And what I feel across the inferior features
Of what I am, doth flash itself, and show
How that great work of Love enhances Nature's.

Extra Credit: Nope...I don't have a lot of talent in that area. :)

-OndineMonet
"Three"
Marin County, California
Autumn, 2005
Early Evening

Ellipsis Flashback: 3/30/04: 8 Legged Diphead

Hi Everyone :)

I am completely exhausted tonight, after a long rainy day here in the Bay Area. We actually set a record for the most rainfall in the month of March. The previous record was set in march of 1904. If we have one more day of rain, it will surpass that record! The Weather Channel, predicts that we will be experiencing some especially cold weather the next few days, so there is a pretty good chance that record will be broke.

Anyway, I have some blog jogging to do tonight, to visit the Round Robins and see their current challenge entries, so here is an Ellipsis Flashback from March of 2004. It seemed to bring a giggle or two, so I hope you enjoy it again. :)

Carly :)

"I will not eat oysters. I want my food dead. Not sick. Not wounded. Dead."

-Woody Allen

Eight Legged Dip Head

By Carly

Kachoo, kachoo, kachoo. I always sneeze in threes. Anyway, I thought with Martha Stewart otherwise engaged, I might audition for Journal Land's "Maven Of Good Living," position. This is my original recipe for those intimate little get togethers of eight or so people. This recipe is best served in low lighting, accompanied by a sturdy little wine such as Ripple, Nyquil or if you are feeling classy...Cold Duck. Don't forget finger bowls and fresh flowers are an entertaining must!

1 Fully intact, freshly deceased Octopus
5 lbs. Velveeta, cut into cubes for melting
24 Radishes
3lbs. Pre-softened Chive or Vegetable Cream Cheese
1 Jar Baby Gherkins...definietly don't but the adult Gherkins
8 Individual Ginsu knives

Carefully remove your freshly deceased octopus from the original packaging. Cut a large round hole in the top of the octopus's head, similar to the carving of a pumpkin. Remove the innards and set aside. Immediately place a disposable bowl inside the cranial cavity for optimal shaping.

Place the octopus with it's tenacles stretched out in eight directions, place garnish of choice around it on a nice serving platter. A nice choice would be Crabapples or Fig Newtons.

Melt the Velveeta in a microwave safe container till creamy. Fill the bowl in the Octopus's head with the melted cheese. Spread the underside of each tentacle with one inch of the room temperature cream cheese, and fasten alternately with a decorative toothpick one radish and one Baby Gherkin per section. Roll each tentacle into thirds.

Place the octopus so it's eyes and beak are facing your guest of honor. Use the Ginsu knives for easy cutting and dipping of your tentacle. Enjoy!

Serves 8

Note: I am pretty sure this recipe isn't Atkins friendly.

-OndineMonet
"Party Girl"
Berkeley, California
March 2005
Evening

Round Robin Challenge: Obstruction

"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."

-Christopher Reeve

When Nancy, author of the journal, "Nancy Luvs Pix,"came up with the idea of "Obstruction" for our challenge, I was challenged indeed. Right off, I couldn't think of what I might post for the entry. It seems I hadn't taken a lot of photos, this past year, that really fell into that category. I did remember however, that there was an unusual barrier that encircles the base of my very favorite place to get away from life's troubles, Fort Point, which sits just beneath the Golden Gate Bridge.

One day last week, I went out to the bridge to relax, and get a few more photos for this challenge.I have always been interested in the two unusual plaques that are attached to the fence,so, I thought this might be a good time to inquire about them. One of the plaques is of a pair of paw prints, the other is of a pair of hands. The story, as I came to find out, was life affirming and profound.

The plaque of the hands is named, "Hopper's Hands," in honor of, Ken Hopper, an iron worker on the Golden Gate Bridge. According to a 2001 article about Mr. Hopper, in the 17 years he had worked on the bridge, had successfully talked 30 people into not committing suicide, by jumping into the cold, foggy waters of the San Francisco Bay. It is estimated that as many as 1,300 may have jumped to their deaths from the bridge, since it's opening in April of 1937. One day an ironworker, working at the bridge, decided to do something to try and help one of those poor lost souls.

The ironworkers who continually work on the bridge are known by several nicknames. "Cowboys in the Sky,""Men of Steel,"but do they have some special training to be able to save a suicidal person? Nope...they simply care THAT much. Although, they have been coached by suicide prevention experts, and sometimes, there will be a police psychologist to assist the men by radio, most of the time they will be on their own to talk the person down. A dangerous job to be sure. , they never quite know who or what they might be facing. Once, a distraught man pulled a knife on an ironworker, yet another was bitten by a woman he had pulled over to safety.

Hopper, and the other ironworkers who volunteer to respond to calls of a possible suicidal person, are on call for this duty 24/7. With each call, at least two will respond, and they employ a number of methods for talking the suicidal person out of killing themselves. The ironworkers all take their turns. When asked why they perform this service, Hopper replied, "We are the only one's dumb enough to do it." The ironworkers have the knowledge, and equipment for the bridge that allows them to be safer then most who might try to help.

Hopper remembers every one of the 30 people he saved, but still remembers the two he lost. One night a man tossed his young child off the bridge, and then threw himself in. After a while, the experiences all became too much for him, and he retired his name from the call list. In time, with a little help for himself, he once again had his name added back onto the call list, to make himself available as an obstruction between the cold water of the bay, and those who feel all their hope is gone. Hopper, and those like him, are the kind of obstacles we pray will come our way.

Note: It is a long standing tradition for the joggers who visit the Fort Point area, to high five, "Hopper's Hands" as they turn around. It's a good feeling to watch that happen...it's a good place to visit, and a good place to remember to count your blessings. As for the second plaque I mentioned. Well, the story goes that the ironworkers noticed that a certain female jogger, who always gave "Hoppers Hands" a "high five" also had her dog touch the plaque, so one day they decided to make a special plate for the canine friends who visit the fence. :)

"One day, if I do go to heaven...I'll look around and say, 'It ain't bad, but it ain't San Francisco."

-Herb Caen

Please pay a visit to the other Round Robin participants, and if you would like to play along, just drop by the official Round Robin Journal, read the entry for this challenge, and the Welcome Entry & Rules Of Play, and you are all set. :)

1. Nancy: Nancy Luvs Pix
2. Karen: Outpost Mavarin
3. Dorn: Through The Eyes Of The Beholder
4. Julie: Julie's Web Journal
5. Jessica: QuickSilver
5. Sara: Animated Seasons
6. T. J. Photo Inclusions: Every Picture Tells A Story
7. Tammy: The Daily Warrior
8. Steven: (sometimes photoblog)
9. Carly: Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly
10. Valorie: Keeping Our Human Mother On Her Toes

-OndineMonet
"Fort Point Barrier" "Hopper's Hands"
Fort Point/Golden Gate Bridge
San Francisco, California
March 25th, 2006
Afternoon

Oops... There Goes Another Rubber Tree Plant!

"Everybody's human-everybody makes mistakes. If you laugh it off and keep going, and try to give it your best the next time around, people respect that."

-Unknown

Mistakes happen. Sometimes big, sometimes small, sometimes in elections, sometimes in advertising, sometimes in opinions, and sometimes in perceptions. I was just speaking with a good pal tonight, about how really good friends don't usually need to hear, "I'm sorry," when a mistake is made between them. Along with friendship, comes the unspoken acceptance of humanity in our friends. I am lucky to have extraordinary friends in my life, who have learned to speak the language of, "Carly." Watch any program about friendships, and you will see that very same unspoken realization, is always a part of the glue that holds things together.

It's that unspoken element, that happens between people who take the time to stop and let each other into their lives. I love the fact that people are human, and capable of making things interesting. Believe me, I have been making human mistakes to a glorious degree my whole life, but in the last year or so, since the onset of the Fibromyalgia, my penchant for getting it wrong has become something of an art form. LOL. Oh, but now I just sound like I am bragging. Tell you what...here are a examples of how getting it wrong can make it all right...as long as you remember to keep your sense of humor.

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."

-Napoleon Bonaparte

Hell No I Won't Go! (Marines Try To Recruit 78 Year Old Woman)

Mrs. Sonia Goldstein, of Saugus, California, was surprised recently, when she received a letter in the mail from her local recruitment office, which asked her to become one of "the few, the proud." The letter told Mrs. Goldstein the service could use her language skills to serve her country. The thing is, Mrs. Goldstein is 78 years old, and can only walk assisted by a walker, and the only language skill she possesses is that she can speak English. LOL. Although she had to decline the offer, she was very proud to consider serving her country, "I'll do whatever I can for this wonderful country we live in." Hey, it was a compliment to be sure, and it gave Mrs. Goldstein and her friends a laugh or two. LOL. Heck, it gave me a giggle as well. In a statement, Maj. Joseph Kloppel, a corps spokesmen, had this to say, "the letter must have been sent as a mistake." When I stopped laughing, I had to wonder, who else got a recruitment letter by mistake? Hmmmm.

Superman Is Gay? Not That There's Anything Wrong With That!

Back in our "getting to know you," days, Alan and I, and a group of pals, liked to hang out together. We would go about our lives all week, with school and jobs, but on the weekends, we would do the same old thing. We would meet at the mall, have lunch at Red Robin or Farrells, and then hit an afternoon movie. It came around to my turn and I chose "Death Trap." I love comedies, and mysteries, and Death Trap seemed like it would be a nice mixture of both...and it was. Not to mention one of the best looking movie men of all time, Christopher Reeve, was a co-star of Michael Caine and Dyan Cannon.

Since I don't know if you have already seen the movie or not, I will tell you that the movie takes a lot of twists and turns, and finally leads you to a point that you probably wouldn't expect. Christopher Reeve kisses a man! I was shocked. I was amused, I really didn't see it coming, but apparently I wasn't the only one to be caught off guard, because from somewhere in the back of the theatre came a loud gasp and then in a loud, disappointed voice, came "Superman is Gay?" Now, I lost it. I laughed so hard, I could hardly breathe, but it wasn't just the words the lady had said that made me laugh, it was the collective GASP in the theatre. It seemed like the entire room had suddenly been let in on a secret of national security. LOL. I mean Superman is an American icon. He does work, at times with our military. What would this mean? LOL. I am sure everyone came back to the realization in a second or two, that this was an entirely different character, but you should have heard the collective gasp!

A few days later, I went into Farrell's to have lunch because I could get there quickly on my lunch hour. I was happily enjoying a delicious burger, when two ladies sat down in the booth behind me. I wasn't really paying any attention to their discussion, until something caught my attention. It went something like this..." Shelia, did you hear that Christopher Reeve is gay?" LOL. I felt myself gasp! Christopher Reeve is gay? What would this mean for womankind? LOL. "It's true...he came out in a movie. My sister just saw it last week." LOL. Hmmm...Had her sister been at the same showing I had? LOL. Isn't that odd? Sometimes that's how rumors, and misconceptions get started. If you haven't seen the film yet, go rent it, great movie, great cast. Christopher Reeve will always be yummy. Jeepers I miss him.

"Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fall in order to practice being brave."

-Mary Tyler Moore

Terry Bradshaw Is Gay? Not That There Is Anything Wrong With That!

As you know I am somewhat challenged when it comes to linking. I also have my moments with spelling, and grammar, all because my brain is misfiring lately. Sometimes, it gets so bad that what can only be describes as complete gibberish, will come spewing from me like rainbird. Alan, has learned to speak Carly, so he can usually decipher what I am meaning to say. It's difficult sometimes, to be thinking a certain word, and have something completely different come out of my mouth instead. A word that isn't even on my mind. Sometimes, that same type of misfiring comes with my hearing as well. The following is a good example.

I was trying to do to many things the other night, like breathing, typing an entry, and watching TV at the same time. LOL. KRON Channel 4 here in the Bay Area shows reruns of "Sex And The City," from 10 to 11 PM Monday thru Friday. Last week I turned it on, because there was going to be an episode I was particularly fond of airing that night. I turned the set on just in time to see a promo for the news at 11. And oh what a promo it was..."Terry Bradshaw's boyfriend, Mikhail Baryshnikov, to make a speech this weekend." Terry Bradshaw is dating Mikhail Baryshnikov? When did that happen? I mean, I try to keep up with things, I read a lot of different publications. I didn't know they were dating. "Hey Alan...did you know Terry Bradshaw is dating Mikhail Baryshnikov? "Huh?' Said Alan. He came into my office to see what I was doing, when he saw the end credits for "Sex And The City" on the TV. He began to laugh...at me...really hard...the rat! "Carly, do you think maybe they said, Carrie Bradshaw's boyfriend, 'Mikhail Baryshnikov?' "No," said I, "Carrie dated Alexander Petrovski, NOT Mikhail Baryshnikov." "Carly, love, who played Alexander Petrovski?" "Mikahil...Oh...OH...never mind." LOL. It was a true Emily Latilla moment, if there ever was one!

We all have these moments. I like being a human, capable of making mistakes, as long as I don't hurt anyone in the process. It's frustrating when it takes me 2 hours to remember how to spell, "of," or I when find that I have typed an entry that is at least 50% gibberish. Sigh. "Neuter" as opposed to "Nurture." "Nad" instead of "And," "Fiend" when of course I mean, "Friend." LOL. I should try to remember to cut myself a break once in a while...hey there are worse things then being human. :)

-OndineMonet
"The Alien Won"
Haight/Ashbury
San Francisco, California
Spring, 2005
Afternoon

The Fabled Ondine

The Fabled Ondine

Born not of air, not of earth
But of the wave, searching ever
For the heart of a mortal man.

Ondine, exquisite spirit of the sea
Forming mind showers of it's braided
Glittering spray
And haunting sirens call
To the mortal man who came to her
By way of a haunted sea

A mortal to love for a moment...or all eternity.

Pat, author of the journal, "Here, There and Everywhere 2nd Edition," has asked the Blogsphere to tell her the story of how we chose our screen names. I have shared this story once before on my AOL Journal, but I haven't shared about it since I moved to Blogspot. So, here is how I came up with the name "OndineMonet." It was an easy choice for me, I simply blended my favorite legend, the mermaid Ondine, and my favorite artist, Claude Monet.

The name Ondine has been given to many different things. There is a restaurant in Sausalito, California, a band, a faucet company, and even a curse. But it is the 3 act ballet, "Ondine" which was written especially for Margot Fonteyne, by Frederick Ashton, that I enjoy the most. The ballet is based on the legend that tells of Ondine's transcendent journey to live with the mortal seafarer she had lost her heart to. His name was Palemon, but through her metamorphosis from sea nymph to human woman, she began to age, in time she lost her otherworldly beauty to her mortality. One day Ondine found the man she so desperaretly loved, had given himself to another and she, in her despair, cursed the man. The man from whom she first heart the human heartbeat. With a kiss from Ondine, he dies and she takes him home with her to the sea...for eternity. Ondine is sometimes spelled "Undine" in German folklore.

The poem, which I put at the top of this entry, sent to me by a lovely lady I met one day, who came by to visit my art journal, "Ellipsis...The Moonlight Gallery." She had left me a comment that many year's ago, there was a perfume named Ondine, and she just happened to have saved the poem that was written for the perfumes ad. Holly and I marveled at how wonderful it can be to to discover something lovely, such as an obscure poem, and not realize how it can touch someone years later. Someone we have no idea we will meet. If not for the Internet, I would never have met Holly, and I, would have never heard of this poem. I am not sure if I ever shared this with Holly, but the day she emailed it to me, was just awful, but getting this simple poem, and her act of kindness, completely lifted my spirits...for the rest of the week in fact. Things happen for a reason...this was no coincidence, I believe I was destined to meet Holly, and like all I have met through my journal...I am so glad I did. :) Thanks again Holly!

As for Monet, well he has been my favorite Impressionist painter, since I was a small child. The first time I saw Monet's "Water Lillies," I was amazed. I couldn't take my eyes off it. The colors, the way it seemed to flow on a gentle breeze. It has remained one of my very favorite pieces of art, my whole life. As you can see by the photo below, #3, I have been inspired at times, to try taking photos with an impressionist feel. This is not easy to do. So much has to be working in your favor. I just happened to get lucky one day last year, while visiting the Japanese Tea Garden, in Golden Gate Park. The flowers in garden had just begun to bloom, and there was a very gentle breeze flowing up into the garden from the Pacific ocean, which is about 3 blocks from the garden. The sky was slightly cloudy, which allowed for some interesting shadow play.

I have to say...it was one of the best days I had with the camera last spring. A truly peaceful and mind soothing day. I came home exhausted, but oh-so-calm. So, that's it. I got my screen name from a mermaid legend, and my favorite artist. :) Now, have some fun, and share about your screen name with Pat. As she says, "write up and entry and comeback and leave here a link." Just follow the link below. Thanks Pat, for the awesome idea! Also, drop by and say hello to Holly, she is a lovely lady, whose kindess I have always appreciated.

-OndineMonet

Pat "Here, There, and Everywhere 2nd Edition"
Holly "Diary of a Mad Angry Displaced Replaced Housewife"

1. Ondine's Cliff-Artist Unknown
2. Ondine's Village-Artist Unknown
3. Ondine's Moments(Retired)-OndineMonet -GGP, San Francisco, 2004
4. Water Lillies 1916 -Claude Monet

Don't Dream It's Over

"People don't come to church for preachments, of course, but to daydream about God."

-Kurt Vonnegut

I don't often speak about religion here on my blog, but something happened last week, during one of President Bush's press conferences, that I found particularly interesting. Since I haven't seen a lot about it, in either the mainstream media or in the blogsphere, I thought I might try to open a dialog about it here. I am interested in what you think about the connection between George Bush, and the Apocalypse.

Now wait before you answer, you should know I haven't gone off the deep end of things, I don't believe George Bush is the Anti-Christ, I do wonder however, about some of the decisions he makes, given that he claims to be a Christian. I am concerned sometimes about the assertion from some members of the far right, that if one is a Liberal and a Democrat then therefore there is no way one could also be a Christian. I am here to tell you, and show you, that I am living proof of such. I have been happily enjoying a relationship with Christ for many years, but not all of the years were as happy and content as they are right now. See, when I was attending regular church services, I came out of those services feeling worse then when I went in.

I couldn't take the sermons, week after week, encouraging me to hate my neighbor. The church I was attending had been robbed of some expensive items, several times, and from the pulpit week after week came the same message, that the people in the area around the church were to be feared and loathed. They were stealing from the church to buy drugs or alcohol. There was no real proof of who had broke into the church, let alone what their motive was, so how could I possibly embrace the thought that I needed to automatically hate whoever did this to my church family? I asked once, "Why are we not going door to door in the neighborhood, to preach and share about our church with local families?" I never really got a good answer to that question. Why do we humans always seem to hate what we don't understand?

How does this apply to President Bush? Well, last week during a visit to Cleveland Ohio to promote the war in Iraq, a women who was in the audience made a reference to a recently published book that says, "members of the Bush administration have reached out to prophetic Christians, who see the war in Iraq and the rise of terrorism as signs of the apocalypse." She then asked, "Do you believe that the war in Iraq and rise of terrorism are signs of the apocalypse?" Bush responded, amid laughter from members of the audience, "The answer is, " he said and paused, "I mean I haven't really thought of it that way. First I've heard of it by the way." I thought about the question for a moment, then considered the rest of his answer, "I guess I think more practical then that." What could be more practical, from a Christian standpoint, then the contemplation of how the world, and it's inhabitants are progressing spiritually?

If you are a Christian or have studied the bible, then you know the signs of the apocalypse are quite clear, and so is the suggestion that we not waste our lives looking for it, because it will come "as a thief in the night." There are however, clear signs we will see which will be leading up to the end of days. War & rumors of wars, the earth will experience "birthpains." Man will turn against man. It won't be a very pleasant time at all.

Now, every generation has speculated about the end of days, it is something to consider. Many a cult has been based on those fears. Personally, I don't fear the end of the world, I mean, what can I do? Can I hold back God when he says, enough is enough? It's the times leading up to those last few moments on earth that concern me. When researching for this entry, I came across all kinds of opinions about whether or not we are in the end times. One particular opinion that struck me was the thought, from a far right web site, that believes we shouldn't care about Global Warming, because we are already at the end of days. I don't know about you, but isn't that when we should care the most? As a Christian, I believe God gave us an amazing gift...THE PLANET EARTH...and because of the toxins we have put into the ozone, we may have begun something that we have no way to reverse.

The United States leads the world in the amount of toxins we put into the air. Recently, the Bush administration tried to stop a top NASA scientist from reporting his findings on the effects of Global Warming. We already know we are facing another year of stronger then average storms, when hurricane season begins in June. Why do you suppose President Bush pays such little attention to our environment? Why has he been so complacent when it comes to having enough medication for all Americans, should our worst fears come to life, and we experience a pandemic in the United States? How can a man, who claims to have a close relationship with God not be concerned about these issues? Why has he ignored the terrible conditions around the world, such as the near genocide happening right now in the Sudan?

I could give you the laundry list of what has changed in our environment in the last 25 years, in the last 10 years, in the last 3 years, but I give you credit for realizing what's happening around you. If you hadn't heard, about the polar bears that are drowning because of the ice melting beneath them, or how much the temperature in the Atlantic ocean risen, or the unprecedented amount of discoveries of new species of animals, then you may want to do some research and decide for yourself what might be happening. Sigh. Tonight on AOL news, is a report about the possibility of a large earthquake occurring here in the East Bay, of the San Francisco Bay Area, where I live. It has some startling facts that we in California tend to not think about, until we have a series of tremblers like we have had recently reminds us of our complacency. We don't have a certain weather to serve as an indicator, or a certain time of year, to shore up for. As a result, our earthquakes come suddenly, like a thief in the night.

I don't worry about the end of the world happening in my lifetime, because I try my best to remember the teachings of God. Not the teachings of ANY mortal man. Our ministers are there to guide us, and I don't make a sweeping generalization that all ministers are missing the mark, but unfortunately, the ones I have met so far left me with the distinct feeling that in order to truly be loved by God, I had to have the approval of the teacher teaching me. I had to be right with God, according to the minister's assessment of me. That meant falling into line, and hating all the right things, and all the right people. Almost as if there was a political correctness that was taking place in church. I can't do it. I can't put that much faith in any one mortal man, be it minister or politician.

So tell me, do you think we are in the end of days? Share with me what you think might be the signs, if you do believe we are there. Do you think today's churches are run more politically then in the past? What do you see as the biggest obstacle facing the world wide Christian community today? If you aren't a believer, I still want to know what your thoughts are. Please feel free to tell me what you think. Your comments are always safe here, as I have said before, all comments are welcome, provided they are made with respect.

Article Links
"Bush Explains Confidence In Iraq Progress" USA Today
"Happy Doomsday To You" Washington Post
"Next Big Quake?" AOL News
"Analysis: Defining Genocide" BBC

-OndineMonet
"In Autumn"
Yuba Gap
October, 2005
Afternoon

The Truth About Turtles

"Try to be like the turtle, at ease in your own shell."

-Bill Copeland

I went to Golden Gate Park, last Thursday, to photograph the new tulips at the Queen Wilhelmina Windmill park. Each spring, visitors to the park are treated to a stunning display of freshly blossomed California poppies, pansies and of course the tulips. I took some photos I was rather pleased with, I even managed a photo or two of some bees that were frolicking about. I will share some of those photos sometime next week, but for this entry, I will share about finding the turtles.

It's been several weeks since I have been on a photo jaunt. I had planned on taking a trip to Placerville last week, to seek out one of my favorite ghost legends, but with the weather having been so cold, there was no way I was up for the trip. Alan doesn't enjoy driving in snow when it is too fresh, we don't get enough of it here in the Bay Area to feel confident about driving in it safely. I suppose I will be getting up to Placerville either later this spring, or sometime during the summer months instead of going right now. That will be nice, as Lake Tahoe is stunning all times of the year! Perhaps I will go to Yosemite, to see the waterfalls from the snow runoff. I don't have many waterfall photos, so that will be a nice change. As you know, I love the water, I am part mermaid after all! :)

When Alan and I plan these trips to San Francisco, we always plan more then we can possibly fit into one day. That way, we can just relax and float about at our leisure, allowing ourselves to fully take it all in. If you visit San Francisco be warned, there isn't time in two lifetimes to see all there is to see in this city. It is truly filled with all kinds of marvelous sights, and sounds. I have lived in the Bay Area my whole life, and I am still amazed every time I go into the city. It is never boring. Last Thursday was a good example.

We had finished our photography over at the tulip park, and decided to drive over to the DeYoung museum, which is located in the park, near the Japanese Tea Garden. As we were driving along, I saw a lovely white crane emerge from a medium sized pond, located on the right side of JFK drive. We decided to pull over to take some photographs of the ducks and cranes, when Alan saw a small island of turtles, sitting near the ponds edge. What a treat! We had never seen the turtles when we had visited the small pond on other outings, so it was nice to have this little surprise.

The sun on Thursday was a bit harsh, and it was about 70 degrees outside. That is quite warm for San Francisco in March. I tried photographing the turtles on a normal setting for sunlight, but the photos were too harsh, so I switched to a sepia tone, which softened the lighting some. Unfortunately, there was no way to get to the other side of the pond, where I could photograph them with some natural filtering. More often then not, I prefer to use something natural to diffuse the lighting, I like to post this type of photo as realistic as possible. The water was murkey, and the sun was hot, so I made that adjustment. Black and white was another option, but I thought it would make the light seem too harsh as well. I didn't realize till I got home, that I had captured the reflections of the turtles in the water. I liked that. :)

Just the other night, Elizabeth Vargas of, ABC World News Tonight, reported a story on the passing of what is believed to be the world's oldest living tortoise, which resided at the Kolkatu Zoo, in Kolkatu India. His name was Addwaitya, which means, "The One And Only." As a history buff I marveled at the thought. Can you imagine, being human, and living 250 years? Especially the last 250 years? The inventions, the music, the scientific discoveries, the wars, the bores and rumors of bores, LOL. Addwaitya, lived a long full life, with no interest in the day to day trivial pursuits of we humans. He was blissfully unaware of pain, loneliness, isolation, fear. He had no idea he was once a pet of the famous British officer, and eventual governor of Bengal, who was also, one of the founders of British rule in India, Robert Clive.

There are so many points in history, I wish I could have seen first hand. So many eras. One would have to be very comfortable in one's own skin to be able to live 250 years, and not go mad. I have had my moments in this life, lol, but I have come to be happy inside myself. I can spend long days alone, researching some curiosity of mine, or editing photographs and planning my next trip to see what I can discover anew, like this little turtle island in Golden Gate Park. Being alone, and quite is nice. I don't know, maybe I am slowing down in my old age, but I am just comfortable with these long quiet days I have been spending. Not that there isn't room for self-improvement mind you...lol...but through meditation, yoga and Qi Gong, I am more at ease with myself, and it is nice not feeling like I am on a mad dash through life. It all goes by way too fast as it is.

-OndineMonet
"Turtle Island"
Golden Gate Park
March 24th, 2006
12:42 PM

John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #104: Color My World

"Red sky at night, sailors delight, red sky in morning, sailors take warning"

-Unknown Proverb

Weekend Assignment #104: Tell us your favorite color. Give no less than three reasons why it is.

Extra Credit: A picture that is primarily of your favorite color.

-John Scalzi

Pink is my favorite color, but lately I have been seeing red everywhere. Red is a power color and denotes passion. I have been enjoying the, challenge of photographing the color red in it's many moods. Be it the red of a winter sunset, the red of a beautiful insect or the shade of red that can only be found on a beautiful tulip. Each of the four seasons, presents Red in such glorious display!

A Red Dragonfly In Summer

A Red Leaf In Autumn

A Yellow & Red Tulip In Spring

A Fire Dance In Winter

Extra Credit: Lovely Pink Flowers

-OndineMonet

"The Four Seasons"

Berkeley, California

2005

"One Headline Why Believe It..."

"We can't decide if the world is growing worse, or if the reporters are just working harder."

-The Houghton Line, November 1965

English philosopher, C.E.M. Joad, once said, "The secret of successful journalism is to make your readers so angry, they will write half your paper for you." Do you think that the American media, as a whole, would rather report news that keeps us fired up, rather then report news that has a positive aspect to it, no matter what that positive spin might be about? Do you, as the viewer or reader, pay closer attention to the scandalous side of the news, as opposed to the consumer reports or the entertainment news? Do you make a distinction between national news publications and local new services? And how about the tabloids, is the National Enquirer a reliable source for news and information? The National Enquirer has a current circulation of about 2.7 million, which is actually a decline in circulation numbers in recent years. In fact, most national newspapers have reported a decline in circulation numbers in the last 10 years.

I am thinking about this, because of President's Bush's assertion that the American media is to blame for the publics recent disdain for the war in Iraq. Personally speaking, I am not buying into that claim. I think it is yet another, in a long series of excuses, for why the American public has become more and more impatient with both Mr. Bush...and the war. I found it kind of odd that he would turn on the media the way he has, considering both Bush and Donald Rumsfeld made sure the there was an unprecedented amount of journalists in Iraq at the beginning of the war three years ago. Journalists were embedded in downtown Baghdad to bring us an up close and personal view of the toppling of Saddam Hussein. Who can forget the photo-op on the aircraft carrier just a few weeks later, when he declared, "mission accomplished?" Now, however, he is less then enchanted with the media because, by his reckoning, the media is not showing the positive side of the story in Iraq. Let's pretend for a moment he is right. Tell me why, doesn't the White House do more then merely repeat the same rhetoric about how unfair the media is, and actually provide proof to the American public that there is a strong, positive growth in Iraq. Words alone won't do it at this point, I need to see this positive inclination for myself.

Do you think the decline in tabloid circulation has to do with our growing distaste for the sleazy? Is it because we just don't care anymore if Paris Hilton gives birth to an alien's baby, while skinny dipping with Jim Morrison? Is the decline due to the fact that we need not look any further then AOL news to fulfill our need for all things scandalous? I mean, I live for the feature, "Who Had AWorse Week?," how about you? Heck, last summer, I got to choose between Michael Jackson, wearing p.j's to court, that ditzy runaway bride, and Phil Spector and his bad hair day. If my memory serves me, I think I chose Phil Spector and his hair. Is that really news? Really? I can't think of one good reason as to why I should care about why Jennifer Wilbanks ran out on her fiance, but I can think of many, many reasons as to why I do care about the fact that tough questions are not being asked of George Bush and his administration by members of the mainstream American media....until recently that is. Why is he not being challenged by members of the media about his assertion that it is media to blame for his low approval ratings? I am most curious about that. Hmmm.

I don't happen to think the American media is the source of Mr. Bush's troubles, but I don't think it necessarily does itself any favors when it insists on reporting "news" that is in actuality, the personal business of a private citizen, like you or I. Instead of continuing to report on the fact that 3 billion dollars is still missing from the war budget, or the fact that there are still empty trailers sitting in Louisiana, that never reached victims of Hurricane Katrina, instead we are subjected to the never ending speculation that maybe the runaway bride has not learned her lesson. That story is not news...it's gossip. That story doesn't affect you personally...it's none of your business. The runaway brides antics, did cost the taxpayers of the county she resided in money...that makes it their business, therefore it should have been kept local, and not made into the media distraction it eventually became.

As I said, I don't blame the media for following the success celebrated by such tabloids as the National Enquirer. After all...we Americans spend time reading it, watching it,and following it like it was the news. Isn't it a shame when something really sleazy and disgusting takes place, such as the abuse at Abu Ghraib and we can't tell the difference between the tabloid side of the news...and the real scandals bringing down the integrity of America? So, do we really have room to blame the media, if we continually ask for more? If the Bush administration had full control of the images and soundbites coming out of Iraq, would they show us a more balanced view of the war? Would we still see the horrific images of the aftermath of a suicide bombing? Or would we continually see the same images over and over of Iraqis voting for the first time? How filtered would the news be? Do you think Mr. Bush is right? Is the majority of the news being covered by the mainstream American media only the most negative aspects of the war? Has the media coverage changed since we were at war in Vietnam? Do we only want to hear the worse about everything and everyone, so we won't hurt as bad? Personally, I am a little tired of the media being blamed for the information that is available to us, when we don't stand up and demand we be treated with respect and be brought legitimate news.

Note: Jessica has written a fabulous entry that addresses a number of the questions I have asked in this entry. Please drop by her blog and give her entry a read. It is so well done. "The Fourth Estate"

-OndineMonet
"Cliches"
Berkeley, California
Summer, 2005

3.7

"There are two big forces at work, external and internal. We have very little control over external forces such as tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, disasters illness and pain. What really matters is the internal force. How do I respond to those disasters? Over that I have complete control."

-Leo F. Buscaglia

Ok, so I was sitting at my desk today, looking over some notes I had made regarding President Bush's news conference, when I started to feel a little dizzy. That's nothing new since the onset of Fibromyalgia, so I did what I usually do when I feel a little off balance, I sat back in my chair, put on my lavender mask, and tried to visit my Zen place. Not an easy thing to do at times, especially considering how infuriating George Bush can be. There were a lot of thoughts running through my mind, mostly about how frustrating it is to have him as our president. How hard it is to be an American today, how much we are hated around the world, how our elected officials don't listen to us, when we say, "things have to change." Sometimes, I wonder if I am losing my values, because I don't really care about Iraq anymore...I care about America. Frankly, I didn't feel this unsafe on 9/11. I think George Bush has not just made us unpopular in the world...he has made us hated. And with hatred, comes danger. Sigh. So, I guess I was a bit stressed.

With my head resting against the back of my comfy chair, and with everything quiet in the house, except for the peaceful sound of Elvis snoring, I heard a loud sound which my mind had just enough time to register as an explosion. It seemed to be far away, because the sound was muffled. Before I could register the thought completely, and open my eyes, the earth beneath me shook...and it shook hard. Elvis, sat up with a start, then ran to me where he sat under my desk, frightened, but calm. The earthquake lasted only a second or two, and nothing fell or broke. Why? I don't know. I was surprised, given how sharp the quake was, that nothing broke or came off the wall. I got the distinct feeling, I had been very lucky...this time.

We have been experiencing quite a bit of seismic activity here in the East Bay since the first of the year. This particular series of quakes have been centered 4 miles s/e of Moraga, California. That is basically Berkeley. The magnitude of the quake today, according to the USGS, registered 3.7 on the Reichter scale. As quakes go, that is not huge, it's barely considered moderate, but when it is directly beneath you...it is what it is. In this case, it is a continued reminder that we are all on our own. Recently, I wrote about the fact that Homeland Security Chief, Michael Chertoff, toured California's levee system with Governor Schwarzenegger. As I said at the time I wrote that entry, I was skeptical that California would be granted the funding we need to shore up our out of date levee system. I was right.

After taking an ariel tour with Schwarzenegger, Chertoff stopped short of promising us anything in the way of funding. Sigh. Not a big surprise, although a disappointing one. This is an election year here in California, so if Governor Schwarzenegger wants to continue being governor, he may want to consider distancing himself from the Bush administration. If he isn't reelected, it won't be just because of that fiasco of a special election he insisted on last fall. Some things in politics are growing old, such as having warning after warning of dire circumstances by experts, and having those warning fall on deaf ears by elected official. The sad part for Mr. Schwarzenegger is that at least he sees the need to fix the levees, he asked for funding, so will it be his fault that we don't get the funding, out of Washington,that is needed?

As I have said before, and I don't really think I can stress enough...we all must prepare. Karen raised a very good point in the comments section of the last entry I did on the subject of preparedness. She doesn't live in "earthquake country," or "flood country," or "hurricane country," she lives in a part of the country that is spared most conditions which must exist for a natural disaster. As her friend, I am of course relieved, but even if you do happen to think you have it all covered, the unexpected can occur. Do you have an overnight kit with a change of clothes should, god forbid, your house catches fire? Do you have a good supply of flashlights and batteries? How about fresh water or food for your pets? Does everyone who reads my blog, have a roadside emergency kit in their car? How about a spare telephone book for your area? Do you have a prearranged place to meet your loved ones, should the worst happen?Do you change the batteries in your smoke detectors every six months? Let's try something simple, raise your hand if you know how to change your own tire! In this age of terrorism, where nothing should be taken for granted, is there such a thing as being over prepared? Really?

Ok, rant over. On a lighter note, wasn't it great to see Helen Thomas, back in the front row at a White House press conference? Asking the tough questions, that should have been asked months ago?

"I'd like to ask you, Mr. President...your decision to invade Iraq has caused the deaths of thousands of Americans and Iraqis, wounds of Americans and Iraqis for a lifetime. Every reason given, publicly at least, has turned out not to be true. My question is: Why did you really want to go to war?"

-Helen Thomas 3/21/06 "Bush: Troops To Stay In Iraq For Years."

Note: Steven wrote a very good entry, in which he shares his thoughts about Bush's news conference yesterday. If you haven't been by his blog, please stop by and give it a read! You'll be glad you did. "Monarch"

-OndineMonet

Turn Up The Noise, Turn Up The Bok

"I wish there was a knob on the TV to turn up the intelligence. There's a knob called, "brightness," but that doesn't work."

-Unknown

A couple weeks ago Patrick, wrote an entry titled, "What's You TV Gripe." At the time I read it I didn't really have any particular gripe about TV. I have been a constant viewer of all things TV since I was a child. Granted, over the years my taste in programming has definitely changed more then once. Just last week I was speaking with my therapist, Sarah, about this very subject. When I was a little girl, I LOVED watching 6o Minutes. Yes, while other children were glued to their seats watching, The Wonderful World Of Disney," I was watching, in-depth reports by Morley Safer about corporate greed or marveling at the "Point/Counterpoint" debates of James J. Kilpatrick and Shana Alexander. Heck, all noise would have to stop at the end of the show when Andy Rooney would share his musing of the week. I was a weird kid. Actually, it all came from the desire to understand the world. See, it was difficult in my house when I was a little girl, so I watched things other children didn't, to seek answers to the deep questions I had. I didn't spend all my time on the evening news, and news magazine programs, in fact, some of my favorite moments on TV didn't come from regularly programmed network shows...nope...I loved commercials.

For the most part, I found commercials to be funny. Sometimes, even most the serious ones, seemed to have an amusing tone to them. Like the Kleenex commercials, which at times, could make my cry. How's that for irony? LOL. And I ask you, who could forget the hysterical, "Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is," of Alka-Seltzer? LOL. Or the Oscar Meyer boy sitting on the dock, discussing his love of bologna, in lyric verse. Who says television isn't educational? I learned how to spell B-O-L-O-G-N-A from that commercial. LOL. So, ok, now we have firmly established the fact that I have always been a commercial geek, it should be said that once in a while, I do have a gripe.

Does anyone else find the fairly new Burger King, "Bucking Chicken" commercial to be hysterical, and yet slightly annoying? I laughed my butt off the first time I saw it. I mean after all, it was one or more guys, in a giant chicken suit, with a cowboy riding on it's back, trying to keep the chicken from bucking him off. LOL. The thought of a pissed off giant chicken is too funny, although it does leave one with a slightly spooked feeling when that commercial is followed by a news report on Bird Flu. Between Mad Cow disease, and Bird Flu it gives one the feeling that maybe we would be better off if we stopped pissing off the animals. Sigh.

I guess the thing that disturbs me the most about the "Bucking Chicken" is the phrase, "Bucking Chicken." See, it's a little too close to...ummm...well..."(Profanity) Chicken." Sorry, but a pet peeve of mine is when people, especially adult people, say something like, "the F word," as if saying it out loud will somehow cause me to swoon, get the vapors or otherwise turn inside out, if they said the, "F word." I am pretty much going to hear that particular word in my brain anyway...so what's the point in tip-toeing around the subject? Adults should just be adults and find a word that wouldn't cause someone to be offended. Still, at times, such as when quoting someone else, one will find themselves using a term they wouldn't otherwise. It happens.

I don't know, I don't curse very often, but once in a great while something, not so nice, will come flying out of my mouth. It only happens when I either fall off my chair at the therapists office, or when I have come out of a public bathroom with my skirt tucked down in my under-roos. There is just no good time to pull one's dress out of the bum. LOL. So, anything that might tempt me to use unfortunate words, I find a bit annoying, like the phrase, "Bucking Chicken." Oh well, in the grand scheme of things, it is a minor annoyance, I am no big fan of Burger King anyway, and at least it isn't as weird as the sponge monkeys from the Quiznos commercials. Now my favorite commercials at the moment, are for Travelocity, which features the Gnome. I love watching him being blowing up, or getting electrocuted. LOL. I can't help it, garden gnomes give me the wiggins. They have ever since I had that freaky gnome in my back yard that I swear was tripping me. LOL. Of course, that was more about me then him. LOL.

Ok, your turn, tell me what your favorite/least favorite commercials are. Do you have an absolute favorite of all time? Do you enjoy watching Retromercials?

-OndineMonet
"The Chicken"
Half Moon Bay, California
October 24th, 2005
Afternoon

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Signs Of Spring

"Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself."

-Zen Proverb

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Snap a shot of something that lets you know Spring has come around.

-John Scalzi

I am enjoying the cherry blossoms this year. The weather here in Northern California, has been as such, that it seems there is little dots of color everywhere I look. White, pink, liliac, sometimes blossoms that are deep pink in color. It's beautiful!Sometimes, they are at their prettiest when there are tiny raindrops on the petals.

-OndineMonet
"Spring March"
March 20th, 2006
Berkeley, California
Afternoon

Obstruction...A Round Robin Promotion

Please click on the above photo to see the larger version.

"Enthusiasm releases the drive to carry you over obstacles and adds significance to all you do."

-Norman Vincent Peale

If you have been reading my blog for a while, then you know that photographing the Golden Gate Bridge from different angles and perspectives, is a great passion of mine. Sometimes however, it can be quite challenging! LOL. Take for example, the above two photographs. Both were taken from the Vista Point, at the last San Francisco exit as you approach the Golden Gate Bridge, heading north into Marin County. The vista has a number of good spots in which to stand that allow some stunning views of the bridge, although some areas are easier to get to then others. As an example, the first photo was taken from the parking lot of the vista. It is a lovely spot all on it's own with an abundance of flowers, well trimmed hedges, several different trees, and a small, Art Deco styled, outdoor cafe. What it doesn't have, oddly enough, is a great view of the bridge. LOL.

So, what's a girl photographer to do? Well, if she wants a really great view of her favorite bridge, in order to take a gorgeous picture, then she must remove the obstruction preventing her from taking the photo. Well, see silly me left home that day without my tree trimmer, so I did the next best thing. I walked down this wonderful brick pathway, that goes straight down to an overlook of the Golden Gate Bridge and Fort Point directly below. It is a wonderful spot to view and photograph the bridge, but the path is around the corner so it looks a bit hidden. Also, I found it a little steep, and when it ends there at the edge it is sand, not pavement, so it can be a bit muddy at times...but oh so worth it. On a clear day, like this one, you can see the tiny light from the Point Bonita Lighthouse, which is located to the left of the bridge on the Marin County side. I guess it was through my enthusiasm, that I found the drive to move beyond the obstacle, and reach my goal.

Nancy, author of the journal, "Nancy Luvs Pix," chose "Obstruction" as the topic for our next Round Robin Challenge. I immediately thought of these photos, when I considered that topic. We all have obstacles, and obstructions in our day to day lives. Construction that we must walk or drive around. Not enough hours in the day to finish all we have to do, then there is good old YIKES constipation. LOL. Although, I don't think that would photograph well, unless you are like me and you take your digital camera everywhere! No not the bathroom silly! I was thinking of the grocery store. I like photographing items at the grocery store, like different kinds of packaging. Like canned peas and boxes of Ex-Lax. LOL. Hey one never knows when a photograph of a healthcare product might be needed. Especially if someone else is doing the shopping, and comes home with Pepto-Bismo, instead of what you really needed. But that's a different challenge! LOL.

Come and join us for this awesome challenge...won't you? The date will be Wednesday, March 29th, and as always, you can post anytime between the midnights of that day. Below are a few simple requests that we ask of you, please take a look at them before you leave your RSVP at the Round Robin Journal.

1. Leave your first name
2. The FULL URL of the journal, or blog, where you will be posting your entry for the challenge. If you are posting at more than one blog or journal, leave us BOTH URLs.
3. DO NOT POST BEFORE THE CHALLENGE DATE! If you have a problem with posting that day, it's ok, you have up till one week after the challenge date to post your entry. Just drop me an email, prior to the challenge, and I will include your name on the Linking List, with a note regarding what day you will be posting your entry. :) Click here for a complete overview of the *Rules Of Play.*

Here is an example: Carly
Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly
http://ellipsissuddenlycarly.blogspot.com

We ask you to do this even if you have played every, single challenge we have done previously. The reason we ask you to do this, is so there is NO confusion on the day of the challenge. If you have already signed up for the challenge, and haven't entered your RSVP, as in the example, please return to the Round Robin Journal and resubmit your RSVP. It is a real help to me, you know how challenged I am when it comes to linking. ;) Ok,I hope to see you on the day of the challenge. :)

-OndineMonet
"Two View"
San Francisco, California
Winter, 2005
Mid-Morning

Goodnight Winter

"Don't be dismayed by goodbyes, a farewell is necessary before you can meet again, and meeting again, after moments or lifetimes is certain for those who are friends."

-Richard Bach

Today is the last full day of winter. I have enjoyed this season very much this year, while I wasn't able to get out as much as I would have liked, the time I did spend outside was lovely. One 48 hour period was especially nice, it was on February 8th and 9th. On Tuesday, the 8th, I went to the beach along the San Francisco coastline, between Half Moon Bay and San Francisco, to watch the Maverick's Surfing contest. The very next day, I went north toward Lake Tahoe, and played in the snow. I had never really touched snow before, so it was an amazing treat. Just imagine, sitting on a beach, in a swim suit, in 75 degree weather one day, and then playing in the snow, in 22 degree weather, 24 hours later. That's winter in California! :)

-OndineMonet
"Winter Morning/Winter Evening"
El Dorado County, California
February, 9th, 2006
Morning/Evening