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The Waking
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I cannot go.
We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.
Light takes the Tree, but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me; so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.
This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.
--Theodore Roethke
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Joy's Updates - Straight from the Horse's Mouth.
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Sunday, December 30, 2007
Lists, Memorials, and More Lists
This is the time of year that we see lists everywhere for the best and worst of all kinds of things, people who died during the year, top stories, and resolutions or goals for the coming year. I have my usual goals and always hope I'll reach them. Perhaps this will be the year I lose weight, get my house organized, exercise, and win the lottery. What about you? Any lists? Any resolutions? Chris has some good lists on his blog. I might come up with some lists of my own if I can remember books and movies well enough to do it.
12:50:00 PM
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Experiences
There are some things I'm glad I am getting around to later like reading the Harry Potter books all in a row and not having to wait a year between them. That was great! Now I want some suggestions for books I can enjoy as much as I did those. Please email or put some suggestions in the comments.
Brian is helping me with this and gave me some books for Christmas he thinks I'll enjoy. So far, hilarious with Good Omens! Love it! I really should have been living in England all these years or at least have had an Englishman here for my own. Oh well. At least I can read what they write and watch them on TV and in movies. But I digress. He also gave me some Terry Pratchett books. I'll give you a report.
Jackie, Tina, and I went to Franklin today and browsed the shops on Main Street. Jackie and Ed are planning to move here in a couple of years, which is exciting. We had lunch with Brian at Pei Wei since he works near Maryland Farms and enjoyed that.
I'm off to Kathy's tomorrow for a couple of days.
Tell me things. I need some comments to get on with my life. Help me out here, please!
11:03:00 PM
Monday, December 24, 2007
Merry Christmas!
I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and hope your holidays are filled with love, peace, and warmth.
12:04:00 PM
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
One Laptop Per Child
Did any of you see the piece about the laptops for children in developing countries on 60 Minutes Sunday? The "Give One Get One" program is what I'm thinking about participating in. It would be the cheapest laptop with the features this has and would help children who get them learn new skills and have access to more information.
This would be a good laptop for Brendan to use. He typed names of places in the Cool Springs Mall food court as well as some other places he likes Saturday night when he was here and could spell most of them correctly. Since he sounded out all the words, some were spelled phonetically. He knows how to use the backspace and space bar and apostrophe. He calls McDonald's "Old McDonald's" which I think is funny. This is his list exactly the way he typed it with my help only with Dairy Queen.
Street corner nuws
China max
subway
sbaro
charley's grild subs
dairy queen
old macdonuld's
cocino
sarku japan
chick fil a
pyramid's
fido
7:52:00 AM
Brendan Story
I have one of the weirdest grandchildren in captivity. Brendan, who is 4 1/2, spent the night Saturday night, and I met Brian to make the exchange Sunday afternoon in the Bellevue Center. As Brendan and I passed one of those sitting areas, he made a bee-line to it and started performing the No Smoking sign to an invisible audience. He was off in his own world with imaginary baton in hand singing away. As we left there to go to the play area, he was still doing his No Smoking routine, and we had this conversation.
B: No Smoking in the area, please!
J: That's right. No Smoking.
B: (emphatically) I WILL smoke.
J: You will?
B: Yes.
J: What will you smoke?
B: Sausage.
See what I mean?
1:00:00 AM
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
DWTS
Justice was served in one way. Marie and Jonathan came in 3rd. Her huge fan base carried her through this far. She's done well and really improved, but isn't as good as the other two. The Cheetah Girl was better but didn't have the votes.
Well, I'm bummed. I really wanted Mel and Maks to win, but no! Helio and Julianne did. It was time for a woman to win, and it should have been Melanie. Bummed, bummed, bummed! Last year I wanted Apolo Ono and Julianne to win, but not this time for her. It should have been M & M for sure. They've had the highest scores all season. Wrong! So wrong!
8:19:00 PM
Book
Ell tagged me for a book meme on her blog, so here it is:
Instructions:
Grab the nearest book.
Open the book to page 123.
Find the fourth sentence.
Post the next three sentences along with these instructions.
Don’t search around and look for the “coolest” book you can find. Do what’s actually next to you.
State the book title and author.
She savored Sundays like some people savor a fine steak or a glass of wine.
Priscilla pulled back the yellowed sheer curtain over the window in her tiny kitchen and looked out over the parking lot in the back of her apartment building. That damn Mr. Berriman was supposed to have shoveled the snow and salted the walks yesterday afternoon, but of course he'd not taken care of it, and when Priscilla stepped outside last night for a breath of fresh air, she'd been nearly upended by the icy concrete. Now, she noticed, the walks were clean.
This is from By Blood Written by Steven Womack that I mentioned in an earlier post. I was a little worried about using this book because it's a suspense/mystery, and I was afraid I'd read something that would tip me off about the plot I didn't need to know because I haven't gotten to page 123 yet. Fortunately, it didn't. Interesting story about this book that Steve told Saturday at the book signing and also wrote in the acknowledgements of the book. One of his award-winning Harry James Denton series of mysteries had a murder at the end of the novel that was similar to an actual murder that took place in Nashville around ten years ago. A friend on the Metro Police Murder Squad called Steve to tell him he was on the list of people to interview because of that. Steve said there was a long, uncomfortable silence until he eventually told the police officer that he didn't kill those girls. The officer told him he knew he didn't and told the investigators that. Then, as writers do, Steve said he wondered what would happen if a writer committed murders as research for his novels. This is the book that was inspired by that experience.
The sentences I posted are about a retired Metro high school English teacher I can't wait to learn more about since I could possibly identify with her. One of the reviewers on Amazon wrote that she was her favorite character. His books are really entertaining and good. I recommend them highly.
6:06:00 PM
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Good Day
Tina and I went to Bellevue for me to return library books. Then we went to Mina's and Tuesday Morning. They carry Baggallini bags at Mina's, and I love those. I've never been carried away by shoes and bags but am about these. They are so well-organized, lightweight, and attractive. Check them out at their website. I have several of them and want more. I ordered mine from ebags.com but am glad to know there are places around here to get them.
We ate lunch at Hot Kabob, which has the best stews and kabobs! I have been hungry for some since I was there last. Tina and her sons like it there, too. Then we went to Franklin to a book signing for Steven Womack's latest book By Blood Written. I'm really glad we went since it was such a small group, but it was more like a conversation that way. It was good to see Steve again. Brian and I took his screenwriting class at Watkins and kept in touch.
We had a good day. What did you do?
6:02:00 PM
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
TV
I've been disappointed in this season of House, which has been one of my favorite shows. Hugh Laurie is brilliant, and I've watched it because of him. The writing isn't that good this season. It's formulaic and tedious. House is crude about Cuddy, obnoxious without redeeming qualities which he used to have, and silly with Wilson instead of their usual bantering and bickering. Choosing a new team from this group of doctors hasn't been written in an entertaining way. Something is definitely different, and I don't like it.
On the other hand, Criminal Minds keeps their high standards and is even better this season. They've gone deeper into the criminal mind with some creepy and gross cases and also given us more about the profilers. We know more about their lives and personalities. Adding Joe Mantegna to the cast adds so much. Mandy Patinkin's Gideon character was great, but according to something I read, Patinkin said it was getting to him, and he needed a break. The plot was left open for him to return to visit or whatever. We are left to wonder why Mantegna's Rossi returned, but they have planted seeds of curiosity. He was one of the founders of profiling much like John Douglas whose book Obsessed I recently read. Serial violent crimes are so appalling, devastating, and random that we can't begin to comprehend the kind of person who perpetrates them. This show gives some insight and shows the toll it takes on those who investigate them. I don't know how they manage it.
Maksim and Melanie are still on Dancing with the Stars and will win, I hope. It's possible that Marie might win simply because of her fan base. Votes from the Osmond family alone would be huge. Then there are the Donny and Marie fans as well as the people who know her from selling dolls on QVC. I just learned about that when the whole family was on Oprah. So that could do it. Based on dancing, it should be between Mel and Helio, with Mel winning. We'll see.
Have any of you seen The Big Bang Theory? I really enjoy it. Sheldon cracks me up.
11:44:00 PM
DWTS
It's down to the final four, and I want Mel and Maks to win. I've been pulling for them from the beginning. Jennie will probably leave tonight because Marie has such a huge fan base. She's definitely an entertainer since she's been doing it all her life. All of the celebrity dancers this season have really improved. The Hough siblings are incredible dancers and teachers. Jonathan can bring out the best in his partners. But Maksim and Mel are so good together! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they take home that tacky trophy!
12:11:00 PM
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Cough! Cough!
I've spent the last two weeks with a respiratory virus. No, not just A virus but THE virus! I've coughed so much that all my cough muscles hurt, and my eyes were red. Hope none of you have had this. It's bad. I'm finally feeling better but am not completely well yet. Don't get it. You'll hate it.
1:33:00 PM
Slogan for the Brits
I heard on NPR this morning on my favorite show "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!" that some people in power think what England is missing is a national motto. Ours is E Pluribus Unum which means "Out of many, one" which we need to remember and do something about, but I digress. So what suggestions do we have for England's motto? Some funny ones were suggested on NPR this morning, but what should it be?
1:22:00 PM
Thanksgiving
Hope all of you have a happy Thanksgiving with your loved ones. I've been thinking about what I'm most thankful for, and it's my family. People generally think all people are the way they are until we learn otherwise. I really did grow up in a stereotypical 50's sitcom family like Donna Reed, the Cleavers, and all of those. To me that was reality TV since it was also that way for most of my cousins. I had no idea some families were as dysfunctional as they are. From my mother's parents on down, we have been fortunate enough to have parents who love us and provide the foundation of support for the rest of our lives. It carries on through from my brother and his wife to their children who give that to their children as well. My son Brian said he always knew he was loved unconditionally and does that for Brendan. Kathy and Mark do this for their children. We are all so blessed, and I am truly thankful for this.
12:13:00 PM
Saturday, October 27, 2007
The Week That Was
This week started out cozy with me reading in my "sleep chair" with a warm cat beside me while it was cold and rainy. I enjoyed it and felt good being able to do it. But then as the week on inactivity wore on, I'm now ready to do more. I guess that happened just in time since Brendan will be here tomorrow night to spend the night while Brian and Melissa go out. I'll definitely be busy and have things to do with him here! Not sure what we'll do, but we'll come up with something. Next weekend he'll be here from Friday afternoon until Sunday night while Brian and Melissa go to Sewanee for their college reunion weekend. This is three weekends in a row I'll spend time with him and will get to see Brian and Melissa.
10:26:00 PM
Lottery
I won $21 in the lottery. My plan is to clear $21 million, so I just have to do this a million more times. Right? :-)
10:23:00 PM
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Harry and Haggis (not)!
I got back tonight from the Highland Games at Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta. Brian, Melissa, Brendan, and I drove down together. They stayed with her brother and his wife while I stayed at a nearby hotel. Melissa's mother drove in from Alabama, and her father lives in Atlanta and attended, too. Her family is descended from the Urquhart clan, so we spent some time in their booth which her brother set up and hosted. Many clans had exhibition tents, and there were vendors selling clothing, geneaological information, food, and gifts.
I really enjoyed the border collie demonstrations. They herded ducks and sheep, but not at the same time. Those dogs are so intelligent (highest (IQ of dogs, they said) and focused. It was really neat to watch them. I also liked watching the athletic competitions such as the caber toss, sheaf toss, stone put, throwing weights for distance, and hammer toss. I wonder where the idea came from to pick up a long wooden pole, hold it at arms length and balance it on your shoulder, run with it, and toss it so that it flips over right in line with the direction you're going. They judge the caber toss based on degrees and a clock, for example, they'll say it was a 12 o'clock which is the ideal. Interesting to watch but odd.
Of course there were pipe and drum bands and many bagpipes. Lots of bands and dancing. It was so much fun. I ate meat pies, bridies, and sausage rolls with HP sauce but no haggis. There were British women there who made the most delicious baked goods. They had scones, shortbread, toffee bars, and many other goodies.
I finished the last Harry Potter book last night and am sort of at loose ends since since I read them one right after the other. I've been absorbed in those books for the last couple of months and don't quite know what to do with myself without Hogwarts. I wanted the epilogue to be longer because I wanted more information about their adult lives and other characters. J. K. Rowling announced over the weekend that Dumbledore is gay, so maybe she'll divulge more information about more of them.
11:56:00 PM
Friday, October 12, 2007
Book Festival
The Southern Festival of Books was disappointing this year. Tina, her mother, and I were especially looking forward to seeing Elizabeth Edwards, but she cancelled. I hope she wasn't sick. There was a smaller crowd there than I've ever seen as well as fewer book publishers. I hope they'll be able to continue having it, but based on thiss turn-out, I'm not sure.
It took us a while to get there. We stopped near Tina's house for her to get some sweet tea. For those of you not from the South, that's iced tea made with sugar when it's still warm in order for the sugar to dissolve better. The bottom split off the cup and spilled all over her, so I turned around at the next exit to take her home to change clothes. There was a wreck which blocked her exit, so we had to drive farther and back-track.
We all enjoyed spending time with each other no matter how the day started and progressed. But we wish Elizabeth Edwards had been there.
10:21:00 PM
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Fall Weather At Last!
The weather is cooler and makes me feel great! I just love it when this happens. Fall is my favorite season and wish I could live where it's spring and fall all the time with maybe two weeks each of summer and winter.
This weekend is the Southern Festival of Books, and I'm planning to go with friends tomorrow and Saturday afternoons. More about that after I have something to report.
There are so many activities in October. What are you doing?
1:36:00 PM
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Susan Lucci no more!
After writing quite a few emails to Craig Ferguson's show, he read one from me tonight! He'd just read one from a woman in Nashville and then mine. He said it was Tennessee night. I think he probably thought I was about 10 years old based on my question. I asked if he'd read any of the Harry Potter books, and if so, which character would he like to be. After saying, "No, I haven't read the Harry Potter books ... because I'm male and 45 years old." He smiled, raised his eyebrow, and added, "Uh, of course I have read the Harry Potter books - for demographic reasons - and I'd like to be Old Grumbly Dumb because he's so wise with his spells and magic." So when the rerun is on with Jimmy Smits on it, watch and hear him read my email. I hope some of you watched last night and saw it when it happened like I did. :-)
Now I can win the lottery.
2:36:00 AM
Monday, October 08, 2007
Son Day
Yesterday, Tina and Matthew, her son, met Brian and Brendan at Centennial Park for the Celebration of Cultures. It was well-organized and had many vendors with crafts, gifts, clothing, and food. We enjoyed it but would have had a better time if the weather hadn't been so hot and humid and had been more like real October weather is supposed to be. We spent most of our time sitting at a picnic table in the shade visiting with each other and being entertained by Brendan, the little casting director. He told us what role we'd play in several movies, the funniest being Matthew as Sister Berthe in The Sound of Music. Brian told him that was a bold casting decision.
I really liked the cultural event and wish we could have done more. We did visit several booths and had a good time. Afterwards, we went to Cool Springs and ate at the Red Lobster and did some shopping. Good Sunday!
6:08:00 PM
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Question
To those of you who have read the Harry Potter books, which one do you like best? I'm on the fifth one now, Order of the Phoenix, and can't say until I finish them all. I am so engrossed in them and enjoy them thoroughly. It's not just that Rowling makes this world seem real, it's as if I'm there. The first year at Hogwarts is like any first experience going to a new school or place. Then with each new year, we become more and more familiar with the teachers, other students, courses, and customs. What amazes me is Rowling's imagination. It's a constant surprise to discover the names, new experiences, methods of communication, problems, and so much more! Love the books! I'm going to order the British version of the books from Amazon because I'd like to have those.
What about you? Favorites? Comments?
8:35:00 PM
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Technology & Accessories
I've decided that technology is like a Barbie doll. You get the original product and then there are so many accessories that go with it that it could just keep going until eventually what we have is obsolete, and we start all over again. Whew!!
9:45:00 PM
Brian
Today is Brian's 38th birthday. Mine is Wednesday, and I got to bring him home from the hospital for the best birthday present I've ever had. He's a wonderful son and father, and I love him so much. Seeing him with Brendan is beyond description. I am fortunate to have parents who've been loving, supportive, and involved, and so is Brendan. Happy Birthday, Brian!!
8:54:00 PM
Candidates
Here's that questionnaire to see which presidential candidates are closest to your views. Let me know how yours turned out. I'm definitely a Liberal since Kucinich was 66% for me. Mine were in this order: Kucinich, Richardson, Edwards, Gravel, Dodd, Obama, Hillary, Biden 44%. All the Democrats were above 44% and all the Republicans below 27% with Fred Thompson, Tancredo, and Huckabee all trailing in at 3%. I've been thinking I'd vote for Biden but now am not sure. For the first time in a long time, I like all the Democratic candidates well enough to be OK with the one who will be the next President. Even though I'm most in agreement with Kucinich, I'm not sure I'd want him to be the one and hadn't planned to vote for him. Of course, almost anyone would be better than this group we've had in there for way too long.
Let me know how yours turned out.
8:53:00 PM
Trip
Tina and I aren't going to be able to go on our trip. Her doctor told her he'd rather she didn't drive/ride for 2600 miles round trip until he knew what was going on with her. She's undergoing tests for MS, so keep your fingers crossed that it's something else not that bad. We're really disappointed and are planning some fun things to do around here. So much is going on in October in this area that we have some good choices. We will get to New England later on and are sad we aren't going this time; however, we are being philosophical about it. I definitely don't want her to tax herself and get worse. That's what is important.
5:20:00 PM
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Silence of the Blogger
For some reason, I haven't been that communicative lately. Yes, as unlikely as it is for me to be somewhat quiet, here I am. I'll be back. I guess I'm taking an unintentional break.
12:13:00 PM
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Rewind
Yes, I'm back on the rewind button again. The promos for that new show Journeyman made me think about going back in time and changing things. Maybe if we knew we'd get three changes, that would work out. If I'd known that sooner than now, I might have used them all and missed out on some important changes I could have made. So anyway, I've been thinking about what I'd go back and do differently even though it would affect the rest of my life. It's very complicated, isn't it?
8:44:00 PM
Monday, September 17, 2007
Trip Plans
Tina and I will be going to New England in a couple of weeks and are working out some of the details. We have a lot to do before then to get ready for it. I'm excited!
3:56:00 PM
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Brendan, Branson, and Baton!
I was going to post this here, but please go over to Brian's LiveJournal post to see the photo he took with his cell phone of Brendan with his mother Melissa and Lawrence Welk's baton. If you scroll down a bit, you can read about their trip. It was quite eventful!
Brian has always known how much I love him, but being Brendan's dad helps him experience it. There's no sacrifice doing things for our children since it comes back to us exponentially. Brendan's big smile is all the reward they need. I'm glad they took this trip.
It's still the funniest thing that Brendan likes the Lawrence Welk Show so much and knows all the cast and their songs and dances.
9:59:00 PM
Monday, September 10, 2007
Garden
Check out Jackie's post about her garden on our neglected collaborative blog. Pretty photos and interesting commentary. Thanks, Jacke.
3:13:00 PM
Brendan and the Old People
Brian and Melissa took Brendan to Branson over the weekend to see the Lawrence Welk Reunion Show. Yes, that's right. Brendan loves Lawrence Welk. The only DVD I could find to give him was one of the reunion show at Branson, so of course he knows all the people and everything they sing. I think it's hilarious that he likes them so much and so sweet Brian and Melissa took him to see this. What we do for our children! Right? What are some things you have done for yours that you wouldn't have ordinarily have done or gone to?
For Brian's account of the trip which was definitely eventful with car trouble and all, read it here.
12:36:00 PM
Sunday, September 09, 2007
What I've Been Doing Instead of Blogging
I haven't been able to get my nose out of the Harry Potter books and have now read the first three of them as well as listened to them on CD. I've watched the first two movies, too. I'm glad I'm doing this now and don't have to wait a year between books. OK, OK, I know everyone said how good they are, but fantasy isn't what I like to read, so I didn't pay attention. But she tells a fantastic story and writes amazingly well. Rowling has created a world and characters I can totally visualize and can't wait to discover what happens with them next. Yes, all of you were right who told me I'd love reading these books. I'm glad I'm finally doing it.
4:34:00 AM
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Where Does Time Go?
Not sure why I haven't posted for so long but will get back to it regularly again soon. I've taken on two homebound students and have been teaching them and doing the paperwork involved. We had our first reunion lunch meeting in August. We're still having the big ones every five years but will meet at Montgomery Bell for lunch annually from now on. It was good to see so many former classmates and their spouses. Several of us took photos with our digital cameras but haven't sent them to each other yet. I haven't cropped and resized mine for email yet but will send them when I do.
Mother and I went to Kathy's Labor Day for Luke's and her birthday party. It was fun to be with them and to see everyone again. The kids are growing up and doing so well. I'll post some photos of them soon in the album on here.
More later ....
11:34:00 AM
Friday, August 17, 2007
Hello, Mr. Looper!
Your Score: Big Bird
You scored 72% Organization, 60% abstract, and 72% extroverted!This test measured 3 variables.
First, this test measured how organized you are. Some muppets like Cookie Monster make big messes, while others like Bert are quite anal about things being clean.
Second, this test measured if you prefer a concrete or an abstract viewpoint. For the purposes of this test, concrete people are considered to gravitate more to mathematical and logical approaches, whereas abstract people are more the dreamers and artistic type.
Third, this test measured if you are more of an introvert or an extrovert. By definition, an introvert concentrates more on herself and an extrovert focuses more on others. In this test an introvert was somebody that either tends to spend more time alone or thinks more about herself.
You are very organized, both concrete and abstract, and more extroverted.
Here is why are you Big Bird.
You are both very organized. You almost always know where your belongings are and you prefer things neat. You may even enjoy cleaning and find it therapeutic. Big Bird is never sloppy and always under control... pretty good for a 6 year old bird living without a family.
You both are sometimes concrete and sometimes abstract thinkers. Big Bird can be quite dreamy at times and has no problem using his imagination. At the same time he is also practical and can be methodical in his search for answers to questions. You have a good balance in your life. You know when to be logical at times, but you also aren't afraid to explore your dreams and desires... within limits of course.
You are both extroverts. Big Bird gets along with everyone. He makes friends easily and always has a positive attitude. You definitely enjoy the company of others, and you don't have problems meeting new people... in fact you probably look forward to it. You are willing to take charge when necessary or work as part of a team.
The other possible characters are
Oscar the Grouch
Bert
Snuffleupagus
Ernie
Elmo
Kermit the Frog
Grover
Cookie Monster
Guy Smiley
The Count
Hey, don't be a grouch! If you liked the test, let others know by rating it below. Feel free to vote for your favorite character too.
5:48:00 PM
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Insult to Injury
This man was fired after he was robbed on the job. After reading the article, I could understand the policy, but it seems excessive. I guess someone could fake the robbery. What do you think?
11:26:00 PM
Wedding Bells
Jenna Bush is engaged to Henry Hager. According to this article, 29-year-old Henry Hager is the son of John H. Hager, who is a former Virginia lieutenant governor and Virginia’s first director of homeland security. The elder Hager is the U.S. Education Department assistant secretary. Henry started out as an intern at the White House for Karl Rove, then moved on to the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign. Henry will be completing his Master’s Degree in Business Education at the University of Virginia’s Darden School this fall.
And so it continues ...
7:58:00 PM
"We're Havin' A Heat Wave"
Let's all sing along! That might not be the actual song when you think about the lyrics, but the title of it certainly applies. Here's what we've been having here for a while now - temperatures over 100 but not the high humidity that usually goes along with whatever weather we're having. In fact, this is a drought. Oddly, our humidity is lower than it is in Flagstaff, Arizona, now. Yes, I obsessively check the weather in Flagstaff which usually has temperatures 15-20 degrees cooler than we do in the summer. Now it's more. Ours is 99 right now, and theirs is 73 with 44% humidity which is very high for them. Wish I were there!
We really need some rain and some relief from this heat. I'm looking forward to fall as I always do.
Nashville,Tennessee
Currently: Clear 99°F 36°C
Humidity: 25%
Dewpoint: 57°F 13°C
Barometer: 30.02 inches and steady
Heat Index: 96°F
Normal High: 88°
Normal Low: 68°
Record High: 104° in 1954
Record Low: 54° in 2004
11:35:00 AM
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Microwaves
Even though we would never, ever do such things, some of us have wondered what would happen if certain objects were put in a microwave and nuked. Now with this site, we can watch in the safety of our computer and satisfy our curiosity! Is this cool or what?
I thought the tomato would explode. The Christmas lights are pretty. I knew about marshmallows. I might know about some other things intentionally and accidentally.
I learned about this site from Chris's blog. And also saw this t-shirt from a link from his blog, too. He's a bad influence. Thanks, Chris. :-) I used to have one of those Darwin fish with feet on my car but changed cars. When I get my Honda Fit, I might put one on it.
6:21:00 PM
Friday, August 10, 2007
Plight of the Polar Bears and Walruses
Paige, Linda, and I went to an advanced screening of An Arctic Tale at Opry Mills tonight. It was well-done and effective and very depressing since it focused on their uncertain future because of global warming. The main difference between this and March of the Penguins which showed what sucky lives Emperor penguins have is that this showed what the changing environment is doing to them. There is a narration by Queen Latifah which personifies a polar bear cub and baby walrus as they grow older. We get involved in their lives and then despair at the hardships they endure. The lives of penguins are incredibly torturous and challenging. I guess that's true of all animals in their natural habitats.
What's amazing is the photography shot by the National Geographic photographers. They do incredible work.
Decision
I'm going to give up and call Comcast to install my wireless router and network it to my desktop. I'll go on and pay the rental and be able to get upgrades and quit driving myself crazy with all this. Otherwise, I might become violent, and we can't have that, can we?
12:11:00 AM
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Techno Woes
I bought a laptop during the no-tax weekend and have been attempting to connect it to a wireless router. It was obvious some time ago I don't know what I'm doing. I followed instructions, read online advice, got phone help from my massage therapist's son who bought a computer and router just like mine, had a frustrating conversation with an outsourced technical support assistant, and spent way too much time and energy on this. Now I can't even connect the laptop to the internet and was able to when I first got it. Yes, I tried different cables, and they work on my desktop but not the laptop, so maybe it's the connection on the computer. I'm frustrated and don't even want to touch a computer again for a while. Now you know.
Since you'll ask, I got an HP Pavilion dv9410us. It's 17" and I think I'll like it once I get to use it. For now, my trusty Sony VAIO desktop is still plugging along and works fine. Vista is interesting, isn't it? Quite on hand with the questions and permissions and advice.
I have a lot to do in the next several days and just won't think about it for a while. I worked yesterday and took it with me to play Spider Solitaire and watch a DVD. I've been out and about all week. Paige, Linda, and I are going to dinner and to see the polar bear movie tonight. Brendan is coming Saturday for the night, and then Sunday I'm going to Paige's for birthday festivities for her son-in-law and daughter Rebecca. It will be good to see Virginia, Becky, Ken, Rebecca, and Scott again and to spend time with all of them. The girls grew up with me around so much that it's like I'm their aunt. It will be a fun weekend, and then another week begins with more appointments and things to do.
This is why my house hasn't gotten organized and cleared out. I barely get started and then leave to do fun things ... or I don't get started at all! Sometimes I haven't felt that good and other times I wanted to read, watch TV & movies, play on the computer, visit, travel, have lunch with friends, and just relax. So I did.
2:39:00 PM
Friday, August 03, 2007
Awesome RV
Have any of you gotten that email about the "garbage truck camper"? It's a real vehicle that was never a garbage truck but is made by Unicat. Here are some of them. Check them out. I'm not even a man or have great desires to go RVing but think these are amazing. They make me want to take to the road and explore, but there's no possibilty of that ever happening since they START at half a million dollars! It's fun to fantasize, though, and doesn't cost anything.
  
  
11:05:00 PM
Answers to Comments
I decide to answer the comments on my latest post here instead of in the comment window. First of all, thank you for the comments! :-)
Chris, XM has Bob Dylan and some others I'd rather listen to than Howard Stern (long list ahead of him since he reminds me too much of junior high boys I tried to teach). Besides, I'm not going to give money when I know they label me as the opposite of a patriot. I hope when they merge, that part will change. They said the merge is supposed to take place late in 2007, which should be soon. I want one of those portable receivers since it's more versatile and will have to get the car and home kits for it.
We're planning to go to Boston while we're there, so I hope we can meet. That would be great! I have friends who live in Andover I visited before and also hope to see. We want to walk the Freedom Trail and do some other things I did before when I was there. I saw Blue Man Group there last time. We'll be in touch for suggestions and plans. One thing for sure is staying outside the city and taking public transportation to the city. No way I could drive there - just riding was scary enough!
Terri, thanks for stopping by! I'm looking forward to going to New England in the fall. We have beautiful, colorful leaves and crisp blue skies here, but it seems to be even better there. We're going to drive and will stop in Pittsburgh to visit our friend Jackie and then carry on to Boston where we hope to do some major sightseeing. Then we're going to Maine to visit my friend Charlie who has recently retired from teaching. From there, we'll explore and see as much as possible. We haven't planned much yet but are working on it. Tina's fall break is during the first two weeks of October, so we'll go during that time and get back in time to rest and then go to the Southern Festival of Books. This trip is different from the others since we'll stay with friends during part of it and get to enjoy visits and the experience of being there.
Next time we go to Cedar Key, it would be nice to stay in your vacation home. The photos of it look great. We'd enjoy meeting you and talking about books, Cedar Key, movies, etc.
Ell, I'm glad to hear about your positive experience with the GPS. I really want to get one now, especially a portable one like that one you used. I knew you'd agree with me about the labels. :-)
If you'd like to feel inspired and humbled, read Ell's posts about going to fitness boot camp! She's amazing!
Marilyn, sorry but thirty-seven years - count them, THIRTY-SEVEN - of teaching! I get to be thrilled I'm not there. But you also have the right to tell me to shut up. It doesn't bother me. Why? Because I'm giddy with retirement!!! (I've made it worse, haven't I?) I can't help it. Dinner Thursday sounds great. You and Tina work it out at school during lunch and let me know when and where to meet you.
Tell Les and Will thanks for the reviews and suggestions. I like that price and am off to Google Land now!
8:05:00 PM
ADD Blogger
I'm lagging behind with the blogging again. You might have noticed.
I've been researching satellite radios and am definitely NOT getting Sirius. In their talk radio section, they have Talk Left and Talk Patriot. Good grief! That offends me.
What do you know about GPS systems? As you can tell, preparations are already being made for our next trip in October to New England.
There is no sales tax on many items this weekend, so I'm going to take advantage of it this time. With our sales tax being so high, the almost 10% savings helps. They do this in the fall and spring. Here's the list of non-taxable things we can buy. It's set up to help families out with school supplies and clothes and is a good idea.
I do have to say that I've been giddy with retirement again now that another school year has begun. Going out in the middle of the day doing whatever I want rules!!! I love being retired!
I was sad to hear that Tom Snyder and Ingmar Bergman died this week.
The bridge that fell in Minnesota reinforced some deep-seated fears some of us have. See? We knew they could fall! Those logs can fly off those trucks, crash into windshields, and kill people, too. So far I haven't heard of cigarettes thrown from car windows blowing up cars behind them, but I am afraid that will happen.
The money spent on this war could have repaired all the faulty, dangerous bridges, levies, and schools as well as many other needed problems we have here like healthcare. Of course, the fact that the money was borrowed from China, etc, makes it worse. The people killed, injured, and traumatized when the bridge fell, Katrina happened, and other tragedies occurred could have been avoided. I'll leave it at that since you know how I feel about all this.
Hope you had a good week and will have a good weekend. Any plans?
1:11:00 AM
Friday, July 20, 2007
Little Weirdo
Since it is hilarious, I'm copying this post from Melissa about Brendan. It's too funny not to share. I hope they record him singing this.
Metal Memories
My son, ever the wild man, saw an old Lawrence Welk Show rerun at his great-grandmother's house a while back, and he loved the music, the dancing, and the bubbles. So his grandmother got him a Lawrence Welk tribute DVD, which he enjoys immensely.
On this DVD is a performance of the song "Precious Memories." Is everybody familiar, at least in passing, with this old church-music standby? "Precious memories, unseen angels, sent from somewhere to my soul..." etc. etc. Sweet, catchy little ditty, often sung by a choir.
Brendan has taken to singing it, as well. Only... well...
I think he is trying to sing all the voices of the choir at once. But the effect is that he sounds just like Till Lindemann of Rammstein when he's bein' all screamy. Also, the boy tends to staccato-stab each word as he belts the song out. And the words, as he sings them:
"PRE-CIOUS MEM'RIES!
UN-SEEN AN-GER!
PRE-CIOUS AN-GRY SCENES UN-FOLD!!!!"
I would love-- love-- to know what he thinks that song is about.
6:02:00 PM
Monday, July 16, 2007
  
Sunrise and views from our deck of the Gulf of Mexico
Florida Vacation 
This is where Cedar Key is located. I'd never heard of it either until my cousin went there and enjoyed it so much. It's not the place to go if you like a lot of activity and want to go places at night. It's a very small town where you can relax and enjoy getting away from everything. It's quiet and peaceful there. It's about 50 miles or so from Gainesville. Manatee Springs State Park is north of Cedar Key and not that far from Gainesville on Hwy 19. It's beautiful there.
Here are some photos of where we stayed at the Old Fenimore Mill Condos and of Manatee Springs State Park.
Living Room and my room at night on the sofa bed
 
Tina in the kitchen and Rachel on deck from living room
  Rachel's nautical room and Tina's palm tree room
 
Rachel and Tina relaxing on the deck
  Low tide in the Gulf and my view from on the road
 
Manatee Springs State Park and leading to the Suwannee River
 
10:21:00 AM
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Off the Edge of Nowhere
Rachel, Tina, and I went to Cedar Key, Florida, and had a wonderful time. We stayed in one of the Old Fenimore Mill condos, which was decorated really well and with new appliances and TV's. The gas log fireplace had a remote control. We didn't watch TV or read as much as we thought we would but had entertaining and interesting conversations most of the time we were in the condo. One of the bedrooms had a king-size bed and a flat-screen TV and its own bathroom. It was decorated in muted colors of beige, sage green, and palm tree decor. Tina had that room. Rachel's room had a twin daybed with a trundle we never got out. It was decorated in bolder colors of dark blues, reds, and a neutral wall and carpet and had nautical and fish decorations in it. The bathroom in the hall by the front door had the same motif. I slept on the sofa bed in the living room which was open to the dining room and kitchen. It had a leather couch, chair, ottomans, and chaise in it and carried out the island theme. The furnishings and applicances were new. There was a journal to record messages to the owners and a notebook with hand-written commentaries of the restaurants, tours, and points of interest on the brochures and menus from them.
The view from the deck was beautiful of the Gulf of Mexico. It was calm with few waves and playful dolphins we could see occasionally. We'd get hypnotized watching it. Cedar Key is a very small place whose main occupation is clamming. They produce most of the clams sold in the US. Their latest graduating class had 12 sudents, and a girl I spoke with who is a senior next year said there were 14 in her class. They probably have one teacher for each subject, and some probably have to teach more than one subject. We wanted to get away to relax, and this was peaceful and slow-paced. We loved it there and plan to go back when it's not so hot. We'd like to enjoy more outdoor activities and ride bikes all over the town. It was just too sweltering this time to do any of that or to take a boat tour to other islands. I did go swimming in the pool, and we walked around town to check out the museum, shops, and art co-op. Rachel and Tina walked out on the shore some (no beach there really) and got bogged down in the mire. I'm not making it sound too good here because we really did have a wonderful time. Just mentioning the reality of some parts of it. Rachel likes to walk and saw more of the place on foot than Tina and I did even though Tina walked with her a couple of times. Yes, I know I should have, but I have my excuses.
We drove out past Cheifland one day to the Dakotah Winery and Manatee Springs State Park. We loved that park! We stood out on that boardwalk seen in the link and watched the sturgeons jump out of the water. Fascinating! It's a beautiful place where the Suwannee River flows and manatees can be seen at various times of the year. Wineries have a clever marketing ploy to give customers the free wine tasting before they shop. I'm sure it increases sales to lower resistance like that. I'll have to post a photo of us in our t-shirts we bought there when we get one taken. Shopping, as always, is a big part of our travels. I even bought some gifts for other people. Actually, I did do some Christmas and birthday shopping there and in Charleston.
We had some good meals but nothing compares with Charleston cuisine. Rachel and I took Tina out to the Island Hotel Restaurant for her birthday. It is really old and has an interesting history and good atmosphere. The food was delicious, and we all agreed that we ate too much and didn't do that again while we were there. Since grits and shrimp were on the menu, I had to try them as an appetizer. Their version of them was really good, too. Rachel and I had stuffed grouper and Tina the stuffed shrimp. Steamed vegetables and pasta were the side dishes. The pictures and information on their website is interesting.
Our favorite other meal there was at Frog's Landing. There's a gift shop on the first floor with the restaurant on the top floor. They sell t-shirts there, are very friendly, and have a bar on one end and another on the narrow deck outside looking at the Gulf. There's a place for the musicians who play there on the weekends. Neat place for sure. We enjoyed it.
Cedar Key is a home to artists who sell their work in the Cedar Keyhole Gallery, an artists' co-op. Isn't the building cute and colorful? Lots of really neat stuff in there. The Cedar Key Museum was interesting and filled with artifacts and information, as it should be. When we ate at the Seabreeze, which is built out over the water, we saw dolphins at close range. They were so much fun to watch. The food was OK there, but the view and the dolphins were great.
One of the most entertaining things we did was to read Chief Bubba's column in the Cedar Key News. When you have time, please read the whole thing, especially the last paragraph. I'll tell you, it's worth reading every week.
12:47:00 PM
Saturday, July 07, 2007
 Charleston Trip
Just a quick post to let you know what a good time Tina and I had in Charleston, South Carolina. Here's an example of one of the antebellum houses there. We stayed on Meeting Street just a couple of blocks from Market Street in the historic district. There were so many wonderful restaurants there with selections of food Charleston is famous for. Lots of shops on Market Street where we braved the heat and humidity. We had a great time and are now getting ready to leave for Cedar Key, FL. Where is it? Drive to Gainesville and turn right! It's in the Gulf. This is where we'll stay while we're there.
We had our best meal of the trip at Anson. Shrimp and grits are a lowcountry specialty, so it was interesting to taste the various versions. Anson's featured the best grits I've ever eaten - real grits that have to be soaked and cooked a long time. Anson has upscale lowcountry cuisine, so their shrimp had tomato with bacon and other ingredients in the sauce. Their grits are from Anson Mills and can be ordered online, so I think I will. We also had cashew-encrusted grouper, green beans, hoppin' John, and Chardonnay. Excellent! Hyman's had a roux with the shrimp and grits, which was also delicious. When we moved from Charleston, I said I wanted to go back just to eat. I did and hope to again. This sinful place has the best pralines ever! They give out free samples on the sidewalk to lure you inside. As if the aroma wouldn't do it! Then there was Kaminsky's that only has coffee, desserts, and martinis. Check out their menu.
 T-Bonz is a casual, fun place for good seafood (and other treats) and cow paintings on the walls. Look at the t-shirts here. I took several photos of the whimsical cow paintings I need to post in my album on here. I will do that later. For now, here's a photo I took of some of them if you can tell much about them. They are based on paintings by Van Gogh, Andy Warhol, Dali, da Vinci, and Michelangelo.
On the way down we stopped at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. If you've never been, you need to see the largest home in the US. It's hard to get your mind around people actually living there. It's even grander than those "cottages" in Newport, RI, which I thought were the epitome of Gilded Age opulence. They are, but Biltmore exceeds them. This article has interesting information about the estate and its history. Here's an excerpt from that site:
The Biltmore House is most recognized for its position as America's largest home. It is certainly that, with four acres under one roof and 250 rooms, 65 fireplaces, 43 bathrooms, an indoor pool, and bowling alley. However, it is what the house contains that is most remarkable. It is decorated with thousands of original furnishings, including original art from masters such as Renoir, magnificent 16th-century tapestries, more than 40 bronze sculptures, Napoleon's chess set, and a library with 10,000 volumes. Biltmore House has room after room of art, history, and luxury, including a banquet hall with a 70-foot ceiling.
1:33:00 PM
Friday, June 22, 2007
On the Road with Tina and Joy
Tina is attending a conference in Charleston, SC, so I'm tagging along for the vacation. We're leaving in the morning and will be gone a few days. Paige is going to check on Brigit. We plan to stay in Asheville, NC, tomorrow night and go to the Biltmore House. I went there a long time ago and am looking forward to going again. After Sunday brunch there, we're heading on to Charleston. I lived there for four years and am looking forward to seeing how much it's changed. It's where I began my teaching career and where Brian was born. Milton was stationed there in the USN Submarine Service. I have good memories of the place and wish I could find a friend I lived next to. Her name then was Evelyn Misko, but I couldn't find any trace of her online. She went back to school to get her teaching degree, but I couldn't find her name listed on any of the faculties. She might have remarried or moved. I wish I could see her again and am sorry I lost touch with her.
You'll get a report when I get back. We think it will be like Lucy and Ethel go on a trip with shades of Bernice and Charlene from Designing Women. We know who's Bernice.
11:00:00 PM
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Mrs. Parker
Marilyn and I were discussing our favorite Dorothy Parker quotes. There are so many of them. Here are many I like because I can't narrow them down. Obviously, not a fan of Clare Booth Luce, was she?
"That would be a good thing for them to cut on my tombstone: Wherever she went, including here, it was against her better judgment."
Ilka Chase : "Not only was Clare (Booth) loyal to her friends she was very kind to her inferiors.”
Dorothy : "And where does she find them?"
A famous but perhaps apocryphal story is told of the encounter between Dorothy Parker, writer and wit, and Clare Booth Luce, writer and wit. Meeting outside the entrance to a party, the much younger and much more beautiful Luce stepped aside and invited Parker in with the now trite phrase, "Age before beauty." Parker swept past and into the gathering with the response, "Pearls before swine."
Frank Case (Manager of Hotel where she was staying) "Do you have a gentleman in your room?"
Dorothy : "Just a minute. I'll ask him."
"Take care of luxuries and the necessities will take care of themselves."
"Heterosexuality is not normal, it's just common."
I like to have a martini,
Two at the very most.
After three I'm under the table,
after four I'm under my host.
"You can lead a horticulture, but you can't make her think."
"Brevity is the soul of lingerie."
"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me, than a frontal lobotomy."
"The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity."
"You can't teach an old dogma new tricks."
"His voice was intimate as the rustle of sheets."
"By the time you swear you are his, shivering and sighing, And he vows his passion is infinite and undying- Lady, make a note of this: One of you is lying"
"It's not the tragedies that kill us, it's the messes."
"Salary is no object; I want only enough to keep body and soul apart."
"If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to."
"Ducking for apples -- change one letter and it's the story of my life."
"She runs the gamut of emotions from A to B." (Review of Katherine Hepburn in a play)
"I've never been a millionaire but I just know I'd be darling at it."
"I shall stay the way I am because I do not give a damn."
"The first thing I do in the morning is brush my teeth and sharpen my tongue."
"When told that a certain woman would not hurt a fly Dorothy Parker retorted, "Not if it was buttoned up."
"Look at him, a rhinestone in the rough."
Have you seen the movie Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle? Jennifer Jason Leigh portrayed her so well.
8:27:00 PM
Must See!
By being a member of the Nashville Film Festival, I got to go to a free sneak preview of Michael Moore's Sicko last night at Green Hills. Tina went with me since we can take a guest. It was his best documentary yet, and the others were outstanding. We cried during it which you will understand if you see it. That brings me to encouraging you to see it. Part of the time I felt so ashamed to live in a country that treats its citizens so badly, and other times I had some hope things could change. I sincerely hope they can. Our country is being ruined by those business types who only care about the bottom line but not people. It's that mentality of "more profit/less service" which leads to poor quality. When that happens in the entertainment business, it can be mind-numbing and banal, but when it happens with tires, food, water, and medical services, it's deadly. Healthcare is broken in this country. No one should have to die because insurance companies and HMO's are cutting corners in order for their CEO's to make millions of dollars. No one should be refused the best care available. This isn't a luxury. What is wrong with a country that professes to be Christian but doesn't practice what I always thought were the basic tenets of the faith? How can people be so greedy, intolerant, cruel, selfish, and insensitive? How did we get so far off track?
Moore visited countries with national healthcare. It sounds amazing. What do those of you who live in Canada and the UK think about it? We are barbaric the way we do it here. According to the doctors Moore interviewed, they make a high salary. I don't know the difference in salaries of doctors here and those in countries with socialized medicine, but suspect theirs might be lower. It would attract the doctors who go into medicine for the right reasons, though, which would be a good thing. I don't see how dealing with the government could be worse than what they contend with when they try to get approval from insurance companies. I would love to see all the "health" insurance companies disappear. The insurance nazis are extortionists and have such strong lobbyists they are getting by with their crimes. They kill people. Doctors can't even practice medicine because of them, and I wonder how much of their time (and especially their staff's time) is devoted to insurance when they could be treating patients.
Something has to be done. It feels hopeless, but we can't continue like this. Please go see this documentary, and let's discuss it. If you'd like to send messages to your representatives in Congress, check out this site.
12:19:00 PM
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Weekend with Brendan
Brendan and I made it fine. He's a funny little kid. I was so tired that I wasn't able to talk Sunday night which bothered Brendan since he had things he wanted me to say. Fortunately, the last two nights he went to sleep around 9:30. He slept until 8:00 Saturday morning and 7:15 yesterday.
He loved eating at Sisters and kept raving about the hashbrown casserole. Brendan doesn't really like junk food, thank goodness. He likes a wide range of food from Southern cooking to Indian food. Brian and Melissa take him to all kinds of places, so he's exposed.
Brigit is glad to have me to herself again and has been on hand, or is that on paw? (sorry)
3:39:00 PM
Monday, June 18, 2007
'When angry, count to four. When very angry, swear.' - Mark Twain
6:38:00 PM
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Milestone
Brendan and I have been talking about the Roxy Theater, driving by it, and discussing seeing movies in theaters. Today we went there to see the third Pirates of the Caribbean movie (his choice). I thought perhaps that penguin movie Surf's Up or Shrek III might be better choices, but that's what he wanted to see, so I took him to that one. Brian and Melissa have never attempted this for a number of reasons. They want to watch the movie and also want to allow others to watch it as well. I don't know if I've mentioned this or not, but Brendan talks all the time. The only time he's quiet is when he is doing something he's not supposed to do. Well, and when he's asleep. I explained movie etiquette and how we could talk in soft voices when the lights are on before the movie but that we have to be quiet and still when the lights go down and the movie is on. I wasn't sure we'd be there long and told him we'd have to leave if he talked and disturbed the others.
So we sat there while the previews were on, and he did well. I took snacks and his sippy cup and told him he could have the snacks when the feature began. The funny thing he did was announce loud enough to be heard, "All right! PG-13!" when each preview began. That was OK, I thought. The feature began, and he asked what someone's name was. I didn't know, but he accepted that pretty well. He sat and watched the movie for a long time and then got restless and walked over to the stairs to sit down. He kept cutting his eyes to me to make sure I'd let him do it. I did until he started walking up and down the steps too many times. Then I moved over to the aisle in order to keep him relegated to three stairs. I only had to tell him one time we were going to have to leave if he didn't whisper. He said, "I'm sorry. I'll be quiet." He alternated between sitting on the step right beside me to the seat next to me and my lap. I thought all this was really good since he doesn't like to stay still very long. I called Brian to let him know, and he was amazed and proud of him. Some of you with regular children don't appreciate and understand how this is. We are happy about it.
The movie messed up, so they turned up the lights while we were waiting for them to fix it. A couple of former students were sitting in the row behind us, so we spoke and chatted for a bit. This is all the opening Brendan needed and walked over to ask them their names and chatter. Some of what he said involved actual conversation and some was what he does the most - quoting movies, stories, and songs. No one has any idea what he's talking about when he does this. I have various responses ready for them when they look to me for a translation. Anyway, after several exchanges with the former students, Brendan noticed that there were quite a few people behind them. He loves to be on stages. He gravitates toward them and starts performing as soon as he gets on one. This was even better! An audience! He came to life and started talking loud enough for them to hear him while he quoted movies and performed for them. Someone commented in a positive way that they were being entertained. He loves doing that, so who knows, he might become a performer of some kind. We'll see.
Someone came in and told us to take our tickets to the window because we'd get gift certificates to reimburse us. We had to miss the end of the movie. It was pretty good in a campy, silly way, and I did get to see Keith Richards as Jack Sparrow's father. That was funny, but I wanted to see if he did more than that small part. I'll probably rent the DVD and use my tickets for two other movies. This was a delightful experience all the way around. We'll do this again many times.
11:42:00 PM
Thursday, June 14, 2007
LTNS
I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted on here. Time just flies right on by, doesn't it?
Tuesday my reign ended! I am free! It was the last meeting of the retired teachers with me as president. Now I'm an ex-president.
I'm meeting Melissa tomorrow to pick up Brendan who will be with me from in the morning until Monday morning. Yes, that's three days and three nights. He's so sweet and funny and charming, and I love him tremendously. We'll have fun. However, three days is a long time. I will be tired because I usually stay tired. I'm also used to living alone, moving at my own snail-like pace through the day, staying up late at night, sleeping most of the morning, and not really eating as well as I should. I don't like to cook. I have to if I want to keep living, so I do it, of course. Brendan is high-maintenance or as Brian describes him, highly-spirited. He requires constant attention and interaction, talks almost all the time, and is very active. Brian was laid-back, conversational, and entertained himself. I'm not the same person Brian grew up with. I'm old and have no energy. Brendan and I really connect and have fun together. It's just demanding to take care of him for three days. Any grandparents out there who understand? I honestly don't know how grandparents bring up their grandchildren or why that woman had a baby when she was over 60. Exhaustion!
11:08:00 PM
Monday, June 11, 2007
Sopranos' Swan Song
I liked the ending of The Sopranos Sunday night and thought it was just the way it should have. It's better to imagine all the things that could have happened to them than to actually watch it happen. I kept thinking Tony would be shot several times during the last episode, especially after the other mob guy Phil was shot and then grossly run over by his own SUV with his grandchildren in the car seats and his wife screaming and running after the car while we heard his head crunch. When Tony and Paulie were sitting outside at the table, I was sure it would happen. Then there were a few other times, I thought might be it. Then in the cafe, I was sure the whole family would be shot until Meadow had so much trouble parallel parking and decided she would walk in after they had been whacked. Those suspicious guys who lurked around in a booth and on the stools seemed like the ones who would do it or definitely the one who went to the restroom, a scene that seemed to be an homage to The Godfather. So Tony, Carmela, and A.J. popped an onion ring in their mouths while Journey sang "Don't Stop Believin'" and the screen cut to black. Shock! Finito! It's over. "Some will win, some will lose," Perry sings. "Some were born to sing the blues. Oh, the movie never ends. It goes on and on and on and on ... "
Phil Leotardo said that Tony and his family were small potatoes or something like that. Who knew the Sopranos might have been mediocre mobsters? Instead of being Goodfellas, perhaps they were So-So Fellas.
9:12:00 PM
Thursday, May 31, 2007
TV
I've been watching the last episodes of Studio 60 which is a bittersweet experience since it's been cancelled. Ex-Wives Club, Bingo Night, The Bachelor, and all those other shows like that can be on, but not some well-written shows. Aaron Sorkin's worst writing is still better than the best efforts of many others. Tonight's show dealt with some powerful issues and interests. I wish it could stay on. I wish HBO would have a show Sorkin writes.
9:59:00 PM
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Memorial Day
Tomorrow is Memorial Day, and thirty-five soldiers and Marines were killed in Iraq last week. The numbers get higher and higher. Altogether over 3,000 US troops have been killed with most of those since "Mission Accomplished" was proclaimed. When I was married, my husband was in the Navy on a submarine, so I was involved in the military for four years and know about sacrifice and duty. I was part of a military family. I'm against our being in this war and was also against our involvement in Vietnam. History has shown that was a mistake, and many people know this is, too.
Being against a war is not the same as not supporting the men and women who are in the military doing their jobs. I want their families to welcome them home safely and intact. I want them to have the best equipment available to help make that possible, too. If they are injured, they need the best care available as long as they need it. So on this Memorial Day, I remember those who died and those who returned and most of all, those who are there. I wish they were home.
6:55:00 PM
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
DWTS
Who will it be tonight on Dancing with the Stars? They were all so good that I'd be happy with any of them or a tie. Len and Bruno are going to come to blows eventually. I thought Apolo and Julianne's free-style was terrific and just right for their ages. Laila and Maksim were great in their two dances as well, but especially the Pasa Doble (however it's spelled). Joey is always entertaining and fun. So it's anybody's guess!
9:21:00 AM
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Harry
Prince Harry won't be going to Iraq because of the security risk. I'm glad.
4:00:00 PM
New TV Shows and Season Finales
The new shows are being announced with some new ones being shown. I watched the pilot of Traveler and want to see more. It's about three friends who roomed together during grad school at Yale. Will Traveler is a chemical engineer who has apparently master-minded the bombing of an art museum (??) in NYC. The other two are Jay, an attorney with plans to work for a big law firm, and Tyler, a venture capitalist who is going to work for his super-wealthy father with a questionable background. Will is missing, and these two are being chased as terrorists. Might have potential since the characters are likeable, the plot is different, and there's an ongoing mystery with compicated possibilities. The pilot will be shown again May 30 before the new episode if you want to see what you think about it.
Not sure where or why the premise for Ex-Wives Club came from or who thought it was a good idea; however, since it's inane with an odd assortment of celebrities, it will probably be popular. After all, The Bachelor, Deal or No Deal, Wife Swap/Trading Spouses, and all those other shows I can't believe are still on TV are alive and well. Thank goodness some are returning I'd miss.
The season finale of Shark was brilliant. I was surprised at the end and enjoyed thinking back to how it evolved. The writing is good on there, and James Woods is such a good actor.
According to David Boreanz there will be many therapy sessions on Bones next season, which is good news to me since Stephen Fry played the therapist and surely he'll be back in that role. He was great in it. I'd been hoping he'd have a guest role on House since it would be entertaining to see him and Hugh Laurie together again, but this gives him more exposure on screen. I'd like for both to happen.
Marc Cherry said on The View that there would be a death on Desperate Housewives. I wonder who it could be. Carlos definitely doesn't need to be with Edie, so I hope that doesn't happen. The previews show his finding her birth control pills, so that should end things for them. Lynette has lymphoma, and I know what that's like. It will be interesting to see how they write about it.
Lost is losing me. Too many loose ends without answers. I still watch it but don't care as much now even though it does manage to pull me into the plots and subplots. Izzie on Grey's Anatomy has gotten on my last nerve. This complication with George is getting old, especially when she wasn't over Denny. Also McDreamy and Meredith - puhleeze! The only character who still interests me is Christina but not all the time. I could not watch these last three I mentioned without being too bothered. Brothers & Sisters comes and goes with being good. I really like Sally Field and Rachel Griffiths and the youngest brother the most. That family is claustrophobic though.
Maybe American Idol will be gone soon. I don't watch it, but there's no way to avoid knowing more about it than I am interested in. I have watched some of it since the end would be on while I was waiting for House to come on right after it.
Any shows you care to comment on? Faves and dislikes?
1:19:00 PM
DWTS
Well, we're down to the last three contestants and the ones I hoped would be there. I really like Apolo, Laila, and Joey and their professional partners and would be happy if any of them won. Apolo and Julianne are so cute together and dance really well. He was wonderful in the Olympics, and his enthusiasm and dedication are apparent in this, too. She's done some amazing choreography for them, and it's so much fun watching them dance together. Laila and Maksim are funny with their bickering. She's become a good dancer and is beautiful. As I've mentioned before, I think Maks is a major hottie, so of course I enjoy watching him dance or just stand there speaking in his sexy Russian accent. It would be fine if they won since it seems more difficult for the women contestants in this. Maybe I'm wrong, but it appears that way. I've been voting for them every time with all my votes and will probably continue to do so. Joey and Kym are so entertaining and good, too. It's always a treat to see what they will do. Yes, we're down to the best, so any of them could win.
I didn't like Ian (including how he pronounces his name) and thought Cheryl didn't seem as enthusiastic about dancing with him as she did with Drew or with Emmit and didn't have the chemistry she did with them. Something about Ian seems smarmy - his smile, how he calls Cheryl "Baby" while rubbing her arm or otherwise touching her unnecessarily, and his expression. It would have been so bad if he'd stayed on there and one of the others were voted off. I really like Cheryl and believe she made the best of it all.
An article online said that Mario Lopez and Karina Smirnoff have moved in together. We saw that relationship progress on DWTS, and there they are.
So next week will be it. The final results. Who will it be?
12:51:00 PM
Saturday, May 12, 2007
I'm Harry
This is from Bill Moyers Journal:
"I'm Harry."
When people are having a good time, you don't want to be the skunk in the garden. And this week, people were having such a good time at that big White House welcome for the Queen. The New York Times says her majesty was "making Americans go weak in the knees." Sometimes we colonials seem so dazzled by British royalty that I wonder if General Washington did defeat Cornwallis at Yorktown.
But a less playful thought also occurred to me watching the first and royal families all gussied up. I couldn't help but think of Prince Harry, the Queen's grandson, who is headed for Iraq with a cavalry regiment, even though he's a conspicuous target for assassination or kidnapping. There's angst in official circles that other members of his regiment will be put at graver risk because of his celebrity. So guess what his comrades -- his fellow soldiers -- are doing? Rather than petition the Queen to keep the young man home, they have gotten shirts printed up with the words across them: "I'm Harry." Marvelous, no? The commoners and the Prince are in this together: one for all and all for one. What a notion -- that war should be the great equalizer, that no one's son or daughter is privileged from duty or danger.
You have to wonder how the last four years might have been different if only our President had asked sacrifice from everyone. Instead, mostly folks from the working class and professional soldiers are doing the dying in Iraq, while the rich spend their tax cuts. War on the cheap, except for those fighting it.
Watching all the wrangling in Washington this week over timetables and exit strategies and benchmarks, it occurred to me that this travesty might end much more quickly if what is happening in Iraq were not just word-play to our leaders -- something others die for while officials talk, talk, and talk. Suppose the next time they pow-wow and palaver the President and Congress were asked to wear shirts with the words written across them, "I'm Harry."
See another article about Prince Harry's going to Iraq and the t-shirt here. What do you think about all this?
11:42:00 AM
Monday, May 07, 2007
Conversations
Someone from a car dealership in Nashville called this morning. I don't know how or why they managed to call me, but here's part of the conversation:
Car Guy: Are you in the market for a new car?
Me: No, not really.
CG: In the future?
Me: Well, it would have to be.
CG: (laughing) I guess that's right.
Brian called to let me know about Brendan's hair cut this weekend. He still gets nervous about them and requires preparation. He hates having hair fall in his face, so cutting the front is especially problematic. I've taken him for hair cuts and know how he feels about them. Brian got it cut pretty short for summer, and Terry also cut mine short last week - for summer, too, I suppose. I called to talk to Brendan this evening and ask about his hair cut which we discussed. Then I told him I got my hair cut, too. He asked, "Did you get a treat, Grammy?"
11:54:00 PM
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Just wondering
Is anyone reading this?
5:49:00 PM
Saturday, May 05, 2007
"A writer ought to comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable." – Mark Twain
3:05:00 PM
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Nero's
As I mentioned before, Monday was Tina's last night of class to finish her master's!! Yea, Tina, and well done! While she was taking her final, I got together with Linda as usual. We ate at Nero's Grill and were trying to remember the way it used to look when the first one was in that same location. Fortunately, the waitress led us to the bar to see the old menu and photographs. They really brought back memories. Nero's Cactus Canyon was famous for its corn cakes and white bean soup which have been brought back. Nero's son now owns this new incarnation of a place lots of us used to love to go. Our meal was really good, and the decor is beautiful. Here's an article about it. There's a link to a Kris Kristofferson interview in that article as well as other fascinating tidbits. This has the menu and photos of the original location. I didn't eat the game meat before and doubt I will this time even though they are highly recommended. If they'd let me have a taste of it before getting a whole order, I might. On our way in, we met Barbara Weinstein and her husband who raved about the crunchy trout and potato crusted halibut they had. We enjoyed our grilled lemon chicken, the yummy corn cakes, and the relaxing atmosphere. Do any of you remember going to Nero's when the menu looked like this? Do you remember The Silver Slipper part of it, too? Memories!
1:22:00 PM
Candidates and the CrusadesTonight will be the Republican nominees debate. I watched the Democrats last week and loved Joe Biden's one-word answer "yes" when Brian Williams asked if he could show restraint if he were President since his verbosity has gotten him in trouble. I still laugh about that exchange. I haven't decided yet who I will vote for in the primary but have time to made that decision. Here's what buzzflash.com wrote: "Republican contenders ponder what to say about Bush." Uh, how about the man is a narcississtic sociopath who has shredded our Constitution, driven us to unprecedented debt, lied us into a ruinous war, and has appointed ideologically radical AND corrupt appointees? Naw, they'll go with the euphemistic lies, as usual. Here's a disturbing article about the Christian Taliban in the military.
Mints are from this website.
12:34:00 PM
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Dancing with the Dwarf Stars (remember Pluto?)
I can't believe Billy Ray Cyrus is still on there, and based on his reaction neither can he. John Ratzenberger left last night, so surely Billy Ray will go next week.
10:52:00 PM
Mission Impossible
Yesterday was the fourth anniversary of the Top Gun impersonator's speech in front of the Mission Accomplished banner. He had on his little jump suit and strutted across the deck of an aircraft carrier just outside San Diego. He's a cross between Don Quixote and Hitler and has turned our government into 1984 - Thought Police, Doublespeak, Big Brother, war for the sake of war, and all. He's the worst president we've ever had AND the scariest. I think we've been like Nazi Germany where many of us couldn't believe our government leaders could be so evil and others goose-stepped to his drum. Perhaps its our turn to have a despotic leader in office the way others had Stalin, Mussolini, Idi Amin, etc. I don't know how long it's going to take our country to recover from this abuse and destruction. He needs to be impeached and tried for war crimes, and Cheney for war profiteering.
10:32:00 PM
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