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"And remember, no matter where you go...there you are."
-Confucius
I have been tagged by my friend Shelly for a new meme. This one is a bit longer then the last one I did, but it was a lot of fun to do. I really like this part of blogging, fun little projects like this were we can get to know each other. I thought it was a lot of fun at parties to play games where you got to know your friends a little better, I mean everyone knows how well I can draw, but can you guess what kind of pickle relish I prefer on my hot dogs? Or what my favorite pizza topping is? Or, what perfume I wear in the daytime or at night? :) Guesses anyone?
Now on with the meme...
Remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom slot. Remember to add the links.
1. Eddy
2. Sara
3. Kirk
4. Shelly
5. Carly
Then you tag five more people to pass the meme to so they can play also.
I think I will let people play along if they want to, this is a busy time. :) Be sure to come back here and drop me a link if you decide to play, so I can come and read your answers.
What were you doing 10 years ago?
I was caring for my mother and working on some country type craft projects and scrapbooking.
What were you doing 1 year ago?
A year ago I got my first digital camera...and the whole world opened up for me!
Five snacks you enjoy.
1. Peanut butter filled pretzel pockets.
2. Fresh fruit with white chocolate yogurt.
3. Assorted cheeses.
4. Cinnamon pecans (toasted)
5. Pizza Bites
Five songs to which you know all the lyrics.
1. Take The Long Way Home...Supertramp.
2. Somewhere Someone Waits For You...Carly Simon.
3. Yesterday...The Beatles.
4. I Saw The Light...Todd Rundgren.
5. Wouldn't It Be Nice...The Beach Boys.
Five things you would do is you were a millionaire.
1. Buy all the stock in my good friend Jon's toy store and give the toys to Toys for Tots and Children's Hospital in Oakland.
2. Set up a scholarship fund for young writers/artists.
3. Buy a penthouse apartment in San Francisco and New York.
4. Learn to play the piano.
5. Attend a professional cooking school.
Five bad habits.
1. General procrastination.
2. Forgetting to put the CD's and DVD's back in the proper cases.
3. Forgetting to eat. It makes me weird.
4. Finishing Alan's sentences.
5. Forgetting to put out frozen meat to thaw for dinner.
Five things you like doing.
1. Taking digital photographs of the Bay Area.
2. Shopping in small out of the way specialty shops.
3. Reading.
4. Collecting dragonflies.
5. Playing board games.
Five things you would never wear again.
1. High Heels. Those days have come and gone!
2. Headbands.
3. The color yellow.
4. A fanny pack.
5. Black nail polish.
Five Favorite toys.
1. Elvis
2. My digital camera.
3. My cell phone.
4. My Sims2 game.
5. My laptop.
And there you have it, now you know me a teensy bit better! :) Don't forget to comeback here and leave me a link if you want to play. Come on...you know you want to. ;)
-OndineMonet
"Staying Within The Lines"
Berkeley, California
December 24th, 2005
Late Afternoon.
The Night before Hanukkah
By Melinda Bell
Twas the first night of Hanukkah and all through the house
Pleasure was spreading, as quick as a mouse.
The children played dreidle and ate with such glee
Oh latkes and donuts a pleasure to see!
The menorah was placed by the window with care
So all who came by could see it was there.
We sang lots of songs, and told lots of stories
About the Maccabees and all of their glories.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter
I sprang from my chair to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the shutter and threw up the sash.
When what to my wondering eye should appear
But a vision of Judah the Maccabee there!
As he walked from the hill he was so proud to say
That the war had been won, we were all free to stay!
The Greeks were defeated and so it was sure
The Israelites could stay in their homeland so pure.
He wanted to go to the temple and pray
But needed to warn of a hitch on the way.
The temple was ruined by some in the war
It was dark, and I worried we'd be lost for sure.
As we traveled to Jerusalem on some mighty trail
Judah assured me that we would not fail.
The night was dark, as I feared it would be
Hey we were traveling through the 2nd century.
But far, far above us, we saw a bright light
Coming from the window of the temple that night.
Those that had gathered there were quick to say
There was just enough oil to last only one day.
They worried as news of the victory spread
Others would be lost, or left asleep in their bed.
Those that came after would not get to see
The lamp which told of our victory.
The faithful were sure that all would right
And that one cruse of oil would last us eight nights.
As the eight nights befell us, it soon became clear
The lamp would stay lit...darkness was nothing to fear.
So now to this day, each year we celebrate
The Festival of Lights for eight nights on this date.
And so as you enjoy the great gift of light,
Happy Hanukkah to all, and to all a good night.
-OndineMonet
"Dreidle And Coins"
Berkeley, California
December 25th
Afternoon
"Why does Scrooge love Rudolph The Red-nosed reindeer? Because all bucks are deer to him." :)
Well, the last time I checked, Santa Claus had landed in America, having just set down in southern Florida! Tee Hee. Time for me to put Elvis in his pajamas, send Alan off to bed, and grab myself some eggnog and a snack of Moose Turds. Trust me, they taste better then they sound...and look! ROFL. Here is Elvis's official Christmas portrait for 2005! I think I will do some writing tonight, it has been a while since I have felt up to it, but tonight I just feel in the mood. :)
Merry Christmas To All...And To All A Good Night!
Always, Carly :)
"Elvis At Christmas"
Berkeley, California
December, 2005
Evening
"Christmas is sights, especially the sights
Of Christmas reflected in the eyes of a child."
-William Saroyan
Santa has left the North Pole! He's on his way! :) I am off to make more Christmas cookies, Elvis and his daddy ate all the Snickerdoodles! YIKES!
-OndineMonet
"Bentley"
"At Christmas play and make good cheer, for Christmas comes but once a year."
-Thomas Tusser
According to Santa Claus's official website, Santa At NORAD," the area I live in, the San Francisco East Bay, is in quad 1 on his travel itinerary. That means he will be heading toward my part of the world toward the end of his travels later this evening. I am excited! LOL. I am loving being in the holiday spirit for the first time in a long time. Too many to count I guess. While my energy is low, my spirits are high and I can't help it...I feel giddy. :)
I had a good day. I talked to my Aunt Amanda on the phone, and found out she has already opened the packages I sent her! Silly woman never could wait for the holiday. LOL. She is so much fun, maybe sometime I will get to go and visit her in Virginia. We haven't seen each other in years, but one phone call and that old kinship falls right back into place as if it were just yesterday, when she and I last saw each other. On one trip she and I spent the day doing girly things, we went shopping in Arlington. She and I could shop till we dropped. :) Mostly, I just enjoyed her company.
Elvis is already being the perfect little Christmas kitty. He knows that there is something under the tree for him, and he goes over to his package and paws at it, then looks back to see if I am watching. Today he stole 3 Snickerdoodles off the kitchen counter where they were cooling. I came out of my office to find him trotting down the hall, with a look on his face that seemed to say, "go ahead, get mad, it will be totally worth it!" Goofy cat. :)
Do you think the curse will make it to 18 years? Will it happen? Will someone who I have never met call me a "BITCH" on Christmas eve? It's only 12:36 AM here on the West Coast, there is still lots of time. Tee Hee. I am going to track Santa Claus as he leaves the North Pole at 4:00 AM EST, and travels around the world. In fact, I plan to track him throughout the day, so come by if you want to see some updates, and I will let you know if the curse comes true. The curse of December 10th came true this year, and I will share the details of what happened in an entry next week. Let's hope I will have something to share about today as well. Long Live The Curse! LOL. Ok, I know, it's a dysfunctional way to look at Christmas, but it's all mine. :) See ya later today!
-OndineMonet
"Santa At NORAD"
"I heard the bells on Christmas Day; their old familiar carols play, and wild and sweet the word repeat of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Weekend Assignment: Write a holiday haiku on any subject.Haiku have three linesAnd seventeen syllables: 5-7-5. See?
Extra Credit: Find a little extra time, for greetings in rhyme!
-John Scalzi
A Haiku huh? Ut oh...LOL...Ok, here goes.
Holiday Haiku
By Carly Gordon (OndineMonet)
A season of joy
Bows, presents, ribbons, love, hope
Holidays at home.
Extra Credit: A holiday Rhyme
Poinsettas are red
Christmas trees are green
Here's wishing you all the joy
The holiday can bring.
-OndineMonet
"Christmas Bow"
Castro Valley, California
December 22rd, 2005
Afternoon
"Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of a child they are all 30 feet tall."
-Larry Wilde (The Merry Book Of Christmas)
It's been a couple weeks since I have done one of Steven's Feline Friday entries...so here is my Christmas kitty Elvis, all dressed up and ready to go caroling! LOL. No, actually he is ready to go and play outside. Elvis is a strange boy, he loves to go and play in the rain, the harder the downpour the better! It is a lot of fun to watch him run around the yard or sometimes just lay back on the chair and open up his mouth for the rain to dance on him tongue. My camera has a video feature, I think I will make some holiday movies of him playing in the rain, we are supposed to be getting a lot this week...could be a fun way to spend Christmas day since I will be alone. If you haven't played along with Steven's Feline Friday before, well, here is your chance. Just get a really cool picture of your kitty they hop over to Steven's and leave a link. Do your kitties enjoy Christmas bows and ribbons?
Now, here are 10 Christmas facts and trivia for I thought you might enjoy...
1. A traditional Christmas dinner in early England was the head of a pig prepared with mustard.
2. According to a 1995 survey, 7 out of 10 British dogs get Christmas gifts from their doting owners.
3. "Hot Cockles" was a popular game at Christmas in medieval times. It was a game in which the other players took turns striking the blindfolded player, who had to guess the name of the person delivering each blow. "Hot Cockles" was still a Christmas pastime until the Victorian era.
4. Franklin Pierce was the first United States' president to decorate an official White House Christmas Tree.
5. In 1907, Oklahoma became the last US State to declare Christmas a legal holiday.
6. In 1947, Toys for Tots, started making the holidays a little happier for children by organizing its first Christmas to drive for needy youngsters.
7. The Puritans forbade the singing of Christmas carols.
8. The real St. Nicholas lived in Turkey, where he was bishop of the town of Myra, in the early 4th century. It was the Dutch who first made him into a Christmas gift-giver, and Dutch settlers brought him to America where his name eventually became the familiar Santa Claus.
9. An average household in America will mail out 28 Christmas cards each year and see 28 cards return in their place.
10. During the ancient 12-day Christmas celebration, the log burned was called the "Yule Log." Sometimes a piece of the Yule Log would be kept to kindle the fire the following year. The Yule Log custom was handed down from the Druids.
-OndineMonet
"Elvis Celebrating"
December 21st, 2005
9:00 PM
"Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend."
-Unknown
Do you think that political correctness has gone too far? It seems that the war rages on about whether or not Christmas is being given the proper respect it is due. The whole debate about whether it is a "Christmas tree" or a "holiday tree" has left me a bit frustrated. I suppose, it seems like a silly thing to put so much stress on. Why does something so basic have to be placed under a microscope? Be over analyzed and generally picked apart? Why do we humans work so hard at making things so difficult? Sometimes it seems like the people making the biggest fuss aren't actually making the fuss in the name of the ideal so much as crying out for attention. Everyone seems to be in a mad race to be deemed the "most correct" in the war of political correctness. Is this the ideal behind the original idea of trying to be sensitive to those around us? To wear our correctness like a badge?
The above four photos are actually screen shots of one of my favorite episodes of the The Mary Tyler Moore Show . The original air date was, December 19th, 1970 and was titled, "Christmas And The Hard Luck Kid." In this episode Mary Richards, has learned that she will have to spend Christmas in Minneapolis instead of going home to spend time with her family. Her good friend Rhoda Morganstern offers to keep Mary company for the holiday and Mary happily accepts the offer of kindness. There is a brief mention that Rhoda is Jewish in this episode, but the larger point that is made is that religious differences didn't stop Mary and Rhoda from not only enjoying each other's company, but indeed exchanging holiday presents. The feeling of love, of friendship and of the family we sometimes make in the world was what was stressed. The two friends loved each other as family...and as such treated each other with the spirit of the season, respect, love and reverence.
The episode doesn't end there. By the end of the program we find out that Mary's boss and co-workers also go the extra mile to ensure that Mary isn't left sad and lonely for the holiday. Again, expressing the true meaning of the holiday. I was 8 years old the first time I saw this episode,and I enjoyed it a lot. I think because I enjoyed knowing that it wasn't a far stretch to think that folks would do that for each other. In 1970 there wasn't so much arguing about what the absolute most correct image of the holiday season was. A traditional tree? A nativity scene? A snowman? A pink tinsel tree? Like with everything I suppose the holidays even back then had their trends. I don't remember arguing over who would feel offended by semantics. Sigh.
The idea of political correctness should help us mature into a more tolerant and accepting society, but it seems with every other bitter declaration of offense we as a country slip back into the days when people REALLY didn't care about their fellow man. Back to the days when not everyone was allowed to vote. When interracial marriage was illegal. When the color of your skin dictated where you were allowed to worship...despite your devotion to God, even at Christmas. I have heard disturbing things over the last few years. Notions like; "we have to take back OUR God." Sigh. Funny, I thought he was everyone's God, even for those who choose to not believe in him. Religion is a God given right, and as such each of us has been given the gift to choose for ourselves what our beliefs are. Pure and simple. As a country we dictate to the world our joys of religious freedom. And then we turn around and engage in mini-wars with each other about what the most absolute correct way is to spread "the message." After a while, it all seem so hollow, when it should be so simple, especially this time of year. So much could be accomplished if all the bitter hearts, the one's who just have to be right, would simply say, "Have a nice day," no matter what the date is...and mean it.
-OndineMonet
"Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?"
-Robert Browning
Today, Tuesday, is the last full day of autumn for 2005. I wish I could have gone out more and played in the sun. Hopefully by next autumn I will have my pace set, because I missed going out with the camera and drinking in the sun. I love the lighting in October and November especially. When I did get out with the camera, I tried to get the most of it. This picture was taken on a good day, at a pretty little flower stand in San Francisco. There were a few clouds in the sky that caused a waxing and waning effect, I like the challenge that provides me.
Hopefully this next year will bring some good opportunities for trying out different lighting scenarios. I am becoming more picky about my subjects and how much time I set aside to capture the shot. I am working on being more aware of my backgrounds. I am going later this week to do some evening shots, if the weather permits. One good thing about my diagnoses is that it is causing me to stop, take a breath and really think about what I want to accomplish when I go out to take photos, where before I would pick a subject and get a general idea for what I wanted and then hope for the best. I photographed a lot of different subjects this year, and the nice thing about that is that I now know what subjects I enjoy photographing the most. Time for more feedback please...What photography subjects do you think I do best with? And what tips would you like to offer me for taking better photos?
-OndineMonet
"Autumn Kisses Winter"
San Francisco, California
December, 2005
Morning
"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love."
-Hamilton Wright Mabie
Your Monday Photo Shoot: Show me the decorations! Yes, it's time to pimp your seasonal decorating bug, folks. Show us what you got. Take the picture post it on your journal/blog, and then come back and leave a link. Easy!
-John Scalzi
Here are my decorations for this year! Both of these photos are of the decorations in my home office. The tree sits right behind me on a table and if you look at the very top you might see something a bit unusual. Yep, we don't put a star on top, we always put a Santa Claus hat! Tee Hee. Long story I will share on another day.
The pretty snow angel bear is new this year, her name is Clare. She sits on my desk and she makes me smile. I may have to keep her out through winter. She is so...wintery! LOL Oh and by the way, the Christmas tree has a name...we call him Axel. He has been with us 12 years, and he is a beloved family member.
-OndineMonet
"Christmas At Our House"
Berkeley, California
December 19th, 2005
"And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the wind longs to play with your hair."
-Kahlil Gibran
I am not sure if it was the sound of the rain pouring down on the roof, or the warmth of Elvis asleep on my feet, or even the beautiful scent of the various types of wood burning in the nearby fireplaces...but I slept well last night! I know I reached the all important 4th level of sleep, because I woke up feeling clear of mind and warm of spirit. I was even feeling a bit creative. So, as the rain and thunder made a grand noise outside, I sat back in my chair and thought about how much it sounded like laughter to me, and then I made a new journal.
It is my new photo blog, and it is a combination of the two artsy journals I had on AOL, The Moonlight Gallery and The Blue Willow Gallery. I decided to call my new journal, Ellipsis...Vignettes legeres d' Ambiant (Ambient Light Vignettes). It is all about light, and clarity it provides. I will display my own images along with some personal observations and of course poetry and musical lyrics. All the things that calm the nerves and soothe the soul.
George Bush makes my feet swell. I tried not to watch the speech from the White House tonight, I tried to remember it was the TV and that he wasn't really in the room spouting that...crap...good thing I remembered that because I kinda like my TV and throwing it into the bay from my window would be wrong! LOL. That would be littering, and I am a conservationist so that would just be bad! I thought about pulling out all my facts and going on a rant. I decided instead to visit my own journal and take my own advice. OmmmmOmmmmOMMMMM. LOL. Lalalalalalalal I can't hear you Bush! I am going to make it until after New Year's without going on a rant. It's a goal. The letter I wrote to Santa about George Bush doesn't count as a rant...Santa understands. OmmmmmOmmmmmOOOOMMM.
Anyway, hop over to the new journal and leave me some feedback. Tell me what you like and what you don't like. Do you want me to post more letters from history? How about musical lyrics? Yea or nay? Do you prefer it when I just post a photo and a quote? I want it to be a good combination of the two journals I had to leave behind. I want it to be a place of peace and comfort. We all need that...don't we? Now say it with me...Ommmm, Ommmmm, OOOOOMMMMMM! :)
-OndineMonet
"Autumn Fires"
Berkeley, California
December 17th, 2005
Morning
"If its a good movie, the sound could go off and the audience would still have a perfectly clear idea of what was going on."
-Alfred Hitchcock
As I sit here, in my office, typing this entry, I am also listening to the rain pounding on the roof. The weather gauge on my computer's desktop reads 39 degrees and my dragonfly windchimes, that hang just outside my office window, and making a beautiful, melodious noise. I am drinking a cup of hot chocolate with cinnamon syrup and topped with whipped cream, some of which, Elvis is licking off his nose. LOL. I can't keep him out of the whipped cream! :) On my desk is a small stack of DVD's, some of them are my very favorite ones to watch in winter. Is there a better way to spend a cold winter night, then to curl up with your favorite cat, and your favorite movie? You could probably think of another way, but for me, this is a great stress buster on a cold winter day. So, here are my winter movie picks...
Holiday Comedy: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Holiday Romance: Love Actually
Horror: Sleepy Hollow
Sci-Fi: Village Of The Damned
Drama: Forever Young
Independent: Party Monster
Family Film: A Bug's Life
Family Film Animated: Chicken Run
Documentary: No Direction Home: Bob Dylan
Musical: Everyone Says I Love You
Political Thriller:The Sum Of All Fears
Action/Adventure: Conspiracy Theory
Stephen King Winter: Dolores Claiborne
Alfred Hitchcock Winter: North By Northwest
Movie With A Lesson: Working Girl
Romance: Return To Me
Christmas Movie: A Christmas Story
New Year's Movie: Bridget Jones Diary
Groundhog Day Movie: Life Or Something like It
Valentine's Day: Chocolat
Movie For A Saturday Afternoon: Dragonfly
Movie For A Sunday Afternoon: A Fish Called Wanda
If you have a favorite movie you enjoy watching in winter, please tell me about it. Just leave me a comment. I would enjoy hearing about them. :)
-OndineMonet
"Sunlit From Heaven"
Sierra Nevada
December 2002
Early Morning
"We're all capable of mistakes, but I do not care to enlighten you on the mistakes we may or may not have made."
-Dan Quayle
It has been a long time since I posted an entry about Mondegreens. You know, misheard musical lyrics. I swear there are so many songs in my personal library of misheard lyrics, that always left me wondering, "what could the artist have had in mind when they came up with those lyrics. LOL. For years and years the theme song to both "All In The Family" and "Maude" left me scratching my head in wonder. It all made perfect sense one day when I found out that the last lyric to "Those were the Days," the theme to "All In The Family," wasn't "Gee our old salad ran late, those were the days" but was rather, "Gee our old La Salle ran great, those were the days." Yeah, that makes a lot more sense! LOL. I looked up some mondegreens today at the "Archive Of Misheard Lyrics", and here are some that I thought might bring you a smile. If you have a personal favorite lyric that you have misheard and want to share, feel free to leave it in the comments section. :) I would love to hear about your personal favorite mondegreen.
"I Try" By Macy Gray
Misheard Lyric: Dan stranger, you're weird.
Actual Lyric: Games, changes and fears.
"Killer Queen" By Queen
Misheard Lyric: A built-in remedy for Kruschev's virginity.
Actual Lyric: A built-in remedy for Kruschev and Kennedy.
"Jet Airliner" By Steve Miller Band
Misheard Lyric: Big 'Ol Jed left the light on.
Actual Lyric: Big 'Ol Jet airliner.
"Tub Thumping" By Chumbawamba
Misheard Lyric: I get no towel, but I get hope again, you never gonna give me a towel.
Actual Lyric: I get knocked down, but I get up again, you ain't never gonna keep me down.
"I'd Really Love To See You Tonight" By England Dan & John Ford Coley
Misheard Lyric: I'm not talking about Bolivia.
Actual Lyric: I'm not talkin' about moving in.
"Down On The Corner" By Creedence Clearwater Revival
Misheard Lyric: Brewster hides the waffle and people just gotta smile. Rufus forms a duck face and solos for a while. Beaufort playing the rhythm house on his Kalamzoo, and Willie goes into a dance and the devils on kazoo.
Actual Lyric: Rooster hits the washboard and people just gotta smile. Blinky thumps the gut bass and solos for a while, Poorboy twangs the rhythm on his Kalamazoo, Willie goes into a dance and doubles on kazoo.
"Against All Odds" By Phil Collins
Misheard Lyric: 'Cause we shared the laughter and the pain, and even shared the cheese.
Actual Lyric: 'Cause we shared the laughter and the pain, and even shared the tears.
"Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore" By REO Speedwagon
Misheard Lyric: Corndog winter's night.
Actual Lyric: Cold dark winter's night.
"Can We Still Be Friends?" By Todd Rundgren
Misheard Lyric: It's a strange, savoir-faire.
Actual Lyric: It's a strange sad affair.
"Like A Virgin" By Madonna
Misheard Lyric: Like a German, touched for the very first time, like a German when there's hard cheese next to mine.
Actual Lyric: Like a virgin, touched for the very first time, like a virgin when your heart beats next to mine.
"Lyin' Eyes" By The Eagles
Misheard Lyric: She drives on through the night all constipated.
Actual Lyric: She drives on through the night anticipating.
"Paradise By The Dashboard Light" By Meatloaf
Misheard Lyric: So open up your thighs, I've got a big surprise.
Actual Lyric: So open up your eyes, I've got a big surprise.
Yeah...not quite the same thing huh? LOL.
-OndineMonet
"Just Another Autumn Night"
San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge
December 8th 2005
Late Evening
"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time."
-Laura Ingalls Wilder
Weekend Assignment #90: Share a treasured holiday memory. If it happened during the holiday season (which means, basically, from the day after Thanksgiving to the end of the Bowl games), it's eligible.
Extra Credit: Fruitcake:Ever, you know, had any?
-John Scalzi
Ok, so there aren't many holiday memories from when I was a child that I care to dwell on, that's ok, because I don't happen to believe that one has to reach all the way back into the deep, dusty archives of one's personal experiences to come up with a beloved memory...in fact some of the nicest ones can sometimes be the newest ones we make. As a matter of fact, I was given a pretty nice memory gift this past Wednesday, when I got a very well timed phone call from my Aunt Amanda, who lives in Virginia and who I am convinced is psychic.
I see my therapist every Wednesday, and this past session she thought it might be a good idea if I laid out my plans for the upcoming holidays. Was I coping ok? Was I sad or feeling misplaced? All valid questions. It can be a strange feeling to know that you are alone in the world. That what blood relations that are close by as far as geography goes, might as well be strangers. It's that family dynamic that usually makes me feel lost at the holidays. Seeing other folks embrace their brothers and sisters can be somewhat painful, but at the same time it also leaves me feeling hopeful in a strange way, because it is good to see that not all families were as fragmented as mine. Who would want a world like that? Ok...my family are circus people...someone has to be...right? LOL.
Actually, there is one member of my family, my last real blood relative, my Aunt Amanda who isn't a circus performer, she is a sweet, loving, kind hearted woman, who is full of energy and who loves me, faults and all. She even shares my wacky sense of humor. With my Aunt Amanda, all she demands of you is that you be yourself...whoever that may be, good or bad. She and I have always been close, and she has been there for me in times when I had lost everyone in my life except for Alan. She has always understood the scars left behind by my mother, because mom was her sister, and she knew all about mom's problems with mental illness. My Aunt has been a neverending source of love and strength for me. She loves me.
Last Wednesday she and I made another memory. Alan decided after my appointment that I would feel better if I went on a drive, as opposed to going right home after my appointment. He grabbed some lunch for us and took me up to Twin Peaks, in San Francisco for a quiet lunch and an afternoon with one of the most stunning views of San Francisco that can be seen. We were up there for about 45 minutes , when Alan decided to go and photograph some beautiful Red Tailed Hawks that were flying on the other side of the vista. I stayed in the car and shut my eyes, trying very hard to not notice how achy I felt and how sad the therapy session had left me. Then...my cell phone rang. It was Amanda.
"Carly...you ok honey? I have been thinking about you for a couple hours." I couldn't help it, I had to cry just a little. She always knows when I need a long distance hug. :) So far this Christmas that is my favorite new memory, the sound of my Aunt Amanda's voice on my cell phone...telling me she loved me...and that I will always have her love and acceptance, then asking me what silly thing I have done lately? We usually get a pretty good laugh sharing our mutual penchant for misadventures. LOL. She is a wonderful lady, and a fun person to make memories with, even across the miles.
Extra Credit: I LOVE Fruitcake. My favorite fruticake was made at a bakery in New Orleans. Sigh. There was nothing like it. They are rebuilding and hope to open up by next Christmas.
-OndineMonet
"The Guardian"
San Mateo, California
November 26th, 2005
Afternoon
"Perhaps the best Yuletide decoration is being wreathed in smiles."
-Unknown
Ok, so I am standing in the very narrow aisle of Albertson's grocerie store having the most bizarre conversation with Alan, when all of a sudden it dawned on me...I am a bit squirrelly at times. LOL. Now, I have been noticing for months that I have been losing words and mismatching my verbs and other assorted grammar boo-boos, and frankly it had me somewhat concerned. It all made a lot more sense when my doctor went over the list of symptoms for Fibromyaliga, and sure enough one of the problems one will experience will be difficulty in concentrating. This is also a symptom of Epstein-Barr, the difference is it doesn't take me 20 minutes or more to come up with common words when I am having an Epstein-Barr flare-up, but it does with the Fibromyalgia. Sometimes it can be even more severe, resulting in my not being able to get a whole sentence articulated, that's when I worry. Who wants to seem, "not quite right?" Right? This can be a very judgmental world.
I am taking things slow, following the wonderful advice that I have received from all of you who have either emailed me or left comments with suggestions. Shelly, is right, I have to learn to find my pace, I am new to this and I am in the early stages so I am still educating myself as how to proceed, there is no real reason why I can't lead a somewhat normal life if I want to. So, it's a support group after the first of the year, so I can give as well as get some support and a class in Tai Chi, to keep my muscles in shape. Today was a good day. I was thinking clearly, and I even took a trip to the top of Twin Peaks and got some lovely shots of the city. I am crossing my fingers that I will be able to go next week and do some night shots of San Francisco from Twin Peaks ...the view is stunning.
But sometimes, like at Albertson's the other day I have my moments which remind me of how human I really am. But even I can see the humor in being human, after all if you can't laugh at yourself...others will just do it for you. :) So, here is how the conversation went...
Alan: Carly, do you want to make some cookies or brownies this weekend?
Carly: Well, how about some double chocolate brownies with some chopped Peppermint Patties added on top during the last 5 minutes so they make the brownies taste all minty?
Alan: That sounds good.
Carly: Ok, let me look at the box to get the directions.
Alan: Ok, I will go and get some Peppermint Patties
(During this time in our story our heroine is reading the back of the box of brownies to get the very complicated directions.
Alan: Here are the Peppermint Patties
Carly: I can't believe the directions they have printed on the box! They must be owned by Stouffer's. Look at this...(Carly points to the back of the box) It says use 2 cups unwrapped York Peppermint Patties. What in the world are they thinking? I mean, what kind of recipe would call for leaving the wrappers on. Maybe because the foil would give it a fancy look. Shrug.
Alan:Ummm...Carly...let me see the box please.
Carly: See right there (Carly Pointing to the directions in question).
Alan: Umm...Carly...The directions are right.
Carly: How can THAT be?! Is this like your ridiculous explanation about how you sex a chicken.
(At this time, I hadn't noticed that there was a child of about 7 years of age with his mother standing directly behind me).
Carly: Remember how you tried to tell me that all you had to do was run your fingers between the chickens leg to make he or she flab their wings? Sheesh.
Small child of about 7 years of age: Well, wouldn't it make them flap their wings?
Alan: Laughing his butt off
Mother of the small child: Laughing her butt off.
Child of about 7 years of age: Laughing his butt off.
(Chortles all around).
Carly: Alan, lets get back to the situation with the Peppermint patties...shall weeeeeeeee!!!!!!???? Said Carly, unamused.
Alan: Honey, read the directions slowly.
Carly: Yadda Yadda Yadda...eggs...water...Yadda...OH! UNWRAPPED Peppermint Patties means you take them out of the wrapping. Oh, Never Mind! (Spoken as Emily Latilla).
Now about the squirrel...this past September, Alan and I went on a trip down the 17 Mile drive. The squirrels along the drive are very friendly and will come right up to greet you. They love little offerings of pretzels and cookies, well a lady who was sitting on one of the benches next to me was about to toss the little fella a cheese cracker, but dropped a Starlight Mint by accident. The squirrel LOVED it! It completely rocked his world. That was a fun day...and minty too. Ok, so I am a bit dingy these days...I am never boring. It's all just one more thing. :) I am happy this holiday season, and that is a very nice feeling. :) Thanks everyone. :)
-OndineMonet
"Minty Goodness"
Pacific Grove 17 Mile Drive
September, 2005
Afternoon
"The night walked down the sky with the moon in her hand."
-Frederic Lawrence
I have had a bit more energy the last couple days, I even went for a short drive by myself last night. The weather has been a bit warmer the last couple days, and so my joints haven't been as swollen, and except for one particularly bizarre conversation I had with Alan at the grocerie store last night, I have been feeling a little more clear headed. So, we decided to take a long drive late this afternoon to Tracy, California, to just get out and about the holiday shoppers. I took the camera with me, I always take my camera along when I leave the house, and as I gazed up into the late afternoon sky I saw the moon, peeking out from a buttermilk sky and I felt warm...inside and out. Even with Alan musing that the closer I get to the Full moon for December, the better I feel. The Full Moon for December with be on the 15th, and is called the "Full Cold Moon" or the "Moon Before Yule." Do you suppose the full Moon is making me feel better? I am wired differently, I tend to feel more depressed in the summer where most folks seem to feel it more in the winter. There I go again...always the nonconformist.
Dawn Came Too Soon
By Tomislav Kendjel
Graceful entwine
Of lovers divine
A shadow over the Moon
Alone in the dark
Light just a spark
Dawn will come soon
Caressing hands
Her eyes like deep wells
In them I will drown
A single tear
Nor sadness, nor fear
But a satisfied frown
Our midnight dance
A lover's glance
A waltz through the flowers in bloom
Music so clear
Quite like your tear
Moon casting an awkward gloom
Aux corps d' athlettes
Our soft silhouettes
Again, shadow over the Moon
I beg you, don't cry
I must say goodbye
For dawn came too soon.
-OndineMonet
"The Moon Before Yule"
Berkeley, California
December 13th, 2005
Late Afternoon
"Lovers In Moonlight" By Marc Chagall
Note: Click on the above image to see it in a larger version.
"The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions which have been hidden."
-James Arthur Baldwin
This past October, I went to Nevada for the first out of state getaway in almost 8 years. On the way we decided to stop in Sacramento to take some photographs of some of the public art displays about town. Sacramento has a lot of open art exhibits. One of the best places to visit is the Capitol Park, which surrounds the Capitol Building. The park is 40 acres filled with trees from around the world, a fantastic rose garden that fills the air with it's spicy, sweet scent, and of course art. Among some of the most poignant of the statues, is the Vietnam memorial which engraved with the names of Californians either killed or missing in action in Vietnam. The California Veteran's Memorial is dedicated to California soldiers who served from the Mexican-American war to the Persian Gulf war. Especially poignant is is the statue of a mother embracing a child with the words printed beneath it on a tiny plaque which reads..."We Honor Those Who Also Sacrificed."Of all the statues that I photographed that day, that is the one I think about the most.
-OndineMonet
"Art In Sacramento"
Late October, 2005
Early Afternoon
"Besides the autumn poets sing
A few prosaic days
A little this side of the snow
And that side haze"
-Emily Dickinson
Your Monday Photo Shoot: Show us a series of pictures with a theme.
-John Scalzi
For this week's Monday Photo Shoot, I thought it would be nice to take a multiple look at the last few images of autumn. There is only a little over a week left of my favorite season, and I am afraid I miss it already. Everything seems so much more vibrant to me during this season. The sunsets, the animals, the flowers, the leaves, the harvest, even the cool water moving gently in the brooks, all seem to embrace life as if they know their time is limited. I love my camera. :)
-OndineMonet
"Views Of Autumn"
Autumn 2005
"Why does Sea World have a seafood restaurant? I'm halfway through my fish burger and I realize, Oh my God...I could be eating a slow learner."
-Lyndon B. Johnson
I do a lot of things at my desk. I read, I research interesting things, I edit my photographs, I talk to friends. I drool over David Duchovny, I bake cookies, I fold laundry, I make greeting cards, I draw a devil face on George Bush. I wrap Christmas packages, I clean my oven, I stuff peppers, I play fetch with Elvis. I shop, I contemplate the universe, I sing into my Magic Marker and pretend it's a microphone. I send my friend Danny cryptic emails, and I sometimes eat at my meals at my desk, like tonight. Isn't this strange? I thought Rigatoni was tubular and long, but according to Stouffer's it is kinda shaped like Ravioli. So, I decided to research the mystery before eating my dinner.
I went to the Stouffer's website and looked up the meal in the pasta section, and sure enough they did indeed package the product this way, It wasn't a mistake as far as they were concerned. Ok, but I wasn't satisfied quite yet, so I went to a pasta website that teaches one the proper shapes and sizes of the different pasta varieties, I Love Pasta, and there it was...the Rigatoni I always knew of, but there was no other variety of Rigatoni that looks like what is on the Stouffer's box. The mystery continues! The pasta was delicious by the way...even if it was a bit confused. Maybe it is a slow learner. Jeepers, now I know how LBJ felt. Sigh. LOL. I find the strangest things in my travels, who says you have to leave the house to find adventure? LOL.
-OndineMonet
"Confused Pasta At Christmas"
Berkeley, California
December 12th, 2005
Early Evening
"You cannot prevent the birds of sadness from passing over your head, but you can prevent them from making a nest in your hair."
-Chinese Proverb
As December 10th's go, yesterday wasn't the worst I have seen, in fact it was pretty much uneventful. Well, I mean nothing really unusual happened. Do you suppose that could be the curse in and of itself? Sigh. I am not in the best of moods as I type this entry. No, I am frustrated. Frustrated with myself, frustrated with AOL. Frustrated with learning the newly installed MSN which is now on my computer and will probably be our new ISP after I finish archiving Ellipsis. And oh yeah...I am frustrated with archiving Ellipsis. More then anything else, I am frustrated with the new diagnosis of Fibromyalgia.
I slept 8 full hours last night/morning, and woke up exhausted. I am not reaching that all important 4th stage of sleep. I try so hard to take care of myself, follow the doctor's instructions, but my joints are all swollen, my body aches so bad, my head hurts, I am hungry but don't have enough energy to fix meals for myself at times, so I just lie in bed or sit in a chair and let Elvis cuddle me to keep me warm. I am too young for this, too young to get as tired as I do. I went to Office Depot today, the first time I have driven alone in 3 weeks, and by the time I got home and had a salad, I couldn't take one more step. I was honestly too tired to lift the fork.
I feel bad even complaining, especially in light of the how brave so many in the land have been, while facing truly life threatening illnesses. I don't have a life threatening condition...but it certainly is life altering. I wanted to go and photograph something very special tonight...the Sausalito Lighted Yacht Parade. Tonight was the 17th year that the parade has taken place, and I couldn't go. Alan and I were going to leave when he came home from work, grab a quick bite and then head for Marin County. Nope.
Sigh. It frightens me that I was too tired to have gone. My camera is part of what helped me recover from Anhedonia. My camera is what helped me through the death of both of my parents. My camera is what has seen me through most of the painful moments in my life, and now...it is becoming difficult to plan on the wonderful day trips I pushed myself to take this year. If I had known then what I know now, I wouldn't have taken the first doctor's diagnosis as the absolutely only one available. I wouldn't have pushed myself to keep moving, because I thought it was Epstein-Barr and that is what you do with that condition, as opposed to Fibromyalgia, where that is the very worst thing you could do.
I don't know if I have the energy to learn MSN. I don't know if I have the energy to finish archiving Ellipsis. I know I can't judge everyday of the future as being like the last 24 hours. I refuse to feel sorry for myself, but at the same time...I do feel frustrated. I am going to shake things up a bit for myself today, I am going to sign off and make some Christmas cards to send out. I want to enjoy the holiday this year, it's very special to me this year. As frustrated and sad as I feel tonight, I am very aware of all the blessings I have been given this year. For one thing, I now have the proper diagnosis. :) Right?
-OndineMonet
"Marin County Autumn Sunset"
Marin Headlands
November, 2005
Early Evening
The small light in the center of the photo is the Point Bonita Lighthouse which sits on the cliffs of the Marin Headlands. To see the image larger, click on it and you will be redirected.
"And remember, no matter where you go...there you are."
