A Day At Fort Point

"What is history? An echo of the past in the future; a reflex from the future on the past"

-Victor Hugo

Last May, I took a weekend tour of historic Fort Point, in San Francisco. It was my first time viewing the inside of the fort, but as you know from my photos, I come to the outside of the fort often, to photograph the Golden Gate Bridge, or just enjoy some quiet time. It is a peaceful place, and extremely photogenic. I have taken some of my personal favorite photos there, including the one with the seagull who wanted my spaghetti lunch! LOL. When you see Fort Point from this perspective, you would never guess how big it is on the inside.

"The fort was completed just after the beginning of the Civil War. It was first garrisoned in February of 1861 by Company I, 3rd U.S. Artillery Regiment." While the fort was manned throughout the Civil War, it would soon after become obsolete. The troops stationed at the fort were removed in 1886, and the last cannon was removed in 1900. After that, the fort was mainly used as a storage depot and for military training exercises.

During the early to late 1930's, the fort was the main base of operations for the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge, but during WWII, the fort was again used as a lookout for possible enemy submarines which may have tried to enter the Golden Gate. The fort was made an official National Historic site on October 16th, 1970. Today it is closed for tours, except on the weekends. It has a rich history, and many fascinating displays of what military was like throughout the years. One area I found particularly interesting, was the view of the officers living quarters.

Here are a few of the sights that caught my interest...

Vintage cannon, on display in the main courtyard of the fort.

Steep cement spiral staircase downward from the third floor.

The hallways of the inside corridors. Sometimes so dark, you couldn't see your hand right in front of your face. Kinda spooky!

One of the many windows that were once armed with cannons, at the back of the fort, that faced the Pacific ocean and the entrance to the Golden Gate. They have been closed off with sheets of plastic and heavy paper, but there have been little holes made over the years for visitors to be able to see out.

It is an eerie sight to behold. The land that you see from the window, is actually the Marin County coastline.

A peek inside the kitchen of the Officer's quarters. During the Civil War, there was a ration system in place. The ration order read as follows...

"General Orders" No. 226 War Department, July 8th, 1864

Section 2nd of the ACT approved June 20, 1864, published in General Orders No. 216, current series, having modified the Army ration, the following regulations on that subject will be observed:

1. The ration is:-
12 ozs. of pork or bacon, or 1 lb. 4 ozs. of salt or fresh beef
18 ozs. of soft bread or flour, or 12 ozs. of hard breads, or 1 lb 4 ozs. of corn meal
and to every 100 rations...
15 lbs. of beans or peas, or 10 lbs. of rice or hominy
10 lbs. of green coffee, or 8 lbs. of roasted (or roasted and ground) coffee, or 1 lb 8 ozs. of tea
15 lbs. of sugar
4 qts. vinegar
1 lb 4 ozs. of adamantine or star candles
4 lbs. of soap
3 lbs. 12 ozs. of salt
4 ozs. of pepper

Major Pauline Cushmon Fryer

"The first U.S. woman to be commissioned, served as a spy for the Union Army. She was captured and nearly executed by the Confederate Army. She is buried in the Presidio Cemetery."

A close-up view of one of my favorite lighthouses to photograph. This is the view from the top (3rd floor) of the fort. As you can see, it sits directly beneath the Golden Gate Bridge.

It's an amazing and interesting place to visit and photograph. I enjoyed the day very much. I would like to go back sometime soon, and do a few more photos of the lighthouse and the views of Marin County and San Francisco from the top floor of the fort.

-OndineMonet
Fort Point
San Francisco, California
May 13th, 2006
Afternoon

Timeless

"My love for you is a journey; Starting at forever, and ending at never."

-Anonymous

As if visiting the Monet exhibit last Thursday, wasn't enough to warm my soul, when I walked out of the Legion of Honor that day, I noticed this lovely young couple posing for their wedding pictures. They looked so in love. It was late in the day, and the museum was closing, so I sat on the steps and watched, as they took different poses for their wedding album. I couldn't help but snap a few photos of the bride and groom, they were simply beaming at each other. It was a very nice way to end the day! It's been a while since I have shared some of the historic letters I used to put with my entries on "Ellipsis...The Moonlight Gallery," so I thought it would be a nice touch to include a couple letters with this entry. Enjoy!

The first letter...

Count Leo Tolstoy to Valeria Arsenev (fiance)
November 2, 1856

I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious... your heart, your soul. Beauty one could get to know and fall in love with in one hour and cease to love it as speedily; but the soul one must learn to know. Believe me, nothing on earth is given without labour, even love, the most beautiful and natural of feelings.

The second letter is by John Keats, to his wife...

I cannot exist without you. I am forgetful of everything but you again. My life seems to stop there, I see no further. You have absorbed me. I have a sensation at the present moment as though I were dissolving. I have been astonished that men could die martyrs for religion...I shuddered at it...I shudder no more. I could be martyr'd for my religion: Love is my religion. I could die for that. I could die for you. My creed is love, and you are it's only tenet. You have ravish'd me away by a power I cannot resist.

-John

So In Love
By Housemartins

As we stroll along together
Holding hands and walking all alone
So in love are we two
That we don't know what to do

So in love
So in love

As we walk along together
'neath the stars twinkling high above
So in love are we two
That we don't know what to do

So in love
So in love

I tell, tell you my darling
I need you, I need you oh so much
I love, I love you my darlin
Can't you feel it in my touch

As we walk down the aisle together
As we vow to stay together till we die
So in love are we two
Just can't wait to say I do

So in love, so in love
So in love, so much in love
Oh you and I
So in love

Last Thursday, was a magical day in the universe. And there was art everywhere, if one only took the time to stop and look.

-OndineMonet
"So In Love"
The Legion of Honor
San Francisco, California
July, 2006
Late Afternoon

"Summer Gardens"...A Round Robin Promotion

"It's good to be in alone in a garden at dawn or dark so that all its shy presences may haunt you and possess you in a reverie of suspended thought."

-James Douglas, "Down Shoe Lane"

When I heard from rRose, author of the journal, " WAIT-NOTYET-/" what her choice was for our next Round Robin challenge was, I immediately thought of one of the most beautiful examples of a summer garden I have ever seen, the Mission Rose Garden, that sits right across the street from Mission Santa Barbara, in Santa Barbara, California. There are over 500 varieties of roses, blooming during the summer, with the gorgeous backdrop of the Santa Ynez mountains. Originally the garden area was a working area where natives of the Chumash and Yanonali learned trade.

Today, the same area is filled with the beautiful fragrance, of every rose you can imagine. Especially gorgeous were the "fire and ice" variety. So lovely, and the houses in the area are historic as well, they are Spanish-Colonial, not neo-colonial, which adds to the beauty and history of the area. I last visited the garden in June of 2005, on my birthday, and it was pretty special. I loved just sitting on the bench, in the shade, and taking in all the gentle beauty around me. It was a treat to be able to photograph so many different colors and in so many different lighting opportunities. Maybe I will get the chance to visit there again later this year...we'll see. :)

So do you have a favorite summer garden? Is it a public historic garden, or is it the one in your own yard? Grab your camera, take some photos, write an entry and play along with our challenge. You have almost two weeks to come up with an entry. The date of our next challenge will be, Wednesday, August 9th, as usual you can post your entry any time between the midnights of that day! You can post one photo, or a series of photos featuring the current subject. You are limited only by your own imagination. :) Click here to visit the official Round Robin blog, where you will find all the information you need to play along with the challenge. If you find you have any questions, feel free to send me an email and I will respond ASAP. :) Please say you will join us, we so love your company!

-OndineMonet
Mission Rose Garden
Mission Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
June 29th, 2005
Afternoon

My Date With Monet

"People discuss my art and pretend to understand as if it were necessary to understand, when it's simply necessary to love."

-Claude Monet

Yesterday, I finally made it over to the,"Monet In Normandy," exhibit at the Legion of Honor, in San Francisco. I have to admit, while I have had a lifelong love for Impressionist art, and the works of Claude Monet in particular, I wasn't prepared for the amazing beauty I saw in that exhibit! I was stunned at the vibrancy, the colors were so alive, and the brush strokes of the master's that at times seemed almost manic in one work, would turn soft and ethereal in another. It would catch me off guard as I studied each one of the nearly 50 paintings in this exhibit, and a few that were on display another collection.

The sight of his actual brush strokes, sent chills up my spine. I was in the presence of love. Claude Monet loved the subjects he chose to paint, I know this absolutely, because of what care and passion was present. A little bit of his soul was on display with those amazing images. The beauty of "Water Lillies" was so stunning and mesmerizing that it actually brought tears to my eyes. For the first time I was able to see a small sampling of Monet's life's work, and at the end of the day, I left the museum with a new, and deeper, love and appreciation for his talents. That was something I never thought to be possible! Below are some of the works of Monet, and other pieces of art that especially touched me. Enjoy!

Also currently on display at the Legion of Honor...

"The Thinker" by Rodin

Guiseppe Antonio Guarneri del Gesu

English Worcester, ca. 1770-1772

Necklace, Cypriot, mid-5th century B.C.

"La Comtesse de Morel-Vinde & Her Daughter"

By Baron Franc-Pascal-Simon Gerard

"The Broken Pitcher" By William Adolphe Bouguereau

"Still Life with Skull, Leeks and Pitcher" By Pablo Picasso

"Mother and Child" By Pierre-August Renoir

"At The Milliner's" By Edouard Manet

"The Gorge at Varengeville" By Claude Monet

"Dorothy Spreckles Munn" By Salvadore Dali

"The Kiss" By Rodin

"Grand Canal Venice" By Claude Monet

The "Monet In Normandy" exhibit runs through September 17th of this year. If you live in northern California, please don't miss this amazing exhibit! Truly, it will be a day you will never forget! :)

-OndineMonet 7/27/06

Alive Again

"That beautiful season this summer!
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light;
and the landscape
lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood."

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I was outside Tuesday night, lying down in the tent, and starring up at the stars, just praying for some relief from the recent heat. I was feeling bad for the folks in Danville, who have been without power for several days. I was thankful that during the whole 11 day heatwave, we never lost our gas and electric. If we had, I don't know what we would have done. I was thinking about how I thought I was going to lose my Elvis this past weekend, to that damn excessive heat. I HATE the summer.

But as I laid there, nearly crying from frustration, I began to feel the most wonderful feeling, it was the cool, gentle breeze I have always embraced, flowing up from the bay. The fog was rolling in at last! Was this some dumb joke of Mother Nature's? Was I really feeling some relief at last? I decided not to question it, instead I smiled to myself at how the air seemed to be tickling me. It was sensual...and nice. When I woke up yesterday morning, I felt relaxed and refreshed. It was the first time in 11 days that my kitty Elvis, was lying next to me. It's the best feeling to wake up to his smile. He now feels a little more like himself. Ahhh.

I found a brown leaf today in my travels. A sure sign that autumn is ready to come into her own for this year. Sigh. :) I would rather have a bouquet of autumn leaves, then a bouquet of roses any day. Not that roses aren't beautiful, and arousing, but there is real character in a leaf. They are as individual as fingerprints, and they offer such hope. Sometimes, they float on the wind, and you gotta love that! Their colors are inspiring, and while some might think autumn a melancholy season, somehow to me, it is a promise of sweet relief, from the dead still of summer. That leaf I found today, made me smile, and the gentle, cool breeze blowing through my office window right now makes me feel like taking a skinny dip. Ahhh... see...if we just stick it out long enough, time will always bring us such wonderful relief and some really good ideas! :)

Sweet Seasons
By Carole King

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose
And sometimes the blues get a hold of you
Just when you thought you had made it

All around the block, people will talk
but I want to give it all that I've got
I just don't want to waste it

Talkin' 'bout sweet seasons on my mind
Sure does appeal to me
You know we can get there easily
Just like a sailboat sailin' on the sea

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose
And most times you choose between the two
Wonderin', wonderin' if you have made it

But I'll have some kids and make my plans
And I'll watch the seasons run away
And I'll build me a life in the open
A life in the country

I'm talkin' 'bout sweet seasons on my mind
Sure does appeal to me
You know we can get there easily
Just like a sailboat sailin' on the sea

Talkin' 'bout sweet seasons
Talkin' 'bout sweet, sweet seasons

-OndineMonet
"Sweet Relief"
Monterey, California
Summer, 2005

Round Robin Challenge: Ye Olde Watering Hole

"Three diseases without shame: Love, Itch and Thirst."

-Irish Saying

The temperature outside has been hot lately, really hot! LOL. But one thing certainly made it all a little easier to handle, and that was having a nice ice filled drink. My favorite thirst quencher, the past couple weeks, has been a tall Italian soda with just a splash of melon syrup. :) I have already shared with you that my favorite little watering hole is Caffe Strada in Berkeley, so how about I tell you about my favoite place in Nevada to wet my whistle, the famous, "Bucket of Blood Saloon," located in historic, Virginia City, Nevada.

Last autumn, Alan and I took a late anniversary trip to Reno, Nevada. There was a ton of things to see and photograph along the way. From the gorgeous autumn leaves, to the neon lights of Reno, it was a treat for an amateur photographer's soul. Well, you know what a history buff I am, so how could I possibly come all the up to Nevada, and not venture up into the hills to Virginia City, to take a walk back in time? So, on our second day in Nevada, up into the hills we went. :)

Virginia City, is a quaint little "Old West" town located about 40 miles or so from downtown Reno. If you were ever a fan of the television series,Bonanza, you might recall that the, "Bucket of Blood Saloon," was a favorite hang-out for the Cartwright boys. LOL. How many times did one of those, ruggedly, handsome Cartwrights get into a bar room brawl, and end up fighting it out in the streets? LOL. Well today, The Bucket of Blood, isn't quite so rugged, but it is still filled with some fantastic memorabilia. During the month of September, there are staged gunfights in the streets right outside the saloon. So while you grab something to quench your thirst, you can see a little bit of what it might have been like to have lived back in the days of the Comstock boom. And on a clear day, if you look out the back window of The Bucket of Blood, you can see clear across Nevada, or at least, that's how it seems. :) How much fun is that? Below are a few pictures of what you will see in this unique watering hole. Enjoy!

If you look over the edge of the back stairway, you will seem like you have truly stepped back in time...

A gold mining sluice, probably used for mining both silver and gold during the Comstock rush.

The "old west" meets the "new west" with the invention of the coin operated slot machine. :) They even had one called, "The Mermaid." LOL.

This is the edge of the awesome, hand carved original wooden bar. All around it are quaint antiques from the 1800's. There is so much to look at, it's hard to know where to start!

In the corner was one of the Comstock Boys, playing the banjo. It was the perfect sound to add to the already visually stunning atmosphere!

As you walk down the back stairs to the observation area, you will see some clear warnings about the dangers of living in the old west. One of them is...YIKES...baby rattlers! But if you just peek inside, you will see that what has really been captured are not baby snakes...but in fact are baby rattles. LOL.

One of my favorite sights of this lovely old saloon, were the antique lighting fixtures. The ceiling had about 50 or so hanging lights of different colors, styles and eras. This one happened to be my favorite. The colors were so appealing to the eyes. :)

So there you have it! This was more then just a place to stop along the way, to stop an quench a thirst. It was a place of history and it had an ambiance one doesn't find everyday. But you see, that is what was so cool about this challenge, and all the challenges for that matter, the chance to show the unusual in the common. To look beyond the obvious, and bring out the experience. Photography, is a wonderful way to step out of the linear view of things. Even if you favorite place to grab a beverage is Starbuck's, I bet there are plenty of things that make the one you go to special. Thanks goes to Maryanne, author of the journal, "Inside The Gilded Cage," for choosing this subject for us.

So there you have it! This was more then just a place to stop along the way, to stop an quench a thirst. It was a place of history and it had an ambiance one doesn't find everyday. But you see, that is what was so cool about this challenge, and all the challenges for that matter, the chance to show the unusual in the common. To look beyond the obvious, and bring out the experience. Photography, is a wonderful way to step out of the linear view of things. Even if you favorite place to grab a beverage is Starbuck's, I bet there are plenty of things that make the one you go to special. Thanks Maryanne, for choosing this subject for us.

Be sure to visit the rest of the Round Robin Participants. :) You can get the linking list from the official Round Robin blog, or you can simply click the links below! :)

Round Robin Participants

Maryanne... Inside the Gilded Cage POSTED!

Karen... Outpost Mavarin POSTED!

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

Pamela... My Photos

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

Julie... Julie's Web Journal POSTED!

Valorie... Retrospect USA

Tammy... The Daily Warrior POSTED!

Tess... First Digital Photos POSTED!

Janet... Fond of Photography POSTED!

-OndineMonet
The Bucket Of Blood Saloon
Virginia City, Nevada
October 28, 2005
Afternoon

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Yawn!

"A good laugh, and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book."

-Irish Proverb

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Get a picture of someone yawning and/or stretching. Clearly, pets are eligible for this photo shoot as well.

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

This is Elvis's friend Ernst. No one embraces a good nap the way Ernst does. His way to beat the heat consists of taking long, lazy naps on his porch. I came home one day last year, to see him sleeping, upside down, on the back stairs of his house. I just happened to have my camera with me, lol, I don't remember the last time I didn't, so I captured this series of Ernst...in celebration of the NAP,the YAWN and the STRETCH. All three are among the great joys of life, no matter what species you happen to be. :)

The Yawn!

The Stretch!

John is absolutely right about a yawn being contagious. One time I was watching an episode of, I Love Lucy, the one where she and Ethel share a ride to Florida with someone they thought was, Evelyn Holmsby, the hatchet Murderer. LOL. And Lucy steps out of the car, in the Florida Everglades, to stretch, and when she does, she yawns. When she yawned...I yawned! LOL. That episode was more then 50 years old, but that yawn had lived on immortal. Tee Hee. Gee, YAWN, doesn't a nap sound wonderful right about now? :)

-OndineMonet

Ernst 1, Ernst 2, Ernst 3

Berkeley, California

Summer, 2005

Hell's Bells

"There is no need to fear the wind, if your haystacks are tied down."

-Irish Proverb

Some people tell me I am cute when I am in a grouchy mood. I don't feel cute...I just feel grouchy! It's hot...it's WAY too hot, there are ants covering my entire house, I went out at 11:00 PM, to buy a bag of ice, but there wasn't a bag of ice to be found in the entire of the East Bay, I have a weird rash on my foot, my computer is trying it's best to die...more on that later...the situation in the Middle East has me on edge, I can't seem to connect with a good friend of mine, I am sweating so much that I look like crap, with the exception of my hair, because I am actually having a good hair day! Go figure! We are continuing to break records with the HOT weather, but the spooky thing is, they were records that were set just last year! Gas prices are ridiculous, and what does George Bush do? He rolls back emissions standards as an incentive for the oil companies to lower the cost. Hello, Global Warming! AND I AM STILL WAITING FOR THE LOWER PRICES GEORGE!

Elvis has me worried. He was so sick today, and on the news were stories of how pets across the Bay Area were passing away from heat related illnesses. I put my boy in the bathtub and cooled his body down. He liked that. Then when he wouldn't eat or drink, I got some cool water and gave it to him with a spoon. He didn't want to take it, but after a little bit of patience with him and some cooing, he had a little. It was something anyway. Sigh. With weather like this, folks have to remember that their pets have to be given some extra attention. Even if they are indoor pets with access to air conditioners and fans, check them a couple times a day to be sure they are eating, drinking, and doing all their normal bodily functions. It was hard to see a cat, who looked like Elvis, hooked up to IVs and an oxygen machine.

Why do folks, sometimes think other folks look cute, when they are actually grouchy? LOL. My whole life I have heard..."you're so cute when you are grumpy." Then again, I suppose there are worse things someone could say about you! And believe me...they have! LOL. Mummphff...I think I will sleep in my tent tonight. Oh yeah, I didn't tell you did I? I got a new tent a couple days ago. It's big and roomy, and there is a skylight. LOL. I can watch the airplanes take-off and land at OAKLAND. LOL. There's nothing like getting back to nature! LOL.

-OndineMonet

Gas Prices Hit All Time High

Games People Play

"The cool thing about being famous is traveling, I always wanted to travel across seas, like to Canada and stuff."

-Britney Spears

Well, we have a whole new poll on the sidebar! But before I tell you about the newest poll, and why I chose the current topic, I will just let you know that the results for the previous poll, "Favorite Family Game," can be found here. I really enjoyed that poll, I like playing board games, card games, and even some video games, like SIMS 2. My family didn't play any of those games when I was a little girl, so sometimes it felt like I had missed out on a lot. It wasn't until Alan returned from college, and we because best friends, that I ever even played Monopoly. I really enjoyed it a lot, and from there it was on to Dungeons and Dragons...YIKES...did I really just admit that? LOL. Hey, I made it all the way up to a 12 level warrior named Deidre. LOL. Anyway it was a lot of fun finding out what the most popular game is among those who read Ellipsis, so thank you for your participation!

Now, about our current poll, "Who Is Your Favorite Celebrity Behaving Badly." I have to admit, I am not usually one for the tabloids or celebrity gossip shows, but lately there seems to be so much bad behavior going on, that I find myself, at times, enthralled. LOL. Will Heather Locklear and Ritchie Sambora work it out? Will Naomi Campbell smack yet another assistant with that wacky cell phone of hers? And what the heck was up with our president giving that...uh...hum...umm neckrub to German chancellor, Angela Merkel, at the G8 Summit? Did you see the episode of Jay Leno, where that strange lady approached Colin Farrell? How weird was that? Inquiring minds want to know! LOL. Ok, the thing is, sometimes I prefer to contemplate this stuff, as opposed to the things in the news that frighten me. Lately, there has certainly been enough to be frightened of. :( So, if you want to, chime in and tell me which of the 10 celebrity silliness, listed on the sidebar poll, have you scratching your head in wonder. If your current favorite incident of celebrity who is misbehaving isn't listed, feel free to share with me in the comment thread of this entry! I look forward to your responses! :)

"Look guys, if you are just going to stare at me, I'm just going to bed."

-Elvis Presley

Note: My friend Patrick has posted an excellent article regarding some of these incidents. Drop by and give him a read. :)

"Celebrities Need A Reality Check...And So Do We!"

-OndineMonet

Like Seven Inches From The Midday Sun

"The coldest winter I ever saw, was the summer I spent in San Francisco."

-Mark Twain

The Bay Area has been experiencing some pretty severe weather the last couple days. Unbearable heat, no air, no breeze, and temperatures that are breaking records. Livermore is estimated to reach 110 degrees later today, which is nearly 20 degrees above normal. Here in the East Bay hills it has been so oppressive, that there wasn't even the sound of children playing outdoors yesterday. That is sad indeed, because isn't that one of the very best sounds of summer? I heard very few birds today, and there hasn't been the usual visits in the night by the opossums. That worries me. Twice today I have gotten "Severe Weather" desktop alerts by the Weather Channel, and right now as I type this, it is 97 degrees in my cottage at 12 midnight.

Elvis isn't doing well, so I have had to be especially careful with him. I make him have some water every couple hours, and I wash him down three or four times a day with some cool water from the bathroom sink. He and I haven't been able to go swimming this year, my foot is too swollen from the dampness of the weather. In order to get into the pool I would need to take my pain medicine, which makes me woosey. I don't think it would be a good idea with Alan at work to swim by myself, so Elvis and I just dip our toes in. The sun overhead has been too much. And to think, on the 4th of July, it was 45 degrees on top of Twin Peaks in the city with winds at 35 miles per hour. The Bay Area microclimates can be difficult to handle, especially if one isn't used to them. Funny thing about the above quote by Mark Twain, according to Snopes.com, Mark Twain never said that! He may have mused on the strange weather patterns in the Bay Area, but he actually never said that particular quote.

Have I mentioned that I am longing for autumn? LOL. One thing however, the sunset on a Bay Area summer day can be stunning! This is a photo taken at the Berkeley pier, facing Angel Island. :) The scene to the left, is a magnificent view of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and Fort Point. Even on a day like yesterday, when the summer heat was so hot I couldn't seem to even think clearly, my camera will always help me find the relief I seek. :) I am not used to these temperatures, or the pain it is causing in my leg. Sigh. Send me some cool thoughts please. :)

By the way, we have an upcoming Round Robin Challenge, which is taylor made for a hot summer day. "Ye Olde Watering Hole." There is still time to sign up for the challenge, it's easy. All you have to do is pay a visit to the official Round Robin blog, and leave your name, your journal/blog's name and the full URL in the comment thread and you are all set. So tell me, what is your favorite summer drink, and where do you most enjoy having it? Or better yet, take a photo, and join us next Wednesday for the challenge!

KGO Heat Wave To Last Through The Weekend

-OndineMonet
"Berkeley Sunset"
July 21st, 2006
9:20 PM
Note: Thanks Redsneakz for the great error catch!

John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #121: This One Goes To 11!

"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once."

-Albert Einstein

Weekend Assignment #121: Do whatever you want, so long as it somehow involves the number 11. Memories of being eleven, lists that have eleven positions to them, collections of eleven similar objects...hey...whatever you want. As long as the number eleven is somehow involved, it's all good. For those of you thinking about being sneaky and using binary notation: no "11, base 2." We're talking binary number 1011 here, pal.

Extra Credit: Grab a book, open it to page 11, and write out the 11th sentence.

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

How about a list of 11 things about the number 11, including a brand new original poem by me. :) I know what you are thinking..."Oh no...not one of her poems." LOL. Hey, practice makes perfect! LOL.

1. Eleven Minutes Ago, (A Free Verse Poem)
By Carly Gordon

I think it was in November when they met
Two human souls on one path
One walking toward and one walking away
From their individual pasts.

They stopped and spoke of polite things
For eleven minutes that November day
He and She thinking words not spoken
In a silent dialog of suppressed desires

The closer they came to each others life
The further they seemed to drift apart
Until a chasm was all that remained
Of a once great November filled day

Then both walked away in reluctant silence
As both momentarily considered the future
And what could have been changed in the past
Only eleven short minutes ago.

2. A rocket must travel at over 11km per second to escape the Earth's gravity.

3. According to Numerology, 11 possesses the qualities of intuition, patience, honesty, sensitivity, and spirituality, and idealism.

4. NBC 11 is my local NBC affiliate

5. Eleven, 11 lettered words.
1. Caressingly
2. Dressmakers
3. Foolishness
4. Truehearted
5. Documentary
6. Foretelling
7. Girlfriends
8. Knucklehead
9. Summerhouse
10. Tranquility
11. Yesteryears

5.The symbol for the 11th anniversary is STEEL.

6. The 11th president of the United States was James Polk.

7. Eleven Pipers Piping, from 12 Days Of Christmas, would cost $2,053.

8. 11 is the atomic number of sodium.

9. The 11th moon of Jupiter is called Himalia

10. In Astrology, the 11th house is of Ideals, Friends and Allies

11. Apollo 11 was the first mission to the moon. July, 1969.

Extra Credit: The 11th page and the 11th sentence of my favorite book, Practical Magic, by Alice Hoffman. Autumn will be here soon, I read this book every autumn. :)

"She did not as the aunts for special favors, or even request those small rewards she deserved."

-OndineMonet
"A Day In The 11th Month"
Berkeley, California
November, 2005
Afternoon

Beer Bad

"Maybe because popcorn explodes."

-Brian Lehman, owner of, The Amish Country Popcorn factory, answered,"Maybe because popcorn explodes," when asked why he thought his popcorn factory was placed on a list of potential terrorist threats.

Sigh. As President Bush, delivered yet another smug speech from the White House yesterday, I mused to myself about how odd, and surreal it was to hear him dictate about morality and human ethics, after vetoing a bill which would have allowed an increase in federal funding into stem cell research. Research which would have the potential to improve, if not actually save, the lives of countless Americans who suffer from various cancers, Alzheimer's disease and debilitating spinal cord injuries. It was frustrating and infuriating that the impassioned pleas of such proponents of stem cell research as, Nancy Reagan, and Michael J. Fox, fell on the ever deaf ears of our president.

Is it because he has never had to face watching a loved one suffer through an illness such as Alzheimer's? Or had to sit up with them all night because they were lost in their own mind. Or face watching a loved one die a little every single day, as their personality and memories slip away into oblivion? There were days when my mother, didn't know me from a door knob, there were days when she would become violent, and some days when she simply played as if she was a small child, her favorite comfort toy was a stuffed giggle doll I bought her. She could play with it for hours. My fear, pain and sorrow was nothing unique, many, many American families face this struggle every day. It is both financially, physically and emotionally draining. And sometimes I wonder , in that my mother suffered from that hideous disease, will that be a part of my future as well?

I think about the struggle of Dana Reeve. She loved her husband, Christopher Reeve, so much, and she stood by him after his near fatal horseback riding accident in 1995, which left him with a broken neck and devastating spinal cord injuries. It was their dream to see him walk again in his lifetime. It wasn't to be. I think about how sad I was to hear that Dana Reeve lost her own battle with Lung Cancer at the age of 44 earlier this year. Is there ever enough money to research medical atrocities? Heart disease, Leukemia, Alzheimer's, Lung Cancer, Spinal cord injuries, are killing American's at an alarming rate. It's unconscionable to me, that he could so smugly surround himself with people who share his views, for the sole purpose of having a cheering section while he yields his mighty pen. To date over $297,285,156,121 has been spent on the unecessary war in Iraq. And we still have no clear exit plan, at least while Bush is in office. A war which carries various American made atrocities of it's own, and a still missing couple billion dollars.

And in other mindless spending, a recent congressional audit of the, Department of Homeland Security, found some unusual expenditures which may rise to the level of fraud. My personal favorite expenditure was for a beer brewing kit, for the Coast Guard to brew it's own alcohol, while on duty, as a social activity for the Coast Guard Academy. What is this, McHale's Navy? Nope. It isn't anything that entertaining...just more governmental incompetence, greed and selfishness taking place while no one watches. The Department of Homeland Securities problems don't end there. Just last week came a report of the uneven disbursement of funds for increased security measures against potential terrorist targets. According to the inspector general of the D.H.S, the Nation Asset Database is so flawed, that as of January, Indiana, with, 8,591 potential terror targets, had more than twice as many potential terrorist targets then California, with 3,212. Indiana is now the most targeted place in America.

So what's in Indiana that makes them so attractive to terrorists ? How about The Amish Popcorn Factory. It doesn't end there, the citizens of Columbus, Tennessee, can feel safer at The Mule Day Parade, the residents of Woodville, Alabama, can go to Old MacDonald's Petting Zoo, without fear, and the ever mysterious, "Beach at the end of the Street," wherever that is, has received it's funding. The Department of Homeland Security, which hands out the antiterrorism grants, cut funding to New York City, and Washington by 40 percent. New York City, had their funding cut by 40 percent, so that a tackle shop, a donut shop, and Nix's Check Cashing, could be added to the list of possible targets by terrorists? 571 nursing homes, 1,305 casinos, 163 water parks, 3, 773 malls were also listed in categories. I resent the fact that antiterrorism funding was cut to California, in favor of states such as Montana, one of the least populated states in the union. Montana received more assets then North Carolina, New Jersey, and Massassachusetts. Tell me, do you feel safe?

Anyone can surround themselves with "yes" people. Just once, I would like to see our president make one of those smug speeches, like he did yesterday, with an accurate audience of the American voice. According to a poll on AOL, 82 percent of American's support the increased funding for stem cell research. Unfortunately, as long as George W. Bush is in office, our voices will fall on his deaf ears.

There really isn't much to say is there? The word of the day is...

"Unconscionable."

1. Not guided or controlled by conscience
2. Excessive, unreasonable
3. Shockingly unfair or unjust

-OndineMonet
"Tow Away Zone"
Berkeley, California
July 19, 2006
Afternoon

A Well Stocked Camera Case

"Photography deals exquisitely with appearances, but nothing is what it appears to be."

-Duane Michals

One thing every good amateur photographer must have, is a well stocked camera case. Extra batteries, a good digital camera cleaning kit, maybe even an extra lens cap. It's also a good idea to have a pen and some paper for writing down notes about the weather, and special notes about the area one is photographing. I always check my camera case before I leave the house to make sure I have everything I need...and then some.

Being one of those, "girlie girls," there are quite a few items that I take with me on photo jaunts, that you probably wouldn't expect to find in most camera cases. See, instead of dragging my purse along with me, I simply add all those, "girlie girl," necessities to my camera case. Only the most essential items mind you.

1.Breath spray... in case I happen to meet David Duchovny.

2.Make-up... in case I happen to meet David Duchovny.

3.Jasmine Perfume... in case I happen to meet David Duchovny.

4.My cell phone... So I can call all my friends if I happen to meet David Duchovny.

5. My Voo-Doo sock monkey Ernst, because I like monkeys.

6. A CD of music to inspire me, I just love the David Duchovny song by Bree Sharp.

7. My wallet, in case I meet David Duchovny and he hasn't had lunch.

8. Sunblock, so I don't look like a lobster, if I should meet David Duchovny.

9. Sunglasses, so I will look cool if I should meet David Duchovny, but I never wear them to take pictures outside in the daytime. :) Your pictures will come out better if you have an accurate view of the lighting around you. :)

10. An extra set of car keys. Trust me on that one! LOL.

11. Some feminine needs products. Again, trust me on that one! LOL.

12. A plastic shower cap. LOL. When it rains, sometimes it pours. LOL.

13. 2 Tea bags, 2 Hot Chocolate packets, 2 Hot Apple Cider packets, 24 Equal packets, 4 Lipton Chicken Noodle Instant Soup, 4 napkins, 4 plastic forks, 4 plastic knives.

14. A nail clipper. There's nothing worse then having a hang nail while trying to take a photo.

15. 6 medium and 6 small band-aids, for when the hang nail bleeds. Sheesh! LOL.

16. 1 Lavender eye mask, so I won't have tired looking eyes should I meet David Duchovny.

17. 2 Hair clips, for putting my hair up. There's nothing worse then having very long hair on a windy day. I should really cut it one day.

18. A small bottle of aspirin for those unexpected aches and pains.

19. My wallet... it costs $3 to cross the Bay Bridge, and $5 if I am coming across the Golden Gate into the city. It's all in the paths you choose. :)

20. Apple Dippers. I always stop at McDonald's, on my way out to wherever the picture is, and grab some Apple Dippers in case I don't have time to stop and eat. Apple slices pick me right up. :)

I have managed to put everything I need into my camera case, I like being well prepared. I also have a spare T-Shirt and pants that I keep in the trunk, because sometimes birds can be wacky. LOL. And yep, my camera still fits in it's case just fine. :)

So tell me, what do you carry in your camera case? Just the basics? Or do you have some specialty items of a "must have" nature? Come on you guy readers of mine also... fess up... do you have anything in your camera case which might be considered out of the ordinary? Share. Tell me what you never leave home without... not including your American Express card! :)

-OndineMonet
A Well Stocked Camera Case"
Berkeley, California
June 18th, 2006
Afternoon

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Life In Negative

"There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are."

-Ernst Haas

Your Monday Photo Shoot: With photo editing tools, take a picture of yours and turn it into a negative. The idea here is not to take just any picture, mind you, but one that you think will look particularly striking with the colors inverted.

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

I hope it doesn't break any rules to display more then one photo, but I couldn't decide which one I wanted to display. It had never occurred to me to invert the colors of a photo, so I had lots of fun with this Monday Photo Shoot. :) The photo above is one in a series I am doing on the discarded couches of Berkeley. It is quite a phenomenon, but every late summer/early autumn the streets around the University of California at Berkeley, become lined with discarded couches as new students fill the frat and sorority houses. I have never seen this in other college towns, just here in Berkeley. I don't know...somehow I just found it inspiring and unique. :)

Here are some other subjects I found fun...

Squirrel Eating A Cracker

Bathtub Diva (Mannequin)

Pink Lily

Queen Dananus gilippus Butterfly

Drum Set (Greg Kihn Concert)

Lone Cypress, 17 Mile Drive, Monterey

Hot Air Balloons

The Moon Over Lake Tahoe

There they be. :) This was a fun assignment. :)

-OndineMonet

...And Someday I Would Like To Learn To Ride A Seahorse

"My life has a super cast, but I can't figure out the plot."

-Asleigh Brilliant

Sigh. Things have been stressful lately. There I said it. I think for the most part I am a fairly upbeat person. I have my moments, like most humans from the planet earth, and most of the time all it takes to set it all straight again, is a little time away from the problem. Meditation works, so does Qi Gong. Sometimes however, it doesn't matter how many five-minute sessions of thought processing I do, things simply don't fall back into order. See, I can't change the world outside myself, and I can't change the people in my environment...nor should I try. The problem is, I have certain expectations in life, and I expect things from others, such as believing that commitments made to me should and will kept.

Things happen, mistakes are made, and unforeseen circumstances will occur. It's an absolute part of life. But how many times does a pattern have to occur before one realizes that there is a problem? Then what? I can't make the people in my life keep their promises to me, all I can do is ask that an effort be made to rectify the pattern of dropping the ball when it comes to whatever the situation is. Right? So, does it make me a bad guy that I insist that a commitment made be kept? From my perspective, if I have tried to deal with it and the same pattern continues over and over, how does it help anyone, if I just swallow my frustration and say nothing...pick up the slack myself, because it's easier then possibly hurting someone's feelings by being honest with them about how I feel.

I think most of you have known me long enough to know that I try to be fair. Ellipsis is about my fascination with the world around me. The sun, the moon, music, art, politics, animals, the strange situations I find myself in at times, my hopes, you name it...I am fascinated by it. But at times, like this past week, I just feel a little alone, because sometimes even I need to say that life isn't always a bowl of cherries, not even for me. Sometimes I have to insist that I be treated with respect and courtesy...period. And being in that position just doesn't feel very good, you know? But I have learned from my past that saying, "it's ok you didn't keep your commitment to me, I understand," when I really don't feel that way, is a cowardly way to live one's life.

I think everything is going to be ok, I have said what I need to say and I think the situation is on the mend, yet I still feel this sense of damage in me, because I stood up for myself and didn't let the other person off the hook. It's important to me to treat others the way I want to be treated. I always had this goal to hopefully leave those I meet a little better off then when I found them, but in reality, maybe that is unreasonable as a goal.

In a different situation this week I had to set a different boundary. I had to say to someone that they couldn't do something, because there is an ethic against it. I would never hurt someone's feeling on purpose, it gives me no happiness to think someone is hurting because I had to draw a line. Still, that doesn't change the fact that their feelings are hurt. I have tried to explain that I wasn't attacking them personally, and I tried to reassure them that it was my hope that they would understand my position. I really tried, but they are so sad that anything was said at all, that they can't seem to move beyond the intial hurt.I just needed to make a situation clear, so that in the future it doesn't happen again. Sigh. It's the most helpless feeling to not be forgiven for a slight. It's lonely, and it makes me question myself.

And in still another frustrating situation, I have a friend that I haven't been able to connect with for whatever reason. We are up to 15 reasons the last time I counted, but see, when I reached that number I simply stopped counting. Sigh. Our relationship feels fragile right now. I don't know what to do. My friend has been having a hard time with life in general, and it is starting to hurt him...really bad. Sarah, my therapist, made me say outloud this past week, that "I can't save him." Sigh. She's right. To say it, or even type it right here in the safety of my blog, feels like a cold knife running straight through me. Again, helpless is the word, and yes followed closely by loneliness. But I know I had to say it, so, thank you Sarah.

Ok, have I whined enough? LOL. It wasn't like the whole week was bad, I loved going on the 17 Mile drive. On Wednesday, I grabbed a pizza for lunch from my favorite little pizza place on Shattuck avenue, The Cheeseboard, which tasted like God himself made it...but then all their pizzas do. They serve one type of pizza, which changes daily, and you can by it by the slice, half or whole. I have never tasted anything like it. This past week it was, domestic mushroom, fresh herbs, French feta cheese, mozzarella,and yellow onions. OMG. :) Now THAT is happiness. In fact there were all kinds of little happinesses last week.

I love the little moments, like hearing a song on the radio you haven't heard in forever, or the way Elvis's whiskers feel on my cheek first thing in the morning, or when someone says, "I love you," without saying a word. ;) And today, I get to start yet another week...isn't that great? :) I am sitting on the brink of a whole new week, with new opportunities, new challenges, new joys, new sorrows, new wonderful moments waiting for me, and I am ready to take on the adventure, and someday I would like to learn to ride a seahorse. :)

"For fast acting relief, try slowing down."
-Lily Tomlin

-OndineMonet
"Someday A Seahorse"
17 Mile Drive
Pacific Grove, California
Afternoon

Beyond The Immediate

"The three great elemental sounds in nature are the sound of rain, the sound of wind in a primeval wood, and the sound of outer ocean on a beach."

-Harry Beston

T.S. Eliot said, "April is the cruelest month, breeding lilacs out of the dead land, mixing memory and desire, stirring dull roots with spring rain." I don't know, to me August is the cruelest of all months, and now it is sitting right in front of me, looming, and taunting. I hate August. It's only redeeming value is that every once in a while, during August, it will give you a little peek at the golden sun of autumn, as if giving one a little provocation to hold onto the future.

I drove down the 17 Mile Drive last Thursday, in an effort to escape the four walls of my cottage, and my mind. I knew the drive would be a physical strain, because my joints have been swollen and achy, but onward I went...and I am not sorry I did. It was a fabulous diversion from stuff that has been clogging up my brain. I was inspired by wild sea birds and animals, the Del Monte Forest, and the natural landscape ans seascape that changes by the moment. I have been on this drive many times, I have seen the usual sights along the way, but it is all so stunning and when you see it at different times of the year, and different times of day, it's like seeing it for the first time...every time.

I understand what Claude Monet meant when he said, "For me, a landscape does not exist in it's own right, since it's appearance changes at every moment; but the surrounding atmosphere brings it to life...the light and the air which vary continually. For me, it is only the surrounding atmosphere which gives subjects their true value." The air was cool, and a little misty. The sky was the bluest-blue I could have imagined,yet there was a blue/pink fog bank moving toward shore, the water was aqua and light blue in color, with waves of both shades coming together as one. It seemed like I was very close to what I imagine heaven looking like, when I dream of being my life on earth. It's fun for me to photograph certain places over and over, at different times of the year, and with different lighting opportunities. It's all such a gift.

Light, is a gift.

One thing that will make August a little easier to face is that I will be attending the, "Monet In Normandy," exhibit at the, Legion of Honor, in San Francisco. The exhibit is showing over 50 of his paintings from his time in Normandy, when he was inspired by the villages, the seasons, and the landscapes of the region. I am so excited to be able to see, for the first time, the actual brush strokes of the father of Impressionism. His paintings, and the Impressionism movement, has always inspired me as an amateur photographer. To look beyond the obvious, the immediate view in the lens, is to bring out the true life of a living scene. It is being able to show my impression of what I see, as opposed to the cold, uninspired reality of what life can be all too often...a never ending August of restlessness, that mixes memory with desire and a longing for a seemingly unreachable autumn of relief. I will always have that moment from the other day, when I was reminded by the light, that I will always have autumn, if I can just look beyond the immediate. :)

-OndineMonet
"Beyond The Immediate"
17 Mile Drive
Pacific Grove, California
July 13, 2006
Mid-Morning

Ye Olde Watering Hole...A Round Robin Promotion

"Why doe man kill? He kills for food. And not only food, frequently there much be a beverage as well."

-Woody Allen

We have a nifty new Round Robin Challenge to ponder. Our friend Maryanne, author of the journal, "Inside The Gilded Cage," has chosen, "Ye Olde Watering Hole," as our new photo challenge to meet. I love this idea. :) I do have a specific place in Berkeley where I like to go for a little relax and refresh, Caffe Strada, at the corner of College avenue and Bancroft. It sits right across the street from the University of California Berkeley. It's a fun place where one can go to read a book, do a little work on a laptop computer, or just sit an people watch. That's what I enjoy doing the most, the people watching. The cafe itself is is a lovely place with gorgeous trees all around it to keep it cool in the summer, and outdoor heaters to keep it warm, on the cold rainy days of winter. They have lots of coffee and tea choices, but the hot chocolate will curl your toes, especially with a dash of Torani raspberry syrup. If you ever go there never, ever, miss the Chocolate Mocha cake they have...OMG...yep, that's the stuff!

In the summer, I enjoy buying the Italian sodas. Usually I will order a Watermelon soda, but the Melon and Pink Grapefruit is pretty tasty also. The melon flavored sodas taste just like biting into a chilled Honeydew melon. It can be a nice treat on these hot summer days we have been having. :) No matter when you go there, you will always have something interesting to see or experience. I enjoy sitting at my favorite watering hole in autumn. The kids are back to school at the university, some for the first time, and there is a youthful enthusiasm in the air. An energy.

That feeling of passion for the future, that you can see on the faces of the young students who go their to grab a refreshment, is addictive. Sometimes you might overhear a good natured debate between them, sometimes in several languages. It all goes so well together. A lot of the time I can hear laughter among the patrons, and doesn't the sound of laughter just sound good in any language? Also, it doesn't hurt that the cafe sits less then half a block from the,Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive. :)

It's not always about the beverage being served. Sometimes we visit our favorite watering holes to enjoy the ambiance, sometimes because we need human contact, sometimes we have a craving for a soda, or coffee, or even something a little stronger. It's all good in moderation. Sometimes one needs to try new things. If I had never ventured into that lovely little cafe, I would have never discovered Italian sodas. Now sometimes, I make them at home, when I am not feeling well enough to visit Caffe Strada. I love inventing new recipes, and I want to share this one with you from the watering hole I visited today..."Ye-Old- Backyard-Of-My-House-Watering-Hole." LOL. I call this drink, "Apricot Autumn."

Apricot Autumn

8 oz Sparkling Soda
1/2 oz. (I Tbs.) Torani Apricot Syrup
1/4 oz. (1 1/2 tsp.) Torani Cinnamon Syrup
1 Apricot quartered

Fill the glass with ice...and go for it! :) When the drink is done, the apricot quarters will have a lovely, light cinnamon taste. MMMMMMMYUMMMMM.

Your turn, join the Round Robin Challenge, and share with us about your favorite ,"Ye Olde Watering Hole." It could be your favorite Tea House, neighborhood Bar & Grill, Coffee House, Juice bar, Smoothie Joint, Soda Shop, or maybe even the best little Lemonade Stand in your town. So, grab your cameras,venture forth and snap away. Show us where you like to go to wet your whistle. If you prefer to make your own libations, that's cool too. Show us that favorite drink that you make yourself, and then share with us how, why,when and where you most enjoy it. The date of this challenge will be, Wednesday, July 26th. You can post your entry anytime between the midnights of that day. You can find out all the information at the official Round Robin Blog. Hope to see you on July 26th. :)

-OndineMonet
"Apricot Autumn Soda"
Berkeley, July 13, 2006
Afternoon

NOTE! There have been some additions to the Rules of Play. Please go and read the new rules posted in the ***Welcome Entry & Rules of Play***, BEFORE, you sign up to play. Please everyone, lets try to stick to the rules, they are there to make things fair for everyone! Your cooperation is needed to keep things flowing smoothly!

John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #120

"The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names."

-Chinese Proverb

Weekend Assignment#120: Do a Web search on a pet's name and let us know some of the interesting things that pop-up. It doesn't necessarily have to be a current pet... if you've got a previous pet whose name will elicit more interesting Web results, by all means use that one instead.

-John Scalzi (By The Way...)

Ever since I was a little girl, I have always believed that my pet's came with their names. I have looked into the eyes of baby, chickens, ducks, cats, dogs, goldfish, parakeets, hamsters, bunnies, geese, squirrels, trout, guinea pigs, turtles, toads, grasshoppers, and even a road runner, and let them tell me their name. Ok, yes I know, animals can't talk, but somehow it was always like they told me their name, because before I knew it, a name would be in my head...and it ususally seemed right for the animal. Like when I looked into Elvis's eyes for the first time. Somehow I just knew his name was Elvis. His baby picture is below, now I ask you, could his name have been anything other then Elvis? LOL.

I Googled the name Elvis, and came up with the usual sites that feature "The King" Elvis Presley, but I also found sites for Elvis Costello, who just happens to be one of my favorite singers as well. :) I also checked for the name of Elvis's brother from the same litter, Jack Kerouac. He is the one featured in the above photo. He was a beautiful cat, so soft and so wee sometimes. We couldn't keep him, and I miss him at times so much, but I will never forget how loving he and Elvis were to each other. I think that is where Elvis learned to be such a humanitarian. Elvis took good care of his brother. :)

Elvis's name is Scandinavian in origin, and it means, "all wise." Yep, as it just so happens, he is the wisest soul I know. :)

Jack's name is Hebrew in origin, and it means, "the Lord is gracious." Jack was a very gentle soul, who was kind and shy. :)

I was very lucky to have been raised with a lot of different types of pets, and to learn to have a strong respect for them. I am pretty sure, that my pets came with their names, I could be wrong, but I really couldn't imagine having called either of my cats, Elvis Aaron P. Gordon or Jack Kerouac Gordon, any other name.

-OndineMonet
"Jack Kerouac"
"Elvis Aaron"
May, 1997