Round Robin Challenge: Joy: What Makes Your Heart Happy

"Joy is the feeling of grinning inside."

-Melba Colgrove

RRC: Joy: What Makes Your Heart Happy?
Suggested by Wammy author of the blog, "The Ellis Family Cincinnati."

Joy, happiness, the heart. Those very subjects have been on my mind a lot recently. Partly because of the Go Red For Women movement, and yesterday was, Wear Red Day, but also Valentine's Day is just a week away, and the TV is absolutely saturated with sappy romantic movies, but also because one or two old loves have crossed my mind lately, one in a dream, the other was mentioned to me by a mutual acquaintance. Men! Sheesh. LOL.

But lets stay focused... shall we? What fills my heart with joy? Oh my, well, that's easy, because, you see, I love a variety of sights, sounds and experiences. My camera and I find adventure in photography. The camera can zoom in so close that I can see the tiny hairs on a bumble bee without disturbing it, or take me to the very top of the Golden Gate bridge, so I can see that funny little warning light that alerts the low flying aircraft, up close. It gives me little moments that last forever. Sounds great, right? It is, but sometimes I get a bit obsessive when I am on a roll with my photography, and sometimes I forget to step back into the real world.

The other day, someone mentioned that they hadn't seen me around for a while, and I realized it had been just about 2 years since I had visited my favorite book store. Can you believe it? I had been to book stores mind you, even bought a book or two, but it had been that long since I visited my favorite independent book seller. I hadn't even realized how long it had been, I was just moving on in life. You know? There is a strange disconnect in that I think. But you see, photography fills my heart, every single day, and sometimes there isn't much time for other activities. I am hoping to change that somewhat, by looking for more balance in life. Time for reading, time for photography, time for working out, time for playing with the new babies, and so on.

So, what has had me so busy the last couple years...

Egrets In Autumn...


Summer Days By The Pacific...

Sleeping Cats...


Public Art...
Butterflies Hitching A Ride On My Wrist...

Cold Stormy Days By The Golden Gate...

Night Photography At The Vista In Marin County...


Cats With Attitude...
Amazing Sunsets...

French Onion Soup On A Cold Night...

Homemade Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies...

Actually, Any Old Autumn Day Will Do...

All the things that fill my heart with joy!

:)

Any old autumn day can fill my heart with joy, but especially one that contains pumpkins! LOL. I actually still have 2 pumpkins in my living room right now, left over from last October. Still in good shape, still reminding me of how sensuous autumn is. Autumn makes fills my heart with joy, but so do lots of things, like old friends, and good books, my kittens and my husband. You know... photography has the ability to heal me like nothing else can!

;) How about you? What fills your heart with joy?

I am looking forward to seeing what everyone else came up for this challenge.

Come Blog Jog With Me...

Linking List

Wammy... The Ellis Family Cincinnati
Posted!

Karen... Outpost Mavarin
Posted!

Monica... Click Shots
Posted!

Gwenlyn... Greenchair
Posted!

Carly... Ellipsis
Posted!

Suzanne R... SuzyQ421's Photo Blog
Posted!

Kathy... Through The Viewfinder
Posted!

Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
Posted!

Yecap... Camera Obscura
Posted!

Sherrie... Sherrie's Stuff
Posted!

MavisMolly... Holly On The Run
**Welcome New Member** Posted!

Mojo... Why? What Have You Heard?
**Welcome New Member** Posted!

Marina... Milepebbles
Posted!

Valerie... Rosemary's Other Baby
Posted!

Dawn... Dawn's Drivel
Posted!

Jama... Sweet Memories


maryt/theteach... Work of the Poet
Posted!

Tj... Tj's Photo Expressions
Posted!

Teena... It's all about Me!
Posted!

Ourhomeschool... Through The Eye Of My Camera
Posted!

Saffron... CV Photographs... Do You See What I See?
Posted!

Be sure to visit the official Round Robin blog on Sunday, to learn the subject of our next challenge!

Oh, and about the main photo above. You may have read on my blog about how I am hopelessly addicted to Starbuck's, yes, it's true. My favorite drink is the Shaken Ice Tea Lemonade (passion tea) and my favorite snack is the Fruit & Cheese platter. YUM!


Thank you Wammy, this was an amazing challenge, and I learned a lot from it.

-Carly

It's National Wear Red Day

"He who has health, has hope. And he who has hope, has everything."

-Proverb

Today is National Wear Red Day to bring awareness to women's heart health. Heart disease is still the number one killer of women, so educating ourselves on nutrition and ways to take care of ourselves is more important than ever. There are all kinds of things that can be done to raise awareness to women's heart health and one of the easiest is to wear red today.

I have a picked out my red sweater, black skirt, and red handbag for the day, and I am going to go out into the world and show my support. I am thinking about the ladies in my family who struggled with heart disease, like my mother in law who suffered a heart attack late last year, after years of dealing with heart related conditions.


I'm wearing red for her.

How about you? Will you wear red tomorrow?

Go Red For Women Website

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #23: Winter Days

"May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night and a smooth road all the way to your door."

-Irish Blessing

NOW CLOSED!

EMPS #23: WINTER DAYS
It's winter, here in the northern hemisphere, but here in the San Francisco Bay Area, it was 80 degrees yesterday. What's a girl got to do to see some cold weather? Glad you asked. Your assignment for this week is to show me some WINTER DAYS in your neighborhood. Snow, rain, clear, yet icy conditions, bare trees, dead leaves, whatever accurately illustrates a WINTER DAY where you live.

Extra Credit: Show me the current temperature where you live. :)

Alternate Assignment...

EMPS #23A : WINTER DAYS/COLD THINGS
I know, I know... not all of you live in the northern hemisphere, and some of you who do, live in areas that don't necessarily see COLD weather even in winter, so for you folks I want you to find me anything Winter related. Ice. Frozen food. Ice Cream. An angry stare, a car first thing in the morning, a COLD salad or dessert. Anything WINTER/COLD.

Extra Credit: Show me something BLUE.

**Please Read**
You have until next Sunday, February 15th, 2009, at 9 PM ET to submit your EMPS assignment. Just post your entry to your blog or journal, then comeback here with the full link specific to this assignment. NO HYPERLINKS! The link you leave must be specific to this entry, not the general link to your blog or journal.

Linking List for EMPS#22: Rocks Or Stones 01/26/09

Now Closed!

1. Suzanne

2. Tammy

3. Gwenlyn

4. Judi

5. Karen

6. Greg

7. Terri

8. Jama

9. Wammy

10. Vicki

11. Mike

12. Connie

Well done everyone!

Now, send me some COLD thoughts this week... ok? Show me ! Or the alternate subject... BLUE. I will be looking forward to all your photos in the coming week! GO BE PHOTOGRAPHERS! See you next week with an all new EMPS assignment!

-Carly

4 Movies In 4 Weeks #4: New In Town

"Cinema should make you forget that you are sitting in a theater."

-Roman Polanski

I guess I should have named this series something besides, "4 Movies In 4 Weeks," because technically it has been 4 movies in 5 weeks! Oh well, whatever. Last night Alan and I went to see that last of the free movies we got from the Old Navy promotion. The movie we chose last night was,"New In Town," starring Rene Zellweger.

It was your typical "fish out of water' scenario, but who does that better then Rene Zellweger? The promos for the movie call it Bridget Jones goes to Fargo, and that is a pretty accurate assessment. It was a fun little "date night" movie, with plenty of laughs, although it was predictable at every turn. That's not always a bad thing, I went to this movie to see a Bridget Jones knock-off and that's what I got. I loved the Bridget Jones series, and would love to see at least one more film made in that series, but in the meantime this movie filled nicely. This movie, like Bridget Jones, drives home the point that sometimes life nudges you through doors you might have never considered going through on your own. Sometimes the best thing in life is a very closed door. :)

Harry Connick Jr., is just really nice to look at! You know? I swear he gets better looking all the time! I have been thinking about replacing David Duchovny in my sidebar "About Me" section with Harry... what do you think? It has been 5 years after all, and he hasn't found me, so maybe it's time to move on? Hmmm... letting go is so hard! LOL. I know my luck, just when I take him down, he will decide to log onto the Internet and Google his name and the word Ellipsis at the same time. And what will I have done? Replaced him! Bad... very bad! Nah... I will just leave him where he is, someday David... someday! Whiff/Sniff.

Anyway I would definitely recommend "New In Town." It is timely in the subject matter, the poor economy is affecting us all, so we could all use a little break from things. Go see it. Laugh. Forget about stuff. Go ahead. It's good for you, and it has been good for Alan and me. With those free tickets we have seen a "guy movie" a "chick flick" a "family friendly" movie, and a great "date night" film, all in one month. What could be wrong with that?

;)

-Carly
"Theater Seats"
Regal Theater
Dublin, California
January 30th, 2009
Late Afternoon

Here We Go Again

"A budget is just a method of worrying before you spend money, as well as afterward."

-Unknown

Here we go again...

Yesterday, a judge in Sacramento gave Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger his way, he granted Schwarzenegger permission to impose a work furlough on California state workers, which will require them to take 2 days off every month, without pay. It isn't a total surprise, I think I mentioned the possibility here late last summer, but I was really hoping it wouldn't come to this. We are in a better financial situation then we were back then, but it is still stressful to deal with.

Living in California is a trade off in many ways. It is unquestionably beautiful, and it's comfortable, but the cost of living is difficult, especially if you are a one income household. Jobs are becoming scarce, as more and more homes are foreclosed in the area, and companies are laying off. Earlier this week a chocolate company, here in Berkeley announced it's closing, and if you drive through any community here in the Bay Area, you will see more and more small businesses and companies gone. It's sad.

This move by the governor will cause a hardship for families already struggling under the pressure of the sunken economy. With this work furlough in place, more homes will end up in foreclosure, and as families will be forced to tighten the belts even further, and spending will drop even more. This idea of Schwarzenegger will help his budgetary problems initially, but it will devastate the economy of California for years to come, as we all struggle to recover. So why are we in this mess? Simple, the powers that be in California are too busy engaging in politics to care what they are doing to the rest of us.

And where is Washington?

Posturing mostly. Taking credit for how clever they are. President Obama has reached across the table to work with republicans, to try and find a solution to the stimulus resistance, what did he get for the gesture? Not a single republican in the house voted for the latest version of the stimulus package. Sigh. We have got to get on with life and rebuilding. California is not the only state with financial problems, we are all suffering. So where are the republicans this weekend? On a retreat to Virginia. Nice... very nice.

Every single politician, democrat or republican, that voted for the financial system bailout last autumn should be ashamed of themselves right now. I said it at the time that if there was no oversight, no accountability, it would end up exactly as it has. Millions and millions of dollars went to bonuses. But really, who didn't see that coming? It was a Bush parting gift to all of us, but hey, Obama voted for it knowing there was no accountability in sight, so what are you going to do?

Disappointing indeed.

Loans vs Grants to struggling states is still something that needs to be ironed out in the stimulus package. Personally, I don't really care which it is, we are at the point were something has to be done. Period.

Think good thoughts for California. Ok?

You can read more about the judge's decision by clicking the link below.

"Judge Approves Schwarzenegger's Worker Furlough Plan" (Sacramento Bee)

-Carly
California Capitol Building
Sacramento, California

It's A Chihuahua Stupid!

"Anyone who has never made a mistake, has never tried anything new."

-Albert Einstein



I took a couple days off from blogging this week, to relax a little bit, do some errands and take care of some business IRL (in real life). It was good to step away from the computer and just breathe a little. Alan had Tuesday and Wednesday off, so we were to spend both days together. We tried to do all the errands on Tuesday, so that we could have Wednesday free to have fun. We got almost everything done, except for some banking I needed to do. So, that meant that Wednesday was all ours!

Over breakfast Wednesday morning, I asked Alan what he wanted to do. "How about we finally go to the glaze studio?" Yikes... the glaze studio! I don't know why, but I have been avoiding doing that for at least 2 years. It sounded like fun, but I always came up with some reason to avoid trying it. Who knows why. Alan thought it would be fun and different to go there and make a plate or a bowl or a mug, but it just didn't really seem like something I wanted to do. But since we take turns choosing what we do together on his days off, and it was his turn to choose, I decided to be a good Joe and so off to the pottery shop we went.

It was a smallish shop, but the selection was nice, and the room was really well lit and bright. Alan chose a mug off the shelf on cleaned pottery, and I browsed a bit, finally deciding on a small cat figurine. I thought it would be fun to paint a little Dylan that I could put on my desk. I had it all worked out in my head. A figurine of Dylan this time, and I would make one of Hendrix on my next visit. Yep, it was a plan! I picked out the colors, the brushes, and a stencil of the Chinese symbol for Peace & Balance. I thought it would be creative, and a nice tribute to Dylan, to put that on the back of the kitty, to represent what Dylan means to me. He is a very peaceful creature, and when we cuddle I feel comfortable and balanced.

Excellent. It was a plan!

As I painted my kitty, we talked about what we might do the rest of the day. It was getting close to lunchtime, and I was beginning to feel hungry, so I suggested that when we were done, it might be nice to go out for a nice lunch of burritos or maybe a Taco salad. He agreed. Again it was a plan. I don't know why, but I was really hungry for Mexican food. Yummy.

Just as I was putting the finishing touches on my kitty, Alan remarked on how big the ears were on my figurine were. I hadn't noticed, but when I looked closer, I saw that they were... kinda large for a cat. Oh well, Dylan has big pink ears, so that would make it all the more realistic! Right? When we took our pieces to the counter to pay for them, the lady smiled and rang them up.

"Let's see... 1 large coffee mug, and 1 Chihuahua figurine."

Chihuahua?

"It's a Chihuahua figurine, not a cat?" I asked.

"Ummm... yes... It's a Chihuahua," snickered the lady at the glaze studio.

Well... that explains my hunger for Mexican food!

ROFL.

I really need to get out of the house more often!



I can't even tell the difference between a cat and a chihuahua!

Alan and I laughed and laughed at my mistake. It felt good to poke fun at my silly myself. I swear, that little dog, looked like a cat to me! I will get the piece back in a couple weeks, and I will post a photo of it. You'll see. A Mexican dog, painted to look like an orange tabby cat, with the Chinese symbol of Peace and Balance on it's back! LOL. It's an original Carly to be sure.

:)


Stay Tuned!


-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot # 22: Rocks Or Stones

"A pile of rocks ceases to be a rock when somebody contemplates it with the idea of a cathedral in mind."

-Antoine de Saint-Exupery

If you come to San Francisco, you will see these rocks sticking up in the bay. They are located right next to the Golden Gate Bridge on the north side, just as you are entering in Marin County. They are the inspiration for this week's assignment.

EMPS #22: ROCKS or STONES.
Grab your cameras and show me some ROCKS. Big ROCKS, little ROCKS. LittleROCK, Arkansas, STONE soup. A Zen garden with decorative ROCKS, or how about ROCK cliffs? Sure, why not! A Pet ROCK, or ROCK candy. Take the words ROCK or STONE and use your imagination. ROCK music. ROCKING chair. ROCK ON! Stepping STONES. The Rolling STONES... it's all good!

Extra Credit: Show me actual ROCK or STONE in an unusual or special place.

**PLEASE READ**
The deadline for this Monday Photo Shoot assignment is next Sunday, February 1st, 2009, at 9:00 PM ET. Please remember to comeback here, to this entry with the direct link to your entry, specific to this photo shoot assignment. Please... NO HYPERLINKS! It must be a link only to the entry specific to this assignment, not a general link to your blog or journal.

Linking List for EMPS #21: Youngins'. 01/19/09

NOW CLOSED!

1. Jama gets things off to an adorable start, with a baby monkey and his bottle. :) Way too cute!

2. Suzanne has three photos for us of her grand kids. Happy little ones. :)

3. Karen brings us little girls in floppy hats. :)

4. Vicki took her youngins' fishing. Fun in the sun! :)

5. Annie's youngins' smile for the camera! Delightful kids. :)

6. Vicki features a baby plus a binky! :)

7. Terri's youngins' shows us the most proper way to take a nap! Yes, I agree! :)

8. Wammy shows us a photo of her grand kids... HAPPY TOGETHER! :)

9. Mike wraps things up for us with three photos. A polar bear cub and it's mommy, children viewing dolphins, and a wonderful, smiling golden puppy. Awww! :)

Well, you guys had me smiling from ear to ear this week! Well done everyone! So, go be PHOTOGRAPHERS! I will see you next week with an all new Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot Assignment!

-Carly

Be Like A Duck

"Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but paddling like the dickens underneath."

-Michael Caine

A couple weeks ago I woke up in the middle of the night with a name in my head. It wasn't someone I knew personally, but it was familiar all the same. Just who was this Evelyn Boosby person, and why was I thinking about her? I thought and thought about it all day and most of that night. Finally, in a fit of, well, a fit, I broke down and asked Alan if he knew who she was.

"No, never heard of her." Said he. "Could she maybe be an old school teacher?" Hmm... an old school teacher huh? I contemplated his suggestion for an hour or so, but in the end I dismissed it. I couldn't remember the names of every teacher I had ever studied under, but I knew for certain none of them were ever named Evelyn Boosby. Who is this Evelyn Boosby anyway?

I went about my business the next few days, with only intermittent harassment by Evelyn Boosby. I had a lot to do with the kitties, and getting the last of the Christmas decorations put away. I always procrastinate on taking Christmas decorations down. I miss the holiday when it is gone so much. The lights, the decorations, the anticipation of what might be in that cute little box under the tree. Plus, cats are especially fun around the holidays. Cat people know that's true... right cat people? LOL. The other reason for procrastination is the pain in my shoulder, the one I have had since I pulled my rotator cuff a couple years ago. But put Christmas away I did, but I also went for a new Xray of my right shoulder. Yep, that pain is indeed arthritis. Fine. Now I have it in both knees and my right shoulder. Fine.

More then likely it was the direct fault of this Evelyn Boosby person! Ok. Full stop. I am now beginning to blame my arthritis on someone, who I am not sure I have ever even met, who for the time being anyway only lives in my brain. Time to track this person down, but where to start? Fortunately for me I have the entire Internet, right at my fingertips. I will consult GOOGLE. Not one single listing for an Evelyn Boosby huh? What to do, what to do.

Well, what do I know about her? Well, she lives in my brain. Does her name ring any other bells? Yes, Ryan O' Neal comes to mind. Fine, I will GOOGLE Ryan O' Neal. Wait a minute... Ryan O'Neal? LOL. Well, I viewed about 5 different sights, including Wikipedia, and it shed no light on Evelyn Boosby at all. Nada. Nothing. Sigh. Hmmm... could she be a character from an old TV show?

I hopped on over to TV.com and began searching all the old TV shows currently showing on TV Land. See, I usually fall asleep to those old shows on Sunday and Monday nights, when Alan is working. I know, falling asleep with the TV on is not the best idea, but it's creepy around here sometimes and it's nice to have a little background noise as I drift off. On the other hand, could this be why I have this person's name in my head.

Ummm... yep. It turns out the name is actually Evelyn Boothby, and she was a character Wally Cleaver dated on an episode of "Leave It To Beaver." Holy cow! I have been walking around with the name of an ex-girlfriend of Wally Cleaver in my brain. Yes, going to sleep with the TV set to TV Land is a bad thing. LOL. Maybe I should try the music channels or a nice cooking channel or something. LOL. Of course then I run the risk of waking up with an uncontrollable urge to make sushi or something. Not that Alan would complain. LOL. Oh well, anyway, the mystery is solved. And ooh... a bonus... Ryan O' Neal was in the episode! So how cool is that?

Strange. Very Strange.

:)

Leave It To Beaver
Season 5
Episode 1
First Aired 9/30/1961
Rated 9.1
"Wally Goes Steady"
Mary Mitchell as Evelyn Boothby

-Carly
"Toy of Toys"
Berkeley, California
January 25th, 2009
Morning

Round Robin Challenge: Not Of The Season

"To be interesting in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring."

-George Santayana

This challenge was my idea wasn't it? LOL. Immediately after I suggested it, the sun stopped shining in the Bay Area, and all those lovely spring conditions were replaced with rain, and chilly temperatures and well... winter conditions! LOL. Which isn't very surprising because, it's winter! SMILE. Oh well, I was able to find some suitable photos for the challenge in my archive, but that's fine too. So, for your viewing pleasure, are some previously unpublished photos that fit the challenge...

The first one was taken last autumn at Pastorino's Pumpkin Patch. What caught my eye was the gorgeous springlike flowers in the those lovely pastel colors, and right in the same frame was the very symbol of autumn... a jack-o-lantern. The scene just appealed to me somehow. Some of my very favorite things, coming together in one pretty little shot. Photographic bliss!

Roses In December?


I consider this rose one of my Christmas/Hanukkah presents from the last holiday season. It started to bloom early in the week, but opened completely on Christmas Eve. Roses, in December? I love my roses, but I had a terrible year with them. Between the ants and the aphids, my lovely roses ended up all but dead. I had given up, but this hardy little rose came through for me. My favorite of all the roses, it's called Green Ice. It was a nice surprise. It has encouraged me to start getting the garden into shape for this spring, beginning next month. Wish me luck!

Be sure to visit all the participating Robins for this challenge. Simply follow the links below...

Linking List ** Welcome New Members!**

Carly... Ellipsis
Posted!

Monica... Photographer's Choice
Posted!

Karen... Outpost Mavarin
Posted!

Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
Posted!

Terri... Ways I See The World
Posted!

**Gwenlyn... Greenchair
Posted!

Vicki... Maraca
Posted!

Suzanne R... SuzyQ421s Photo Blog
Posted!

Jama... Sweet Memories
Posted!

Linda... Mommy's Treasures


Marina... Milepebbles
Posted!

Jill... South Bay Soliloquy
Posted!

Julie... Julie's Web Journal
Posted!

Kathy... Through the Viewfinder
Posted!

**Chris... Camera Obscura
Posted!

-rRose... WAIT-NOTYET-MOUNTAIN RIVER WHISPERS


Annie... Pictures of Craziness


Sherrie... Sherrie's Stuff
Posted!

**Basir Seerat... Basir Seerat's Photography


Connie... Far Side Of Fifty Photos
Posted!

Wammy... The Ellis Family Cincinnati
Posted!



Remember, there is still time to play along with the challenge, but if you can't make it for this round, stop by the Round Robin blog on Sunday to find out what our next challenge will be. :)

-Carly
"Pumpkin And Flowers"
Pastorino's Pumpkin Patch
Half Moon Bay, California
October, 2008
Afternoon

She's Just A Little Bit Caught In The Middle...

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening."

-Coco Chanel

Milly Dress worn by Dr. Jill Biden on Inauguration Day, 2009


My favorite things to talk about are boys, hair and make-up. LOL. Well, you can also get me to talk about cats and politics once in a while. WINK. But every now and again all my favorite subjects converge, like on inauguration day. With the exception of cats, I got to talk about all of my favorite subjects with the other ladies waiting in line to claim our free cosmetics at MACY*S. The inaugural fashion was on every one's mind, including mine. I wondered what folks would think about the clothes chosen by Michele Obama, and Jill Biden. The ladies I spoke to have mixed feelings. Personally, I like Michele Obama's dress and coat very much, it suited her, but I thought Jill Biden looked especially adorable in her outfit.

While both choices suited the women who wore them, I thought Jill Biden looked more comfortable in her choice. Her outfit has been panned by some as "too sexy" because of the length of the Milly dress she wore, and the boots which were, according to some, "too high." Personally, I don't see any reason why she would need to dress dowdy, just because it was an inauguration. She is a beautiful woman, with a cute little figure, I say show off your youthful side girl! She was dressed wonderfully. End of story.

It's fun to have women about my age, or a little older, to watch in regards to fashion. Princess Diana was my age, and I loved seeing her fashion choices in magazines. She was a strong role model in more then one area of life, and I missed her after her death. On a serious note, she actively worked with compassion, to bring awareness and sensitivity to those who suffered from depression. I will always appreciate her for helping me feel less alone, and better about seeking help. She was more than her fashion, so it irks me to see someone dismissed for superficial reasons. It should be interesting watching these two ladies over the next 4 years, I for one am looking forward to seeing what comes next from these two ladies, be it fashion or the causes they are passionate about.

What do you think about the fashion choices of Michelle Obama and Jill Biden? Has the critiques so far been fair? Do you have a favorite designer? Play fashionista for a moment, how would you have done things differently? Tell me what you think!

Official White House Biography of Michele Obama

Official White House Biography of Dr. Jill Biden


-Carly

Woo Hoo Free Cosmetics!

"When a cat rubs the side of it's face along your leg, it's affectionately marking you with it's scent, identifying you as it's private property, saying, in affect, 'You belong to me.'"

-Susan McDonough

Yesterday, I took a few moments out of celebrating the absence of George W. Bush, by picking up my free cosmetics from MACY*S. It seems that MACY*S, among other stores, got caught price fixing certain cosmetics items between May of 1994 and July of 2003! As a result, the unscrupulous stores mentioned in the ensuing lawsuit, were forced to giveaway, for free, $175 million worth of free cosmetics to those who had purchased cosmetics during those years. Each customer was allowed one product from a list of 19 or so products. I chose Vera Wang's Princess Body Polish (shower gel).

It has such a pretty and light scent. I haven't tried Vera Wang's fragrances before, but after trying it I think I might get the perfume as well. It is fun, and spicy, and I am enjoying it very much. It's perfect for daytime. The fragrance I use most often is Christian Dior's Poison, but I have been using that since I was in my 20's, and sometimes a girl just needs a change. I have been considering making a few changes to my wardrobe recently as well. Alan likes me in skirts, and I enjoy wearing them, so maybe I will wear them more often this year, and now I have a nice new fragrance to complete it all. Kohl's has some lovely styles by Vera Wang, she is my favorite designer, so I will go there soon and have a look see. Maybe something new for spring. SMILE. There's nothing like a free makeup giveaway to make a girly-girl smile!

Do you qualify for some free cosmetics? If you have already picked up your free product, what did you get? What perfume or cologne do you wear most often? Did you know about the lawsuit? You can read all about the lawsuit here. The stores involved in the lawsuit have until January 26th to distribute the free cosmetics. But don't wait too long, it's only as supplies last!

Cosmetics Cases Information Website

-Carly

It's Going To Be A Good Day!

"As Americans, we can take enormous pride in the fact that courage has been inspired by our own struggle for freedom, by the tradition of democratic law secured by our forefathers and enshrined in our Constitution. It is a tradition that says that all men are created equal under the law and that no one is above it."

-Barack Obama

:) I think today is going to be a good day! :)

-Carly
"Inauguration 2009"
January 20th, 2009

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #21: Youngins'

"In youth we learn; in age we understand."

-Maria Von Ebner-Eschenbach

NOW CLOSED!

EMPS #21: Youngins'.
This week lets have some fun with youth, ours or someone else's. Grab your cameras and show me some YOUNGINS'. Kittens, puppies, baby birds, baby carrots, baby elephants, seedlings, a new moon, human babies and children, anything or anyone that is currently in it's YOUTH will do. So let your imaginations out to play with this one. If you do choose to show off some human YOUNGINS' please remember not to give away their exact locations in your entries. John Scalzi used to pass along that bit of wisdom when he was running that Monday Photo Shoot, and it just seems like a good thing to continue doing. So keep that in mind when you do your posting. :)

Extra Credit: As in my photo above show me sibling YOUNGINS'.

***PLEASE READ***

You have until next Sunday evening at 9:00 PM ET to get the photo, post it to your blog or journal and comeback here with the direct link to your entry that is specific to this photo shoot assignment. Please remember, it must be the full link back, not a general link to your blog or journal. NO HYPERLINKS ACCEPTED! Also, please include a link back to this entry, so that others can also do the photo shoot assignment. The more the merrier... right? :)

Linking List for EMPS #20: Snack Time! 01/12/09

NOW CLOSED!

1. Jama

2. Karen

3. Suzanne

4. Judi

5. Terri

6. Laura

7. Em Dy

Well done everyone! Now GO BE PHOTOGRAPHERS! I will see you next Monday with an all new Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot assignment!

-Carly
"Youngins"
Santa Cruz, California
Summer 2006
Afternoon

Bush's Legacy

"The direct use of force is such a poor solution to any problem, it is generally employed only by small children and large nations."

-David Friedman

To some, the crosses on the hill in Lafayette, California, are simply crosses on a hill. To others it is a travesty, and to a different group of folks it represents the lives of the men and women who gave their lives for the service of their country. This simple memorial has been maligned, and vandalized. It has been protested and has been the scene of classing ideals. A part of me is still surprised that it was allowed to remain, but indeed it has quietly stood up to the controversy over the last few years, and it continues to honor those brave souls who died in Iraq for the freedom to make this statement.

Dick Cheney chose to ban the images of flag draped coffins returning home from Iraq. An apparent move to suppress the hurt we all felt because of these losses, hidden under the guise of respect to the fallen. It's hard for me to believe that true respect for our military was a priority for the Bush Administration, when we have been lied to so much. Respect? Was it respectful to start an unnecessary war? Was it respectful to send those men and women off to fight a war with poor, or substandard equipment? How about all those no-bid contracts? How about paying private security firms to patrol in Iraq at higher pay then we were giving our military? Was it respectful when the Bush Administration failed to send the proper amount of military personal in the beginning? How about how the soldiers that came back? Has anyone ever explained why the conditions at Walter Reed were allowed to fall to where they were?

Bush and Cheney have been working at rewriting history. Dick Cheney has admitted to war crimes. If either of these two men think that one day history will show them in a positive light, they are oh so wrong. I am hoping when Tuesday comes and goes the only time I will ever hear of these two men again, will be in the context of a trial and conviction for their many crimes against America and humanity... but I won't hold my breath. I suppose all I can really hope for is a quiet goodbye come Tuesday. There is a part of me who never believed Bush would actually leave office. I feared that he would come up with some sideways move no one saw coming, as an excuse to stay in power. I will not rest easy until I see Obama take the oath of office. Then I will believe Bush is finally gone. The oppression we have been forced to endure has been at times overwhelming, and it has left us tired, broke and beaten down.



The crosses on the hill in Lafayette is, and will always be, Bush's legacy.

"Sometimes I think it should be a rule of war that you have to see somebody up close and get to know him before you can shoot him."

-Colonel Potter, (Henry Morgan) M*A*S*H

-Carly
"Crosses On The Hill"
Lafayette, California
January 17th, 2009
Afternoon

4 Movies In 4 Weeks #3: Paul Blart: Mall Cop

"It would have been more logical if silent pictures had grown out of the talkies, instead of the other way around."

-Mary Pickford

Last night Alan and I went to see "Paul Blart: Mall Cop." It was Alan's turn to pick a movie, and that is the one he chose. "Really?" I thought, but I went without too much of a fuss, because I figured it was only fair, in that a week earlier I had forced him to endure the chick flick, "Bride Wars." So what if it seemed a little sophomoric from it's trailers, it has the hunky Kevin James in it! Right? Well, I find Kevin James hunky, and besides, he has nice eyes. :) "Ok Alan, why not?"

The Sacramento Bee's review of the movie recommended it for about 8 years old and up. Yeah, that's about right. Rated PG, it was funny, but had a couple of moments that some parents might find a bit questionable, such as one particular scene in a bar, but overall there wasn't anything in it that I haven't already seen on network TV, including the story itself. Don't get me wrong, it was a funny movie, with the proper amount of slapstick that especially appealed to the under 13 year in the audience, and the big kids at heart, like Alan. Heck, I even laughed out loud, and that felt mighty good.

It was predictable in places, and yet it managed to throw me a curve here and there. It was sweet at times, and even though the main character was a man, anyone who has ever felt less then good enough for the world, would be able to identify with his struggles. I did. Male or female, we have all felt the sting of rejection, or the difficulties of trying too hard to impress someone, and most of us have had to watch a dream or two slip from our hands. The movie showed us how those things affected Paul Blart, and his response to them. And that's a good thing. He was someone you could identify with to varying degrees, but mostly if you have ever felt like the underdog, and who hasn't felt that way at least once? Every now and again, it is good to cheer on the underdog with a heart of gold. Last night the audience cheered Paul Blart on... loudly! LOL. It was fun to watch both the movie, and the crowd's response to him.

It was just the right length at 87 minutes. Don't you just hate a movie that goes on and on forever with useless dialog and scenes? Ugg. This was a good movie, that didn't try to be too deep, that stuck to the story with very few diversions, and which concentrated at simply telling the story as it unfolded. Applause, applause. It was co-produced by Adam Sandler, Jeff Sussman and Kevin James, and you could see Sandler's influence everywhere in the film. Especially if you saw the movie, "I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry." In fact, the only thing missing was Adam Sandler. LOL. Nah, actually, he would have been unnecessary, and that is the point I am making, it was a good movie because there wasn't anything out of place. Very few comedies seem to do that right.

You'll laugh, and that's a good thing. You can take the kids to see it, and that's a good thing too. Go see it. It's a good thing.

I give it 4 out of 5 kernels of popcorn.

-Carly
"In The Aisles"
Dublin, California

Steven's Feline And Furball Friday: Dylan The Wild Child

"Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still."

-Dorothea Lange

What can I say? This photo was, of course, a mistake, but after I downloaded it to the computer, along with the other photos from this session, I decided I liked it. Knowing Dylan as I do, I can see in it, his inner lion, stalking his prey. See, Dylan is a bit of a putty-tat. Those of you who own cats know exactly what I mean. There are pussycats, and then there are putty-tats. Putty-tats are love bugs. Like Sylvester, they try their best to stalk and then catch their prey, but more often then not they are almost always outwitted by the object of their stalking, even by the inanimate objects. It can be highly entertaining to watch. In Dylan's case, it is not an inanimate object at all, it's his brother Hendrix. Hendrix has already shown great potential in stalking and attacking, but Dylan rarely puts his claws out, and almost never bites. Like I said, he is my love bug. But if you need him to catch a plastic ball with a bell in it in midair... then Dylan is your cat! :)

I haven't played Steven's Feline and Furball Friday in far too long. Friday is the day for pets, go see Steven for all the details!

-Carly
"Wild Child"
Berkeley, California
January 14th, 2009
Afternoon

How Did We Get Here?

"Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak whispers the o'er-fraught heart and bids it break."

- William Shakespeare

It's winter. And for some reason winter seems to bring the blues, even if the sun is shining everyday. I have been a little blue lately, even as we have been experiencing the record setting warmth here in the Bay Area. Why? Good question. I am not sure why. I have some a couple ideas though. It could be that Inauguration Day can't come soon enough for me. I am still going to sleep every night grinding my teeth in anger at what Bush has done to America, and the insidious way he is trying to rewrite history. But that isn't the only thing on my mind, and this entry isn't about him.

Something happened here in the Bay Area a couple weeks ago, that I am not sure has gotten the nationwide attention it probably should have. I touched on it a few entries back. A young man named, Oscar Grant, was on his way home from San Francisco in the wee hours of January 1st, when a fight broke out between two groups of young men while riding BART. The fight was responded to by BART police, who broke up the fighting, then proceeded to arrest the men accordingly. The next events are somewhat mysterious and tragic. During the process of arrest, Oscar Grant was shot in the back, and killed, by a BART police officer, Johannes Mehserle.

There have been many, many amateur videos of the shooting playing on every news channel since the beginning of January. Taken, of course, from different perspectives around the BART station where the incident occurred. They show what happened from different angles, and different time frames. Oscar Grant was laying face down on the platform, with his hands behind his back, and another BART police officer bending down next to him. He was well restrained and not resisting arrest. But in one of the clearest videos, you could see clearly that Officer Mehserle pulled out his gun, pointed it at Oscar Grant, and pulled the trigger. Oscar Grant died a few hours later.

What happened? Why did Officer Mehserle pull the trigger? Did he snap? Did he make a mistake? Or was it a case of cold blooded murder? The videos don't tell you his side of the story. But make no mistake. There was one. We just have to get to it. The video is strong evidence against him. It was unthinkable. After I viewed it I immediately felt angry and sick that something like that had happened. I was just as outraged as everyone else in the Bay Area as the investigation seemed to drag along, with very few answers being offered. BART did not handle things well. Not well at all. And the family and friends have had to endure the pain of losing a son, boyfriend, friend, father, at the age of 22. What a way to begin 2009!

Mr. Mesherle was arrested a couple days ago in Zephyr Cove Nevada. The police knew where to find him, and there is no indication he tried to run. In fact, he went with the arresting officers peacefully. The evening news showed a clip the his extradition hearing, and I had expected to see a monster walk into the courtroom, based on what I had seen for myself through the videos on the news, but the young man who walked into that courtroom was anything but a monster. He was shackled, and visibly shaken. He stood tall, but had a child like innocence to him. He had a look on his face, which I believe was genuine. It seemed to say, how did I get here? What happened? I don't understand. Mr. Mesherle is just 27, making him just 5 years older then the man he shot.

No one understands the death of a 22 year old. No matter how it happens. No one understands the cowardly act of shooting a person in the back. No matter why. No one understands murder. Justice is very often misunderstood. How to give it and how to achieve it. Mr. Mesherle will be in an Oakland courtroom later today to face charges of murder. Time will tell to what degree of murder it will be. Some things are certain at this point. An unlawful killing took place at the hands of Mr. Mesherle. Two tragedies took place that night. Two families have lost a son in their 20's and every ones life is a little different right now. How this will play out is anybodies guess, because so far only one side of the story is apparent. I want to know more.

Why did he pull his weapon on an unarmed, restrained man? There is an answer to that question, but for the life of me I can't think of what it might be. In the meantime there is grief all around. Two peaceful protests regarding this case, have been turned upside down by rioting, resulting in multiple businesses being vandalized by splinter groups of the original peaceful protest planners. How damaging businesses that have nothing to do with the case completely escapes me. But there are opportunists everywhere I suppose. All I know is that the actions of those involved in the rioting amounts to an injustice, which is strange, because isn't that what the peaceful protest is pleading for? Justice? But I wonder, considering what's happened, can there be justice at this point?

Oscar Grant's life is over. Mr. Mesherle is facing years, maybe more like decades in prison if convicted. Can he get a fair trial under the circumstances? Are there 12 people out there right now who haven't seen the video for themselves? What happened? Why? My heart goes out to the family of Oscar Grant, and to the parents of Mr. Mesherle, who woke up this morning to a bomb threat. Why hurt his parents because of his actions? It is all so sad. No matter what, life will be forced to go on, and we may never know what happened, or why Oscar Grant had to die.

:( {{{WEEP}}}

ABC 7 Video Page (Several videos of different aspects of the case are available)

-Carly
"In Janaury"
San Francisco, California

My Babies Are Growing Up Too Fast

"If there is a spot of sun spilling onto the floor, a cat will soak it up."

-Joan Asper McIntosh


Can you believe how big Dylan as gotten? And Hendrix is even bigger! We took both boys for the weigh-in yesterday, and here is the result. Dylan is now 4 lbs 10 oz and Hendrix is, hold onto your hats, 6 lbs, 9 1/2 ounces! He is almost 2 pounds heavier then his brother! Goodness... where have my little fuzzy babies gone?

We don't know their exact age, but Dr. B guesses that they are within a week or so in age, and they were probably born very late in August, or maybe the first of September, so we decided to make September 3rd their official birthday. I haven't decided yet if we will do a party in the yard for them the way we did Elvis. They are their own people, although they were great fun during Christmas and Hanukkah, so we will probably do something special. Think a party at Chuck-E-Cheese might be a good idea?LOL. Wouldn't you love to see those party photos?

We let them out in the yard yesterday to let them run around and play for a while. The weather has been really warm for January, with temperatures reaching the low 70's. Glorious weather... really, really nice, so used the opportunity to get in some practice using Alan's camera. I am really hesitant to use it, if I lost the lens cap, or scratched the lens, I would feel so bad, but on the other hand, my boys are growing so fast that I want to save as many memories as I can. You know... they have both lost all their kitten fuzz! How can that be? ;)

Dylan is my boy. He cuddles with me and sits on my lap while I do my blogging or other online activities. Hendrix is Alan's cat. He follows him around and runs for the door when he hears him get home from work. Hendrix loves hugs, and will stretch upwards with his front feet stretched upwards so he can be picked up. Dylan prefers the snuggle to a hug, but both boys love to show affection and that is really nice. Dylan plays a game of fetch with me each night before bed, while Hendrix carries his favorite stuffed animal "Chip" around the house, biting and chewing on him, then saving him and grooming him when he is done. It's so much fun to watch him carry Chip around. By the way, "Chip" is a squirrel, and was named after the squirrel that used to be the logo for Blue Chip Stamps. Remember Blue Chip stamps?


What do you think? Is there a resemblance? LOL.



I love my fur babies! :)

Dylan, November 6th, 2008

Hendrix, October 28th, 2008

-Carly
"Dylan In The Sun"
Berkeley, California
January 13th 2009
Afternoon

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #20: Snack Time!

"Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking, if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity."

-Voltaire NOW CLOSED!

Can you believe we are on our 20th photo shoot assignment? You guys have been incredibly supportive, thank you so much for playing along! You make me smile. Now... on to the assignment!

My snack alarm goes off everyday at 3:30 PM on the dot. Most often, I crave something sweet. I don't always give in, but sometimes I do. This week I am looking to broaden my horizons a bit. Show me what you snack on, when you cave to temptation!

EMPS #20: SNACK TIME!
An afternoon SNACK, a midnight SNACK, a mid-morning SNACK. It's all good. Chips and Salsa, a baked sweet potato, a slice of Starbuck's Reduced Fat Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake, cheese and crackers, fresh veggies and dip, tea and cakes, BBQ potato chips, fresh fruit, Bagel Bites, popcorn, PB&J. Whatever you like to SNACK on, is mighty good for this assignment!

Extra Credit: Show me your favorite dish, bowl or tray to serve it on!

**Please Read**

You have until 9:00 PM ET next Sunday night to complete the photo shoot assignment, and post it to your Blog or Journal, and comeback here with a direct link. NO HYPERLINKS! It must be the full URL back to the entry specific to this photo shoot. Also, it would be really good to include a link back here, so other folks can join in the assignment! :)

Linking List for EMPS #19: NAP TIME 01/05/2009

NOW CLOSED!

1. Judi

2. Liz

3. Suzanne

4. Karen

5. Em Dy

6. Linda

7. Laura

8. Terri

9. Connie

10. Mike

Ok everyone, GO BE PHOTOGRAPHERS! Make me hungry this week, with pictures of delicious SNACKS! See you next Monday with an all new photography assignment!

-Carly
"Starbuck's Reduced Fat Cinnamon Swirl Coffeecake"
Starbucks
Berkeley, California
November, 2008
Afternoon

4 Movies In 4 Weeks #2: Bride Wars

"I've learned that life is too short and movies are too long."

-Denis Leary

Last Friday was Alan's birthday, so we had a nice dinner, followed by dessert, followed by presents, then it was time to choose a movie. See, in addition to being his birthday, it was also the second Friday of our 4 week movie blitz! We have the month of January to use the 8 free movie tickets we got from an Old Navy promotion. What should we pick this week? In that it was Alan's birthday, I was fully prepared to let him choose the movie for the second time. "Nah, you pick this week," said he, "I want next week instead." Ok," said I, not wasting a moment to pick a chick flick. And boy did I!

Bride Wars was nothing short of a chick flick, and it wasn't anything more either. Typical... that best describes it. Not that I am complaining or anything, it totally delivered on fluff and lightness, but it did have more then one serious moments too. Not the kind that leave a lump in your throat for months, but more like gentle moments between female friends that all women know about. I don't want to give anything away, but the truth is, women can be competitive, sometimes brutally so, and that is just the facts ma'am.

Sometimes it's over a the last pair of Woodstock slippers at the Charles Schulz museum store, and sometimes it's over a wedding. That was me by the way, fighting over the Woodstock slippers. LOL. Guess what? I won! In the movie it was a wedding date being fought over, and nobody won there. But there was a happy ending. Like all chick flicks... there is always a happy ending.

Kate Hudson was gorgeous in the movie, even with blue hair. She looks and sounds more like her mother, Goldie Hawn, every single day! Anne Hathaway was great as her best friend, and fellow bride to be, although she seemed a little flat from time to time. There was a good bit of suspension of disbelief, but it wasn't that deep a film, so I just brushed it aside, and enjoyed seeing where the story went. It seemed like there might be a hint of a sequel at the end, which would be a bad idea. Just let this story end here. Good story. Ok chick flick. Fun. No need to over think it.

I give it 2 1/2 popcorn kernels out of 5.

-Carly
"Popcorn In Neon"
Dublin, California
January 9th, 2009
Late Evening