To All The Men I've Loved Before...

"Gravitation cannot be held responsible for people falling in love."

-Albert Einstein

It's such nonsense, but I have been thinking about all my past boyfriends the last couple days. With very few exceptions, I was lucky enough to remain friends with most of them, there are only a couple I no longer have contact with...which believe me...is really just as well! One such Ex-File, was "Empty Vase Guy." I don't think I shared about him, when I was writing my EX-FILES series on my AOL journal Ellipsis. "Empty Vase Guy," was just that...shallow as they come, and when we broke up, it was a great day in the universe. We kinda stayed friends, as well were in the same circle of friends, and then one day that all changed. See, I was selling Avon at the time, to try and supplement my income, and occasionally he would help me out by buying something from one of my catalogs. His way of keeping in touch with me no doubt. Well, one promotion that just happened to fall a couple week's before Valentine's Day, offered a certificate for a free bouquet of roses, a $12.99 value, with the purchase of a very pretty cut glass vase from the catalog.

"Empty Vase Guy," loved a bargain! He ordered the vase and it arrived just in time for Valentine's Day. 6 months earlier we had broken up, and he immediately began dating "Dora," a lovely girl, who I liked very much. So much so, that I kind felt sorry for her that he was apparently the love of her life, kinda like the way I feel sorry for Laura Bush having George as the love of her life. Tee Hee. Anyway, I called "Empty Vase Guy" to tell him his vase had arrived. A few hours later, he came to my place to pick it up. I had it packaged and ready for him. As I handed him the bag, he reached inside of the package and pulled out the certificate for the free flowers, and then handed the bag with the vase back to me. "What's this I asked?" "Here," he said, "You keep the vase." I didn't know what to say." But "L" I think the idea is for you to redeem the certificate for the flowers, and then put them in the vase for your girlfriend. "No," said he, "I want you to have the vase, cause I know you had a hard time getting over me."

ROFLMAO!

Two years later I sold it at a yard sale for $2.99! Tee Hee! :)

Here is a partial list of my great crushes over the years, in no particular order. Can you guess my top 5 from this list? Come on, give it a try...

Bradley Whitford as Josh Lyman (The West Wing)

Shaggy (Scooby Doo)

Robert Wagner as Jonathon Hart (Hart To Hart)

John Ritter as Himself

Barney Rubble

Woody Allen as Himself

Richard Thomas as John-Boy Walton (The Waltons)

Bobby Sherman as Himself

Hubert Humphrey as Himself

Bruce Boxleitner as Lee Stetson (Scarecrow And Mrs. King)

Fred Grandy as Gopher Smith (The Love Boat)

George of the Jungle... Friend to you and Me!

Al Gore :)

David Duchovny as Himself

Harry Connick Jr. as Himself

Micky Dolenz...ahem...as Himself ;)

Happy Valentine's Day!

"No, this trick won't work... how on earth are you ever going to explain in terms of chemisty and physics so important a biological phenomenon as first love?"

-Albert Einstein

-OndineMonet
"Kiss Me"
Berkeley, California
February 12, 2007
Evening

Your Monday Photo Shoot: On The Phone

"If we discovered that we only had five minutes left to say all that we wanted to say, ever telephone booth would be occupied by people calling other people to stammer that they loved them."

-Christopher Morley

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Show off your phone (provided you have one). Lets put the spotlight on perhaps the quintessential technological doodad of the early 21st century.

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

Here she be... my cell phone. She is a Nokia 6102 Camera phone. She is basic, she doesn't have every one of the bells and whistles available, but she is fun and she gets the job done. I have some cute wallpapers of "Sex and the City," and classic art such as Monet's "Waterlilies." My current ring tone is the theme from Bewitched, but for the December holiday season, I had Rod Stewart and Dolly Parton singing, "Baby It's Cold Outside."

I have said it before, and I will take this opportunity to say it again, in this day and age... post 911... cell phones are a necessity. Like with anything else, there is a right and wrong way to use them. I try to be aware of folks around me, therefore I turn it off when appropriate, such as in restaurants and theaters. Every time I hear news stories, like the one I heard tonight about the shooting at the mall in Utah earlier this evening, I am glad I have me cell phone. I would want to be able to communicate with Alan, should we ever find ourselves in that position.

And OK, I will admit it, I enjoy the fun aspects of having a cell phone, such as being able to Text Message with my pal H. P. . Due to his weird, hectic schedule, sometimes that is the only we can connect and keep up with each other. We live in a hectic, fast paced world, sometimes we do what we must to maintain those connections that are most important to us. Alan and I are able to call each other several times a day, just to say "I Love You" or "Hi." We are just funny that way, but it is good to know we are never too far out of touch with each other. OK, rant over. :)

"Telephone, n. An invention of the devil, which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance."

-Ambrose Bierce

Gunman kills 5 in Utah Shopping Mall

-OndineMonet
My Phone
Berkeley, California
October 5th, 2006
Evening

The Nightmare Before Valentine's Day

"Love is something eternal; the aspect may change but not the essence."

-Vincent Van Gogh

Is this story romantic or what? Imagine spending eternity wrapped in the arms of your lover. Eternal compassion and comfort. No fear, no pain, no seperation. Only time. A future certain, and a past forgotten. I mean that the couple in the above photo, is the perfect illustration of what it is like to find your soul mate. They have been together between 5,000 and 6,000 years, and I bet they saw forever the first moment their eyes met. I can only imagine what it must have been like for archaeologist, Elena Menotti, when her team uncovered the couple, earlier this month, near the town of Mantova, located in northern Italy. Forgive me, sometimes I get all caught up in the romantic notions of life, but you have to remember, I come by it honestly. I am a Cancer after all, and nothing inspires me more, than the thought of there actually being a love, that even time will stop for.




"Lovers" By Danny Hahlbohm

Forever (Haiku)
By OndineMonet

Hold Me To Your Soul
And We Will See Forever
In Each Other's Eyes

Now In Italian...

Per sempre (Haiku)
By OndineMonet

Tenerlo alla vostra anima
E verdremo per sempre
In occhi di ciascunno

Google Language Tools Translator

-OndineMonet

Carly's Stuffed Bell Peppers

"Food is our common ground, a universal experience."

-James Beard

It's been raining the last couple days, so I have been housebound... and a little bored. But it's not all that bad, because one of the things I enjoy the most about winter, and long weekends when it's raining, is spending time developing new recipes, or maybe even revisiting recipes I haven't made for a while. This weekend I made Stuffed Bell Peppers. This batch was a new take on an old recipe. Instead of using just plain tomato sauce, I tried using a tomato cream sauce, that had the added kick of sun-dried tomatoes. I think it turned out well. :) Here is the recipe, if you try it, let me know how it comes out.

Carly's Stuffed Bell Peppers

6-8 medium sized green, red and/or yellow bell peppers
2 lbs. ground beef
6-8 marinated sun-dried tomatoes
2 cups cooked plain white rice (cooked to pkg directions)
2 sm. cans tomato sauce
1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbs dried chopped onion
1sp. garlic powder

Directions...

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a heavy skillet, cook ground beef, seasoned with garlic powder, until no longer pink. Drain and set aside. Cook rice in medium sized pot, according to package directions. When rice is ready, transfer to a large mixing bowl and add in cheese, chopped onion, Parmesan cheese, and tomato sauce. Blend mixture well. Remove the sun-dried tomatoes and drain on a paper towel. Wash, and slice open bell peppers, saving the tops to the side. Fill each pepper with meat/cheese mixture. Put one, drained, sun-dried tomato on the top of each bell pepper, after it's filled, and press down gently. Replace the bell pepper tops, and place in a medium to large baking dish, allowing room around each pepper. Pour Classico sauce around each pepper, and drizzle some on top. Cook in 375 oven for 45-60 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serves 4-6. Enjoy!

Note: If you can purchase red, green and red peppers, it tastes the same, and it makes a nice presentation. :)

-OndineMonet
Berkeley, California
February 9, 2007
Morning

They Don't Write 'Um Like That Anymore

"Love is a thing, well, its a kind of quicksand: The more you are in it, the deeper you sink. And when it hits you, you've just got to fall."

-UB40

It's been a long time since I posted a historic love letter entry, but with Valentine's Day less than a week away, I thought it would be a good time. These letters never stop amazing me, such passion and emotion by their authors. Sigh. :) As I read through them earlier this evening, I found I couldn't choose just one, so here are three rather brief, yet sensual letters to lose yourself in... Enjoy!

From Edith Wharton to W. Morton Fullterton
June 8th, 1908

There would have been the making of an accomplished flirt in me, because my lucidity shows me each move of the game - but that, in the same instant, a reaction of contempt makes me sweep all the counters off the board and cry out - "Take them all - I don't want to win - I want to lose everything in you!"


From Charlotte Bronte to Professor Constantin Heger
January 8th, 1845
Note: There is no evidence that her love for the professor was returned.

Monsieur...

The poor have not need of much to sustain them - they ask only for the crumbs that fall from the rich man's table. But if they refused the crumbs they die of hunger. Nor do I, either, need much affection from those I love. I should not know what to do with a friendship entire and complete - I am not used to it. But you showed me of yours a little interest, when I was your pupil in Brussels, and I hold on to the maintenance of that little interest - I hold on to it as I would hold on to life.

From Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) To Olivia Langdon, his future wife.
May 12th, 1869

Out of the depths of my happy heart, wells a great tide of love and prayer for the priceless treasure that is confided to my life-long keeping.

You cannot see it's tangible waves as they flow towards you, darling, but in these lines you will hear, as it were, the distant beating of the surf.


Like I said... Sigh! :)

"To write a good love letter, you ought to begin without knowing what you mean to say, and to finish without knowing what you have written."

-Jean Jacques Rousseau

-OndineMonet
"Love"
San Mateo, California
Spring, 2006
Afternoon

John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #151: Valentine's Day - Fun Or Forced?

"I don't understand why Cupid was chosen to represent Valentine's Day. When I think about romance, the last think on my mind is a short, chubby toddler coming at me with a weapon."

-Unknown

Weekend Assignment #151: Is Valentine's Day a genuinely romantic day? Or just a big commercial money pit into which romantic people fall? Go on, share how you really feel about the day - whether you enjoy it or feel like it's forced on you by greeting card companies, or fall somewhere in between those two poles.

Extra Credit: Suggest a nice romantic movie.

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

Valentine's Day you say! Well, for a holiday, it can certainly have it's moments. Fun? Yes. Romantic? Yes. Complicated? Oh my...YES! There are more rules to that one holiday, then all the rest put together. At least during the holidays in December, you can give either individual or group cards. If you are unsure what to wish someone, you can always wish them "Happy Holidays." When it comes to Valentine's Day, if you wish the wrong person a Happy Valentine's Day, you never know if their psycho other half might hunt you down in a mad fit of jealousy! LOL.

All kidding aside, I think it's a fun holiday. You don't have to allow commercialism to lead you around, no matter what holiday you are facing on a calendar. Life...and love...are what you make of them. Some of my favorite Valentine's Days were spent with Alan, doing very little, but enjoying each other. Then there was the one where he made dinner for me, after I had worked a very long day at the flower shop, making flower arrangements for other ladies. By the time I was done working that day, I didn't want to ever see another rose! I came home so tired, all I wanted to do was drown in a bubble bath. Alan had anticipated what I needed and a bath was ready for me when I came through the door. Not to drown in mind you, but one to soak away the long day I had just had. While I was soaking my poor, tired muscles, he was preparing one of his famous gourmet dinners. There is nothing like having your needs anticipated and then met... any day of the year!

Days on a calendar are what we decide to make of them. Go have fun. Life is too short to worry about the negativity that can be found in anything and everything. If you happen to be alone on Valentine's Day... use it as a day to take care of yourself. Indulge. Eat something sinful. Be bad. Smile at a stranger. Flirt with a friend. Buy yourself something expensive, you don't need. When I was alone, I did all of the above, and you know what? It was fun!

Extra Credit: I really enjoyed the movie, "Simply Irresistible," which stars, Sarah Michelle Geller, and Sean Patrick Flanery. Visually stunning, and absolutely BEWITCHING! Great soundtrack as well.

-OndineMonet
"True Love" By Kim Anderson

Space Madness

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."

-Maria Robinson

Have you been following the case of the NASA astronaut, gone wacky, over a fellow astronaut? It seems to be in every news cast I watch, as if no one has ever gone wacky over a guy before. Granted, you don't often think of an actual rocket scientist engaging in such behavior, but it just goes to show you...we are all human, but some folks are saying, "This will jeopardize the whole space program." Now I ask you, do you believe this incident will bring down the space program? I have to be honest, as much as I am curious about what happened to make this lady snap, I don't think the space program needs to be scrapped over it, however, there are a lot of questions that need to be asked.

"They all think I am crazy, but I know better. It is not I who are crazy, it is I who am MAD." -Ren Hoek

I suppose we will find out a lot about the whole mess, as the days go by, but in the mean time, I think a lot of insight about ourselves can be found by taking the quizzes at Blogthings, and heck, just by doing so, we might fend off our own case of "Space Madness" that Ren Hoek warned us about, on the Ren And Stimpy show. Yes, the key to mental stability, and holding off, "Space Madness," is to take quizzes and watch old episodes of Ren And Stimpy. And eat lots and lots of chocolate...often. And oh yeah...wearing adult diapers on long car rides.

Here are two very timely quizzes...take two of these...and call me in the morning!

What Flavor Jelly Bean Are You?

Are You A Sociopath?

Be sure to share your results with us in the comment thread for this entry! :)

Arrested Astronaut 'Suffered Mental Anguish.'

-OndineMonet

Round Robin Photo Challenge: Cold!

"Winter must be cold for those who have no warm memories."

-Unknown

Is there anything better than a very cold beverage on an impossibly hot day? This is my favorite drink, Coca-Cola Classic, with lots of ice. Actually, I should say that it is my favorite of the cola flavored drinks, I grew up drinking Coke, but I also love making my own Italian sodas, of which melon is my favorite flavor. But woman does not live by cold soda alone...lol...as you will see below, I have a number of favorite things associated with our current challenge subject, "Cold." Our challenge topic for this round came to us by way of our friend, and fellow Robin, Janet, author of the blog, "Fond Of Photography." Thank you Janet, this was fun! :)

A Cold Winter Day In San Francisco

A Banana Burrito (Don Jose's Mexican Restaurant)

Black Forest Cake

Root Beer Float (Johnny Rocket's)

Sierra, Nevada Winter

Ice Skating At Justin Herman Plaza... San Francisco, Ca

Please be sure to visit each of the Round Robin participants, by clicking the links below. If you would like to play along also, theres still time, just visit the official Round Robin Photo Challenges blog for all the details!

Linking List

Janet... Fond Of Photography
POSTED!

Karen... Outpost Mavarin
POSTED!

Linda... Blah Blah Blog
POSTED!

Schelle... Fractal Myth
POSTED!

Celeste... My Day And Thoughts
POSTED!

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

Suzanne... New Suzanne R's Photos
POSTED!

Kerrin... Kerrin's Daily Photo
POSTED!

Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
POSTED!

Steff... Memory's Child***Welcome New Member***
POSTED!

John... Personal Effects
POSTED!

Nancy... Nancy Luvs Pix
POSTED!

Julie... Julie's Web Journal
POSTED!

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

Dorn... Through the Eyes of the Beholder
POSTED!

Chuck... Dribble by Chuck Ferris***WELCOME***
POSTED!




-OndineMonet
"Cold Drink"
Pacifica, California
February 4, 2007
Afternoon

Your Monday Photo Shoot: The Eyes Have It!

"The eyes see a thing more clearly in dreams, than the imagination awake."

-Leonardo da Vinci

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Get a really, really, really, close shot of someone's eyes. Try not to use the flash. Or, you know, poke them with the camera. Some judicious cropping will do the job too.

-John Scalzi

It's kinda cool that Blogfather John Scalzi decided to devote the Monday Photo Shoot to the eyes, because I had my annual eye examine yesterday, so I happen to have a few photos available for the shoot. As you can see, I have green eyes, out of curiosity, what color are your eyes?

My Left Eye... See, I Have Green Eyes

A Digital Retinal Scan Of My Left Eye

Spooky Unnamed Eye Doctor's Machine-A-Ma-Gig

-OndineMonet
"Real Me"
Berkeley, California
Late Spring, 2006
Afternoon

The Other Sunday Show

"Come, cuddle your head on my shoulder, dear. Your head like the golden-rod, and we will go sailing from here to the beautiful land of Nod."

-Ella Wheeler Wilcox

If you live in the Bay Area, and weren't a big fan of the Super Bowl, then there was a different show you might have been catching. The arrival of the Queen Mary 2, as it sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge. While she was due to arrive at 3:00 PM, she was more than an hour late, but she was well worth the wait. The ship is as tall as a 21-story building, and longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall. To date, she is the second largest passenger ship in the world, having been surpassed by the "Freedom of the Seas," which is 1, 725 feet long. First-class tickets aboard the Queen Mary 2, for it's current, "Around The World In 181 Days" cruise cost, $185,905 per person, while the least expensive cabin goes for about $21,000.


When the ship visited Long Beach last year, it was estimated that more than 100,000 people were on hand to see the ship arrive. There probably wasn't that many people today, but traffic was still a nightmare, and parking was extremely difficult. We were lucky to find a spot at Baker Beach. The weather at the beach was glorious, so it was a great place to watch the ship slowly sailing under the gate. From far off, she looked almost like a giant gray ghost. It was somewhat eerie. Also from our vantage point, we had a nice view of the Liberty ship, Jeremiah O' Brian, which was one of the Queen Mary 2's official escort ships. That was fun for me, because my father, in his retirement, worked on board the Jeremiah O' Brian as part of it's restoration crew. I missed my father a bit today, he would have loved seeing the Queen Mary 2 arrive. :)

Queen Mary 2

Gross Tonnage 150,000 tons
Length 1132 feet
Beam 135 feet
Beam at Bridge 147 feet 6 inches
Draft 32 feet 2 inches
Height 236 feet 2 inches
Passengers 2,620 (3, 90 max)
Decks 19

Queen Mary 2 Website Cunard
Queen Mary 2 Bridge Cam

Note: The ship will be leaving San Francisco, bound for Australia and Hong Kong, on Monday, February 5th, at 5:00 PM Pacific time.

-OndineMonet
Queen Mary 2
San Francisco, California
Sunday, February 4, 2007
4:00 PM

The Color This Winter

"Flowers... are a proud assertion, that a ray of beauty out values all the utilities of the world."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson 1844

One of my favorite places to visit in Golden Gate Park, is the Queen Wilhelmina Dutch Windmill and Garden. Last Thursday, it was especially pretty, as it was just alive with some gorgeous yellow California poppies. The day was dark and overcast, yet what light there was gave the flowers an unusual glow. I was hoping to maybe see some caterpillars, but there wasn't one in sight. Oh well, it's still a bit early I suppose. I will go back again in a couple weeks and see how the garden is progressing. Soon the gardener will be placing the tulip bulbs for spring. It would be nice to see some pink ones this year, or maybe my favorite color combination of pink and yellow. I have been inspired by the Round Robin's recent "Macro" challenge to practice my macro photography, so no matter what color the tulips are this year, I will be happy, I am just really looking forward to seeing some color. :)

-OndineMonet
Queen Wilhelmina Garden
Dutch Windmill
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco
February 1, 2007
Afternoon

I Think Phil Is Right :)

"I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt I was more distinguished by that circumstance that I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn."

-Henry David Thoreau

More pictures of what I saw in San Francisco last Thursday. While I was there, I paid a visit to Ft. Point and Chrissy Field, where there is usually a nice variety of birds to enjoy watching. It was really cold however, so there just wasn't as many different types as I would have liked to have seen that day, but there was a nice group of sparrows happily searching for food. I am thrilled with each new bird species that I can add to my library. This little guy was a new one for me, it is called a, "White-crowned Sparrow." According to my, National Audubon Society Field Bird Guide, this type of sparrow is one of the most studied birds of the western United States. I had a good time watching him look for food, and enjoying his soft little chirp.

White-Crowned Sparrow

There are little glimpses of spring everywhere. I know it is a little early to be looking for blossoms on the trees, but to my delight, I am seeing deep pink blossoms here and there, so I think Punxutawney Phil's prediction might be right, I think we will be seeing signs of spring early this year, which is fine by me. I am looking forward to the flowers this year. I have some seed packets on my desk right now, just waiting for a warm day for planting. I have Cosmos, 4 O' Clocks, Sunflowers, Mini Carnations, which will hopefully bring me some butterflies and bees through the summer and autumn. Tee Hee. I am already looking forward to autumn. :)

So tell me, what are you looking forward to this year? A special holiday or birthday? The flowers blooming in spring? Summer at the beach? Share if you want to, in the comment thread for this entry. :)

-OndineMonet
"White-crowned Sparrow"
Chrissy Field
San Francisco, California
February 1, 2007
Afternoon

Winter Time

"We write to taste life twice, in the moment, and in retrospection."

-Anais Nin

It was cold in the Bay Area today, the weatherman said there would be sun, but no, not even a little bit managed to peek through the relentless clouds. Sigh. So, what's a girl to do? Well, two choices came to mind. I could sleep the day away like I do most days in winter, or I could go across the bay, and see if there was just even a little hint of spring in Golden Gate Park. I found a splash of yellow in the form of some gorgeous California Poppies, which I will post later this weekend, but for this entry, I thought it would be nice to show you this amazingly beautiful swan I found at the Palace Of Fine Arts. Isn't it lovely? I wish I could have stayed there all day, just spending the whole day admiring the beauty of that swan, but the cold air was causing me a good deal of pain due to the Fibromyalgia. As much as I hurt, I was so happy for just a few hours out with the camera, and to be able to step outside myself for a little while. The weather is supposed to be warmer this weekend. Here's to hope.

Winter Time (Haiku)
By OndineMonet

Floating In Silence
Memories Of You Fill Me
As Time Moves Us On

Palace Of Fine Arts, San Francisco

-OndineMonet
"Winter Beauty"
Palace Of Fine Arts
San Francisco, California
February 1, 2007
Afternoon

Hey...There's A Thought...

"It's bad in Iraq...does that help?"

-George W. Bush, Washington D.C., December 7, 2006

As I was driving past the university today, I saw several protest stations like this one. I suspect as Bush continues along on this devastating path he is currently on, I will be seeing more and more of this sentiment. I wish... so often I wish... that he would follow the example of Richard Nixon, and resign the office of the presidency, for the good of the country he swore he would protect and defend. Alas, he has only HIS best interests at heart, not ours. So, I have to wonder, how do you suppose he will manage to change the constitution in order to keep his job as president even after his term expires? I mean really, where would an ego like his go after this? It's a depressing time in America...




"Make no mistake about it, I understand how tough it is, sir. I talk to families who die."
-George W. Bush, Washington D.C., December 7, 2006

*Bush Gets Earful On Ground Zero Health Fund (ABC News)

*$80M Believed Wasted In Iraq Police Training Camp (ABC News)

*Scientists Criticize White House Stance On Climate Change Findings (NY Times)

*On New Orleans, Not A Word From Bush (CBS News)

*Reporter: Libby Confirmed Wilson CIA Link (CBS News)

*Lawyer: Gitmo Inmates Shown Saddam Photos (MSNBC)

*Could Accidental War Happen? (MSNBC)

"And truth of the matter is, a lot of reports in Washington are never read by anybody. To show you how important this one is, I read it, and our guest read it."

-George W. Bush, on the Baker-Hamilton Report, appearing with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Washington D. C., December 7, 2006

-OndineMonet
"Signs Of The Times"
University of California Berkeley
Berkeley, California
January 31st, 2007
Afternoon