Plan "B" From Outer Space... And Other Observations!

"Plans get you into things, but you have to work your way out."

-Will Rogers

It's a plan "B" life, a plan "B" life... for me! Yes, I can sing about it. LOL. I am learning not to sweat the petty stuff, but to rather pet the sweaty stuff... and so on and so forth. LOL. Yesterday, Friday, was supposed to be Elvis's big day... I will get to the reason as to why we will be celebrating it today, instead, in a little bit... just read on. :) See... I am smiling, and yes I am aware of my over use of the under appreciated punctuation... ellipsis. See, I used it just then, to indicate a brief pause, which you will understand as you read on...

The Girl From The Wrong Side Of The Street...

It all started when I called AT and T/Yahoo, to order my new service of DSL, which they had assured me by snail mail, that I was more than qualified for. Tee Hee. Okay, so I called the nice representative, her name was Marge I think, and she took all my information, and explained every plan available to mankind even some plans that AT and T doesn't offer. :) Smirk. Anyway, the very last bit of information that Marge needed, was my existing phone number. "Ooooops," said Marge, "Ms. Gordon, it seems that we cannot provide you with the exceptional service of AT and T, together with Yahoo DSL at this time." "What?" Asked the shocked consumer. "Why not?" "Because, unfortunately, at this time, it is not available to customers in your area."

"Ummmm... yes it is," I said. "I have seen my good neighbor Midge, enjoying your excellent service, Marge." "Where does she live, Ms. Gordon?" UT-OH! Had I just got my good neighbor Midge in trouble for stealing DSL? Panic! "She lives across the street, and down the way. Why?" "That's the sticky-wicket Ms. Gordon, she is on the right side of the street." "No, I think she is on the left side of the street if you are coming up the hill." I informed her. "ROFLHAO, actually ma'am I meant, we only offer DSL on the side of the street that Midge lives on." "HUH?!" It was all so surreal. Madge was telling me, I couldn't order DSL, because the line doesn't cross the street. I repeat... "HUH!?" "I am sorry Ms. Gordon, how else may I provide you with excellent service?" Long pause on my end of the call...

"Ms. Gordon... ma'am? Hello? "Yes Madge, I am still here... you have a nice day!" CLICK! I know, it wasn't Madge's fault, but really now... I was living on the wrong side of the street? How earthy of me. ;) With my nerves completely fried, I took a nice long nap, and decided to check other ISP companies later in the day. As of this morning, I am a proud Earthlink customer, with DSL coming in about 8-10 days. Yeah, I know, although it comes with everything I need to install the gadgets all by myself, I am already preparing for the inevitable plan "B" that is sure to follow. :)

And Then The Next Day...

Thursday, Alan woke me a little before 9:00 AM, so I could tune-in to see Regis Philbin return to his show, after having been gone for 6 weeks, while he recovered from a Triple-Bypass. I like that show. It touches on topics, but it isn't all stressful about things. You know? Just a little talk show. Nice. It's a pleasant show to eat your breakfast to, although lately I have really gotten into downloading the Rocky & Bullwinkle show from AOL Video. Tee Hee.

I love the thought of a squirrel and moose making friends, solving crimes, and otherwise assisting humanity. :) It's deep. LOL. But on occasion I do also watch Live with Regis and Kelly. So it was good to see him back up and running. Afterwards, Alan and I watched The View, debated a little, and then he talked me into keeping my word about going on our date to the Marina Green, to fly our kite. My Fibromyalgia was telling me to, "go back to bed," but it was a warm day, really clear, and a good bit of wind, so the conditions were just right. So, I got up, it took me a couple hours to get dressed, man I was tired, but my spirits were high, so off we went, across the bay to San Francisco.

We decided to head to Golden Gate Park first. It would be nice and windy there, and I could drop by the gardens and look for life. I found lots of life, see above. The California poppies were in lovely full bloom, and dancing about them, were some enormous bumble bees. Happy bees. I had a blast stalking them. It was kind of fun to realize my fear of them is completely gone. :) I was hurting really bad, so I had to sit down a couple times to work through the pain, but I got back up, and waited patiently, until I got the picture I had in my mind, a bumble bee in flight. :) I did pretty good I think. :) With the photo achieved, it was time to go down to the beach to fly the kite, there's always wind at the beach!

Okay, well, we realized that it was a little too windy to be able to photograph the kite flying. I didn't want to get sand in my digital camera... I like my camera, so the beach was out. What to do? Where to go? "I know... Crissy Field would do!" Silly me, I had forgotten that there is a large wind break at Crissy Field, in the form of rather tall eucalyptus trees. Sigh."Well, shall we try the Marina Green?" Said Alan. "Yes, why didn't we just go there to begin with?" I asked him. "Well, when you said "lets try the beach," I thought you had moved on to a Plan "B." LOL.

Poor Alan, he has gotten so used to life throwing us curves, he just rolls along, and loves me while we go. :) As it turned out, it was a fabulous day to fly a kite, and he did all the work getting it into the air. We laughed, and we made others laugh. He had no idea what kind of kite I had purchased last winter. I let it be a surprise. (Insert evil laugh here). Tune into my blog next Wednesday, to see our kite. Alan is currently looking for a kite of his own, he say the one I chose is just too, "out there!" LOL.

There Are Other Things On My Mind, But...

I had some other topics I wanted to talk a little about, but this entry went a little longer than I had planned, so I decided to just let it flow. :) I am glad I did, it was a little bit of levity, and I needed that because we had to postpone Elvis's 10th birthday party, from yesterday, until later today, and it made me a little sad.We had a bit of drama last evening, when we went to put his balloons and streamers into place. Alan noticed that sitting up under the table umbrella, was a rather large wasp nest! YIKES! It took a while to deal with that.

Sigh. We had everything wrapped, and the balloons ready, and we even got a Lemon Supreme pie, then had to cancel everything. It is the first time since 2001, that we haven't celebrated his birthday on time. In 2001, we were just moving in to our current little place, and everything was just crazy... including me. :( It will be a special party tomorrow, we will make it special. Cross your fingers that the balloons survive overnight. Plan "B" has been activated yet again! If nothing else, this week has given me a chance to pause here and there, choose and unplanned path. There must be a message in there somewhere. :) Why even this entry is a plan "B." It seems Blogger doesn't recognize the very important, yet under appreciated punctuation character that is known as the **Ampersand**. LOL. I had to take two stabs at saving this entry. :) The adventure continues! Check back tomorrow, Sunday, to see Elvis's birthday party photos! :)

-OndineMonet
"Happy Bumble"
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, California
April 26th, 2007
Afternoon

John Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #162: Karma Chameleon

"My whole belief system is that our paths are drawn for us. I believe in reincarnation. I believe we're here to learn and grow. We choose how we come into this life based on what it is we have to learn. Some people have harder lessons than others."

-Gillian Anderson

Hey! Welcome to the first of the reader-submitted Weekend Assignments, in which I've chosen topics suggested by you, the lovely and talented By The Way readers.

This week's question is a head scratcher of a poser, from Astaryth.

Weekend Assignment #162: Reincarnation is a fact and you are going to come back as some type of animal. What kind would you prefer and why?

Extra Credit: Do you think you have good Karma or bad? Do you believe in Karma?

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

Hmmm... Reincarnation you say? I am definitely going to come back as an animal? Not a person? An animal? What animal would I come back as? That's easy... I am most certainly going to come back as a common, everyday, house cat. Yep. Probably a gray tabby cat, like my first ever tabby, Chloe. :) How do I know for sure that is the animal I would come back as? It's easy. More than one ex-boyfriend... and current husband... lol... have felt compelled to point out that I have one or more kitty-cat like habits and or traits. ;) Apparently, I am somewhat "aloof," I am "witty," I am "persuasive," I "sneak about," and I can be a little "catty" towards others at times. Particularly females. Alan says that I sleep with one hand tucked under my chin, like it's a paw. Which I do. And theres the fact that I love taking naps in direct sunlight. But now to my credit Alan, and the others, also admitted that I can be quite friendly, clean, adventurous, and very affectionate as well, so at least it isn't that I am just a big fur ball of negativity! WINK! :)

Extra Credit: Over all I think I have good Karma. I am a happy girl most of the time, which isn't to say life has always been a non-stop whirlwind of HAPPY, HAPPY JOY, JOY moments, but I have always been able to eventually get my humor on! Looking for the humor in life really does help.

Do I believe in Karma? Well, what I believe is that what goes around, comes around, and most of the time you will be treated the same as you treat others. Most of the time. I also believe due to free will, a lot about life is random. Shrug. Personally, I just try to do the best I can. :)

"How people treat you is their Karma; how you react is yours."

- Dr. Wayne Dyer

-OndineMonet

"Cats Stare" By Teo Alfonso

Rosie O' Donnell Opts For A Different View

"When you are silent, it's as good as lying."

-Rosie O' Donnell

The announcement yesterday that Rosie O' Donnell will be leaving ABC's The View this coming June, probably didn't surprise most people, or did it? According to an AOL poll I read earlier today, 81% of those who responded to the question as to whether they agreed or disagreed with O' Donnell's opinions, said they did not, and 80% also said that the attention given to her sometimes controversial remarks is "excessive." It's a fact however, that when Rosie O' Donnell joined The View last September, the ratings climbed dramatically, and have consistently stayed high. So, I have to ask, who are the people that took the poll? And who are the people tuning into The View every day that represent the spike in ratings? Are they sometimes one in the same? Was Rosie, the person we loved to hate?

I know speaking for myself, she did actually draw me back to The View, after having not watched the show for a number of years. As frustrating and childish as I felt she could be at times, I found myself agreeing with her about 85% of the time. I think she had an uncanny ability to be right, and at the same time, be so completely wrong with how she chose to present her opinions. When those moments of ire came up, I also found myself putting some thought into why I felt the way I did. It challenged me. I think on some levels I appreciated that, but not always. I found her remark about Kelly Ripa, being "homophobic" to be an irresponsible assumption, that seemed to be based on one incident, in which Rosie wasn't there to see the whole story. It didn't seem fair to place that characterization on Ripa, without at least asking her side of things.

I also have to admit, I watched to see the fur fly between she and Elizabeth Hasselbeck. OK, it's not the best trait I have, but there it is in all it's honesty. I can admit it... I liked the controversies, most of the time, however, the situation with Donald Trump continues to annoy me. He is a bully. His remarks about Rosie were, and are, vile. His remarks about Rosie are actually a hit on all women. It's so strange, I found his comments about her appearance as offensive as the remarks made by Don Imus about the Rutger's team, but we don't say much about jokes regarding weight, the way we do about gender or race. I wonder why that is? It seems jokes about weight, either too fat or too skinny, are still fair game, no matter how much damage they do. Sigh. I wish Rosie could have used the incident with Donald Trump, to bring that more to the forefront. The question has been asked, "Was Rosie too fat for ABC?"

Oh well, whoever ABC chooses to replace Rosie, one thing is for sure, they will have to be ready to deal with whatever controversies remain. Of course ABC might choose to bring someone to the mix that will be willing to pick up where Rosie left off. Personally, I would like to see The View moderated by someone who is a little more like the woman Rosie replaced, Meredith Vieira. She had her opinions, they were strong and she pulled no punches, and yet she kept it all under control. She was the only woman on the panel, with the exception of Barbara Walters, with a background in journalism. That is what made a difference, and it was a difference for the better. There was a certain class to the show, when Vieira was moderator and co-host, so perhaps the powers that be will play it safe and choose a someone from the world of journalism as Rosie's successor, or maybe they will go for someone with a completely new, fresh perspective on things, who can also bring a different kind of controversy to the show.

Here are a few possible candidates...

Ann Coulter

Ann Coulter could be considered the "Anti-Rosie." Her presence, and views could be interesting!

Elizabeth Vargas

I really liked Elizabeth Vargas, as co-anchor of ABC World News Tonight. I was sorry to see her leave. She just might be the right journalist to moderate The View.

Tipper Gore

She made a snazzy vice president's wife. She worked on causes and issues and continues to support her husband, while not losing herself in the process. She is a strong lady with integrity.

Ariana Huffington

Hey, it's a woman's right to change her mind! Once a republican, Ariana saw the light and became a democrat. No matter which party she was affiliated with, she held firm, and didn't cave to the bullies of the world. Again a woman of strength, but could she practice her view in moderation, or would she bring about even more controversy?

Maria Shriver

She is the first lady of California. She comes from THE democratic family of America, and she is married to republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneggar. She has certainly had practice in seeing both sides of any given social or moral issue. I think she would be a fascinating choice.

Sheryl Crow

Her recent trek into environmental activism impresses me. She is currently touring the country with Laurie David, wife of Larry David, and the Academy Award winning producer of Al Gore's film, "An Inconvenient Truth." As a Breast cancer survivor, Sheryl Crow has also worked hard to bring awareness of the disease, and it's early detection. I could see her bringing a certain perspective to things, but would she want to take a break from singing, to try a new gig?

Carly Gordon

OK, yes I know, I am not now, nor have I ever been a high profile celebrity, but I do have my opinions, and I think I can be fairly articulate when I work at it. LOL. It kind of intrigued me when The View, on a couple occasions this season, chose a member of the studio audience at random, to act as co-host for a day. I could do that. Besides, Donald Trump does not intimidate me in the slightest. PLEEZZZE!

Portia Di Rossi

It wouldn't be a bad idea, to continue to bring a lesbian perspective to the show. It's about time we were representing all kinds of opinions, and lifestyles, rather than perpetuate stereotypes and hide behind our fears and misunderstandings.

Michelle Pfeiffer

As a woman in my 40's, I like the idea of seeing someone with class, from my age group, who can convey an opinion with style. She isn't a journalist, but maybe having someone from the acting world would be a fresh change.

Anne Heche

This lady knows a thing or two about about controversy, having experienced her share over the years. When it all got rough, she didn't stay down, she got back up and reinvented herself. That takes some guts, on the other hand, she has been a bit too controversial lately. She might actually be bringing some difficult baggage to an already stressed situation.

So, there's what I think. Tell me, what do you think? Who should replace Rosie O' Donnell? I have installed a brand new quiz on my sidebar, asking that very question. Go take it. If your first thought for a replacement isn't on my list, let me know who your choice is, by leaving me a comment. Click here for the results of the previous quiz, "Which Comedian Makes Us Laugh The Most?" Come on everyone, opinions, opinions!

-OndineMonet

18 Cat Years

"Procrastination gives you something to look forward to."

-Unknown

It's been a year and a half, since Black Tuesday over on AOL. At that time I was ready for a change, in both blogging places, and ISP's. Sigh. I hate change, so I have dragged my feet, hemmed, hawed, fretted, and otherwise found every excuse in the world to do nothing at all. See, I hate change, lol, bet you didn't know that about me. It's so strange, and such a contradiction, because there are so many things I would like to see change. Lots of stuff in the world, issues much more important than who is my current Internet Service Provider, and so I spend my time considering and pondering what would happen if those other changes took place, rather than how much better off I would be without AOL. Finally, the time to stop fighting the inevitable has come. In a little over a week, I will be making the big switch to Yahoo, with a lovely little DSL connection.

What made me finally come to terms with leaving AOL? Well, it was my latest bout of Fibromyalgia. I have been experiencing one of my worst times since being diagnosed 18 months ago. I am just so tired, and so very achy, that it is painful to sit here and type this, but before you ask why I am here typing and not taking care of myself, consider the healthy trade-off. I feel good emotionally. I am in a good mood, despite feeling like the walking dead. I feel happy that I am making the switch, and being proactive. It's a simple matter of listening to my body, I don't have the energy to sit and wait for AOL to load a page for me, sometimes taking up to 10 minutes, because all their ads don't play nicely with my dial-up connection. It puts me in a bad mood, and makes me tense, which in turn, exacerbates all the other symptoms I have. I need to do what my doctor said, and do what I advise others to do, which is to simplify life a bit.

I have been a complete schmuck for paying $25.00 and some change, over the last 18 months, for services which don't really work for me. I am usually smarter than that. Oh well, rather than continue to beat myself up over not making the switch sooner, because of my dislike of change, I am going to do what Sarah says to do when I have to endure something unpleasant... look for the lesson... and be happy in my new found smartness. Sometimes, it takes a lot for me to write an entry on Ellipsis. Tonight, for example, my hands are hurting pretty bad, and are swollen. I am tired, not sleepy, tired, which is a completely different thing from sleepy. I have little pin point aches from head to foot, and I can't get enough sleep. I go to say one thing, and something completely different comes out of my mouth, and not in a cute, interesting way like... say if ... David Duchovny were in the room. :)

But OK, I feel smarter. :) That's a good feeling, so I am going to celebrate. I have a new magazine, and a big bottle of bubble bath waiting for me in the bathroom. Chocolate/Strawberry scented bubble bath. YUM. I love bubble baths. Ahhhh. All in all, life is going pretty well. I am going to try to go kite flying tomorrow afternoon, Alan thinks the sunshine will be good for me. LOL. We'll see about that one! :) And soon, I will be able to snazzy up Ellipsis with some YouTube videos, I think that will be fun.

No, not videos of me in my bubble bath, naughty people! LOL. No something much more interesting then that! I have always wanted to upload a video of Elvis, you won't believe how much cuter he is in video. He has a neat little meow, and can be quite talkative. Maybe I will make a video of one of our nightly rituals, like the one where he forgets he already has food in his bowl, and I have to walk him into his closet to show him he has crunchies. I have to warn you up front, he can say a bad word/meow from time to time. I don't know where he picks up that kind of language from. LOL. Those entries might have to be rated PG-13!

Stay Tuned :)

-OndineMonet
"Ghost Party"
Carson City, Nevada
October 28th, 2006
Late Morning

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Blue Skies

"When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky."

-Buddha

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Picture some blue, blue skies. Wide stretches of blue are the goal here. Fluffy clouds are great, too - but try to get skies mostly blue. Interesting stuff in the foreground is groovy, too.

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

I remember this day, it was August 9th of 2006, and it was an absolutely gorgeous day! It was a mild day, as temperature goes, and I swear I could see forever. :) Earlier in the day, I had met a bit of stress when someone came very close to hitting my car on the freeway. It was so close a call, that it left me shaken for most of the day, but I continued on with my plans all the same. We spent the day photographing butterflies at the Conservatory of Flowers, and when we were finished, we decided to take the long way home, by way of HWY 1 along the coast. Alan knew all I needed was a nice long break at my favorite little lighthouse, to calm my nerves. It worked perfectly. By late in the afternoon, we were at Point Montara Lighthouse. He and I sat in the little area, just to the right of the lighthouse in the picture. My favorite green Adirondack chair was waiting for me. We talked and laughed, and counted out blessings. It was a close call we had had that day, but just sitting in that warm summer sun, under that gorgeous sky, I was just focused on all that blue.

Blue Skies
By Irving Berlin

I was blue, just blue as I could be
Every day was cloudy day for me
Then good luck came a-knocking at my door
Skies were gray but they're not gray anymore

Blue skies
Smiling at me
Nothing but blue skies
Do I see

Bluebirds
Singing a song
Nothing but bluebirds
All day long

Never saw the sun shining so bright
Never saw things going so right
Noticing the days hurrying by
When you're in love, my how they fly

Blue days
All of them gone
Nothing but blue skies
From now on

I should care if the wind blows east or west
I should fret if the worst looks like the best
I should mind if they say it can't be true
I should smile, that's exactly what I do

-OndineMonet
Point Montara Lighthouse
Montara, California
August 9th, 2006
Late Afternoon

A New Week... A Week With Cat-Attude, Cat Class And Cat Style!

"There are two means of refuge from the misery of life- music and cats."

-Albert Schweitzer

Ok, with last week and all it's sad events behind me, I am prepared to have a good week coming up, it's a special time at our house right now, because next Friday, April 27th, is Elvis's birthday, and he will be hitting the landmark age of 10! That means he will be 56 in cat years. A youngin' really. He still has so many kitten-like qualities. He is such a friendly, loving little fella, I am proud at his ability to make friends with the other cats in the neighborhood. To date he has only had one run-in, and that was with a cat of questionable temperament.So, with all the plans set, we have invited Elvis's friend Sebastiani to join us for his birthday party and BBQ. Last year we had Miss Molly, and the year before Elvis's pal Ernst was the guest. We only allow one kitty each year, because having more than a couple cats in the yard at a time, tends to get too rowdy. You know how 10 year old boys can be! Especially when they are also 56 year old men! LOL.

So, in honor of all things cat this week, I looked up some cute and funny cat pictures, and found some good quotes to go with them. Hope they bring you a smile, I think we could all use a little humor right about now... don't you? :)

"It always gives me a shiver when I see a cat seeing what I can't see."

-Eleanor Farjeon

I am pretty sure Elvis can see ghosts. I will share about that with you some time. :)

"There are few things in life more heartwarming than to be welcomed by a cat."

-Tay Hohoff

All cats have a unique way of conveying ENOUGH is ENOUGH! You never really have to guess if a cat likes you! LOL. :)

"The problem with cats is that they get the exact look on their face whether they see a moth or an axe-murderer."

-Paula Poundstone

I swear the cat in the above picture, looks just like my sister at her most glamorous! No kidding!

"If purring could be encapsulated, it'd be the most powerful anti-depressant on the pharmaceutical market"

-Alexis F. Hope

"If there were to be a universal sound depicting peace, I would surely vote for the purr."

-Barbara L. Diamond

"Cats speak a subtle language in which few sounds carry many meanings, depending on how they are sung or purred. "Mnrhnh" means comfortable soft chairs. It also means fish. It means genial companionship... and the absence of dogs."

-Val Schaffner

-OndineMonet

Happy Earth Day

"Conservation means the wise use of the earth and it's resources for the lasting good of men."

-Gifford Pinchot

Happy Earth Day! There is so much natural beauty all around us, and yet, we continue to see more and more of it slip away. Yesterday, I visited the website of the World Wildlife Fund, to read about which species are still on the endangered list. The Monarch is on the list, as are several other butterflies, some native to California such as the Mission Blue, and the Bay Checkerspot. Sigh. I can't imagine never seeing a Monarch again, their beauty absolutely captivates me. The Bay Checkerspot butterfly was given some special attention recently, when a new natural habitat for them was created at the Edgewood County Park and Nature Preserve, in San Mateo, California. I am hoping to take a trip there soon, to see the beautiful butterfly for myself. :) I wish something similar was being done for the Mission Blue.

It's been a tough week all around. My energy is low, but there are some things I plan to do today to celebrate Earth Day. I am going to get my canvas bags in order, I am quite cross with myself for not doing that sooner. All this plastic bag nonsense has to stop. I saw an interesting story on the news last night, about other common sense things that can be done to help the earth heal a bit. Such as deciding to go Low-carb.

No, not low carbohydrate, but rather low carbon emissions. Little things like buying locally grown organic fruit, vegetables, and cheeses made along the northern California coast, such as Point Reyes Blue cheese. I hear it is fantastic, and I have always wanted to try it, isn't now a good time to do so? Restaurants, such as the DeYoung cafe, inside the DeYoung Museum, features ingredients in their menu items, that were either raised or grown within a 150 mile radius of San Francisco. The breads they serve, are purchased from a bakery right here in Berkeley. I imagine a lot more of our local restaurants will be going to this type of system. It's just a good idea for everyone. :)

After a week like this one, I am planning to stay home today, enjoy my yard, and my cat, and a nice healthy dinner of Mixed Green Salad, and Potato Leek Soup. It's going to rain this morning, but by the afternoon, the sun should be out. It's a good day to take the time to reflect and be happy. Who knows, maybe I will hop back over to the WWF website and adopt a Monarch. :) That would make my kitty Elvis proud of me. Now, here are a few of my favorite moments on earth, and what gifts those moments were...

"Let there be no disguising the perilous state of the earth, or pretending conservation is too expensive when we know that the cost of failure to act is far greater."

-Kofi Annan

-OndineMonet
"Monarch"
Conservatory of Flowers
San Francisco, California
August 9th, 2006
Afternoon

Stand By

"Game shows are designed to make us feel better about the random, useless facts that are all we have left of our education."

-Unknown

I have had a certain tune stuck in my head for about 20 years or so. Not the whole tune mind you, just one line from the chorus of the song. "I get scared inside, when you stand by." I could remember a part of the tune, but I couldn't quite remember the whole song. YIKES! Over the years, whenever something would jar my memory just a certain way, I would think of that song. I remember it was played on TOP 40 radio stations, which is what the radio, in the office where I worked at the time, was set to. Every hour, for my 8 1/2 hour work days, that song would play twice.

This went on for about a month or so, and then I never remember hearing the song played again... not in the last 20 years. It was annoyingly haunting at the time, and on occasion since then, so I kind of wondered about it through the years. Every time I asked friends, and co-workers if they remembered the song, they would look at me like I had 9 heads. Had I hallucinated it? Did it ever really exist? Well, just a few minutes ago, I decided to give Google one last chance, and put the lyrics, as best as I could remember them, into the search bar, and EUREKA! I found out not just the name of the artist, Roman Holliday, but the lyrics as well! You can view them here, if you so desire.

Don't you just love trivia, especially trivia that haunts you? Deep curisoities like, where the eyes are on a slug, or where Millie Vanilli is today? LOL. I don't know, I guess I am just a big fan of games like Trivial Pursuit, but I like looking up useless facts on the Internet. Shrug. It's probably some kind of 21st century sickness, but I love learning new, offbeat things. :) Like the following...

1. Charlie Chaplin once won third prize in a Charles Chaplin look alike contest.

2. The Guinness Book of Records, holds the record, for being the most often stolen from public libraries.

3. The hundred billionth crayon made by Crayola was Periwinkle Blue.

4. Howdy Doody has exactly 48 freckles on his face.

5. The starfish is one of the only animals that can turn it's stomach inside out.

6. A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why?

7. Ralph Kramden made $62.00 per week.

8. 315 entries in Webster's 1996 Dictionary were misspelled.

9. A housefly hums in the middle octave, key of F.

10. A cat's urine glows under a black light.

11. Dolphins sleep with one eye open.

12. The average chocolate bar has 8 insect legs in it.

13. A cockroach can live 8 days without it's head, before it starves to death.

14. A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue.

15. A woodpeckers tongue is long enough to wrap it around his head 2 times.

There, see, I learned 15 new things today. I am 15 new facts smarter. My brain now hurts, or is it my brain hurts now? Hmmmmmmm... Maybe someday I will try out for a game show, like Who Wants To be A Millionaire? If I did, would you be my phone a friend? And if so, what would your expert category be? Come on, tell me, you know you want to! And oh by the way, the name of the song that haunted me was, "Stand By." :)

-OndineMonet

This That And The Other Thing...

Don't join book burners. Do not think you are going to conceal thoughts by concealing evidence that they ever existed."

-Dwight David Eisenhower

Bookiness...

As my dear old AOL Journals friend Slomo would say, "Happiness is a big box of books from Amazon.com." LOL. Well, it wasn't exactly a big box of books I ordered, only 4, but it was a moment of happiness for me when they came yesterday! It is going to be cold and rainy for several more days, so, I think I will be spending some time in a good book or three. These should be kinda fun, they are going to be my light spring reads this year, four little murder mysteries to take me into summer, when my energy level will be back to a more normal level. With my energy up, I know I will be out with the camera. I already have some tentative plans to visit Santa Rosa again, to photograph this year's Peanut's character sculptures that will dot the whole town. This year will feature, "Joe Cool." I am really looking forward to that, but this will be the art projects final year, so it will all be a little bittersweet.

Sidebar Tsunamis...

I finally fixed the sidebar woes I had been having. As it turns out, it wasn't that difficult, seems I have installed a wacky hit counter a few weeks ago, that didn't play nice with FireFox. It suddenly stopped working a couple days ago, so I installed a new one, after looking through about a hundred or so. Sheesh. So many of the free counters have so many ads attached. Sigh. I finally did a little blog jog about the land to get an idea of what my pals have been using, and found one I can live with over at Patrick's Place. Thanks Patrick. :) While I was fixing the sidebar woes, I also installed a few new nifty objects for my sidebar. If you take a peek you will find a Zodiac for Cancers, like myself, a New Yorker Cartoon of the Day, a Fortune Cookie, and a New York Times Crossword Puzzle. :) I hope you guys like the changes, don't be afraid to leave me some feedback. :) Go ahead... I can take it!

Media Matters...

I am having the hardest time shaking the sadness I feel over the events at Virgina Tech. I don't watch every news show airing information on it, but it seems it is everywhere, and probably will be for another couple weeks or so, at least until the next horrific event takes place. The news has certain responsibilities, they bring us the news, good, bad or otherwise, and it is my or our responsibility to turn it off once in a while. NBC is taking a lot of flack for airing the disturbing video made by that young man, the day of his rampage. I think it was news the first day, but to continue to air the tape is, at this point, just wrong on so many levels. We must stop making celebrities of the individuals that come out of every tragedy.

I Can't Remember If I Can Remember Or Not...

Come on Mr. Attorney General...the truth would be nice please. :) There, I asked nicely and all. Come on, you can do it! Alberto Gonzales claimed to have a faulty memory so often, that a spectator to the proceedings began to keep a crude tally. In all, Gonzales couldn't remember 71 times. Sigh. Suggested reading: "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Improving Your Memory." It's available at Amazon.com for the modest price of $16.10. Maybe that can be his light spring reading. :) I wish Karl Rove would step up and be a man. He needs to testify before congress, or admit his wrong doings and step down. Sigh. It's really that simple.

I Think A Restraining Order Might Be In Order...

Rosie... darlin... Barbara... darlin... I admire how you have tried to take the high road where Donald Trump is concerned, but really, you guys need to consider a restraining order against the oaf. In his latest attempt to snipe at Rosie, and further demonstrate his complete lack of class, he sent Barbara Walters a certain unmentionable, which was once worn by Rosie in a movie. Enough ladies. Show your strength present THE DONALD with a restraining order. It's just time to stop that stalker in his comb-over tracks! Rosie, I may not always agree with you, but you don't deserve to be treated this way. Don't be his victim.

One More Observation...

Life is too damn short. We have to stop obsessing on the tragic lives of celebrities, such as Anna Nicole Smith, and who her "Babydaddy," is or isn't. We have to start spending time in the real world, and get to know who we live next door to. If for no other reason, then maybe to feel safe.We need to find out why so many teenagers are currently prescribed anti-depressants, and not just be glad that it is apparently safer for them to take them than we once thought. We have to push for a national gun control law, and we have to push for mental health awareness. Common sense people.

Just my opinion about things... I could be wrong.

-OndineMonet
"Books"
Berkeley, California
April 19th, 2007
Evening

Busy As A Very Tired Bee

"That buzzing noise means something. If there's a buzzing noise, somebody's making a buzzing noise, and the only reason for making a buzzing noise that I know of is because you're a bee, and the only reason for being a bee that I know of, is for making honey, and the only reason for making honey is so I can eat it."

-Winnie The Pooh

Phooey. I am so tired. I don't know, maybe it is all the stress from this week. Tax time, the very deeply depressing and tragic incident at Virginia Tech, and one or two other things that on my mind, that zap my energy so profoundly. Put it all together, and I end up with my Fibromyalgia knocking me down to the ground. I slept all day yesterday, with only brief intervals of consciousness to deal with Round Robins. I still need to make the rounds tonight, to see every one's entries. I want to, it makes me happy to see how enthusiastic everyone gets. The Round Robin Challenges means a lot to me, I feel good about it as a project, like at the end of the Internet day... I contributed something right to the world. Something that brings people together in a positive way. I am especially thankful that I have Karen and Steven as co-founders and team members. :) They always have my back. What would I do without them as my friends?

I will start my Round Robin blog jog, when I am finished with this entry. I am looking forward to seeing all the entries. Maybe that is just what I need... some time spent in the company of art, and creative friends. It's supposed to rain tomorrow, but hopefully Alan and I will be able to go out together for a little while, maybe have lunch together, I will of course take the camera, you never know when a photo op will present itself. LOL. Or maybe I will snuggle up with Elvis, and do a little more hibernating. You know how cold rainy days can be with a cat. :)

-OndineMonet
"Buuzzzzzzzzzzzz"
Berkeley, California
April 17, 2007
Afternoon

Round Robin Challenge: TBRRC! Happy 2nd Anniversary!

"Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them every day begin the task anew."

-St. Francis de Sales

Wow! It's been 2 years? Really? It sure doesn't seem like it's been that long, since Karen and I challenged each other to "go out and be photographers!" :) She and I had a lot of fun with those first two challenges, and all the amazing ones that were to follow! Happy 2nd Anniversary everyone! :) It wasn't easy to choose just one past challenge to revisit, they have all inspired me in some way, but as the time to decide began to run out, and I knew I had to pick just one, I decided on one of our earliest challenges, from back in the days when we played the challenges on AOL. I chose "Wabi-Sabi," which was suggested by our friend, and fellow Robin, Coy, author of the journal, "Dancing in the Rain."

Wabi-Sabi celebrates finding the joy and aesthetic appreciation in the imperfect, impermanent, or incomplete. I have always been drawn to things that are just slightly off center. I tease a lot about being in love with David Duchovny, but I would more than likely have never accepted a date with him. He is too gorgeous, and therefore I would have been a blithering idiot throughout the date, never able to mutter a single understandable word, or worse yet merely making weird sounds instead of actual words which would sound a little like this... "Myathingflapingiabag." Which when loosely translated means, "Hello." Sigh. LOL.

Now on the other hand, Albert Einstein, would be someone who I would definitely date! His hair makes me crazy with attraction. He had a wonderful sense of humor, and for that reason alone, I think he would have understood me. Too bad we were born in different times. Sigh. When I get to Heaven, I am certainly going to look him up, and ask him to go bicycle riding with me. :) So, as you can see, I like searching for the beauty, in non-traditional places and faces. Especially in autumn...

Wabi-Sabi also refers to desolation and solitude, and a transcendence to a simpler way of life. A less materialistic view of life. As a person with Fibromyalgia, I have learned to scale back life a bit. One suggestion, made by one of the books I read about learning to live with the disease, is to plan meals ahead of time, when my energy level is up, so when those inevitable times come up when I simply haven't got the energy to do much, dinner is just a matter of putting a casserole or Lasagna in the oven. As for the times of solitude, well don't we all need that from time to time? For those times, I open the window, and let the natural sounds outside guide me into a short passage of meditation. I try to do this daily, just to process whatever might be distracting me, or tugging at my energy. Life lived in beautiful, imperfect simplicity... ahhh... that's the stuff! :)

Be sure to pay a visit to all the Robins who are participating in this special anniversary round. Simply follow the links below. And don't forget to pay a visit to the Round Robin Photo Challenge Blog this Thursday, to find out what our next topic will be! :)



Linking List

1. Karen... Outpost Mavarin
POSTED!

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

3. Kat... In My Dreams I Can Fly
POSTED!

4. Steven... (sometimes photoblog)
POSTED!

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

6. Annie... Pictures of Craziness


7. Nancy... Nancy Luvs Pics
POSTED!

8. Valorie... Retrospect USA
POSTED!

9. Janet... Fond of Photography


10. Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
POSTED!

11. Marie... Photographs & Memories Too/Photographs & Memories Blog Too
POSTED!

12. Gina... Gina's Space
POSTED!

13. rRose... WAIT- NOT YET


14. Tammy... The Daily Warrior
POSTED!

15. Kerrin... Macro Capture
POSTED!

17. Tammie Jean... Long Drives To Nowhere **Welcome New Member**
POSTED!

18. Julie... Julie's Web Journal
POSTED!

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Windy Days

"Don't be afraid of opposition. Remember, a kite rises against, not with the wind."

-Hamilton W. Marble

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Snap a picture of wind. Naturally, it's difficult to get a picture of the wind itself, being that air is generally transparent, however, it's easier to get a picture of how the wind is affecting other things: hair, flags, kites, so on and so forth. You can see where I'm going with this.

-John Scalzi (By The Way)

I have a great love for windsocks. I have several around my yard, but this one is my favorite. I like kites too, in fact I just purchased a new one last January, but haven't found the time to take it out. It's a funny cow kite. :) Imagine seeing a cow flying by. LOL. I haven't had a chance to take it out yet, but what a nice thought for a way to spend a day this week. Maybe I will ask Alan to go on a date with me, later in the week,to fly the kite on the Marina Green in San Francisco. If we do, I will take pictures... I promise. :)

May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow.
May the soft winds freshen your spirit.
May the sunshine brighten your heart.
May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you,
And may God enfold you in the mantle of his love.

-Irish Blessing

-OndineMonet
"Fly Away"
Berkeley, California
April 16th, 2007
Afternoon

Next Comes Taking Responsible Action...

"In violence, we forget who we are."

-Mary McCarthy

Every once in a while, I will hear about someone on the evening news, someone who I have never met, but who I know I will never forget, because they somehow touched my life. In October of 1991, some poor, lost, bitter hearted soul went on a rampage with a gun, and killed 22 people, and then himself. I had forgotten the name of the gunman, but for some reason last night, I was thinking about one of the gunman's victims, Dr. Michael Griffith. I always remembered Dr. Griffith, because his story in particular touched my heart. His day started out on a happy note, it was Bosses Day, and he was in a good mood. He was a veterinarian, and he had a full schedule, but he had been thinking all morning about how much he wanted to have a nice lunch, and a piece of pie at Luby's Cafeteria. That is all he wanted that day. Honestly, as I sit here right now, I can't help but cry, because life is so very unfair. I never met Dr. Griffith, but I still mourn his loss, as if we were old friends. I listened to accounts of how he was a good man, who cared deeply for his patients, and how he had a full, happy life. He was 48 years old, when his life was stolen from him.

Death paid a similar visit to a collage town yesterday, and we all lost a bit of the future. Sigh. I am frustrated that we don't have stricter gun laws, especially post 9/11, when we don't know for sure if we are safe or not. It amazes me that in the days after we were struck by terrorists, most Americans said that they would be willing to give up some civil liberties, in order to secure America. And what do we have? We have our government protecting us by wire-tapping our phones, and having us remove our shoes at the airport. I will never understand why President Bush refused to sign the assault weapons ban, or even consider enacting tougher gun control laws, making things easier for terrorists, both foreign and domestic. But you know what? I don't blame President Bush exclusively for this error in judgement, I blame our elected officials in the House and Senate who don't push harder for those laws, and of course I blame the lobbyists for the NRA.

Over the years I have sent letters to my representatives about a number of issues, but I always felt most strongly and passionately about this issue. We should be saying ENOUGH is ENOUGH to the NRA. When are we going to learn from history? Will you, or someone you love, be at the mall or hospital or school, when the next massacre happens? Someday, someone will surpass yesterday's carnage. Someone will open fire on a crowd of friends, or strangers, and will make the evening news as the perpetrator of the worst case of gun violence in American history. It will happen. It will! But does it have to? No, it doesn't! We have a new House, and a new Senate. I think along with their resolve to get us out of the nightmare that is Iraq, and their determination to set America on a new course, they need to be taking a tougher stance with the White House regarding gun control. We have to at least try to find our way, instead of continuing to stumble in our own selfishness.

It shocks me that over the last week, I have heard numerous reports of death threats against Don Imus, the Rutger's Woman's Basketball team, and the Rev. Al Sharpton. It made me sick to hear that the young men, recently cleared in the Duke La cross case, had death threats made against both them and their families. The Dixie Chicks received death threats for doing nothing more than speaking their minds, you know, in the spirit of "Free Speech," another American right? That is still a right? Isn't it? Sigh. Sometimes I wonder if that is one of the civil liberties we gave up, in order to feel safe. Sigh. We certainly do throw death around easily don't we? If someone steps on our toes... we threaten death. Sometimes, some of us, actually goes through with it, and we again face an uncertain future of wondering how, and when the next bullet will pierce us.

I want to urge you to be proactive, and make a difference for the better. If you feel sadness over the massacre at Virginia Tech, write a letter to your representatives, about enacting tougher gun control laws. Pay a visit to the website of James Brady, author of the Brady Bill, and educate yourselves on statistics, and find out what you can do in your own neighborhood to fight gun violence. We can't let the fact that it is a difficult situation stop us, we all have to start somewhere, or we get nowhere and one day, we lose someone we love. Let's make sure we tell Nancy Pelosi, that we want tougher gun control laws in our future. It needs to be a priority. Goodnight Dr. Griffith, I will never forget you.

In Close Knit Killeen, They're Going To Be Living This For A Long Time
-Washington Post Article 10/91

The Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence

The Luby's Massacre

-OndineMonet

First Comes The Sorrow...

"Can I see another's woe, and not be in sorrow too? Can I see another's grief, and not seek for kind relief?"

-William Blake

My heartfelt condolences go out to the victims and families of those who were injured, or lost their lives today at Virginia Tech, in Blacksburg, Virginia. You will be in my daily thoughts and prayers.

Always, Carly

Not That There's Anything Wrong With That!

"Humor is a very serious thing. I like to think of it as one of our greatest earliest natural resources, which must be preserved at all cost."

-James Thurber

Well, humor has taken quite a beating this week... hasn't it? The whole mess with Don Imus, and those ill advised "humorous" remarks he made have caused quite a stir. It has brought about a national debate about race relations, sexism, and what constitutes "poetic license," in America. What weight do our words carry? Does it matter if we speak them or sing them? Is it acceptable for a certain race to utter raciest and demeaning words, if it is referring to their own race? Where are the lines drawn?I have been thinking about all the dynamics of the situation with Imus, and I have to say, in that particular case, I keep going back to one of my favorite quotes...

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

-Eleanore Roosevelt

I am a Woman, a Democrat, a Liberal, a Christian, and a Housewife. I am Short, Caucasian, and I have big BOOBS. All things which are the subject of humor from time to time. Is it insensitive? Yes. Does it hurt my feelings? Not too often. Sometimes, something will be said that will strike a cord in me, and I will feel sad, mostly because it can be frustrating to feel like I am being defined by whatever stereotype that is being flung at me. On the other hand, I have seen the humor in every one of the above examples of what describes me, because I can see the truth in the joke. There has to be some truth in most humor, to make a joke truly funny. All those things on their own, do not define me. I am also creative, intelligent, funny, caring, sarcastic, and Jewish.

LOL. I am Jewish. I found out that little bit of information when I was 36. That was quite a day. Seems that my mother, who had suffered from mental illness her whole life, decided not to share with me or my siblings that little fact. Sigh. I laughed that day, at how funny life can be sometimes, and I cried a bit about how sad life can be sometimes. Life is both. In almost every situation, we have both comedy and tragedy. That's Life. Life, on it's own, will never change people who are consumed with hate. It will never change the sexist man or woman, who refuse to consider the other human in the dynamic. It will never stop someone from remarking on our personal appearance, if they feel we don't fall into a perfect mold of perfection, at least by their standards. So, what's a human to do?

Well, to begin with, we need to stop wasting time allowing ourselves to be victims. There's a reason I didn't listen to Don Imus very often, I simply didn't care to listen or watch him when he aired. Others offend me on a regular basis. Bill O'Reilly for example. He does a "serious" news show. He, in my opinion, is mean spirited and nasty. He has said things I believe could be interpreted as treasonous. I wouldn't mind seeing him kicked off the air, but I have to admit, it's because I am tired of his big mouth, not because I feel he doesn't have a right to say whatever stupid thing he wants, unless of course, it is truly treasonous, which apparently is in the eye of the beholder, a lot like humor is.

I think Don Imus should have apologized to the Rutger's Women's Basketball team, because what he said was hurtful, especially considering their vast accomplishments, but it should have been left between those ladies and Imus. Al Sharpton had no place getting involved. Those ladies didn't need a champion to act for them, they are strong enough to stand up and say... "No Mr. Imus... we want an apology, you went too far!" I think they showed a great deal of courage and grace to accept his apology... I can't say the same for Rev. Sharpton. To ask for an apology, then refuse to accept it, is a slap in the face to God. It is a fundamental responsibility as a Christian to forgive. As a human, it is the first step in healing, after we have been hurt by another. I can tell you from deep personal experience, true healing begins, when you allow forgiveness to take place. It took a lot of character on Imus's part to admit he was wrong, and offer an apology in earnest. He was sorry... and he meant it. How often will someone admit they were wrong, let along say, "I'm sorry."

I was the victim of a crime a few years ago. Everything changed for me overnight. I was sad, scared, and as a result of my experience, I climbed inside myself and closed off the world. I hurt so bad, I stopped feeling all together. I wished Elvis would run away, because I couldn't bring myself to care whether he was here or not. I pushed Alan away, I pushed my friends away. I stopped leaving my own house, because I was so afraid that I might be hurt again. I made myself a victim. Any time we allow the actions of another, to change how we feel about ourselves, or diminish our plans for a happy and fulfilled life, we become victims. If I were to advise the Rutger's girls, I would tell them that, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." Stand up for yourselves, ask for an apology and then move on with your life, safe in your own knowledge of your own self worth.

My humor runs the gambit. I find a lot of different things funny. I make some folks who visit me here on Ellipsis laugh, and I have gotten emails from some who have been offended by me. What can I do? Some times I have put myself in the other persons shoes and try to see why, or how they were offended. Sometimes I have gotten my feelings hurt, after all, I am not out to hurt anyone when I attempt humor, but in actuality, I have no control over how my words will be interpreted. Humor, beauty, politics, hatred, and life are in the eye of the beholder, we have the right to tune out what offends us, but who do we want in charge of our thoughts? Who has the right to tell us what's funny or not? Who has the right to tell us what to feel and when to feel it? And who dictates what defines us individually? I don't think we Americans are playing the "race" card or the "sexist" card as much as we are playing the "victim," card.

***On a lighter note, there is a new poll on my sidebar. Go take it. It is a simple poll about which comedian makes us laugh the most. :) For the results of last months poll, "Who Had The Best Hair Style Ever" click here.

-OndineMonet

I'm Hungry For Pork And Gravy Chow Mein

"To love is to suffer. To avoid suffering one must not love. But then, one suffers from not loving. Therefore, to love is to suffer; not to love is to suffer; to suffer it to suffer. To be happy is to love. To be happy, then is to suffer, but suffering makes one unhappy. Therefore, to be happy, one must love or love to suffer from too much happiness."

-Woody Allen

Sigh. I am having tummy troubles. When I went to bed, early Saturday morning, I had some rumbles in my stomach. Then it kind of hurt, and funny, spontaneous noises flew forth from my... well... backside. Thank goodness Alan had already left for work, or he would probably be filing for divorce, because it was a little unpleasant to say the least. I can live with my own noises and perfuminess, but I would never expect anyone else to. LOL. That husband of mine must really kinda like me, lol, he has had to put up with a lot over the years, not the least of which have been my bodily noises. Anyway, I haven't been feeling too wonderful today, in fact a couple times it was all downright painful,I guess it is part two of the cold I had earlier this week. So, instead of trying to write with my usual wit and intelligence... tee hee... I thought I would share some deep, thought provoking quotes from people smarter than I am...

1. Americans will put up with anything, provided it doesn't block traffic.
-Dan Rather

2. USA Today has come out with a new survey: Apparently three out of four people make up 75% of the population.
-David Letterman

3. I never know whether to pity or congratulate a man on coming to his senses.
-William M. Thackeray

4. Sir, you are like a pin, but without either it's head or it's point.
-Douglas Jerrold

5. Once you accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing plaid with stripes comes easy.
- Albert Einstein

6. There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.
-Mark Twain

7. You couldn't get a clue during a clue mating season, in a field full of horny clues, if you smeared your body with clue musk and did the clue mating dance.
-Edward Flaherty

8. If you can't convince them, confuse them.
-Harry S. Truman

9. If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten.
- George Carlin

"How do geese know when to fly to the sun? Who tells them, the seasons? How do we humans know when it is time to move on? As with the migrant birds, so surely with us there is a voice within if only we would listen to it, that tells us certainly when to go forth into the unknown."

-Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

I guess I am feeling better, for some reason I am really hungry for Pork and Gravy Chow Mein. That's a good sign... right? :)

-OndineMonet
"The Fisherman"
Pacific Grove, California
April 12th, 2007
Afternoon

Steven's Feline Friday: It's Just A Spider Mommy :)

"In nine lifetimes, you'll never know as much about your cats, as your cat knows about you."

-Michel de Montaigne

I was hoping to one day get a photo of Elvis just before he kisses me, he does this funny little pucker thing, that always makes me laugh. Tee Hee. Elvis has been taking such good care of me this week, and at one point, he saved me from a spider!

Last Wednesday morning, I decided to go to bed a little early, around 3:30 am, I was feeling a little under the weather, running a slight fever, so I thought I might climb in bed and cuddle up to Alan and Elvis, to get warm. When I pulled back my sheets and blankets, I saw a big, yucky spider go running off my pillow and down between my sheet and blanket. I screamed! LOUD! Poor Alan jumped from the bed with a slightly panicked, "WHAT?" "Sppppiiiiiiidder," I said, slightly frightened. LOL. "Where is it?" Asked Alan, but before I could tell him, Elvis sprang up in the air and pounced down flat on top of his stuffed monkey, Cap-n-Federick. Alan gently peeked under Elvis's chin, to see a slightly slightly hairy, slightly slick, black spider moving just a few of his many legs. Alan made a face, and then reached in with a tissue and removed the spider from under my hero kitty.

Blech. It gave me the wiggins like you wouldn't believe. I turned on the lights, pulled back all the covers, and began to look for the rest of the gang. LOL. After about 20 minutes of searching, Alan finally talked me into going back to bed, safe in the knowledge that I would be ok, at least from an invasion of a spider gang out to get me. A little later, Alan left for work, but not before tucking me in, with some cold medicine, some Kleenex, and several stuffed bears, and monkeys. He then gave Elvis his usual daily instruction to "mind his manners, and take care of his mommy." I felt better, but I sill had the wiggins a good bit.

I tossed and turned for about 30 minutes or so. I turned on the bathroom light, and climbed back into bed. I closed my eyes, and was trying to think nice thoughts, when I felt Elvis stand up in the bed, I opened my eyes to see him standing over my face. He was smiling down at me, and then his ran his paw down my cheek. He petted me, gave me a little kiss on my forehead, and then he snuggled down in the covers, put his head on Alan's pillow, and closed his eyes. I knew right then, I was the safest woman in the world. My kitty loves me. :)

It's fun to play along with Steven's Feline Friday. Lots of great people and kitties to be found on the net. Drop over to Steven's blog, (sometimes photoblog) to learn all the details, and meet his beautiful cat, Pickle.

-OndineMonet
"Pucker"
Berkeley, California
April 11, 2007

Art About Town... Pacific Grove, California

"Art is contemplation. It is the pleasure of the mind which searches into nature and which there divines the spirit of which nature herself is animated."

-Auguste Rodin

Yesterday, it was an absolutely beautiful day along the Monterey Bay peninsula, especially in the town of Pacific Grove. I had forgotten how amazing that place is in the spring, when all the wildflowers are in bloom, and the cliffs become alive with the colors of the season, the most striking of which is the purple, it is planted all along the cliffs and waterfront. My favorite park in Pacific Grove is, Lovers Point. It offers a gorgeous view of the peninsula, and although not too big as parks go, it is more than just lovely... it's stunning! It truly lives up to it's name. :) The park has two prominent sculptures on display, my favorite being the above, "Butterfly," by Petaluma born sculptor, Gordon Newell. Engraved on the base of the sculpture are the words...

Gift of Hilda Van Sicklen
1964
Sculptor George Newell

Pacific Grove is "Butterfly Town USA," after all. Every year, in the autumn, I look forward to visiting the Monarch sanctuary, where thousands of monarchs can be seen settling in the eucalyptus grove, during their annual migration. According to a one volunteer I spoke with last October, there can be as many as 15,000 clustered high in the Monterey Pines, Eucalyptus and cypress trees within the sanctuary. :) It is a place of peace and comfort for me, I guess that's why I love this sculpture so very much, and yesterday, I finally got the opportunity to photograph it. :)There really isn't a bad time to visit the Monterey peninsula, even on a rainy day it portrays a romantic atmosphere, and there is natural beauty to be found everywhere.


-OndineMonet
"Butterfly"
Lover's Point Park
Pacific Grove, California
April 12th, 2007
Early Afternoon