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"Sometimes, late at night, I lie awake and ask, "Where have I gone wrong?"
Then a voice says to me, "This is going to take more than one night."
-Charles Schulz
It's cold outside, I am sore, but my brain still works, and I am in a good, if not goofy mood! Weird combination. Sigh. :) I slept 17 hours today, I swear I am becoming a bear. I wonder, are there are any horror stories about someone becoming a bear, instead of a werewolf? LOL. Hmmm, I wonder if I just created a new monster for the literary world. On a positive note, I am finally making some progress on my book. REAL progress. Maybe sometime soon I will share a excerpt, so you can give me a little feedback. :) <<< That's called a teaser. :)
-OndineMonet
"Yielding To Temptation"
Berkeley, California
March 12th, 2005
Evening
"The difference between life and the movies is that a script has to make sense, and life doesn't."
-Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Spring Begins March 20th at 1:26 PM EST :)
Baby...it's cold outside! LOL. I think most of the San Francisco Bay Area, where I live, will be very happy to usher in spring this year. Spring is still a few days away, but, we are still setting records all over the place for rain, snowfall and hail. The Bay Area is used to dealing with microclimates, it's not unusual for there to be as much as 40 degree difference throughout the Bay counties. There are some things however, that one can always count on. The fog will roll through the Golden Gate at about 2:00 PM each day, if you go to San Francisco, always bring at least a sweater, and be prepared for the unexpected in both the weather...and what you might see! LOL.
Personally, I have been loving being able to see snow right out my window, even if it only lasts a little while, but I have to admit it hasn't been doing much for my swollen joints. It also hasn't been doing much for the traffic, in that we aren't used to driving in this type of weather. There was a 20 car pile-up in Sausalito, just off the Marin side of the Golden Gate bridge, a seven car pile-up in Richmond and various other traffic snarls all weekend. Staying home has been a very good idea. That's ok, staying off the roads, gave me a wonderful chance to view some of my favorite movies, and what better time to do so, then on a snowy weekend? So, here is my spring movie picks, I hope you enjoy them. Please share your thoughts on my picks, and tell me about some of your favorites. Do you have a movie you like to watch especially during a certain season?
Comedy: How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days
Comedy Romance: Must Love Dogs
Horror: White Noise
Scf-Fi: Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
Drama: Good Night & Good Luck
independent: Four Weddings & A Funeral
Romantic Fantasy: Always
Movie With A Lesson: In Her Shoes
Family Film: Herbie: Fully Loaded
Family Film-Animated: Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild
Coming Of Age Film: Riding In Cars With Boys
Movie Musical: Dirty Dancing
Documentary: Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room
Action: Legend Of Zorro
Stephen King Spring: Creepshow
Alfred Hitchcock Spring: Dial "M" For Murder
Period Drama: The Majestic
Courtroom Drama: The People vs. Larry Flint
Movie For A Saturday Afternoon: Apollo 13
Movie For A Sunday Afternoon: Amelie
-OndineMonet
"Waiting For Spring"
Berkeley Hills
March, 2005
Morning
"Government is the toll of the moneyed powers. That concentration of power is happening because Congress is bought off. The system is rigged. And anyone who thinks we have some sort of a democratically elected government is reading the signs of the times."
-Jerry Brown
Do you think there is a misunderstanding about Freedom Of Speech in America? Do you think there is a distinct difference between "Freedom of Speech," and "Freedom of Expression." Are both meant to be protected under the constitution? I have my own thoughts about both terms, but I am interested in what you think. See, it has seemed to me, that since 9/11 we American's have embraced our civil liberties closer then ever before in recent history. Of course we do...we got quite a taste on 9/11 of what we could lose. Since then, it seems like some expressions of one's opinion hasn't always been met with equal embrace. Just ask anyone who opposed the war in Iraq, especially, but not limited to, the first few months after it began. Celebrities were booed off stage for exercising their rights as U.S. citizens and even now...nearly three years later, some students at Kent State University, indicated in a recent interview with ABC News, that they don't support the war, but feel uncomfortable with openly expressing that opinion for fear of being thought of as unpatriotic.
What has me thinking about this issue, is an article I read on AOL news, "Woman Faces Fine For Supporting Troops." Personally, I don't think that is a very accurate title for that article. If you read the story all the way through, you will find the woman, Stacy Kelley, of Westchase, Florida, is facing a fine for displaying a sign in her front yard, period. An action which goes against the contract she signed with her Homeowner's Association, which forbid the displaying of signs of any kind. When she signed that contract, she agreed to live up to it's rules and regulations, there was no provision for any exceptions. So, why should she be given special treatment because her sign is in support of the troops? What about that particular dynamic makes it ok for her to post a sign? Is it the patriot factor? Is it because contract be damned, she has a right to Freedom of Speech, even if she contractually waived that right?
In a poll conducted on AOL, 83% of responders said that the Homeowner's Association were not right to fine her for the infraction, even though she was aware that a fine was a possibility under her contract. In recent polls conducted by several news agencies, general support for the war in Iraq has dropped sharply for both republicans and democrats, but Stacy Kelley's sign doesn't say, Support The War," it says, "Support Our Troops." When you see a sign like that, do you think of the military as a separate entity from the war? And what does that phrase mean to you? "Support The Troops." Does it mean pray for them? Does it mean send them some much needed body armor? Does it mean speak out against the injustice of the war, if that is how you feel? Does it mean blindly following Donald Rumsfeld, when he says that the media has exaggerated the casualty statistics? Does it mean encourage our finest to pursue a career in the military? Does it mean sending a letter to the president, urging him to look into pardoning the men of Port Chicago, an instance of extreme injustice that took place during WWII, and was considered the worst homeland disaster of the era?
Perspective, being an individual thing, is a freedom that we are allowed to as Americans, but it seems like more so now, then at any point in the past that I can remember, it is being given as tool for those who can yell the loudest and with more intimidation. It's disturbing to me, that patriotism has been put into a box, and refined to the opinion that if you dare question what it means to be patriotic, then you are already wrong. Freedom of speech is not meant to be a tool to bully, it is not meant to be used as a weapon in a war of words. It is not meant solely for the majority. Freedom of Speech is a gift from men who fought and died so that we can support many different opinions and ideals. So, do I think this lady had the right to display that sign? No, contractually speaking she does not. Do I think, morally speaking, that she had the right to display that sign?
Yes & No. I fully support Freedom of Speech, I think displaying a sign in one's own yard is a wonderful way to demonstrate to the world your opinion. Bottom lining things in this case, she went against the rules of her Homeowners Association and therefore needs to either take down the sign, or agree to pay the fines or move. I guess what shocked me the most about her attitude was the following statement. "If I have to pay, I'll pay the fines. My husband says the same thing. If we have to pay them, we'll pay them. If they're gonna try to give us more than a thousand-dollar fine, there's enough people out there that are willing to help me out." Are you comfortable with that thought? The idea that it is ok to break the rules, if you can find the right group of people to say it's ok, and pay the way?
Here is an honest question. Knowing that there was a rule prohibiting the displaying of signs of any kind in one's yard, couldn't she have asked permission in advance? Couldn't she have gone to her neighbors and said something like, "let's petition the Homeowners Association, with a request to be allowed to place a sign our yards supporting our troops." They could have even asked that the Homeowner's Association designate the acceptable dimensions. Of course had they agreed, it would have opened the rights of those who oppose the war to display their opinions as well. Wouldn't that be the fair thing to do? And then other groups might want to be able to speak out, some of which we may not want to know live in our backyard. I will let your mind fill in the blanks with that thought. So tell me, is Stacy Kelley exercising her right to Freedom of Speech? Or is she exercising her right of "Freedom of Expression?" And are both to be equally protected under the constitution?
On a lighter note, there is still time to sign up for our next Round Robin Challenge, which is incidentally, "Signs." We will be playing the challenge this coming Wednesday, March 15th. You can post your entry anytime between the midnights of that day...and for up to one week later. If you would like to play, we would be happy to have you join us. Just pay a visit to the official Round Robin Journal and leave your name, the name of your journal, and the full URL of where you will be posting your entry. See you on the 15th!
NOTE: As Patrick pointed out the article title reads, "Woman Fined for Sign Supporting Troops." I believe the one I quoted in the text of my entry was correct, but I could have made a mistake. If so, I apologize for that. Also, I said I read this story on AOL News, but the article comes from ABC News and was featured on AOL news, it was not written by AOL News specifically.
-OndineMonet
"Road To Hell"
Ohio
October 25th, 1992
"Now clear your minds. It knows what scares you. It has from the very beginning. Don't give it any help, it knows too much already."
-Tagina Barrons (Zelda Rubenstein) From Poltergeist
Maybe it's the because of the weather we have had the last few days, here in Northern California, maybe it's just because I love a good mystery, but I have been getting that all too familiar urge again...the urge to visit a reputed haunted dwelling. The weather, in my neck of the woods, has been very cold, colder then usual for winters in the Bay Area, and we have been having a lot of ice and snow. From there, all it takes is a good clap of thunder, or two, to set my adventure urge into high gear. There is a wealth of legendary hauntings in California, including The Claremont, here in Berkeley, but there is one haunting I heard about recently that has me really interested in learning more about. It is the ghost of the Cary House, in Placerville, California. Placerville, sits in the Sierra foothills, east of Sacramento, in El Dorado County. I am hoping to take a ride, late next week, to play a little in the snow, and photograph Cary House. Built in 1857, Cary House was, at one time, considered to be the finest hotel in gold country. The town of Placerville, was originally called, "Old Dry Diggings," but took on the ominous nickname of , "Hangtown," because of it's "overzealous use of hanging as a means of judgment."
I had hoped to visit several different ghostly "hot spots" last year, but never quite got to it. I was manic with the camera last year, and saw so much inspiration everywhere that I didn't settle on any particular subject, but instead enjoyed a lot of time playing with lighting and with focus. I think I did well with finding the right conditions for different lighting possibilities, so I don't have to put some much thought into the technical. Sometimes I find, especially when I am using my digital camera, it's best to rely on my instincts and not over think the shot. On the other hand, I know I need to work on eliminating my habit of allowing too much foreground in my shots, and not considering the background and how it will either enhance or distract from the main subject.
I am hoping to capture something spooky, at some point on one of my spirit jaunts. I am interested in what comes next after this life, and it intrigues me to think that perhaps my sense of humor might still be able to hang around, and playfully get into some minor mischief. LOL. I wonder if there has ever been a case of a haunted blog on the Internet? Tee Hee. Can you imagine that? Maybe a typical ghostly entry might consist of "spirit writing," only instead of using a paper and pen, it would be by typing. Tee Hee. Just the same message, typed over and over..."GET OUT! GET OUT!" LOL.
Why does that always seem to be the phrase, for the ghost of the moment, to have whispered in the presence of some spooked person? It's always, "Get out." Of course, if you have ever watched shows,which are supposedly based on real encounters, such as Dead Famous, which airs on the Biography Channel the phrase might be something like, "I'm here." In the last episode, the shows hosts, Gail Porter and Chris Fleming, were in search of the ghost of Lucille Ball. During the show they visited many of the comedian's favorite places in the Los Angeles area. Among them was the original studio that was used for the filming of "I Love Lucy," the Queen Mary and the Hotel Del Coronado, in San Diego. Both of which have an extensive history of reported hauntings.
Because I am having to streamline my photo jaunts this year, I am going to narrow my ghostly pursuits down to a few here and there. Mostly here. LOL. I am hoping to get to go down to the L. A. area late next summer to, among other things, visit John Ritter's grave. Also, I have promised Deslily, that I would place a flower on the Hollywood Walk of Fame star of DeForest Kelley, so perhaps I will drop by the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, which was a favorite hangout for many stars, like James Dean, Marilyn Monroe and Lucille Ball. Some say, they like the place so well that they never left. Who knows, maybe I will make a reservation, set up the tripod and see if I get any ghostly visitors in the middle of the night. How cool would it be to wake up the next morning and see that I had, had a visit from Clarke Gable in the middle of the night? Just to be sure I make a good impression, I think I will sleep in my make-up. LOL. Here ghostie, ghostie, ghostie...
Note: The episode of Dead Famous that I mentioned in this entry, is repeated later today (Saturday) on the Biography Channel, at 2:00 PM ET. It was a pretty cool episode, if you enjoy a good look at old Hollywood or enjoy a good urban legend. Check it out! :)
-OndineMonet
"Thoughts"
Point Pinos Lighthouse
Carmel, California
August 19th, 2005
Afternoon 2
"Life is like a box of chocolates. A cheap, thoughtless, perfunctory gift that nobody ever asks for. Unreturnable, because all you get back is another box of chocolates. You're stuck with this undefinable, whipped-mint crap that you mindlessly wolf down when there's nothing else left to eat. Sure, once in a while, there's a peanut butter cup, or an English toffee, but they're gone too fast, the taste is fleeting. So you end up with nothing but broken bits filled with hardened jelly and teeth crunching nuts, and if you're desperate enough to eat those, all you've got left is a...is an empty box...filled with useless, brown paper wrappers.
-C.G.S Spender The X-Files
Weekend Assignment #102: Do you honestly think there is life out there in the universe? And if so, what kind of life do you think it is?
Extra Credit: Name your favorite (fictional) alien creature.
-John Scalzi
Is there life out there? You bet there is! I believe that they are a fun loving race of beings that sees the planet Earth as a big Amusement park, that they sometimes visit, as we do when we visit a zoo...or Paramount's Great America. There is lots and lots of stuff we natives can't seem to figure out, so doesn't it at least seem a little plausible that beings from other planet's might come and observe us for the amusement factor? I see two "grays" sitting in there spacecraft making little cosmic bets, on when we will finally get that clue we earthlings keep missing. LOL. We better find it soon, according to the last episode of The X-Files, the end of the world will take place on December 22nd, 2012. Coincidentally, that is the very same date that was calculated by the Incas, Aztech's and Mayans. Hmmm.
Of course, another theory as to what, or who, might be visiting us, might lie with the strange story of Betty and Barney Hill. The Hill's claim to have been abducted by aliens while driving back to their home, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, after having been on vacation. After months of sleepless nights, and various unexplained health issues had manifested, they sought help from a psychiatrist who performed hypnosis therapy. It was under hypnosis, that both Mr. & Mrs. Hill recounted being abducted, and having to endure painful testing procedures while on board an alien craft. One of the most fascinating elements of the Hill's story comes from Betty Hill, who, under hypnosis drew a star map that at the time she drew it, didn't depict any known star system, but that would years later be found in the Zeta Reticuli system. Carl Sagan disputed the theories regarding the star map, saying that it could have been found in any one of a number of different star systems.
Personally...I think we are being visited...often...and I think it might be a little of both theories, with maybe a little biblical prophesy thrown in. You know...all those references to, "chariots of fire in the sky." And in the book of Ezekiel, there are passages which many believe to be referring to visitations from aliens. Ezekiel 1:4- 1:24. We don't know everything of heaven and earth, and there is never anything wrong with keeping an open mind to the possibilities. Like Mulder says, "I want to believe." :)
Extra Credit: My very favorite character was from an episode of The X-Files. His name was "Lord Kinbote," and he wasn't an alien from outer space, he was from inner space. Episode #69: Jose Chung's From Outer Space. That episode also happens to be one of my top 5 favorite episodes of the series. :)
-OndineMonet
"I was coming home from kindergarten...well they told me it was kindergarten. I found out later I had been working in a factory for 10 years. It's good for a kid to know how to make gloves."
-Ellen DeGeneres
Wednesday is the day of the week I spend with my therapist Sarah. Well, not the whole day mind you...just an hour or so. A lot of what I have been working on in the past year and a half since she became my therapist, has been about the here and now. Handling some exquisite pain, that was still following me around, literally. See, I have a stalker in my past, and it took a long time to feel safe again. I think I will always wonder if I am completely safe, but for now, I feel really strong, and really healthy about the here and now. Sarah has been good for me. :) So, the downside of that comfort zone is that now it is time to work on the childhood pains, but even that is coming along in it's own time, one day at a time. Today, after I came home from therapy, I decided to take a nap.
It was a pleasant rest, because I woke up smiling from a dream about something fun that happened to me when I was a very little girl. I had wanted to share this on Ellipsis for about a month or so, but it didn't seem like the right time. It involves my encounter with a bear when I was a very tiny girl. I put off this entry because Patrick, author of the journal, "Patrick's Place, and " Patrick's Weekender," has been sharing the tragic story of the Maymont Bears, and the events that have followed. It seemed like I would be a bit insensitive to have shared my entry sooner. If you haven't read his entries about the Maymont Bears, go by and read it, I think he has done a pretty good job of bringing the facts to his journal.
Ok, so just before my third birthday, my mother, sister, brother and I went back to the East Coast, to visit my Aunt Amanda, who lives just outside Arlington, but who also had a good sized farm near Farmville, Vriginia. It was late May, so it was quite warm, and I loved the fact that there was plenty of room to run, and explore. I was so curious about everything when I was a little girl. That curiosity was part of what lead to my love of books. I wanted to know about everything about all the mysteries of the world, even as a little person.
I couldn't read yet, of course, but I could explore, and look at pictures of all the animals that fascinated me. My mother had allowed us to have all kinds of domesticated pets, so I knew at a young age to be very respectful of them, to give them their space, and to remember that what belongs to them is theirs...period. I followed that rule pretty closely, and expected the same in return from my kitties and puppies. Sometimes it was reasonable to have that expectation...sometimes it wasn't. LOL. For the most part, over the years, I have had very few things torn up by an overly enthusiastic pet. Whew! :) But on one of those warm days, in May of 1965, I met a wild animal...that was hungry.
I was playing alone, down by the edge of a pond, that was on my Aunt's property. I knew not to go into the water, and I had no inclination to do so anyway. I wasn't much for swimming when I was a little one, that love came much later. No, I was content to just play along the banks of the water and pick flowers. On this particular day, I had on a brown jumper with a strawberry patterned shirt my mother and aunt had made me a couple days earlier. My aunt is an amazing seamstress, and the two of them had some fun together making me a, "country" outfit, which I think was code for, "I don't care if she ruins it, playing by the pond." LOL. It was the coolest thing, it had four pockets, where I could put all the necessities a girl of almost three might need on an adventure. A whistle in case I got lost, which had been sewn into the top pocket, a special pocket for my favorite stuffed animal, a skunk named, "Stinky," and a really nifty pocket that I could tuck my favorite snack, an apple, into.
So, there I am sitting in the sun, with my back against a tree, when the strangest looking dog I had ever seen, came up from behind me. That dog was black, with a big brown colored nose, and he sure did drool a lot. He sniffed at me, and stuck his very wet nose on my upper arm a couple times and it made me laugh. My mother and aunt were sitting on a bench about 25 yards or so away, on the opposite side of the small dock facing the pond. I could see them laughing, and talking and having a good time. To this day, I can remember so clearly how the sun was shining on my aunt's blond hair, making it seem like the color of butter. Anyway, the strange dog seemed like he was little more then a puppy, and I decided to call him Bob.
Well, Bob and I began to ramp a bit and within a couple moments, my green Granny Smith apple, rolled out of my pocket and landed a few feet from me. Bob apparently like to place fetch, because he ran after the apple...and then the dirty buzzard ate it! How rude is that?! Well, that sort of behavior would never do, so I began to pitch quite a little hissy fit. He was going to be put in his place. As I was giving him the "what for," I suddenly heard both my mother and my aunt, yelling for me to come to them. "Walk slowly, Carly." That was a "huh" moment. I more used to, "Carly hurry up," then "walk slowly, Carly." But being the little girl I was, I listened to them and walked towards them, and they met me about half way. We were all walking slowly, back to the house. It made me begin to giggle, because I never saw my mother walk so slow. It was a new game. My mother picked me up and the three of us began to walk back to the house. As I looked back over her shoulder, I saw that there wasn't just the puppy I had been playing with, there was a bigger dog there also.
Of course a few years went by, before I found out that the puppy and the bigger dog were in fact...bears. Big, brown bears. The small one was a bear cub, and as near as my mother and aunt could tell, the BIGGER bear was probably it's mother. Years later they theorized to me that more then likely I wasn't attacked because the mother bear realized I was a cub myself. I hope they were right. For whatever reason, I survived that adventure with little more then a bad mood for having lost my delicious snack. To this day I find myself smiling, when I see a display of Granny Smith apples at the grocerie store. My aunt and I were just talking about that a little over a month ago, she said that she and my mother both nearly dropped dead from fright. LOL. I wish I had full recollection of the event, I just remember how the bear's hair felt stiff and coarse. I remember that cold nose touching my arm, and I remember that I didn't go exploring by myself at my aunt's farm again. Maybe it's a good thing I can't remember the event with total recall, it might add considerably to my time in therapy! LOL.
-OndineMonet
Don't be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of."
-Charles Richards
Yesterday (Tuesday) was a strange late winter day. It was filled with many moments of random introspection for me. It started when the phone rang early, and it was a nurse from my doctor's office, calling to tell me I needed to schedule an Ultrasound for next week. The radiologist has been in contact with my doctor, because they wanted to have a closer look at the lump that they saw in my left breast. The office had already scheduled me for a time, but because there was a scheduling error, they were going to reschedule it. It seems two messages had been sent to my physician, since last Friday evening when I had my mammography done. "Can I put you on hold, while I get the doctor to speak with you?" Said the nice advice nurse. "Sure," I said. While I waited for my doctor to speak with me, I logged onto my AOL account, and there is was. "Dana Reeve loses her batter with Lung Cancer." I felt this heavy sadness well up in me, I really hopped she would come through, and live a long healthy life. So much beauty, so much strength, so much talent, so much love for her family and friends. It was hard to believe that someone so beautiful, who looked as though she had beat the odds, could have slipped away. I felt instantly sick to my stomach.
Suddenly there was my doctor's voice. She wasn't calling to tell me I have cancer, she was calling to reassure me that, while I have to let them take a closer look at that round little bump in my breast, I should be optimistic because most times when a lump is found, it isn't cancer. It could still be one of those calcium deposits I am prone to. It could be a non-cancerous cyst. The Ultrasound isn't painful, and if that test doesn't help them come to a clear conclusion, then they will perform a needle biopsy the same day...and before I go home...I will know for sure one way or the other. I felt a little better after speaking to my doctor, she was reassuring and very patient with me. I have had an Ultrasound before, so I already know what to expect. I was a bit unclear about what the needle biopsy would be like, but one of my very good friends here in the land, sent me a link to a photo of what it looks like and how it feels to have the test done. I can do that. I felt a lot stronger after seeing that picture and reading the personal observations of someone who had the very same test less then a year ago.
I believe I future will be ok. I have a since of peace tonight, almost all the apprehension I have felt in the last few weeks is gone, and is replaced with knowledge, and like I told my friend, knowledge is equal to empowerment to me. The questions weighing like a ton of bricks for me tonight, revolve around why more research funding hasn't been put into cancer research? Lung Cancer research in particular. I found out from ABC NEWS tonight that Lung Cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women, then any other type of cancer, and yet receives less research funding then other types of cancers.
It's time for this nation to realize how important it is to put more money into the health and well being of our nation. It's time there was more federal funding being put into the research of all types of healthcare concerns. According to the National Priorities Project, the cost of the war in Iraq will reach 251 billion by the end of March of this year. $251 billion! It's obscene to me, that not only has the Bush administration wasted this money through their lies, but have in fact blocked other roads of healthcare research such as stem cell research. If you would like to see a breakdown of how your tax dollars have been spent regarding the war in Iraq, pay a visit to the National Priorities Project web site and see for yourself. Is it worth the cost, in human lives there, and human lives here.
I think about my friend Pam. When I began my journal Ellipsis, over on AOL, she was one of the first people to come by and say hello. To laugh at my silly humor, to give me advice about Elvis, and to brighten my day. She has been battling Lung Cancer since she was diagnosed last June. She has been a source of strength and a shining example of courage. The last time I heard her voice, was when she called me last November, the day I closed up Ellipsis. She called to see if I was ok, she was so sweet, and I kept her message so I could hear her voice again and again. She made me smile. She sounded exactly like I always imagined she would. Lovely, kind and very sweet. Pam had major surgery this morning. As of the last time I checked, there had been no update as to her condition. I am worried about her, as are many of us who came to know her through our AOL journals. I want her to be back with us. Happy and fun and healthy. Sigh... :(
I am not worried for myself tonight. I am worried for my friend. I am angry that we have a president who cares about nothing, but his own pride. I am in dismay that Tom Delay won the GOP nomination to the house yesterday. How can this be? Members of his own party have distanced themselves from him, since he was indicted last fall. Key words here..."Indicted last fall." He not only won his bid, he won it by 62%. Jeepers. What does it take for a member of the GOP to be ousted from the Republican party in Texas? Hell, how about Dick Cheney, going hunting with a friend, shooting his friend in the face, neck, and chest with birdshot, and not only being allowed to decline speaking with authorities for a full 24 hours, but receiving an apology from the victim. Do you honestly believe, that if that had been you are I, or dare I say a politician in the democratic party, we could have said, "no," to speaking to investigating authorities? I suppose that is a question in the abstract, like all the other questions I have on my mind tonight.
I know that there are no answers about things that happen with randomness. Moments when things turn, that we aren't even aware of until it is already too late. Sigh. Don't worry, I will be back to my old self tomorrow, I usually only ponder the randomness for one day, then I move on, because that is something I can control. Worry is a foolish waste of time, and should be granted very little attention, especially on a late winter's day.
"Spend the afternoon. You can't take it with you."
-Anne Dillard
-OndineMonet
"The Randomness Of A Late Winter's Day"
Berkeley, California
March 7th, 2006
Afternoon
"If there is a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it."
-Toni Morrison
Your Monday Photo Assignment: Show us what's in your bookshelf right now. That's right, right this second.
-John Scalzi
This is a photo of the right top corner of my desk unit. That is where all my current books reside. Of course there is a couple books that are always on my desk. My favorite book, Practical Magic, by Alice Hoffman, and The Idiot's Guide To Fibromyalgia. I love going back and rereading Practical Magic, it has been a favorite of mine for many years, and as for the Fibromyalgia book, well that one is educating me on how to live with this condition. :) I like educating myself on how to manage those nuisance situations that come up in life...it empowers me. :) On the opposite side of my desk are some biographies of some really interesting women, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Sarah, Duchess of York, and Margaret Bourke-White, my books of Impressionist art and an art history timeline. The newest book on my bookshelf is "The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook." I am enjoying the new recipes and tips for living a more healthy lifestyle. :) I highly recommend it! I have books stacked here and there all over my house. I think I might need more bookshelves. :)
-OndineMonet
"Book Nook"
Berkeley, California
March 7th, 2006
Afternoon
"A gourmet who thinks of calories, is like a tart who looks at there watch.-James BeardI haven't done a recipe entry since late January, so I thought this might be a good time to do one. I love eating meatless meals. Since Alan had to work last Sunday night, it was the perfect time to have a nice, big salad and some Macaroni & Cheese. :) Oh don't get me wrong, he likes my vegetarian recipes, but he is a BIG fan of good old meat and potatoes. So am I come to think of it, and I hope to be able to start preparing some BBQ recipes for the blog soon. I have started a recipe file blog to keep track of the recipes I have posted, so that I don't inadvertently post the same one twice. I also thought it might be a nice way for you to be able to find my recipe entries more easily, if one in particular sounded like one you would like to try. :) I first made the following recipe about 10 years ago, it took me several tries to come up with just the right combination, but once I did...yum! :)Ashby Avenue Macaroni & Cheese
1 lb.pkg Macaroni noodles
3/4 cup finely crushed Dorito's chips
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup shredded Vermont White Cheddar
1/2 cup shredded Yellow Cheddar
1/4 cup shredded Romano cheese
1/4 cup Prima Donna Gouda
1/4 cup finely crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1 1/2 tbs ground pepper
1/2 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Boil macaroni according to package directions. While the macaroni is cooking, shred and blend all the cheese together, except the Gorgonzola, in a medium mixing bowl, set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the crushed Dorito's and the finely crumbled Gorgonzola. Drain macaroni and place in a 2 qt. baking dish. Slowly, stir in the sour cream, and blend well, stir in nutmeg. Next, stir in the dry cheese mixture and stir well to blend. Add additional sour cream if necessary. Top with the Dorito's/Gorgonzola mixture, and bake for 35 minutes in a 400 degree oven until brown and bubbly on top.
Serves 4 1/2 cup servings-OndineMonetAshby Avenue Macaroni & CheeseBerkeley, CaliforniaMarch 5th, 2006Early Evening
"Of course life is bizarre, the more bizarre it gets, the more interesting it is. The only way to approach it is to make yourself some popcorn and enjoy the show."
-Unknown
Ok...I did it. My Mammogram is over with. What a bizarre day last Friday turned out to be. I was a little uneasy, so I decided to call the Breast Cancer Care Helpline, and speak with a volunteer, just to ask a few last minute questions. I am so glad I did. I spoke with a lovely lady named Sue, who was very patient and answered all my question with kindness and patience. She even made me laugh. I had told her, "I was a little unclear about what everyone meant when they said the test is more about feeling a pressure feeling then actual pain." So, she asked me, "How old are you dear?" To which I replied, "I am 43." "Oh," said the nice lady "well you aren't young anymore so that's good." LOLOLOLOL. I loved it! Finally someone was willing to say out loud, what I had been suspecting for a few years now. All those aches and pains, all that forgetfulness, all those weird noises I make when I get up from a chair...means I am OLD! :) Hey, you know what? As it turns out, older ladies like me, have an easier time with Mammograms because our breasts aren't as dense. My brain yes, my breasts...not so much. :) Cool!
So, off I went to Kaiser to face the test. Oh I was very brave, fretting my way to the appointment, and arriving with four minutes to spare. LOL. I stood in line, and then when it was my turn, went to register , except, YIKES, where was my wallet? I can't believe it...I had left home without my wallet. "Oh well, I guess you can't see me." I reasoned with the receptionist. "Oh no, we can still see you, what's you Kaiser number?" Yes, I knew the number by heart. Uggg. So she entered it into the computer and as it turns out, my test wasn't scheduled for the clinic in Hayward, no, it was scheduled to be done in Union City. It was a scheduling error. Sigh. "I can't get clear down to the Union City clinic in 10 minutes. I guess I will have to reschedule. :) "No, it's ok, we can work you in here," said the nice receptionist lady, "No problem at all." Oh goody. So I went and had a seat, and I was called back in 10 minutes.
The rest was pretty routine. Ugly hospital gown, strange little waiting area that sits at the end of a long corridor. It was all very...normal. I changed into the gown, and went to the little waiting area, and as I sat down, I realized how quiet everything was. No sounds of people crying out in excruciating pain. No bells or whistles going off indicating something dire. No, it was very, very quiet. Once I realized that peace, I felt my shoulders relax. Next the knot in my stomach untied itself, and for a moment I closed my eyes and began my meditation. I began to just let my mind wander. I thought about all the emails, and comments of support I have received from everyone. I thought about how caring the Internet can be in times like this. I even thought about what Karen said about squashing out that nasty Fear Demon. "Just say yeah, yeah and squash him with your shoe." I had to smile when I remembered that advice. :) About five minutes went by and they called my name. And now comes the waiting for the results. I feel really strong now, so waiting for the call isn't scaring me, in fact I am paying very little attention to it. The hardest part for me is now over...the part that was unknown to me. The test was so easy, that I am actually looking forward to next year, when I get to have one all over again, because I know I will be taking care of myself. :)
OK, here is where I get obnoxious. Have you had your Mammogram this year? Is it time to schedule one for yourself? And to my male friends...you aren't off the hook on this. Is there an appointment you have been putting off, that you are either due or overdue to schedule? How about a dental appointment? Or maybe an eye appointment? Let's make the month of March, about taking care of ourselves. Please consider taking care of yourself in some special way this month. Come back here and share with me, and others, what you did to make your future more healthy. If you have health coverage, it is a huge shame to not use it to make sure you are healthy inside and out. There are 45 million American's today, living without health coverage. Sigh. It would be a shame to waste something as valuable as health coverage, if you have it available to you. And listen, if you know someone who is scared, who is worried about their first ever Mammogram, you send them to me. If I can face it, anyone can. It really isn't anything to be afraid of, but to not have the test, to put it off, now THAT is something that should be feared.
-OndineMonet
"My Friday Night Date"
Hayward, California
March 3rd, 2005
Late Afternoon
"Life is a B movie; its stupid and it's strange, it's a directionless story, the dialogue is lame, but in the ' he said, she said' sometimes there's some poetry, if you turn your back long enough and let it happen naturally."
-Ani Difranco
It's OSCAR time. :) I like watching the Academy Awards, although I haven't really paid much attention in recent years. Sometimes, I would flip the channels between whatever documentary was playing on the History Channel, and the OSCARS just to se what everyone was wearing. This year I am missing my old friend June. I have mentioned her before, she was the lady who used to insist I come to her OSCAR and New Year's Eve, fancy, smancy parties, and kick up my heels. I would always reluctantly say yes, and within 10 or 15 minutes after my arrival, there I would be, kicking up my heels. LOL. She knew some interesting people. People from all different backgrounds and cultures. She was an interesting and refined woman, who loved the theatre, the symphony and the ballet. She was a free-thinker, and a democrat. She couldn't stand poor behavior by anyone, but she could certainly let loose and enjoy herself. I miss her, but just when I get way too blue in my grief for her, I can hear her saying to me..."Come on kid, times awasting." :)
So tonight, since Alan is working, I will probably cuddle up with my date, Elvis, and get all snuggly warm in my flannel PJ's and eat something sinfully decadent while I watch the program on television. But if I were going to a local OSCAR party, I would definitely be wearing the black dress on the left! It is a Nicole Miller gown, that I found at Neiman Marcus online, just after New Year's. I know that all the fashion gurus are saying this year's red carpet fashions are going to be about color, red is a favorite, but I love the classic lines of this dress, and black is always a good choice. So, to add a splash of color to the outfit I would probably go with some ruby red pumps with a matching evening purse. Something simple and unfussy. I think with that neckline maybe a ruby choker, or a ruby Y necklace would be perfect. You don't want to over do it.
If I was actually going to the Academy Awards...no doubt about it. You can't go wrong the Badgeley Mischka. Again, I found this dress at Neiman Marcus online. I love the color, and it would need very little as far as accessories go. I think I would wear my hair down however, and maybe wear something fun like a Swarovski crystal dragonfly hair clip or something similar. Can you tell I like girly stuff? LOL . Sigh. Well, I will just have to be happy with my cute little Yahoo Avatar attending the awards ceremonies and parties on my behalf. See her on my sidebar? Tee Hee. She is wearing that gorgeous green evening gown, and has her version of Elvis by her side. :) Don't they make a stylish pair? :) I love that avatar, I like change her clothes everyday to reflect as close as possible what I am wearing (IRL). It's a fun way to let a little more about who I am, and what my personal style is like, to shine through. Do you have an avatar on your sidebar? And if so, are they going to the Academy Awards? :)
Now, on to the nominees, and my picks for the winners in the major categories...
Best Film: Goodnight and Good Luck
Best Actor: Phillip Seymour Hoffman- Capote
Best Actress: Reese Witherspoon- Walk The Line
Felicity Huffman- Transamerica
Best Supporting Actor: William Hurt- A History of Violence
Best Supporting Actress- Frances McDormond- North Country
Best Director- George Clooney-Goodnight and Good Luck
Well, that's my thoughts on the 78th Academy Awards. How about you? Do you watch the show? Do you have a favorite to win? Have you ever gone to an OSCAR party or thrown one? If you could go to the actual ceremony itself, who would you ask to be your fantasy date for the evening? And what delicious meal would you want after the awards show? Something prepared by Wolfgang Puck or White Castle? LOL. I'll share if you will! LOL.
-OndineMonet
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination."
-Albert Einstein
Ok, I know, my sense of humor can be a bit juvenile at times, but I thought this sign was funny. LOL. I have always enjoyed the fine art of the "play on words." So I thought this was a pretty good example of such. Keep in mind, before you think me hopelessly silly, that another thing that made this sign so funny, was that when I first saw it I had just had a minor tiff with Alan, and we were being kinda quiet, but the silence was broke when we both looked up and thought the same thought, at the same time, and we just looked at each other in disbelief and began to laugh. Ahhhhhh. The power of laughter, to soothe the soul. :)
I love the latest Round Robin subject choice. Kimberleigh, author of the journal, "I Shaved My Legs For This," has come up with a winner. :) I have a full file of sometimes humorous, sometimes thought provoking signs I have collected over the years, so I am especially looking forward to this challenge. I say that a lot, don't I? Well, it's just that the Robins have impressed me so much with the subject choices that they have been chosen so far. "Secrets," "Mysterious Doorways," "Cliches," "Wabi-Sabi" just to name a few. I think this might be a lot of fun, after all,who doesn't have a town that contains at least one wacky sign in it? But remember, the sign doesn't necessarily have to be wacky, because Kimberleigh's idea is for us to find a sigh that accurately says something about who we are. "It could be a street sign, a billboard, or even a peace sign. Let's just be creative and have fun with it." Kimberleigh darlin, that sounds good to me! :)
The date for this challenge will be Wednesday, March 15th, As usual you can post anytime between the midnights on that day. You can sign up to play at the official Round Robin Challenges journal. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the *Welcome Entry & Rules Of Play.* That entry contains all the information and updated rules for the Round Robin Challenges, it can be found on the sidebar. It's really simple, and a lot of fun. I hope you will join us. You know you want to. ;)
-OndineMonet
"Never Enough"
Reno, Nevada
October 25th, 2005
Late Afternoon
"Dance is the hidden language of the body."
-Martha Graham
Weekend Assignment #101: Name a talent that you don't have, that you wish you did.
Extra Credit: Do you have any completely useless talents?
-John Scalzi
Every since I was a little girl, I have wanted to dance. I saw my first ballet when I was about age 5 0r 6, and I thought it was all so very beautiful. From the costumes, to the music...it enchanted me. Alas, it was not to be. I am an ok dancer, but I am very short, only 4ft 11, on a good day. LOL. So most of the dances like ballet or the tango would have looked a little silly, if a munchkin like me were dancing them. And I must confess, I was never could get used to standing on my toes. I have this thing about my feet. I have perfectly normal feet, it's just that I am sometimes...well...a little...uncoordinated. Tee Hee. Alan will attest to the fact that he once watched me fall out of one room, and land clear across the hall in another, and bounce back out! So, when you are a walking slapstick skit...it's best not to bring a bad name to such a beautiful talent. But hey, I can "Froug" like no one's business. :) LOL.
Extra Credit: Yes, I can recite the Declaration of Independence while standing on my head. If you call that talent! LOL.
-OndineMonet
"Ballerina By A Window"
By L. Bomhoff
"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
-World Health Organization
Well, that was a quick two weeks! Later today (Friday) I will be at my doctor's office having my first ever Mammogram. I am scared to death. Well, no it's not quite that bad, but I do have a deep case of the wiggins. The thing is, if this lump that is currently residing in my left breast does turn out to be cancer, I am lucky because I have health insurance available to me to fight it. Some aren't as lucky I am. Another problem I have with the Bush administration, the lack of affordable health insurance for roughly 45 million Americans. According to the Breast Cancer Site, a woman is diagnosed with Breast Cancer, in America, every 3 minutes, and American males that will be diagnosed with the disease will be about 1% of the population. While Breast Cancer mostly strikes men over the age of 60, it's not unheard of for a younger man to contract the disease. It happens.
I am going to go to the appointment, and I am going to live with the results. It's all about the whatifs that might come into play. Dumb huh? Wasting time and energy on what I might have to face. Well, at the same time, it's honest. I am worried about my future, because I can look back to just a few years ago, when I was little more then a walking shell. Completely empty inside. I recovered from that and now I know what I could lose. I think about all the conversations I have had with Alan in the last couple weeks, and how everything in my life is all in order, no matter what the test results are. Still, I think about the sound of Dan's voice the last time we spoke. How angry he got, when he realized I could have taken an earlier appointment, and didn't. Yes, me much bad girl.
He is a good and supportive friend, who deserves better then for me to not even try to take care of myself. The T'ai Chi and Qi Gong have been great for my well being. I am finding it to be a challenge, but I can already see the benefits. My meditation is coming along nicely, and the Lavender aromatherapy masks I bought at the World Market are helping both my sleep and my meditation. Then there is good old laugh therapy. Yoga starts soon, I love the Yoga mat Alan bought me for Valentine's day. It is a nice shade of medium green and has a silk carrying bag with beautiful dragonflies on it. :) Hey...look at that...I smiled just then. :) But it's not enough. I must be proactive and advocate for myself. Just talking about the things I am doing to ease the pain and frustration I have because of Fibromyalgia, makes me feel better. :) Being proactive, has always made me feel better, because at least I am no longer the wilting victim. :) One of my favorite episodes of, "Buffy The Vampire Slayer," dealt with a "Fear Demon," and how no matter how enormous our fears seem, there is a truth that is bigger. That truth being, that once faced, a fear is revealed to be really quite small in it's actual size, once you face it and understand it.
When the Fear Demon appeared to Buffy, it taunted her with her fear of being abandoned by her friends. "They're all going to abandon you, you know." I suppose that is also in the back of my mind. When I became so psychologically ill a few years ago, I retreated into myself. You already know that I lost all my creativity and my sense of humor. Most of my friends couldn't take what I had become, and most of them left my life, either slowly as to not hurt my feelings, or in a glorious declaration of, We can't stand the pain you are in."
Ok...I let them go. I was so inside myself that I didn't know what to say. I don't really have abandonment issues anymore, but you never really forget what it felt like to have those you love leave you because they love you too much. Shrug. That's the past, and I don't even have a clear diagnosis yet. I have a conversation with my doctor, and whatever results my Mammogram brings to light. I am armed with a lot of information about Breast cancer, I have resources, but I think about Sheryl Crow, and how she is only one year older then I am, and already diagnosed with Breast Cancer. I think about the stunning statistics regarding Breast Cancer in Marin County, which I spend a lot of time in taking photos. I also think about the success stories, and how lucky I am to have health insurance, and husband, and friends who love me...just as I am. It's all balance, just like the advice my friend Shelly gave me when I was first diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. "Carly, it's about finding a balance." Thanks Shelly. :) Fear Demon?What Fear Demon? LOL. Okay everyone, wish me luck! :)
All I wanna do is have some fun
I got a feeling I'm not the only one
All I wanna do is have some fun
I got a feeling I'm not the only one
All I wanna do is have some fun
Until the sun comes up over Santa Monica Boulevard
-All I Wanna Do" By Sheryl Crow
Breast Cancer Care Helpline
1-800-462-9273 Monday-Friday 9-5 CST
Susan G.Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
The Breast Cancer Site
-OndineMonet
"Life Is Just This"
Summer, 2005
San Ramon, California
Photo Explosion Created Impressionist Painting
3/2/06
"We have, I fear confused power with greatness."
-Stewart Udall
Yesterday, while I was sitting in my therapy session with Sarah, there occurred two moderate earthquakes. The first registered 2.8 on the Richter scale, the second one came along less then 10 minutes later and registered 3.4 Both quakes occurred along the Hayward Fault and were centered 4.0 miles east-southeast of Berkeley. That would basically be located beneath the Caldicott tunnel, which connects Alameda County with Contra Costa County, here in the East Bay. My therapy session takes place on the 3rd floor of a lovely old building here in Berkeley, one which had been retrofitted after the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989. That earthquake registered 7.1 It was a scary moment when that quake hit, and despite all the damage it did, and all the tragety and it's aftermath, I am not afraid to live here in California, the beauty of this state, far outweighs the concerns about natural disasters we Californian's live with. Funny thing however, Sarah and I were talking about New Orleans, and the affect Hurricane Katrina had on that city, and the deplorable way the Bush administration had handled the aftermath. Bodies floating in the streets...weeks later. Starving citizens begging for help, and according to a report issued just the other day, the fact that there are still 2,000 people missing, 130 of which are children under the age of 18. Ironic that we were discussing that subject, just as a gentle reminder hit both of us,indicating that we better prepare ourselves here in the Golden State, because as we know now...there will NO help from our own government to look forward to, shouls the worst happen.
Funny how even now, after all this time Bush and company, can still surprise me in their ineptness. This evening, as I am sure as you have already heard, the Associated Press released video proof that not only did Bush lie through his teeth in the days following Hurricane Katrina, he lied BIG, and he allowed Michael Brown to absorb as much blame as possible to try and deflect any soil from his own hands. It's no longer a suspicion...it's a fact. HE LIED. Bush was more then willing to play Russian Roulette with the lives of everyone along the Gulf coast region. Once again, there was Bush, either in full Monty denial or maybe not capable of understanding the big words being articulated to him, reassuring federal, state and local officials that, "We are fully prepared," And the scary thing? He didn't ask one single question during his final briefing one day before Hurricane Katrina hit. He simply showed up for the conference call, while still on his vacation at his Ranch in Crawford Texas, and gave his pat answer for nearly all questions that come his way..."We are fully prepared."
The White House today urged the American public to,"not read too much into the video footage," of Bush being briefed on the situation, I suppose we should continue to be good little sheep and believe everything he says. Not believe our own eyes, because lets face it, we may not be able to trust ourselves to disseminate information correctly. Pay no attention to the fact that four days after Hurricane Katrina made landfall, Bush declared, "I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees." I am sure what he actually didn't anticipate was a video of him being warned of the dire possibilities...repeatedly.
George Bush and the White House has had ample time to own up to what has happened, but instead we have been given story after story about how it was everyone else's fault but the fault of the most powerful man on the planet. George Bush. How much more can America take from a man who will not own up to the devastating condition America has been left in since his taking office? How many more lies will come forth? And how about the fact that his conveniently not here at the moment to answer these question for himself? This man is hell bent on turning over our ports to the UAE. How frightening is that? He didn't even know that deal had been made, until he watched the reports , along with us, on the evening news.
Our president is THAT out of touch. And what does he have to say in a recent interview with ABC News anchor Elizabeth Vargas? "What kind of message would it send, if we say it is ok for one country, such as British to have these contracts and not an Arab country? I don't know about you...but I don't care if we send a message that we are favoring one country over another...I want to feel safe...PERIOD! And when asked about the handling of Katrina and it's aftermath, he continued to make weak justifications. "Listen, here is what happened with Katrina. There was no situational awareness, and that means that we weren't getting good, solid information from people who were on the ground, and we need to do better." He looked Elizabeth Vargas in the eyes...and those of us who were watching the interview, and lied, instead of being a man, standing up, and saying...I take responsibility. It lies with me. I was briefed, and did nothing. I didn't ask any questions during the briefings by the experts, that were trying to warn me, that a devastating hurricane was about to make landfall. George Bush used the words, "situational awareness," no less the three times when trying to justify why the Katrina situation was handled so poorly. Ironic isn't it? And when asked in the same interview how he felt Homeland Security chief, Michael Chertoff was doing, he replied, "He is doing a fine job." Sound eerily familiar to anyone?
And again, as I was typing this, yet another small earthquake happened. This latest one registered 2.6 and was centered roughly the same place as the earlier ones. Sigh. It is serving as a, so far, gentle reminder that disaster can and will strike, either by man or by nature. We had better have learned some lessons after Hurricane Katrina, such as we are each responsible for ourselves, should the unthinkable occur. The simple act of putting together an emergency kit, that is well stocked with food and provisions for our pets as well, will not only save our own lives, but it will be helping to save the lives of those who can't provide for themselves. It will make us one less person to be taxing what recent history has taught us will be an already overtaxed government resource system. Tomorrow, Alan and I will be investing in a newer, larger pet carrier for Elvis, and we will be stocking up on some additional special food he needs for his diet, and some comfort toys. He is a responsibility we don't take likely, so of course we will be taking care of him, should disaster happen.
Sigh. Listen, we in California began the year with storms pounding the Napa region of Northern California, which also did damage all the way down to parts of Marin County. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, was in Washington earlier this week to ask the White House to declare California's levee system a disaster area, and to ask for additional federal funding to shore up our levee system which is currently over 100 years old, and in need to repair and maintenance. Nothing has been said yet by the White House, and the people who were directly affected by the flooding that took place earlier this year, remain "cautiously optimistic." I am not so optimistic, not until I see that our president is actually going to send the funding will I see the light at the end of the tunnel. So tell me, 6 months after Hurricane Katrina, and a lot of truth later, have you prepared yourself for what might happen in your neck of the woods? Don't break my heart and tell me you have become complacent. Share with me what you have done to take care of yourself.
-OndineMonet
"People go to the zoo and they like the lion because it's scary. And the bear because it's intense, but the monkey makes the laugh."
-Lorne Michaels
Sometimes I think I have an entire zoo living inside me. LOL. On some days I am a turtle, moving very slow and hiding in my shell, and some days I could be described as a sun bear, because I love to lie in the sun and just soak it up...just being a bear, so actually there are a lot of animals I could choose to describe my inner animal, but on one particular visit to the San Francisco Zoo, a few years ago, I saw an orangutan make a statement for all to see, that I completely understood, just by making eye contact with him. He was having one of those days!
At the end of a very trying week, Alan surprised me on Saturday morning by packing a picnic lunch for us and whisking me off to the zoo. He knows how much I love spending time with the animals, and getting some fresh air. For a few hours our of that week...no one in the world knew where I was. Ahhhhhh. LOL. My favorite animals at the zoo are the Lemurs, Chimpanzees, and the Ape exhibits. There was a pretty nice bench right in front of this guys enclosure, so I sat down to watch him for a while.
It was early in the afternoon, and the zoo wasn't too crowded, but this orangutan had already had a bad day. Something had happened to upset his feelings, because he seemed a little tired and a little sad. At one point he got completely tired of the gwakers making silly noises and pointing to him to try and get his attention. Well, completely fed up, he grabbed his Rubbermaid garbage can and his warm brown blanket and dragged both of them to the top of his jungle jim, climbed in, put his brown blanket over his head and then peeked out as if to say..."Get Lost!" LOL It was the cutest thing, and oh boy, did I ever admire him for knowing when to say, enough is enough! LOL
I have been trying to figure out one specific animal that best describes my "animal within," ever since Derek came up with this topic, as an idea for this challenge It's hard for me to narrow it down to just one. I love animals, and I think I have at least one for every one of my moods. LOL. I always think of this orangutan whenever I feel overwhelmed by life, and appreciate the lesson I learned from him that day. Now, I never leave home without my blanket. Thanks Derek, this was a lot of fun. :)
Be sure to visit the other Round Robins, to see their interpretations of this challenge. Just click on the link below, and be sure to visit the Round Robin Journal this Thursday to find out the topic of our next challenge. :)
Derek- Derek's Picture of the Day (AOL)
Through My Eye's (Blogspot)
Karen- Outpost Mavarin
Carly-Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly
Deslily-Here There And Everywhere (AOL)
Here There And Everywhere 2nd Edition (Blogspot)
Sara- Animated Seasons
Nancy- Nancy Luvs Pix
Julie- Julie's Web Journal
Kimberleigh- I Shaved My Legs For This?
Dorn- Through the Eyes of the Beholder
T.J.- Photo Inclusions: Every Picture Tells A Story
Steven- (sometimes) photoblog
Tess- First Digital Photos
-OndineMonet
"Enough Was Enough"
San Francisco Zoo
San Francisco, California
"Our happiness depends on the habit of the mind we cultivate. So practice happy thinking every day. Cultivate the merry heart, develop the habit of happiness, and life will become a continual feast."
-Norman Vincent Peale
I was over at my friend Shelly's blog, "The Malt Shop" which is her meme journal, and I found this cute little one called the "Friday Feast." This my first time playing, but y'all know how much I enjoy doing these, so I might do this one again soon. If you want to play along, just click on the link above and go to the journal that originally created this meme. Thanks Shelly, for the information. :)
Friday Feast
Appetizer
Choose one: Moving to another state, having triplets, or never being able to eat chocolate again.
Wow! I don't ever see myself living in another state, but I don't see me being the mother of triplets , so, I guess I would give up chocolate. I like chocolate a lot, but there are other sweets I enjoy just as much. There is still so much of California I haven't experienced with my camera, that I don't think I could just give it up...at least not quite yet. :)
Soup
Name a news story that truly shocked you.
It seems like I am continually shocked at the arrogance and mishandling of everything the Bush administration touches. New Orleans is still hurting so badly that is makes my soul hurt. I guess that was the last big shock I felt, the way New Orleans was handled. :(
Salad
What was your very first job?
Don't hold this against me. LOL. The very first job, just out of college was as a telemarketer. I wasn't obnoxious however, I could take NO for an answer. LOL.
Main Course
If you had the chance to read the diary of someone you're really close to, would you? Why or why not?
No, I think everyone has a basic right to privacy. I think that if I really knew the person, then I already know what I need to. We all have secrets...don't we. We all have secret moments of thought and observation that belong to us, until we share willingly. I would never betray a relationship to satisfy a curiosity.
Dessert
What's something you are looking forward to?
I am already looking forward to the free concert on the beach in Santa Cruz, that starts again . We had such a good time last year, I still smile when I think about it. Alan has decided to take 4 Friday nights off this year so we can go and make a day of it at the Boardwalk, lie on the beach and soak up the sun, go to the concerts then end the day by having dinner at Gilda's, on the Santa Cruz Wharf. :)
-OndineMonet
"A Friday Feast"
Santa Cruz, California
Friday, August 12th, 2005
5:30 PM
"Style is the mind skating in circles around itself, as it moves foreword."
-Orson Welles
Your Monday Photos Shoot: Get something that screams the 1980's. Get it in picture form! This can include things you have around the house that are from the 80's, or alternately, is a picture that is so obviously from the 80's itself.
-John Scalzi
"When the workin' day is done,
Girls just want to have fun
Oh, girls, just want to have fun." -Cyndi Lauper
For girls, the 1980's were about accessories! Clothes mattered, remember when I shared that I practically owned everything in Maddie Haye's closet? But it was the flashy, clunky jewelry, and designer fragrances that made the whole 80's look come together. I never left the house without my hair and make-up just so very 80's. LOL. So what fragrances does a mermaid wear? Well, it depended on the time of day. For daytime, it was Chloe, for afternoon and early evening it was Oscar De La Renta, and for evening it was Christian Dior's Poison. I still wear these fragrances to this day, Poison is my favorite scent, but I have added other contemporary perfumes to my favorites. It can't give up on one of my favorite decades. I had a lot of fun back then, but I am glad I am where I am today. :) One thing still rings true however...
"When the workin' day is done
Girls just want to have fun
Oh, girls just want to have fun."-Cyndi Lauper
-OndineMonet
"80's Flashback"
Berkeley, California
February 27th, 2006
Afternoon
"Though my soul may sit in darkness, it will rise in perfect light. I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night."
-Sarah Williams
If you have been reading me for a while, you probably know all about my love of lighthouses, and that I am a history buff. Last autumn, I took a short trip down to Jack London Square, in Oakland, to satisfy my interest in both subjects. You see, docked at Jack London Square is not only the presidential yacht The Potomac, but so is the lightship, Relief 605. The Potomac was once dubbed, "The Floating White House," because it is said that President Franklin D. Roosevelt, spent more time on his boat, then he did in the actual White House. Each of these ships possesses a unique and interesting past, but for this entry I am showing you only the lightship. I will save The Potomac for another day. :)
The story of America's lightships began in 1820 and they served our coasts for over 163 years, when the last one was retired in 1983. Between the years, 1820-1983, 116 Lightstations were established along America's three coasts. The first lightship was placed in Chesapeake Bay while the Nantucket station was the last one to be automated. Each of these floating lighthouses have an anchor which weighs 6,500 lbs, and allows the ships to anchor in place through all types of severe weather. Lightstation ships were named either BLUNTS or OVERFALLS. This particular ship was an OVERFALL, and was assigned to a lightstation off the Delaware coast in 1951.In 1960, she was transferred to Cape Mendocino BLUNTS, which was a reef station, along the Northern California coast. It wasn't until 1969 that she became a relief ship, aiding and relieving all of California's remaining lightships. The Relief 605 was decommissioned in 1975 and went through several owners before she was donated to the United States Lighthouse Society, by Mr. Alan Hosking of Woodside, California. The Relief 605 was designated a National Landmark, by the Secretary of the Interior in 1990. She is open to the public for tours, and she is a beautiful. :) If you come to California...you must go and visit her. :)
-OndineMonet
"Relief In Sight"
Jack London Square
Oakland, California
October, 2005
Afternoon
"I don't want to achieve immortality through my work, I want to achieve it through not dying."
-Woody Allen
A few years ago, when Costco began selling coffins, I thought it was a creepy idea. I mean who wants to purchase one's final resting place from a place where one can also buy a 50lb. bag of kitty litter, a box of 500 count paper plates, a 24 pack of assorted muffins, 16 pounds of dry beans, the complete DVD set of Sex In The City, a 2 gallon container of polyunsaturated vegetable oil, a 6 pack of Stagg chili, a 12 can case of Libby's Vienna sausage, a case of Ritz Bits, a double box of Captain Crunch,1000 Kotex tampons and the special edition version of Tootsie? I mean, how embarrassing would it be to be standing in line with all those items, plus the deluxe model of the "Comfy Cozy Coffin 4000? Especially if you were to encounter someone you knew. "Hi Carly, doing a little light shopping? Oh, my, is everything ok?" Now there you are...trying to explain that your morbid purchase was simple estate planning. LOL. It could be awkward, although after reading the following story, on AOL News earlier this evening, I have to admit, the idea has taken on some appeal for me.
Three people from Brooklyn, New York, were charged this past week with selling body parts , they obtained from funeral homes throughout the New York area. It seems that a number of death certificates had been forged by the defendants, Michael, Mastromarino, Lee Crucetta, Christopher Aldorasi, and Joseph Nicelli. Mastromarino, was the owner of Biomedical Tissue Services, of Fort Lee, N.J. All four men pleaded guilty to charges of enterprise corruption, body stealing, opening graves, unlawful dissection and forgery. Their indictment is only the first of many to come. The scandal involves a large number of funeral homes and hundreds of bodies, including that of Allister Cooke, former host of "Masterpiece Theatre." Prosecutors said that the ring took body parts from people who had not given their consent for donation, and altered death certificates to indicate that the deceased were younger then they actually were. Then they sold the parts through Biomedical Tissue Services, to tissue suppliers that were eventually used in disk replacements, dental implants, and other procedures conducted across the United States and Canada.
The thought of my own here after has never really bothered me, in fact I have a somewhat morbid sense of humor about it...always have. When I was asked once, in an ethics class in high school, what I wanted my headstone to say, I facetiously replied, "Here Lies Carly, LIke She's Never Been Laid Before." LOL. A couple years ago when John Scalzi asked the same question for a Weekend Assignment installment, I came up with, "Here Lies Carly Known For Her Dot, Dot, Dot, But Now She's Just Not, Not, Not!" LOL. I also thought once upon a time, that it might be nifty to be laid to rest in Tupperware, as long as someone remembered to burp me. LOL. There are things we have no real control over, so I just never spent much time fretting about my future after I am done on earth. Except in the spiritual sense.
I have to say however, I don't think I would want something funky like this to happen to me. Funky happenings in the here after should be my decision, like having my head frozen or donating myself to science, so some cute up and coming physician can practice on me. I would feel useful in that, and since I am not that modest, I wouldn't be embarrassed in the slightest. So, now that I am older, and I know of the expense of such things, I have put some serious thought into my future and beyond, and I have written my wishes down. When I go, I want to be cremated and placed in an urn with Elvis, and Alan, assuming they go first. Alan liked that idea as well, so at least we are on the same page. Lucky for us, Costco also sells urns, yea us! LOL. I'll take a case of Fig Newtons, 100 ct bag of Ling-Ling Eggrolls and the Family Size urn on the left. :) One final note, Michael Mastromarino, owner of Biomedical Tissue Services, went into the tissue business after losing his dental license. Morbid much!
-OndineMonet
"Snow Covered Sky"
North Lake Tahoe, Nevada
February 7th, 2006
Afternoon
"Sometimes, late at night, I lie awake and ask, "Where have I gone wrong?"
