Curious Carly's Foot Goes To The Eye Doctor

"You can't depend on your eyes, when your imagination is out of focus."

-Mark Twain

Ok, so I had to go to the optometrist's office the other day, because I have been having a lot of headaches and some blurred vision. Going to the eye doctor is no big deal for most folks, for me...blech! I am not crazy about strangers playing with my feet or my eyes. I always wonder if I will be the lucky one who gets an appointment, the day my eye doctor goes nuts and decided to put acid in my eyes instead of those funky drops that makes the world look like wide egg noodles for a couple hours after they are administered. Hey don't laugh...I have that kind of luck. Which is why I have avoided going to the eye doctor for as long as possible, until yesterday, when Alan nagged me into going in for a drop-in appointment. I was having one too many headaches. People with Fibromyalgia do experience a lot of headaches, but Alan reminded me that I had taken a lot for granted this whole past year when I thought my symptoms were either all in my head, or Epstein-Barr related. So, off we went on yet another adventure in medicine.

I was seeing a new eye doctor, because my former optician had recently retired. New office, in a new town. I had NO idea what to expect. That's always fun. The fear of the unknown trips me up every time. I can handle knowing the awful truth, I can handle knowing that everything will be fabulously wonderful, but NOT knowing what to expect always gives me the wiggins. And what about these headaches I have been having...I wonder if it is a brain tumor, or maybe worse yet, maybe it is a "brain cloud" like Joe had in the, 1990 Tom Hanks movie, "Joe Verses The Volcano." Now there was a thought! Would I be told I only had 6 months to live? Would I soon be sailing for a south seas island to join the Waponi Woo and then save the island by throwing myself into an active volcano? My goodness, now THAT would make for good blogging now wouldn't it! :)

As it turned out, my appointment turned out to be a whole lot less exotic and exciting then that. I did have some nifty things happen however, like I found out that there is a pretty cool new gadget that digitally scans the retina now, so one doesn't have to tolerate those uncomfortable eye drops. I will be receiving the picture of my eyeball by email in a few days. I was kind of impressed with it, the inside of my eyeball looks like a brilliant green nebula. According to my doctor, I am pretty healthy over all. He was able to tell just by looking into my eyes that my blood pressure was fine and that my cholesterol was at normal levels. I thought that was pretty cool. I had already known those things, but to know that the eye doctor could tell just by looking, was nice to find out. It's good to know that there are more ways to catch potential problems then ever before. So what was causing my eye troubles?

Simple, since the Fibromyalgia has become a problem, my eyes have changed a bit. I was advised to get two pairs of glasses. One pair for working on the computer and one pair to help with my long distance sight, for driving at night. Sometimes I have trouble, especially with the lighting around dusk. The doctor says that maybe in a few years I might consider getting bi-focals, but that is a few years off. So, as appointments go I guess that trip to the doctor's office wasn't so bad, and I got a nifty new picture to share with you in a few days. All in all, not a bad day at all. Thankfully, there seems to be no south seas island in my near future :)

-OndineMonet
"Carly's Foot Goes To The Eye Doctor"
Walnut Creek, California
February 9th, 2006
Afternoon

John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #98:Utterly Useless Web Sites

Click on the above photo to see an enlarged version.

"Who wants to become a writer? And why? Because it's the answer to everything. To "why am I here?" To uselessness. It's the streaming reason for living. To note, to pin down, to build up, to create, to be astonishing at nothing, to cherish the oddities, to let nothing go down the drain, to make something, to make a great flower out of life, even if it's a cactus."

-Enid Bagnold

Weekend Assignment #98: "List the most utterly useless website you have ever visited." Suggested by AOL Journaler Rispina.

Extra Credit: "Tell us all about why you can't stop going there."

-John Scalzi

"Ghosts were people once too." -TAPS

I have a favorite web site, and actually it is also one of my favorite television shows as well, it is the web site of the Atlantic Paranormal Society, aka Ghost Hunters, when they are showing on the SCFI-Channel. Actually, I suppose it's really only useless if you don't happen to believe in ghosts. :) Otherwise it's kinda nifty! See, I happen to be a believer in all things...spooky! :)

Extra Credit: I keep coming back week, after week, because like I said...I 'm a believer. I like the guys of TAPS. They are hard working Roto-Rooter men by day, and Ghost Hunters by night. I believe them when they say the have experienced some pretty profound encounters with the spiritual world, because I have as well. I also enjoy the very human interaction between the hunters themselves, as they travel the East Coast in search of restless spirits. Very cool stuff. I would love to see them come out here to California to try and make contact with the "Blue Lady of Moss Beach. Her ghost is said to have been haunting the Moss Beach Distillery for many years, as well as the gorgeous beach that sits directly beneath it. Cool huh? Like one of the banners at the TAPS web site says, "Here ghostie, ghostie, ghostie." :)

-OndineMonet
"Moss Beach/ Moss Beach Distillery"
Moss Beach, California
Spring, 2005
Late Morning

The Rest Of The Story

"I prefer winter and autumn, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape, the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show."

-Andrew Wyeth

We drove to Lake Tahoe today, to see the snow. I have never seen snow before, it was softer then I even thought it would be. The water in the lake was amazing! So clear, so cool and so very blue. The beauty was nearly blinding...it made me want to come back to the lake, to see it in all the seasons, to see the rest of the story. :)

-OndineMonet
"Winter"
North Lake Tahoe, Nevada
February 9th, 2006
Noon

Mavericks

Click on the above photograph to see a larger version.

"Surfing soothes me, it's always been a kind of Zen experience for me. The ocean is so magnificent, peaceful and awesome. The rest of the world disappears for me when I am on a wave."

-Paul Walker

We had an incredible day yesterday. Temperatures in the Bay Area were in the mid-70's which meant there were record temperature highs. Perfect weather and conditions for the annual Mavericks Surfing Contest, held in Half Moon Bay, California. The annual contest draws surfers from around the world to compete, with the top prize at $30,000. This year the winner was from South Africa. Grant Baker was named the winner for having scored two perfect 10's for his wave riding. "That's the best I have ever surfed," he said, "it's the best I have ever done." The second and third prizes were awarded to two local men.

It was magnificent. The water was a gorgeous, clear aqua blue...and not a bit of fog or mist. It wasn't the typical February day. :) My the ocean producing waves that at times reached over 25 feet. The sun...oh the sun...and the bathing suits. It all came together to give me a much needed break from the painful joints. I had a very good time. And when we were finished at Half Moon Bay, watching the waves, it was time to head up the coast to San Francisco to see the waves at Fort Point.

There is nothing like sitting under the Golden Gate Bridge, watching those huge waves coming breaking around the corner into the bay. :) It was a lot of fun to watch the local surfers ride the waves under the Golden Gate and avoid the rocks along the waters edge. Not to mention the fact that just sitting on the water front under the bridge is an experience like no other. You feel so little and at the same time you feel like you can just reach right up and touch the bridge. This place is one of my favorite places to feel good. The water, the sun, the waves, the bridge and the winter sun. Now that is a Zen experience. :) And last night...I slept without pain.

"South African's Perfect Rides Lock Up Maverick's Title" KTVU

Visit my Photo Journal to see my evening photographs from Twin Peaks!

-OndineMonet
"Surfing Moments"
Half Moon Bay, San Francisco, California
February 6th, 2005

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Cloudy Days

Click On The Above Photo To See The Larger Version.

"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storms, but to add color to my sunset."

-Unknown

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Show off a picture of some really interesting clouds. The only caveat: don't use pictures you've previously posted-make them new, or at least new to the rest of us.

-John Scalzi

I know, I know, I have posted photos of the Golden Gate Bridge about a 1,000 times before, but the day I took this photo I was particularly aware of the clouds. They were stunning! Because the weather changes so rapidly from one minute to the next because of the Bay Area microclimates, clouds can appear white and fluffy one minute and silver and glistening the next. I love it! I am pretty sure I haven't posted these particular photos before.

The Blue Photo in the upper right hand side is the view from the top of Mt. Tamalpias, in Marin County. I was standing at one of the vistas looking down into San Francisco. Just sharing the space with the clouds. It's fun to be up so high the clouds are literally at your feet.

The sunset photo is of a nice, late autumn sunset over the hills of Marin County, near the town of Pt Reyes. I love the way the colors play off the water, but the way they seem to turn silver over the dark mountainside is also relaxing and peaceful to watch.

The photo on the bottom right was taken while I was on my way to Nevada, late last October. The sky is so blue and so striking. I took this photo as we traveled along HWY 80. Not bad considering I was moving 75 mph down the highway! LOL. :)

-OndineMonet

"Clouds"

San Francisco, Mount Tamalpias, Pt Reyes, Tahoe City,

Autumn/Winter 2005

For Idiots :)

"What's encouraging about meditation is that even if we shut down, we can no longer shut down in ignorance. We see very clearly that we're closing off. That in itself begins to illuminate the darkness of ignorance."

-Pema Chodron

I am beginning a little light winter reading, lol, "The Idiots Guide To Fibromyalgia," and, "The Idiots Guide to Tai-Chi & Qi Gong." LOL. Both are a part of my new lifestyle changes that are required since being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia last December. I don't know, sometimes it all seems so overwhelming, but then I try to remind myself that this isn't the first time I have had to reinvent myself. The last time I had to start all over was when I went nuts a few years ago. At that time it was a matter of working on a more healthy thought process, this time it will involve the whole of my being. Mind, body and spirit.

I bought these books, on the recommendation of my medical doctor, because they are so easy to read, written in plain English and contain exactly what I need to begin this new journey. I am thinking of them as a road map. Along with the books, I am also beginning some meditation and yoga, plus doing some aromatherapy. I have done some mediation in the past, that isn't really new to me. I did some Qi-Gong when first went a little nuts back in 1999. I didn't appreciate it as much back then as a tool to help me heal. That was short-sided on my part. I had become profoundly ill, very quickly and I didn't understand how that particular philosophy would help me heal. I think I wasn't ready to give up the overwhelming pain I was in. See, pain had become safe somehow.

My bad. I, of course, became even more ill...to the point I couldn't talk anymore. Ok, lesson learned. LOL. I see my therapist once a week, she has helped me find my voice. It isn't always so painful to go to those sessions. Sometimes it's ok to just go in, sit down and laugh our asses off for the hour. That helps make it ok for when I need to work really hard on the stuff that has lived inside me, tormenting me for my whole life. Those sessions are a little like pulling my spleen out my armpit. LOL. It's unfortunately true..."No Pain, No Gain." Someday, it won't hurt anymore, if I can just face it today.

The unfair part, the part that makes me want to whine, and throw things, and get really mad, is that stress tends to exacerbate the Fibromaylgia. "So what is Fibromayalgia anyway?" you ask. Good question. I don't actually know too much about it myself, but I will explain to you the way the good book explains it. Fibromyalgia comes from the Latin words fibro, my, algia. Which translated means fibrous tissues, muscles, and pain. Yep...that's it! My body feels like I have been in some kind of accident. My joints hurt, my hands swell sometimes so much it feels like they will burst. I can't type, I can't hold a book to read. Sometimes I wake up and my hands and legs will be asleep, but the tingling feeling that happens when a limb will fall asleep with be amplified. LARGE. My right foot swells. Just my right foot, not my left one. That's irritating because my shoes don't feel too good most of the time, although the shoes I bought off an EBAY auction feel really good on my feet, and they used to belong to Alyssa Milano. LOL. They are Charmed. LOL. We both wear a size 6. :)

Ok, so, chronic pain in my tendons, ligaments, and the muscles, that run throughout my body. Swelling in my joints. Migraines, Restless Leg syndrome, which feels like there are bugs running up and down my legs, that causes a strange twitching and painful sensations. It sometimes it hurts to have someone just touch my skin. A hug, a kiss, even the slightest caress. That part hurts my feelings because I am a touch person. It feels good to have human contact. They say you live longer, when you are open to human contact like hugging and holding hands, or paws. :) Elvis and I would sleep holding paws...not so much anymore. :( I think he understands, because he curls up with me after Alan leaves in the morning. He will scoot under the covers and rest on Alan's pillow.

It's the cognitive difficulties that hurt my feelings the most. I forget words, I lose my train of thought. I make loads of spelling errors. Errors I wouldn't have made ten years ago. Sometimes, when I realize how often I make mistakes writing in my blog, I can't believe you still read me. Sigh. I am working on it. I have to, I can't just give up...right? I have had to fix a lot of deep crap in my life, in order to get up and keep going, but isn't that the way it is? Challenges come along for everyone, and we have two choices on our course of action. Whine, give up, put ourselves down and insist we will never be better then we are right now, embrace every negative notion we can about ourselves we can find. "I am fat and will never look any different." "I am a loser who can't do any better with my life." I have to second guess myself, because I am not able to choose a proper path for myself." Or care enough about ourselves to get up, and do what we have to do to keep going.

I have to say, it infuriates me to hear negative things coming from people I find impressive. It is like they are saying, "You have terrible taste in people you admire, because you choose to admire me." It is lazy of people to give up on themselves and accept the path of least resistance. Will we EVER reach perfection? Hell no! But trust me, I have been down in the deepest of wells, believing that I couldn't get up, but I did finally get back up because once you realize that you must go through winter to reach summer...you can find that inner drive to get well. Now mental illness is a lot different then chronic physical ailments...or is it? Depression is ususally chronic. Oh, you find ways of coping, and you will go for long periods of time where things are very normal, even blissful, but there will be relapses which can occur for many reasons. And we always have that choice to make. Will I get back up? It only took one time to figure out I had the perfect suicide plan, to realize how completely selfish it is to even think about going through with it. Never again.

So, like with mental illness, I will educate myself on why I feel so full of pain all the time. I will meditate and clear myself of negativity. I will learn to cope with how I feel honestly. I will make the effort for myself first, so I can care for those who love me. I will give myself a break. I will let myself learn new things. God I love the view of new things! I will enjoy the hell out of the new possibilities...like practicing yoga in the park this next spring and summer. Sleeping with a lavender scented mask on, that Alan says is sexy ;)Making fabulous new meals that are good for the body and soul. Don't ya just love whole fruit smoothies? And more then anything I plan to love...a lot. Myself and others. And if one day I am too tired to embrace it with all my senses...well that's ok too. :) I hope you don't mind if I share this journey I am on with you once in a while. Tell me what you think.

-OndineMonet
"Tools"
Berkeley, California
February 5th, 2005
Late Evening

Art About Town...Foster City, California

"Much violence is based on the illusion that life is a property to be defended and not to be shared."

-Henri Nouwen

This sculpture and gazebo are part of the 20 acres that make up the, Leo J Ryan Memorial Park, in Foster City, California. The park is dedicated to the memory of U.S. Congressman Leo J. Ryan who was murdered, in 1978, on an airstrip just outside the Jonestown compound near Georgetown, Guyana, by members of the People's Temple, which was led by Rev. Jim Jones. Before he became a congressman, Mr. Ryan served as the mayor of South San Francisco. This park, and the memorials to him, are a poignant reminder of the peaceful man that Congressman Ryan was.

An environmentalist, animal rights advocate and an investigator of religious cults, Ryan had an impressive record for his time in office. In 1970, he used a pseudonym for his name and had himself arrested, in order to investigate conditions inside the California prison system. He was awarded posthumously the Congressional Gold Medal for his service in congress. He is the only member of congress, to date, to have been killed in the line of duty.

"Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages."

-Thomas Elva Edison

-OndineMonet
Leo J. Ryan Memorial Park
Foster City, California
February 1st, 2006
Early Evening

"Let The Good Times Roll"...A Round Robin Promotion

"All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swingin', swayin', and records playing
And dancin' in the streets."
-From Dancin' In The Streets

Sometimes there is simply nothing like, letting your hair down and kicking up your heals! I love the topic of our next Round Robin Challenge, because that is just what it encourages us to do. Kick up your heels, and "Let The Good Times Roll." Tess, author of the journal, "First Digital Photos," chose for us, this fun and good times subject, and I am really looking forward to it. It has been quite a while since I have been to an official celebration, unless you count Elvis's birthday parties that we throw for him each year. LOL. Last year he had two feline friends drop by, his best buddy, Ernst, and his opossum friend, Agatha. There was balloons, Strawberry & Cream cake, and even an appearance from R2D2! LOL. This year will probably be just as fun, Elvis likes to be fussed over, and of course any occasion to wear a hat is just fine with him. In our house, even the cat knows how to "Let The Good Times Roll."

I was looking through a box of goodies the other day, when I came across the mask in the above photo. I wore that mask to a Mardi Gras party back in the mid-1990's. It was at a good friends house, and it was wonderful. There was Jazz music, fabulous New Orlean's cuisine that she had catered, and lots, and lots of people having a good time. That is an important part of life...not taking it all so seriously. It's healthy to break out of the gloom and doom and just celebrate life! If Mardi Gras doesn't happen to be your bliss, it's ok, there are many ways to celebrate fun.

How about attending an Oscar party? It has been at least four years since I went to an Academy Awards party. So, I was thinking about maybe going to one this year. Jan Wahl, movie critic for KRON in San Francisco, is hosting an Oscar party at San Francisco's Pan Pacific hotel. It sounds like it might be a hoot. Appetizers, a three-course dinner, and a silent auction will be some of the events of the evening. My goodness, the chance to put on the ritz a bit and go out for the evening sounds dreamy. LOL. I don't know if I will have enough energy to be able to, but I think that even if I don't, I will find a way on Oscar night to make it special. Prepare a gourmet dinner, maybe open some Champaign, and sit at my desk, and thank goodness I don't have to be wearing 4-inch high heals. LOL.

So tell me, how do you like to, "Let the good times roll?" Do you enjoy parties, or cozy get togethers? Are you into rubbing elbows with the stars or do you like to go to sports bars? Are birthday parties where you have the best times? How about made-up holiday's tell us about it! Or better yet...show us with your photos! Join us on Wednesday, February 15th for the Round Robin Challenge, "Let The Good Times Roll." You can find out all the information you need over at the official Round Robin Journal. If you want to come along, we would be happy to have you! Come on...you know you want to!

-OndineMonet
"My Mask"
Berkeley, California
February 2nd, 2005
Late Evening

John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #97: Your Own Movie Awards

"If my films make one more person miserable, I'll feel I have done my job."

-Woody Allen

Weekend Assignment #97: Make up a movie award category and tell us who or what ought to win." What an excellent suggestion. Since NZforMe left the parameters of this fairly open, let's keep it that way. Create any sort of category you want, and you can select your nominees (and winner) from the entire history of film. You don't have to go all out and list nominees (you can just go straight on to the winner), but it's fun to have fun with."

Extra Credit: What was the first film you ever saw in a movie theater?

-John Scalzi

Best Cameo performance In A Motion Picture.

The nominees are:

1. So I Married An Axe Murderer...Phil Hartman, as Alcatraz tour guide, John Johnson...but you can call him "Vicky."

2. Superman The Movie... Rex Reed says "hello" to Lois Lane & Clark Kent.

3. Starsky & Hutch... David Soul & Paul Michael Glaser reprise their roles at the end of the film. Still funny after all these years!

4. When Harry Met Sally...Estelle Reiner. She delivered the best punchline of the movie, when she uttered the words, "I'll Have What She's Having."

5. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me...Elvis Costello & Burt Bacharach. I love the two of them performing the song, "I'll Never Fall In Love Again," as Austin Powers and secret agent, Felicity Shagwell dance in the street.

6. The Birds...Alfred Hitchcock getting off a Muni bus, in San Francisco, in the beginning of the film.

And The Winner Is: Estelle Reiner! In my opinion it is one of the truly perfect moments ever in film. The delivery of the line, "I'll have what she's having," was the perfect line to follow the hilarious scene immediately before, in which Meg Ryan's character, demonstrated how the perfect faked orgasm would appear. It was the perfect punchline to the perfect joke.

Extra Credit: The first film I ever saw in a theater was, "Peter And The Wolf." I saw it at the famous, Grand Lake theater in Oakland, California. Loved the music, loved the colorful animals.

-OndineMonet
"Grand Lake"
Oakland, California
Summer, 2005
Afternoon

100

"The best six doctors anywhere
And no one can deny it
Are sunshine, water, rest, and air
Exercise and diet
These six will gladly you attend
If only you are willing
Your mind they'll ease
Your will they'll mend
And charge you not a shilling."

-What The River Knows

I feel like the horse in the above photo. It has been one of those days. Sigh. So, I am on my way back to bed. Sigh. I am so looking forward to spring and summer this year! The trees are already showing signs of spring, I saw several cherry trees in bloom. So pretty! :) Anyway like I said it's time for me to go back to sleep, but I had to get up and make this entry...it's a goal I intend to keep. I update everyday...rain/shine/sickness or health. :) Writing and blogging make me happy. Thank you for coming by to visit me and read my musings. As of this entry, I have posted 100 entries in my new space. I couldn't have done it without you! :)

-OndineMonet
"It Seemed Like A Good Idea"
Pleasanton, California
Spring, 2005

Round Robin Challenge: Silly Animals

Click on the above image to see enlarged version

"Mary had a little lamb, and the doctor fainted."

-Unknown

Good, I finally get to show off some of my very favorite animals, and I think a nice combination of digital and my older, non-digital photographs. The photos of the Lemur, White Bengal Tiger and the Giraffe were taken at the Oakland Zoo with my Minolta 35mm camera with a Quantaray Tech-10 MX AF 70-300 1.4-5.8 LDO Macro lens. The Ostrich, Turkey and the Opossum were photographed with Konica/Minolta DImage Z1 with a x10 optical zoom lens.

I love photographing animals. They are relaxed, friendly subjects, how else could I possible capture a photograph of a Bengal Tiger smiling? Or an Ostrich laughing, or how about an Opossum out in the light of day? That last one was my favorite animal photo of 2005. See, that isn't just any old opossum, that is a photograph of Elvis's pal, Ipson Pendragon. Ipson was born in our back yard last spring, and has lived here with his mother, Agatha, ever since. Ipson is truly to silliest of the opossums, he has a sense of humor and absolutely no sense of time. Opossums are nocturnal by nature, yet there at the back door everyday at 2:30 PM came Ipson. It seems, Ipson, had discovered that if he came to the door before his siblings, he just might get a piece of cheese pizza. We found out one day how much he enjoyed cheese pizza.

Elvis and Ipson became very good friends. LOL. One night I was sitting at my computer in my office, working on some bills, when I heard a little, "peep-peep, ipp-ipp" sound. I couldn't figure out where it was coming from, so I returned to what I was doing and thought nothing more of it. The next night, at about the same time, I heard it again. This time I was going to find out what it was! I looked all around the room, as Elvis sat on the rocking chair in the corner of my office looking amused...yet somehow...bored. Then I saw it! Ipson peeked his head out from around some boxes. Tee Hee. That little guy had spent the night with us! Slowly I shooed him out the back door and I told him to go and find his mother, Agatha. That was rather naughty of Elvis to invite a sleepover guest and not tell us! Heck, if I had known...I would have ordered a large cheese pizza from Straw Hat! LOL.

Thank you Celeste for choosing such a fun Round Robin topic. Please pay a visit to the other Round Robin participants to see their unique interpretations of each subject. Just click on their links below! :)

Round Robin Linking List

Celeste...My Day And Thoughts
Posted!
Carly...Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly
Posted!
Karen...Outpost Mavarin
Posted!
Derek...Derek's Photo Of The Day
Posted!
DesLily...Here There And Everywhere 2nd Edition
Posted!
Becky...Where Life Takes you
Posted!
Robin...Search The Sea

Julie...Julie's Web Journal
Posted!
T.J. ...Photo Inclusions: Every Picture Tells A Story
Posted!
Tess...First Digital Photos
Posted!
Kat...Prima Luce

Steven...(sometimes photoblog)
Posted!
Alan...F-Stop
Posted!
Kimberleigh...I Shaved My Legs For This
Posted!
Patrick...Patrick's Portfolio
Posted!
Nancy...Nancy Luvs Pix
Posted!


I hope you will consider coming along for our next Round Robin Challenge. It is really fun and easy to play along. Just pay a visit to the official Round Robin Journal and read the *Welcome Entry & Rules Of Play.* All the information about the how to play along is in that entry. Then if you decided to join us, just go back to the challenge entry and leave your name, the FULL URL of your journal and the correct name of your journal. Then we will come by to see your entry on the day of the challenge. I hope you will come along for the good times, with good friends.

-OndineMonet
"Animal Fair"

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Things You Have Other People Probably Don't

"If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary."

-Jim Rohn

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Take a snap of something in the house you're pretty sure other people aren't likely to have in their house. Pets and people are not included (we're pretty sure your pets and kinds aren't in most other people's houses). For the photo shoot we're looking at things...strange objects, curios, odd keepsakes and just generally weird stuff.

-John Scalzi

Here are just three items from my collection of the strange. :) Shall we start from left to right? LOL.

The Guy In The Red Suspenders...

The guy in the red suspenders is Bob of Bob's Big Boy Hamburgers. Bob is a piggy bank and not just any piggy bank. Bob holds my change and sometimes paper money as I save to buy my gourmet tidbits. Godiva chocolate, a specialty cake pan, a cheesecake from the Carnegie Deli. I open Bob every six months and then have a little fun with my savings. The best part of this bit of wackiness is the anticipation, and online window shopping. :) We no longer have any Bob's Big Boy restaurants here in the Bay Area, at least none that I know of, so I guess this bank is kinda special. :)

The Guy In The Yellow Hawaiian Shirt...

The guy in the yellow Hawaiian shirt is Micky Dolenz. I love Micky Dolenz. Oh not like I love David Duchovny mind you, but more like the really cool brother I always wanted, instead of the really stupid brother I got! Actually, my real brother isn't that stupid, he is a sword swollerer in the circus after all. LOL. But enough of him, and back to Micky. Micky Dolenz is my good luck pal. He singlehandedly lifted the "Curse of San Cruz" for me by doing nothing more then performing a free concert on the beach last August. I know no one else has that photo on their desk, because I took that picture myself. That is a wonderful memory for me...that concert was so much fun, fun I really needed to have. :) Same time, same place this year Micky? :) I can't wait!

The Guy In The Tuxedo...

That very cool black and white cat on the far right, playing the saxophone, is non other than Clinton cat. I won him as a door prize at a Democratic fundraiser hootinnanny. LOL. He is a cherished possession. I keep him on my desk, and he always inspires me. Just like my neighborhood spirit friend the Ethereal Musician. It's kinda cool to look at my Clinton cat when the Ethereal Musician is playing...and imagine the spiritual sound coming from the cat. How's that for an imagination? :) Oddly enough my spirit friend was playing "I'm A Believer" on the sax. It was cold and raining...and he was playing away, paying no notice to the moody day. Ahhhh...

So, there you have it. Think these are original items? Well, maybe, maybe not, but I like them because each one has a fond memory attached for me. :)

-OndineMonet
"Three Moments"
Berkeley, California
2006

Why You Can't Tickle Yourself...

"When you can't remember why you're hurt, that's when you are healed."

-Jane Fonda

Sunday was a very good day. I woke up early, around 9:00 AM and to my relief I wasn't in pain and I wasn't swollen. The weather was nice, about 70 degrees, and I was doing better because of the warmth. Yesterday had it's moments. I found that I was more then a little contemplative. I was thinking about the November man. I went to see him yesterday...sometimes it's strange, sometimes it's just what it is. If I figure it out someday, I will share it with you. LOL. Do you have one of those relationships in your life? I think most of us will at some point. I think we will all meet someone, at some point, that for some reason, we never really know what they mean to us. Ahh, life's mysteries, it's the stuff life is made of...right?

Why You Can't Tickle Yourself...

"The human brain anticipates unimportant sensations, such as your own touch, so it can focus on important input like, say, a tarantula crawling up your back."

Yep, that would be important! LOL. Mostly because I would be screaming and swinging my arms about. Making odd noises and sweating. LOL. I don't think it is particularly fair that my body finds my own touch to be unimportant. I like my own touch and I enjoy a good tickle. Sigh. Still, I enjoy a good tickle by way of someone else's hand more. Tee Hee. But the thing is, if they are going to write books like, "You Can Be Your Own Best Friend," and "8 Days To A More fulfilled You," then one should be able to tickle themselves. Of course if we could, I imagine nothing would ever get done. ;)

The Times They Aren't A' Changin'...

Tuesday night George Bush will hold his "State Of The Union Address." Sigh. I actually went to the official web site of the State Of The Union speeches. Why did I do that? As I read I just felt more and more frustrated. The president is experiencing yet another all time low in the poll numbers. Big surprise. Did you read the Sunday New York Times article about NASA, on behalf of the Bush administration, tried to silence their top expert on Global Warming? If not, click on the link and have a look see. Just one more sleazy move on the part of our president. Will he stop at nothing? I was going to write an entry today devoted to the upcoming speech, instead I would like to hear from you. Tell me, what do you consider the most important issue that can be addressed on Tuesday night? Have you begun to take the scandals for granted?

Somebody Call Mulder...

Hey guess what? Bigfoot is alive and well and living in Malaysia! Yep, it's true. Do you suppose he has noticed the fact that 2005 was the warmest year on instrumental record? He is a part of nature after all, and you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all the time. I bet he isn't an easy sell.

The Truth Is Out There...

I was sad to hear about Bob Woodruff, and ABC News photographer, Doug Vogt, being injured in Iraq today. Sigh. The one constant thing I kept hearing all day was the fact that both men were professionals and knew what they were facing to bring back the truth from Iraq. It wasn't said in the sense that ABC news was trying to separate itself from any possible responsibility, but rather in the sense that both men understood the risk and chose to go anyway so that they could report firsthand and not through the eyes of another. I respect that. In a time when it is very difficult to know who is telling the truth, it helps to know that there still remains members of the media at large that care enough to bring us the reality and not a warped perception of the truth. Thank you Bob and Doug!

Communication...

As good as I felt yesterday, I was also feeling a little lonely, but then something nice happened...I had an email conversation with a good pal. It had been a while since we had been able to chat a bit, so it was nice to have that. We also worked a couple things out between us. Just being able to talk honestly lifted some weight off my shoulders and certainly made me feel a little less alone. Thanks friend. :)

I went grocery shopping today for the first time in months. Like I said, the sun was shining. LOL. It may sound a little silly, but I bought this little, blue, covered, CorningWare casserole dish, and it made me happy. Go figure getting all excited about purchasing a casserole dish, but it was about the whole day really. Waking up feeling somewhat normal, feeling the warmth of a winter sun on my face,processing things that either confused me or mad me sad, speaking with a good pal, and finding a bargain in a little, blue, covered, casserole dish. It wasn't as good as a good tickle, but I'll take it! LOL :)

-OndineMonet
"Walk Of Life"
San Francisco, California
Spring, 2005
Afternoon

Silly Animals...Another Round Robin Promotion

"Animals are such agreeable friends. They ask no questions, they pass no judgments."

-George Eliot

If I could own one exotic animal, it would more then likely be a monkey...or a baboon...or gorilla. LOL. Something like this little guy. His name is Gung-Mo and he is skating in a promotional event for the 2006 Animal Academy show, held in Seoul, Korea. :) Animals are so important to me, I hate reading about any kind of animal abuse in the news. Why aren't there tougher laws to protect our animal friends? A few months back there was a local story here in the Bay Area about someone who found it necessary one night, to run down 6 ducks and their babies which lived on the property of a car wash in San Jose, California.

I haven't heard if anyone has been caught or charged in the case. Unfortunately there are simply too many stories, like this one, each year. Sometimes I don't know what I would do if I didn't have Elvis's love and friendship. The last few years have been so difficult at times, yet there he was my constant companion even when all my human friends had run the other way. No judgments, no expecting me to be someone I wasn't. Just his mommy. :) Today, he came up beside me as I was reading and just laid his head on my arm as I read. It was a nice moment, and it made me feel like a success. Animals, particularly cats, don't have to like anyone, let alone love them. And like a good friend once told me, you haven't been ignored until you have been ignored by a cat. LOL. OMG how true!

I think it is pretty cool that we have some bloggers who celebrate animals. We have Steven and his "Feline Friday", Jennifer, who won the ViVi Award for authoring the "Best Pets Journal" for 2005, and Patrick and his canine pals, and many others who share small snipits of their time with their puppies and kitties. I think it will be fun this coming week when we do the next installment of the Round Robins,to see what "silly animals" photos we all come up with. If you want to play along, just remember that it doesn't necessarily have to be a pet. But it does have to be your original photograph. So, if you were at the zoo, or the circus, and saw an animal being silly, feel free to post it. I will look forward to seeing something amusing from the animal kingdom! :) Click the link below to get all the details about next Wednesday's Round Robin. Don't forget to check back to the Round Robin journal on Thursday, of next week, to find out the topic for our next challenge. See you then...

-OndineMonet
"Wanted: Duck Killer" SF Gate

Round Robin Challenges

Somerset Avenue Chicken (Odessa Chicken)

"I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food. "

-W.C. Fields

I am being a very good girl by continuing to keep my word about creating new recipes. My grandmother actually created the base recipe for this dish, and passed it down to us. My grandma Katarina was a really neat lady, she was really young when she married my grandfather, but from what I have been able to learn about her, she was already pretty accomplished at cooking. She was born in Austria, and at an early age she and her parents moved to Germany. She met my grandfather in Bonn, and they were married when she was about 16. I think they were together for about five years, when grandpa decided to move to Odessa Russia, to be with one of his brothers who needed some extra help after an illness. They stayed there for about a year, before deciding to move to the United States. As my grandmother moved from town to town across eastern Europe, she collected many regional recipes and added her own touches to them to make them her own. I think she might like the little changes I have made to her "Odessa Chicken" recipe. :)

"Somerset Avenue Chicken" (Odessa Chicken)

2 lbs. Chicken pieces
18 oz. Jar Apricot Preserves
1/2 pkg dried Apricots (about 4 1/2 ounces)
1 8 oz. bottle Russian Salad Dressing
1 pkg 1/2 oz. Green Onion dip mix
1 tbs. Spicy Brown Mustard
1/4 cup fresh Parsley chopped

Sprinkle in a gallon size ziplock bag, 1/2 pkg. Green Onion dip mix and then add the chicken pieces. Toss to coat well. Place the chicken pieces and dried apricots in a 3-4 qt slow cooker. In a medium size bowl add the Apricot Preserves, Russian Salad Dressing, the remaining Green Onion dip mix and the Spicy Brown Mustard. Mix well. Pour 1/2 the mixture over chicken, and turn temperature to high. Cook for approximately 4-6 hours. About 15 minutes before serving, cook remaining sauce mixture in a heavy sauce pan with 1 tsp cornstarch to thicken. Remove from heat when it reaches desired consistency for glaze sauce. Remove the chicken and apricots to a serving platter, top with glaze and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Makes 6 servings. Enjoy!

Next week I have a Super Bowl Appetizer! :) And don't forget the real half-time event...Cheese Racing! :)

-OndineMonet
"Somerset Avenue Chicken"
Berkeley, California
January 25th, 2006
Evening

The Truth As You See It

"A lie hides the truth. A story tries to find it."

-Paula Fox

As I watched the Oprah Winfrey show today, I couldn't help but wonder how a situtation, such as what was being discussed could possibly occur. That situation being, someone getting away with not only getting a book published that was represented as one man's personal memoir, but that was in fact duplicitous fiction. The really odd part is that the lies may not have even been unearthed had the book, "A Million Little Pieces," by author James Frey, not been featured by Ms. Winfrey, for her monthly book club last fall.

As the author sat, facing Oprah one-on-one, it was apparent that he had been caught, and caught good. But still he displayed, at least to it seemed me, that he really doesn't understand why someone would feel lied to about the truthfulness of his "memoir."

As the conversation flowed between Winfrey and Frey, and fact after fact of the book fell apart, the emotions were evident. Winfrey was sad, angry and embarrassed, while Frey seemed embarrassed, defensive at times and at the same time steadfast in his opinion that he had lived through these times and experiences...to a degree. I couldn't help but wonder, in that he had some kind of story to tell, why didn't he try to get his work published as fiction? Well, he did and was turned down by several major publishing houses. Well then, why didn't he just put a disclaimer in the front of the book that indicated that he had fictionalized at least a portion of the book in the name of protecting the innocent? This is a common practice among authors particularly of true crime stories. And how could something so profound as the advice and situations contained in this book go unchecked by the publisher and fact checkers at Doubleday?

Also appearing on Thursday's Oprah Winfrey show, was the very publisher of this book, Nan Talese, who admitted that no fact checking had actually been done on the book. Apparently this has become a common practice in publishing, because there isn't enough time to check the factuality of every book being published. There isn't enough time? Sigh. I always believed that this was a certain process, if for nothing else, then to prevent plagiarism. Sometimes I wonder if we don't need a reality check every seven years, or so, so everyone can catch up to things, after they change. I was always lead to believe that books...especially books that claim to be non-fiction or self-help in nature, would be checked and rechecked for clarity and accuracy. Diet books, How To succeed In Business, How To Please A Lover, How to Survive Divorce, How To Train Your Hamster To Read Shakespeare, How To Get Your Groove Back, How To Write A Book...and so on.

I have bought one or two of those types of books in my lifetime, as well as other non-fiction books and biographies. I have got a lot from many of them, while others were not as useful to me. It happens. But another odd dynamic to this controversy is that apparently many people who purchased James Frey's book, got a great deal out of it. They liked it. It inspired them. They felt that if this man could overcome such tragedies as spending 3 months in jail, to enduring the suicide of a dear friend...then there was hope that any of us could face the challenges of life.

All this reminds me of the Milli Vanilli scandal several years ago. In that case it was disclosed, after the artists won Grammy Awards, that they weren't actually the one doing the singing on their albums. The public was outraged and their careers as singers was over, but one question always bugged me a little bit. If you bought their albums, did you enjoy the music you purchased or didn't you? I listened to several interviews with fans who demanded their money back and who, after the story came out, decided that they no longer appreciated the music that was attributed to the duplicitous singers.

The difference in the two cases is this. Milli Vanilli was billed as the artistry behind the sound. James Frey was billed AS the sound. He was the talent, the strength, the hope, the pain, the promise , he was the whole package. When you hear a piece of music on the radio, even before you know anything about the singer, don't you usually either feel inspired or not? Now, Milli Vanilli lied, they admitted as such, and suddenly the public no longer enjoyed the music. I don't know, I don't think that would make me suddenly dislike the music, I may not think much of the performer, but the music would still be ok. In the case of the book,"A Million Little Pieces," I can understand a little better folks are wanting to discard the book and ask for a refund. It is much more then a case of not knowing what you have actually purchased, it is a case of lying for profit, while not really caring how it may affect another. It's about giving false hope to folks who need something to cling to for direction. It's about knowing you are taking advantage of people who have nothing but trust to go on. Trust in you, and trust in the publishing house who chose to put your words out there...over someone else's work.

Sigh. Doubleday has offered a refund to those who purchased the book through their mail order house. Refunds can be sought for those who purchased the book at a retailer, by returning the book to where it was purchased. As for remaining copies still in stores, Doubleday is sending an author's note insert to be placed in the books which are still on the shelves. All subsequent copies of the book will have the author's note included in the future printing of the book. It will still be classified as a "memoir," despite the revelations of it's truthfulness. Milli Vanilli albums can still be purchased at Amazon.com. So tell me, do you think the book by James Frey, "A Million Little Pieces," be pulled from the shelves? Would you demand a refund? Do you believe it should be a common practice for publishing houses to not fact check a book for accuracy and truth?

-OndineMonet
"Breezy Contemplation II" By Blue Sorsdahl Phrase

John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #96: Becoming Your Parents

"A lot of parents pack up their troubles and send them off to summer camp."

-Raymond Duncan

Weekend Assignment #96: "For ladies: Name an incident when you thought: "OMG I AM my mother! For guys: Same with your father!" As suggested by Debbted.

Extra Credit: What did your parents do when you told them about it?

-John Scalzi

I can say, quite happily, that it is an extremely rare occasion when I am anything like the circus folk I was raised by or was a sibling to. Yep, I said it...CIRCUS FOLK. See, mom was the "three-headed woman, and dad was the "Human Cannonball." LOL. But still, we do share DNA and although I work at being my own person and leaving all the bad stuff behind me, it is probably inevitable that I will, at times, display some of their wackiness. I do after all give mom credit for my imagination and I know that I got my weird sense of humor from dad. I guess it is the times when I am feeling at my most creative that I actually do stop, and say a little thank you to heaven and hell...LOL...and then remember and appreciate them for the positive parts of my life that only they could give me. I don't really have one defining moment as far as this weeks assignment asks for, unless you count the fact that I am now making middle-age noises, or that I remember when bread cost $1.15 a loaf. LOL. :)

-OndineMonet
"Two Views"
Apple Farm
San Luis Obispo, California
June 29th, 2005
Late Morning

Missing Pam

"Friends are the family we choose to give ourselves."

-Edna Buchanan

I am worried tonight, as I sit here typing this. It has been nearly a month since Pam, author of the journal, "One Girl's Head Noise UK, " and the winner of two, 2005, Journal Land "ViVi" Awards, has updated her journal. As most of you know, Pam was diagnosed, this past June, with Lung Cancer. Since she found out the news, she has kept us updated at least once a week with her progress. Her fight has been a brave one, but I could tell by her last couple entries that she was needing help and strength more then ever. So, I want to believe that she is simply taking a step back, to gain some strength, and that in a few days, she will post an update, and give us all a smile by posting a new picture. Pam is a sweet lady, she is my good friend...and I am worried. I was lucky enough to be able to speak with her on the phone last summer, several times, and I wasn't at all surprised to find out that she sounded on the phone, exactly the way I always thought she would. Like an young, beautiful girl. Pam, I miss you...I am going to send you a snail mail letter later this week. So, for now, I will just say...TTYS. :)
Update: Holly has left me a comment that Pam's journal has been updated by her sister Nancy. Thank you Holly for letting us know!
-OndineMonet
"Love Is"
Apple Farm
San Luis Obispo, California
June 29th, 2005
Late Morning

Unconscious Mutterings

"There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast."

-Unknown

Ugg. I slept 14 hours on Tuesday, and believe it or not, I am still tired. Like my doctor says, it really isn't the quantity...it's the quality. Sigh. I have been reading my Mayo Clinic newsletter though, and it has some wonderful tips about handling chronic health conditions as well as recipes that seem like they would be kinda fun to try. In the most recent issue is a recipe for Zesty Tomato Soup. I am looking forward to trying that one. :) So, the beat goes on...

Unconscious Mutterings
Week 155

1. Alone:: Quiet
2. Science:: Stem Cell Research
3. Deposit:: Return
4. Faithful:: Companion
5. Tender:: Sensitive
6. Chocolate:: Torte
7. Homework:: Learning
8. Tamper:: Messed With
9. Friend:: Foe
10. Wire:: Hanger

You should play along with Unconscious Mutterings also. Just pay a visit to LunaNina and get yourself a copy of the words then post your responses and then leave them a link. It's easy and fun. I might actually take my muttering to my therapist tomorrow...LOL...I haven't been awake long enough to have anything to talk to Sarah, my therapist, about. Unless you consider Alan and I had a debate this evening over who is the cutest character on West Wing. LOL. I say Josh, played by Bradley Whitford. OOOOHHHLALA! Alan thinks Abby Bartlett, Stockard Channing, is HOT, HOT, HOT. LOL. He may be right, she has a ton of style and her character is a strong, sexy woman. Oh, but Josh is just, well, ummm, Hunk-O-Yum. LOL. Do you have a favorite West Winger?

-OndineMonet
"Aubergine"
Berkeley, California
January 12th, 2006
Afternoon

Better Living Through Chemistry

"Politicians are like diapers. They both need changing regularily and for the same reason."

-Unknown

Sigh. Another day another denial, only now it seems like the Bush administration isn't even trying to make it look good. Do you believe the story that the photos of Jack Abramoff and George Bush are simply a coincidence?

"He (Bush) doesn't have a personal relationship with him. We acknowledge he (Abramoff) attended some Hanukkah celebrations. Any suggestions by critics or anyone else to suggest the president is doing something nefarious with Abramoff is absurd."

- Dan Bartlett, White House Counselor

It makes sense that photos of Abramoff and Bush could have been taken during many different public functions at the White House, but it seems like a little more then a coincidence, in that Jack Abramoff was declared a "pioneer" for releasing at least $100,000 for the Bush/Cheney '04 election campaign.

What do you think? Does this sound plausible to you?
"Aide Says Bush Photos With Abramoff Coincidence"

Sometimes I have to wonder...

"Countries such as ours have an obligation to step up, working together, sanding, sending a common message, to the Iranians, that, uhh...that it's...the behavior...kind of...trying to...uhh, clandestinely develop a nuclear weapon, or using the guise of a civilian nuclear weapon program to get the know-how to develop a nuclear weapon is unacceptable."

-George W Bush, White House, January 13th, 2006

So can you explain to me what a "civilian nuclear weapon program," is?

"In order to safeguard the civil liberties of the people, we have this (NSA domestic eavesdropping) program fully scrutinized on a regular basis. It's been authorized, reauthorized many time. We got lawmakers looking at it from different branches of government."

-George W. Bush, Louisville Kentucky, January 11th, 2006

And who exactly would that be Mr. President? Feel free to leave the answer to my question in the comments section of THIS entry.

According to Biography.com the early to mid 1970's is called by Bush his, "nomadic years." During this time, it has been said, President Bush was involved with heavy drinking and possibly drug use. While I don't believe there has ever been a clear substantiation of drug use, I find it interesting that Bush stated that he would, " pass a background check going as far back as 1974." Hmmm. Better living through chemistry I suppose.

Where do our values, as Americans, lie right now? It is worrisome to me that Roe v. Wade may in fact be overturned sometime in the not too distant future. That would be tragic for the nation. The plain fact is that making abortion illegal will not stop it from taking place. Some of those who like to quote the bible, may want to consider that there is still nothing new under the sun. It has always seemed to me, I could be wrong, but it seems that most Republicans that I have spoken to at any length, want the things that they find unseemly or contrary to their personal ideals to simply...go away. There is never much follow through to what will happen on the other side of their moral agendas. What should come next? Counseling? By who exactly? Is the counseling available to both the woman and the man or the boy or the girl? Is it state funded, is it federally funded? Do you need a parents permission? Who absorbs the increase in welfare claims? What happened to the child who cannot be cared for? I never seem to hear about what should come next. If you close your eyes to a problem it doesn't simply cease to exist.

Now, more then ever before, we are losing our civil liberties on a daily basis. Our president is chipping away more and more at what makes this a great country. He wants to make us believe that speaking our mind, will somehow harm our men and women in Iraq. No Mr. President...spying on the American people without a warrant, sending our soldiers to war without the proper equipment, having scandal after scandal after scandal come out of the White House, revealing the identity of an undercover CIA agent, and wife of one of your critics, pushing for the country to regress more the 30 years in social responsibility, hiring under-qualified individuals for important cabinet posts, and phrases like, "I could pass a background check as far back as 1974," is what is hurting our men and women in the armed forces. Today is a new day Mr. Bush, start it out right, and admit what you have done.

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy."

-Ernst Benn

-OndineMonet
"Better Living Through Chemistry"
Berkeley, California
January 19th, 2006
Evening