The MO SHOW! Funky Town...

Something Very Special~~~

Sunday morning I checked one of my e-mail accounts and found an e-mail from Nancy Liedel, at The Goat Rodeo , directing me to her blog for a review! I must admit I was very curious but knowing she was a friend of Miss Bee's, I didn't figure she'd be too terribly rough on me!

Wow! What a lovely surprise!!! I want to thank you personally, Nancy, for your kindness. Oh, I offered to take down the music and was threatened, so it stays!

"Sunday, Blog DayJuly 29th, 2007
I seem to be making the rounds of the people who are regulars on Shipshape Gal’s blog (otherwise known as, Empress Bee). That’s because I go down a list on my, “blog’s to be read” list and her buddies are all at the top of the list. I found, Amazing Gracie’s blog, Echoes of Grace, on that list.
Gracie’s posts clearly show the life of a good woman who struggles with ordinary things. Just like we all do.
Her grandson is off to Navy boot camp and Gracie is bursting with pride, and concern. Her love for her grandchild, along with her obvious patriotism and her conflict of worry, all mingle into a genuine outpouring of emotion that tug at your heart. Gracie’s thoughts, at this time, are genuine and beautifully laid out in her carefully tended blog."
Gracie is a surprise at every turn. Just when you think you have her pinned into a neat little corner, she writes something that shows you the depth and complexity of her character and you’re fascinated, all over again.
Music does accompany her blog. Her music is beyond lovely, but it sucks my bandwidth more effectively than a Dyson sucks dog hair. I can’t have any other windows open when I’m looking at her site, or this piece of crap computer will slow to a dead crawl. Worth it, though. Like I said, the music is wonderful and peaceful, just like her Echos of Grace."

Deep Thoughts for Deep Days

This was one of those "rainy day" kind of days; introspective and weepy. The kind of day that will pass and be bright and sunny tomorrow but needs attention today. I found some quotes that were intriguing and pertain to a thought I was given by someone special: "Do Not Ever Let Anyone Steal Your Joy." It's a powerful statement because it contains truth. Once we relinquish our ability to be joyful in the present, we are allowing someone to have power over us. In order to remain in control of our lives we must not allow anyone to take our joy from us.

I worked for a woman who delighted in controlling everyone who worked under her and making us all joyless. I gave her permission to steal my joy and I was miserable for it. When I told her I had accepted a new position, she slammed back in her chair and said, "You didn't tell me you were interviewing!" I looked her square in the eye and said, "No, I didn't have to." POWER. Small bits and pieces, I know but I have always been so timid in the face of authority. I walked out of her office on a cloud. I wasn't rude or improper - I was honest! I remained in charge and it was a new feeling entirely!

Tools for living, they are just building blocks, but if we apply them properly, our journey is a lot easier.

Inner Journey*

Refuse to be a victim
"We focus on the negatives, losing ourselves in the ‘problem.’ We point to our unhappy circumstances to rationalize our negative feelings. This is the easy way out. It takes, after all, very little effort to feel victimized."
-- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

Nothing and no one can make us a victim. We do it to ourselves when we allow external circumstances to hold power over us.
Although we have no control over what happens to us, we ALWAYS have a choice in how we respond. We hold our power when we accept complete responsibility for our thoughts, feelings and actions.

"A man may fall many times but he won't be a failure until he says someone pushed him."
-- Elmer G. Letterman

"The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed."
-- Steven Biko

*From Higherawareness.com

Manic Monday - Miss

IS IT A HIT OR A MISS?

I grew up on TV. It was a novelty, a brand new fad. Would it fly? Would it be a hit or a miss?

Skeptics didn't think it would last.

When "The Hit Parade" came along and we had the Top Forty list, a TV show became very popular in the UK, called "Juke Box Jury," hosted by David Jacobs, but it got it's start here in the US with Peter Potter. I remember hearing the catch phrase, "Will it be a hit or a miss?" as the celebrities would listen to a new single and rate it as a "hit," or "miss." Of course, like any other show, we at home would often disagree with them and that made it fun to watch!

Since I was unable to bring the UTube video over, I have the URL to the very popular theme song that accompanied the UK show, which coincidentally, was produced by Peter Potter (boy, I would've changed my name!). It was extremely popular at the time and reminds me a lot of something by the Ventures. Enjoy the 45's hurtling towards you!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFAbKp4jsPE

The following paragraph is from "I LOVE 1960 TV."

I LOVE 1960 TV
Jukebox Jury - The show in which assorted celebrities rated new single releases a 'hit' or a 'miss' -

began on US Television in 1948 starring Hollywood DJ Peter Potter. It came to the UK in 1959, presented by David Jacobs, but only became a 'hit' itself in 1960. One of the highlights of the show's history was when The Beatles appeared on December 7th 1963. They rated songs by artists including Billy Fury, Elvis Presley and The Swinging Blue Jeans - all of which became hits.

On that night, seven of the Beatles' predictions were right and three were wrong.

To Everything There is a Season...

I debated whether or not to post this but I feel in my heart that I must. Our blogs all relate our ups and downs, the good and the bad, the funny and the sad. Most of us pour out our concerns here and find it a safe haven.

So many of us have health concerns and I am anxious about several of you. This concerns a family member that I feel the need to bring to your attention. He's my number one cousin's son. His name is Mike, he's 41, has a daughter in college and one in high school. He's been in the hospital now for several weeks, with one of those "mystery" diagnoses. If treated correctly in the beginning it's more than likely he wouldn't have had to be admitted, let alone where he is now.

For all of you praying folks, I would ask that you please remember Mike and his family in your prayers. I ask everyone to please keep him in your thoughts - he really needs all the help he can receive. He had surgery today and remains on a ventilator to oxygenate his blood. They expect him to remain in ICU for at least another week. He's in Georgetown University Hospital in D.C.

There's a moral to this story: stay on top of your medical care. Ask questions and don't be afraid of getting another opinion. And don't take antibiotics for every sore throat, cut and scrape. Some time when you really need them to work, they won't.

http://idcrossroads.blogspot.com/2007/01/antibiotics-are-not-harmless.html

Sunday Blessings to You!

At Steven's send-off party, Hubman's grandkids were all part of the gang! You can tell that they're a really close knit group of kids. Emily idolizes Steven! I want to thank all of you for your well-wishes and prayers for him as he takes this huge step in his life. We so appreciate your support!!!

The Cousins

Steven and his dad, center; Nick and Emily left; Steven's sister, second from right; last but certainly not least, Hannah!

Friday Feast #153

APPETIZER

Describe a toy you remember from your childhood.
The one that really stands out is a doll house my dad put together Christmas Eve, after I finally went to bed. While he and my mom were working on it, I woke up and wandered down the hall and caught them at it. My mom whispered to me that I was walking in my sleep and to go back to bed. I must have fallen for it, too!

It was a really neat doll house and had tons of little people and little furniture. He built it on a wooden platform with wheels so I could take it all around the house. Cool.

SOUP

On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being highest) how observant are you?

I'd like to think "very" since I like to paint and sketch! But as I get older I find more and more escapes me. I'm having to train myself to keep in the observant mode!

SALAD

Where would you rather be at this very moment?

Does "anywhere but here" count? Come to think of it, that's a stupid answer! I could get zapped to Iran or North Korea, or Heaven help me, Iraq! Let's be more astute and say on the beach at Princeville in Kaua'i, Hawai'i.

MAIN COURSE

When was the last time you learned something new?

Today. I'm working on my HTML skills - and it's a slow trip.

DESSERT

Fill in the blanks: I have SKILLS but I haven’t BEEN USING THEM.

Our Own Hero...

Anchors Aweigh...

You may have noticed on the left sidebar, I've added a badge with the name "Steven" on it. This is Steven, who left Tuesday for Virginia to attend Navy boot camp. He's my husband's oldest grandson and he couldn't be prouder of him. Granted, along with that pride goes some trepidation but we're trusting God to be with our boy and keep him safe.

This is proud papa, Steve, and step-mom Jill.

And come September, Sarge...we're sending off a new Marine!

Another Propaganda Movie Coming Your Way...

"Hollywood is set to release anti-war propaganda in the fall. It's their thank you to our soldiers for putting their life on the line to protect our freedom to even diss the very people who continue to lose their life protecting it. They are about to turn our soldiers into killers without a future:"

To continue reading this very eye-opening film review, please click here:

http://reformedchicksblabbing.blogspot.com/

Thursday Thirteen - Cars

Some people are freaks. And then there are car freaks. I think I fall into the second category!

Hubman and I've owned a lot of cars and had to sell some that we really loved. None of the photos here are the actual cars but I chose ones that were really representative. Here's my list:

1. I learned to drive on a '49 Plymouth. We called it the "Green Wienie," because of it's color! The real "wienie" never looked this good!!!

2. Would you believe I got my very first driver's license driving this boat? That included parallel parking and I did it the first time! The instructor knocked off three points of my total score because he said I swung too wide making a right turn. Well, yeah, I didn't want to wipe out the whole city block! (Isn't it funny how you can remember things like this? I got a 97% total score)
3. I drove this '62 Buick Skylark in high school and to work. It had an aluminum block engine and looked very innocent but it could take just about anything off the line. It had a neat little four speed and was hot to trot! It taught me how to throw a speed shift. It also gave me my first speeding ticket! (I've only had two!)

4. The first new car we owned after getting married was this one. I remember racing a Corvette on the freeway and backing off at 100 mph. Common sense kicked it, thank goodness!
5. When my mom passed away in 1992, she wanted me to have her '92 Cougar. Looks can be deceptive. It was a speedy little devil! My mom gave me me fondness for fast cars. She could drive circles around a lot of people... 6. The first hot rod hubman and I bought was a '32 five-window coupe. It was one of those garage affairs that wound up being "almost" perfect and made him pretty well decide against a another do-it-yourself job. It sure was gorgeous though...

7. If I ever get another classic car, I'd love to have another Mustang. I love the lines and the way it moves... Mine was blue.

8. One of my very favorites was this '51 MG TD. These guys weren't built for speed but for endurance! When you took it on the freeway it started doing the "shimmy, shimmy shake" at about 50 mph. But in the early evenings in the spring, it was always so much fun to go tooling about town with the top down. Mine was white.
9. One of hubman's favorites was this '56 Chevy Cameo Pickup. This is one we hated to see go! 10. At the time hubman and I married, I was the proud, yes - I say proud - owner of a Ford Pinto Station Wagon, the stuff jokes are made of! My first husband and I owned it less than six months when some old lady pulled out in front of me and almost totalled it! I had four kids in the car - no seat belts.

11. Back when we first got married, we had six kids every other weekend. The wise thing to do was buy a van!

12. Hubman has a '69 Chevy El Camino. His looks almost this good, except it's blue. The main draw back is that it doesn't have air conditioning!!! 13. We presently drive a Chrysler Sebring LXI. This is our third one - never even had them in the shop! Ours is midnight blue. Our second one was silver and the first was black.

We've actually had a few more but these are the ones with the most memories. I hope all you fellow car buffs enjoyed them. For those of you who could care less, I'll come up with something more universally interesting next week! Thanks for your patience...

Wordless Wednesday

"The Mo Show"

Sports Rant

A-Block at Sing Sing Prison

What on earth is happening in the world of sports? We have steroids involved in just about every branch of sports, even in bicycling as evidenced in the Tour de France. The Olympics have been tainted with use of illegal drugs - even tampering with the sexes (as in the paperwork says female but the test says male!).

Now we have several dead wrestlers, and in one instance, family members; the NBA has a referee with possible Mafia ties accused of throwing games and gambling; Hank Aaron's home run record may be broken by Barry Bonds who may not be entitled to receive the honor; and an NFL player who has "allegedly" committed the evil horror of running a dog-fighting ring.

I'm not a sports fan but I'm not using this to jack-up sports. In fact, if anything, I mourn the passage of sports as they used to be. I remember my dad taking the family to the Yankee-Angel game for my brother. My dad could've cared less but my brother was a fan so to my dad, it became a big deal! Those were the days of the big guys: Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Joe Pepitone, Whitey Ford and Jim Bouten, to name a few. They weren't perfect but they kept their public persona clean enough that my dad could bring my brother to a double-header and not be ashamed of the players! I remember walking down to the player's area with a ball my for brother to have signed. He managed to get Joe Pepitone to sign it. They were nice guys, polite and friendly. They knew that these kids looked up to them - AND IT MATTERED.

I know enough of sports history to realize that all was not rosy. Babe Ruth was not a family man and Ty Cobb was a less than nice guy. But they weren't cheaters. It used to matter that you played by the rules. It doesn't seem to matter any more. A man's word counted for something. And these guys sure didn't play for multi-million dollar contracts!

I've had it with the gangsters, the thugs, the riff-raff, the gamblers, the cheats - those that denigrate their sport. Our kids are learning a lot. They're learning the exact opposite of what sports originally taught them. Watched "Sand Lot" lately?

I hope the team owners get hold of the situation and fast. All of you sports enthusiasts need to let the franchises know that you will not support a team who condones, by their silence, a man who finds sport in the fighting of dogs to the death and then viciously and cruelly executes the losers. He doesn't deserve the opportunity and honor of earning $40,000,000 (I believe that's correct) over a certain number of years. Someone much more deserving should be chosen to take his place, vile piece of scum that he is!

Manic Monday - Wind

The wind swirled the leaves gently at her feet, then began spiraling up her legs, tossing her silky skirt upwards towards the sky. Quickly, she smoothed her skirt with both of her hands in the front while the back swished madly. Her hair flew in all directions, circling wildly around her tanned oval face. She made an effort to control her long ebony hair but it was impossible to manage her hair and her wind-tossed skirt at the same time. Her long, curvy legs were on full display and there was nothing she could do except grab at her skirt and hold on!

It was at this moment she knew the wind wasn't named Mariah after all.

Photo Hunt - Tiny

I'm sorry the quality isn't better but this is the only "tiny" photo I have on hand. This is my granddaughter and the family baby, Chico. He's not much bigger than this, full grown...

Friday Feast

Feast One Hundred & Fifty Two

Appetizer

On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being highest) how much do enjoy watching sports on television?

Oh, let's say about a minus 10!


Soup
If you could completely memorize any one work of fiction, which one would you pick?
"Book of Virtues," edited by William Bennet

Salad
What is your favorite breakfast food?
I have a protein shake every morning but my very favorite is eggs over easy with hashed brown potatoes, fresh biscuits and gravy!

Main Course
Name something fun you can do for less than $10.00.
Buy a book, rent a DVD, buy an ice cream sundae, go to the mall - windowshop - and buy a dessert and coffee! There are still lots of options.

Dessert
How long does it usually take you to fall asleep?
A lot longer in the summer than in the winter! I've always had a difficult time with the sandman.

The Moaning Meme - Sounds Erotic!

Sarge Charlie tagged me with this one - he said I'd be nice! He, he, he... I only show him my good side; he hasn't seen my "dark side." Be prepared, Sarge!

4 things that should go into room 101 and be removed from the face of the earth:

Things? Can it be a person? I'm thinking Osama and that little runt in Iran. And throw Putin and Kim in, too.

3 things people do that make you want to shake them violently:

People who are rude and crude on the blogs - you know who you are - and incite anger intentionally, then use people's blogrolls to tell tales and try to steal readership. This is about as juvenille as it gets, folks!

People who bully others - I have no use for a bully.

I cannot abide liars! Tell the truth or keep your yap shut!

2 things you find yourself moaning about:

Politicians on both sides of the aisles but in particular Kennedy, Reid and Pelosi. Most of 'em suck!

This has got to be the longest political race in the history of mankind! I'm already sick of it and am getting sicker by the moment as each side tries to muddy the other. ACK!!!!

1 thing the above answers tell you about yourself:

Maybe that I have an opinion or two and I will stick up for the underdog? I dunno...

Link to the original meme at freelancecynic.com so
people know what it's all about! Be as honest as possible, This is about letting
people get to know the real you! Try not to insult anyone - unless they really
deserve it or are very, very ugly! Post these rules at the end of every meme.

I will tag the following:

Mo

Janna

Ruth

Wordless Wednesday

UPDATE: I found this little guy on Yahoo News. He was born with the heart shape on his side. He is such a cutie...I'm glad you all liked him!!!

The Mo Show !!!

Be sure to catch THE MO SHOW this week! You don't

have to be a cat owner to join in the fun!!!

The fun will beprovided for you!
(Katie says "hello" to Jazper!)

What? Me Worry?

Anyone my age knows the Mad Magazine icon, "Alfred E. Neuman," and his "What? Me Worry?" tagline. I have said the words so many times, so nonchalantly, like my buddy Alfred E., but inside my gut was churning. Our minds are so powerful! They control every aspect of who, how, and what we are. To some degree, they can even control certain illnesses and their intensity.

Doctors have proven that a mind full of negativity and worry creates stress, which creates cortisol and damages our bodies. It can bring about depression and other emotional problems.

So why do we worry? A lot of it's based on our basic personalities - do we see the glass as half- full or half-empty? I'm a half-full type of gal mentally, but my body says half-empty! Another aspect is the physical as in someone like myself, who is predisposed to depression.

***I had to stop typing this because of the aura I'm getting due to the onset of a migraine. I've taken my meds and will try to continue but it will probably not go in the direction I wanted...

I used to laugh at my hubman's mom because she worried nonstop about us. If we were going to see my mom, she asked that we call and let her know we arrived safely because the L.A. traffic worried her. Inevitably, we'd forget to call in the hubbub of arriving and she'd be on the phone before we knew it. I always felt bad but down deep, I thought it was a bit much. Well, guess who's doing the worrying now? What goes 'round does indeed, come 'round! My daughter and her sons travel a lot and when I don't hear from her when she's on the road, I really worry! I'm sure my dear MIL is somewhere saying, "See?" And it serves me right!

But my worrying for my daughter's safety isn't going to make her safer. Case in point: My first husband and I were married in 1965 and he stayed just ahead of deferment for the draft. I would lay in bed at night, unable to sleep because I knew he'd be drafted and die in Viet Nam. He did die young, but only a few blocks from our house in a car accident! Unnecessary worry like that takes it toll on you body and your emotions. I have had panic attacks, migraines, IBS, anxiety, lower immunity to disease, etc. I've tried to reverse the damage that I've done but it's a rough road and one involving exercise, my old nemesis. But it's "fixable," for the most part.

Today, I have heard from dear people that I love and care about that are in places in their lives that they'd rather not be. I worry about them. That's okay - that's empathy; that is concern that creates long prayers lists! This gives us an opportunity to at least feel that I'm being productive in some way, whether or not one believes in prayer, as I do. It gives you a focused activity and an outlet for the worry and anger. It's all of the non-productive anger and worry that creates all of those negatives in the darkrooms of our minds.

To all of you special people who are carrying burdens right now, you know I love you and am thinking about you continually. Whether it's money, relationships, illness or strife, please try to find a productive way to deal with it. Do as I say, not as I do!

Things in this life are never simple, but Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow. ~Swedish Proverb

Manic Monday - Marble

I am a "hobby" painter and I'll never make it into the Louvre (a craft show, maybe!). I've used many mediums: watercolor, pastel, acrylic and oil. I understand how these mediums work and create art, whether on canvas or wood. I can understand using clay to shape a bowl or a pot. But using marble to create a masterpiece such as The Pieta or Michelangelo's David, is beyond my ken. I do not understand how you can shape stone with tools into such lifelike dimensions. So, when Morgen said "Marble" was the word for today, that was the second thing that leaped into my brain. The first? The most obvious!!! The marbles I have been looking for, since they have obviously escaped from my noggin!!!

- Michelangelo's David -

In Autumn 1504 the Florentines witnessed an exceptional event: after four days travelling round the city, transported with the care and attention normally reserved for great events, inside a wooden cage running on greased beams, Michelangelo's David finally reached its destination, the Piazza della Signoria - and was immediately celebrated as one of the greatest masterpieces of the Renaissance.
The statue was first intended to be displayed in the Cathedral, but was then felt to be of so great merit as to deserve a more important position.

Chronicles tell us of the immense surprise and marvel that the Florentines showed as it was uncovered. 'It took the voice away from statues both ancient and modern', wrote Vasari, author of a famous biography of the artist. Such a superb work had never been seen before either in Florence or elsewhere, with its manifest expression of awareness of power.

The Florentines, who called it Michelangelo's "giant", considered it the most explicit example of the spirit of the New Republic that had chased the Medici from Florence in 1494. When he created his David, Michelangelo was not even thirty, but had already produced works of great value such as the Tondo Doni which can be found in the Uffizi today. His David was so successful that he was called back to Rome by the Pope himself, Giulio II, for whom he would then paint the famous Sistine Chapel.

The Florence where Michelangelo was born was already the city of art and trade that we know of as the driving centre of the period of cultural rebirth that we call the Renaissance. It had known artists like Giotto, Masaccio and Donatello, but it was in Michelangelo, and naturally Leonardo da Vinci, that Florence saw the incomparable genius that could best represent its cultural supremacy.

Michelangelo took three years to finish his David. This great work would confirm him as even more than just Florence's greatest sculptor. What the Florentines saw that day in 1504, was a masterpiece with no equal. A giant almost four and a half meters high and the only large nude sculpted after ancient times, as no-one had previously dared to challenge the Greek and Roman masterpieces. But though it does remind us of ancient models, the David sculpture is daringly anti-classical. Its position, though expressing perfect balance, alludes at movement, with its left heel raised off the ground. The attitude is strong, arrogant and, above all, filled with inner life like no other similar classical statue. Behind the apparent equilibrium, his David represses strong energy and tension.

Michelangelo then does something of genius: he doesn't show us David after Goliath's defeat, triumphant over the giant's head, as in typical iconography, but at an unspecified moment, perhaps just after his victory. Michelangelo does not want to portray the action, but rather the possibility to carry it out and he prefers to show David's strength in power more than in the evidence of historical narration. Strength is expressed in the exceptional vitality of his challenging look, below those frowning eyebrows and in the muscular tension shown by his meticulous design of anatomical parts.

Michelangelo also uses an ingenious technique, giving authority to his characters through lack of proportion for some parts: the hands, knotted and extremely beautiful, the face which with the neck is bigger than half the chest. It is in the hands and face that the virtues of universal man are to be found, in other words, physical strength and the intellectual reasoning of man. The entire work represents, in this sense, a perfect synthesis of the Florentine Renaissance.

On display in the city's most important square and in front of the seat of its government, the David by Michelangelo often risked serious damage. In 1872 they decided to move it into the Academy Gallery, into a specially designed room where it can still be seen today, while it was only in 1910 that a copy was to be placed on its original site in Piazza della Signoria.

Artist, architect, scholar, but most of all Michelangelo considered himself a sculptor: and it is in the sculptor's action of hitting marble with a chisel in an effort to draw his primary idea, the universal concept out of matter, that his incomparable genius can be found and the reason why, as Vasari said, 'his fame will live on gloriously, despite death'.

Tagged with a Goodie!

My buddy, Bee, tagged me with a goodie! She said it was 'cause she knew I'd do a good job with it...man! You talk about pressure!!! Well, I did have fun coming up with the answers, so Empress Bee, this one's for you!

LIST FIVE THINGS IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR

Let's see what's in there: well, it looks like a whole bunch of stuff in someone else's fridge! I guess I'd better go check out mine!
1. Diet Pepsi - Strawberries & Cream

2. Orowheat Oatnut bread

3. Leftover potato salad that needs to go bye-bye

4. Chocolate Soy milk

5. Grated Monterey Jack cheese

FIVE THINGS IN YOUR CLOSET

1. All of our extra bed linen and pillows

2. Most of my extra candles and candleholders

3. Hubman's golf clubs

4. Boxes of books (even after giving many away, selling at the yard sale, I do not have enough book shelves!!!

5. All of our luggage

FIVE THINGS IN YOUR PURSE OR BACKPACK

*For those of you who don't know me, it's true: I give names to my purses and backpacks.
*For those of you who do know me, you'll realize that I wouldn't be caught dead with either one of these as I am rather conservative and my current bag is a black leather, east/west profile that I spent way too much on when I was working...

1. My huge wallet that is full of nickles and quarters - about four bucks worth.
2. Starbucks "After Coffee" mints
3. Lipgloss
4. My "migraine kit," containing extra-strength Tylenol and my migraine meds.
5. My Sonitrol card to get into my building that I forgot to turn in. Ooops!

FIVE THINGS IN YOUR CAR

1. Bunches of CD's, some of which are mine; most are hubman's since he now drives our Chrsyler Sebring to work. He leaves his '69 El Camino home because it doesn't have air conditioning! Can you blame him?

2. A towel for the seats - so you don't get a "hot seat" when you sit down!

3. Maps for California, Los Angeles Freeways and Tehachapi

4. Registration and insurance papers, as required by CA law

5. A small trash container

FIVE THINGS IN THE WORLD YOU WANT TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE

Hillary Rodham Clinton as President.

Oops! I misread that! I thought it said 5 Things You'll Die if You See"

I'm cheating here - I want to go back to Princeville, Kaua'i in Hawai'i

I'd love to see Tahiti

The Great Barrier Reef

British Columbia - Anywhere! I'd love to see Vancouver and Banff.I'd love to see a real mermaid - they are real, aren't they???

Photo Hunt - Shadow(s)

This shot was taken at the bay in Bali Hai, Kaua'i. The sun would come and go, the clouds would hover about the mountain tops, obscuring the many waterfalls from view. The mountains are quite high but cannot be seen due to the cloud cover. The pier shielded hubman and cast a shadow giving this a silhouette effect which I like very much.

The photo I used for my banner is south of this about ten miles. It's looking across the water at our hotel, to the left. I left a piece of me there...

Thursday Thirteen

THIRTEEN THINGS I DID TODAY

1. Read the newspaper - The Bakersfield Californian, while watching the news on TV. It's true, I'm a news junkie.

2. Had my usual protein shake (Whey protein, instant coffee, soy milk, ice cubes and a banana with various coffee creamers. Today's flav du jour: Hazelnut!)

3. Watched the guy who owns the field behind us disc the weeds! Thank goodness - I was afraid of a grass fire!

4. Played with my cockatiel and parrot. This consists of letting them come sit with me on my chair, whistling the songs they know; we danced to some blues music - yes, they do dance! Better than I do - they keep very good time!!! We run through the repertoire of words, and give smooches.

5. Up and down, up and down, letting the dogs out to pee on the cement. We do have some flower beds, but oh no...they want to go on the cement and when baked in the hot sun...

Yes, I go out with the hose frequently, out of pity for my neighbors. We do plan on taking out some of the cement and planting grass! We love green grass with yellow spots...

6. Hauled out some more things for the Salvation Army truck to take. Boy, these guys are good.

When they say 8:30 a.m., they mean it.

7. Rearranged some stuff on the kitchen counter tops.

8. Hung some more pictures - took a couple down. I will go through this process several times until I feel comfortable with picture placement. Nothing's simple...

9. Got on the floor with my girls and threw the baby for them to fetch. Need any interpretation with that one? Girls = dogs; baby = stuffed toy

10. Went outside to get the mail but a plumber's truck was blocking the mailbox. I was barefoot. By the time I got back to the porch, I was dancing a jig! Hot Foot!

11. Finally, time to go blogging!!! Read all of my 4,000 e-mails for Ambian, Xanax and penis enhancements. Well, I didn't read them - I dumped them! I checked through the sites I usually read, Drudge, etc., then hopped onto Blogger. Gee, is everyone on vacation? I'm not getting many visitors. And if I can't come up with a better 13 than this for next week, I'm not gonna, either!

12. Checked out a new program, Smilebox, which is pretty cool. Lets you make these neat photo assemblies that look kinda like scrapbook pages. I made one and they are super easy. That, I loved! And better yet? It's free...Check it out. The post before this one is made with Smilebox.

13. Turned on the TV. Talk about reruns. Yuck. So I came back to the 'puter and went visiting some more!

Smilebox! It's Fun!

Click to play Make your own Smilebox

Helping a Friend - How Do You Do it?

Like so many people, specifically women, I have great difficulty asking for help! I came across this article in "Body and Soul" magazine in a question - answer column by Jennifer Louden. Sometimes the articles can be a little "new-agey" for me but this one hit the nail on the head and I wanted to share it with you. I hope you find it as interesting as I did! Especially you, Sarge!!! Chick alert! He, he...

Q. My friend is going through a hard time. She's getting divorced, her job takes everything out of her, and she'll soon be a single parent of a 6-year-old. I want to help her, but she seems to close off when I try. Short of beating down the door, what can I do? Beth C. Delray Beach, FL

A. For many women, it's much easier to help than be helped. To make matters worse, we all have beliefs about when and how it's okay to get assistance. We may think, for instance, that our friends will abandon us if we're too needy or ask for too much; or that asking for assistance makes us vulnerable in some way.

Before you do anything, reflect on your own story. What are you comfortable accepting, and what pushed your "too much," or "too close" buttons? What do you believe about good friends and helping? Is the amount of help a friend accepts a sign of how close you are? What's your "code" of friendship when it comes to aiding and comforting? Most of us never ask ourselves these crucial questions.

I certainly didn't, until I almost lost a friend over this exact issue. She was caught in a similarly awful life chapter, and I felt shut out. Finally, we had a frank (and heated) conversation about our impasse. I discovered that when I said, "What do you need? " she felt burdened. She thought, "Great, here's one more thing I have to do ---tell Jennifer what to do for me." While my code of friendship includes the belief that you need to ask friends for help, hers was: "Good friends help without having to be told." Neither approach is right or wrong, of course, but our difference were ruining our friendship.

Ask your friend out for coffee. Share what you know about your own beliefs, and include how you, too, can find it hard to accept help (if that's indeed the case). Then ask her how she most likes to be helped. By giving her a chance to pause and consider, you'll encourage her to articulate what type of assistance she needs.

Whatever comes of your conversation, though, remember that it's not about you getting to take care of her the way you want. Ultimately, it's your friend's choice ---and she may truly need to retreat for a time to get herself together. Be available to her as much as you can, and trust that, in the long run, you'll stay connected through this rough patch.

Wordless Wednesday

Meme of Eight

EIGHT RANDOM "FACTOIDS" ABOUT MOI...

1. I was born in Hollywood, CA in the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, which is no longer there. Both of my parents were native Californians, too.

2. I got married during spring break - from high school! Right after graduation I went to work in the family business instead of going off to college as planned. (Ooops!)

3. My first two children were born in Lakewood, CA; the third was born in Anaheim. All of our grandchildren (9), and one great-grandchild were born in California, making them 4th and 5th generation Californians! We don't get out much, do we!!!

4. My favorite scent is the ocean! I am like a dog in a car - can't wait to stick my head out the window as we near the coast and start sucking in that salty, invigorating sea air! It revitalizes my senses and energizes me.

5. Even though life has handed me many curve balls (doesn't it most of us?), and I was widowed at 30, I still believe in fairy tale endings! My second marriage has lasted 29 years and neither one of us is going anywhere until "death do us part!" I cry at sappy movies and so does he - but for Pete's sake - don't let him know I told you!

6. I've never lived anywhere but - where else - California! In fact, I've only lived in four different cities!

7. I very seldom sleep in our bed, even though we bought a really good mattress a couple of years ago. I have arthritis and am more comfortable in my recliner than anywhere else. I know, it's bad enough that I own a recliner, let alone sleep in one! In fact, we have two and they're a very nice shade of sage green. I would much rather sleep in the bed...

8. My folks weren't real big on school dances. Remember, they were born in 1917! I was honored by my high school choir director to be part of the Queen's Court for our winter prom, so my dad let me go to that one but I had to borrow a dress; my cousin asked me to attend his Senior Prom with him because he and his girlfriend had just broken up and we were best buds, going to schools that were in different leagues so no one knew I was his cousin! We had a ball! And yes, I had my own dress this time! But those were the only two school dances I went to and I'm sure the reason I do not, to this day, know how to dance!

And there you go...random but patterned after Linda's random answers. Since this one's been around the block several times I'm giving it a rest. Tag it if you haven't had a chance to do it and would like to. Just leave me a comment so I can be sure to follow up!
Thanks...

My E-Mail

I love opening my e-mail accounts (all three of them!) and scanning the addresses for mail from friends. Lately, my "friends" consist of Xanax, Ambien, that guy in Nigeria and somebody who wants to know if I want a longer penis. Considering I don't have one, I certainly don't want a longer one, thank you very much!!!

My yahoo account does a much better job and catching spam than my main account does. Good grief! This morning, I had 140 e-mail just on one account! Of those, ten were keepers! What's up with that???

THE MO SHOW!!! DON'T FORGET!

UPDATE: "The Mo Show" Rocked!!! For all of you who missed it, catch it on the archives - you won't be sorry!!! Next week, the program is all about - are you ready??? Cats! Don't miss it!
Mo's First One Hour Program!!! Begins at 6:30 EST - Call in live or catch the archived show!

Meme of Four

My friend Linda at "This and That Diary," tagged me with a meme of fours! Hop on over and give her a visit...

Four Favorites (excluding my family!!!)

1. The ocean

2. My pets

3. A good book

4. Blogging

Four Jobs I've Held

1. Retail clerk

2. Buffet at Knott's Berry Farm (high school)

3. Secretary in Special Education

4. Insurance agent

Four Movies I Can Watch Over and Over Again

1. Blazing Saddles

2. Starlight Grill

3. The Jerk

4. To Kill a Mockingbird

Four Places I've Lived (easy, as I've only lived in four places!)

1. Lakewood, CA

2. Buena Park, CA

3. Los Alamitos, CA

4. Bakersfield, CA

Four TV Shows I Watch

1. House

2. The Closer

3. Criminal Minds

4. NCIS

Four Places I've Been on Vacation

1. Oahu, HI '89

2. Mau'i - 2000

3. Kaua'i - 2004

4. Lake Tahoe, CA

Four Favorite Foods

1. Anything Mexican, especially chili verde

2. Filet Mignon, rare

3. My Mac 'n Cheese with tomatoes

4. Chocolate cake (homemade!)

Four Websites I Visit

1. Drudge Report

2. Snopes

3. Pajamas Media

4. White Horse Inn

Four People I'm Tagging

It's up to you...Have fun!!!

Manic Monday - Seven

( I really wanted to write about the "Chicago 7," but in order to do a good job, it would have to be quite lengthy. If any of you are interested in the subject, just give a google! The summer of 1968 changed so much about America.)

~~~THE SEVEN DAY WEEK ~~~

Next to the day, the week is the most important calendric unit in our life. And yet, there is no astronomical significance to the week. Nothing cosmic happens in the heavens in seven days. How, then, did the week come to assume such importance?

The first thing to understand is that a week is not necessarily seven days. In pre-literate societies weeks of 4 to 10 days were observed; those weeks were typically the interval from one market day to the next. Four to 10 days gave farmers enough time to accumulate and transport goods to sell. (The one week that was almost always avoided was the 7-day week -- it was considered unlucky!) The 7-day week was introduced in Rome (where ides, nones, and calends were the vogue) in the first century A.D. by Persian astrology fanatics, not by Christians or Jews. The idea was that there would be a day for the five known planets, plus the sun and the moon, making seven; this was an ancient West Asian idea.

However, when Christianity became the official religion of the Roman empire in the time of Constantine (c. 325 A.D.), the familiar Hebrew-Christian week of 7 days, beginning on Sunday, became conflated with the pagan week and took its place in the Julian calendar. Thereafter, it seemed to Christians that the week Rome now observed was seamless with the 7-day week of the Bible -- even though its pagan roots were obvious in the names of the days: Saturn's day, Sun's day, Moon's day. The other days take their equally pagan names in English from a detour into Norse mythology: Tiw's day, Woden's day, Thor's day, and Fria's day.

The amazing thing is that today the 7-day week, which is widely viewed as being Judeo-Christian, even Bible-based, holds sway for civil purposes over the entire world, including countries where Judaism and Christianity are anathema. Chinese, Arabs, Indians, Africans, Japanese, and a hundred others sit down at the U.N. to the tune of a 7-day week, in perfect peace (at least calendrically!). So dear is this succession of 7 days that when the calendar changed from Julian to Gregorian the week was preserved, though not the days of the month: in 1752, in England, Sept. 14 followed Sept. 2 -- but Thursday followed Wednesday, as always. Eleven days disappeared from the calendar -- but not from the week!

---- Vincent Mallette

Photo Hunt - Fake

I do not like silk plants - but for hiding TV cords, as used here - or placed where nothing else will grow, or because I like bamboo and cannot get it to grow in the house - I have bought silk. Fake plants. My grandfather, the farmer, would be rolling over in his grave! (In case you're thinking, she's not hiding those cords very well, you're right! We haven't gotten the DVD hooked up yet so everything is still out from the wall!)

Here's the Proof!

This was in my backyard today at 1:30 p.m., 112°. It's now 5:20 and the local weatherman reports that it reached 115° downtown. I believe it!!! And they say it's gonna get hotter yet.

Now I'm off to "The Wren Shop" to buy a new thermometer - this one was left by the previous owner...just a bit tacky and the crack is lovely.

A Cool Feast for the Eyes...

Painting by Steve Barton

So there's no Friday Feast today...I'm ad libbing with photos of things that make me feel cool.

I am as much at home in the water as I am on land - it may be because I look like a manatee, not sure. But I love floating and swimming in the cool water. That first, breath-taking dive - you know the one I mean - and then after that your body, feeling exhilarated, forgets how beastly hot it was just moments before!

I saw it with my own eyes - the thermometer outside my kitchen window registered 112°.

Just seeing that somehow makes you even hotter than you were five seconds prior! It's a psychological attack as well as a physical one. I'm trying very hard not to whine because there are folks in Las Vegas who are suffering at 116°, so you know it's gotta be at least 120 out in the boonies. Baker was supposed to be 123. And Phoenix is off the charts, too. Neither man nor beast was created to live in heat like that, well, scorpions perhaps. And I am on a daily hunt for Black Widows as we are inundated with them. They seem to thrive in this weather. It's fitting that only vile creatures like that would exist without difficulty in this kind of heat.

I want to be floating alongside the baby duck, without a care in the world...

Wordless Wednesday - Independence Day

History Rant - Jay Walking

The owl always stood for "wisdom" and for being wise. I wonder how many of last week's Jay Walkers would even know that? For those of you not familiar with "Jay Walking," Jay Leno, of "The Tonight Show," does a segment where he goes out on the street and asks the average Joe and Jane extremely simple questions about our history or government that any elementary school kid should know. We're talking questions like, " Who is the Vice President of the U.S.?" "From whom did the U.S. gain its independence?" and "When did the U.S. gain its independence?"

I'm ashamed to tell you that there are college students, and what's worse, college professors!!!! that cannot answer these basic questions! This week Jay asked a young man in his 30's who the U.S. got its freedom from. Couldn't answer...When did the U.S. get it's freedom - couldn't answer. He asks Jay to call his wife over and ask her because "she's smart." Guess what? She didn't have a clue who the general was that led our soldiers into battle to gain our independence. Okay. So she's NOT so smart. Let's get the teenage son over and ask him. He's in school - he will know all of this stuff!

Guess what? Junior doesn't have a frickin' clue! But, wait...Let's call Grandpa over and ask him. Maybe he'll keep the family from totally embarrassing itself. Guess what? Grandpa answered all of the questions without one single hesitation!!! Now, my question is: Is Grandpa the brainiac of the family? Does he have an IQ of 200? Or were the schools doing their jobs when gramps was in school!!!!! BINGO! All of this new crap ain't workin', folks! It wasn't broke, educators, so why did you try to fix it?

109 degrees by Friday. (Now it's 111!)

The latest forecast for you all in the midwest and northeast: When weather collides!

Death Valley Springs

I use this photo a lot but this face is my face when faced with 109°!!!It means going out and watering all of my hanging pots twice and trying to keep everything alive and out of the direct sun, including me.Yeah, yeah - I know...it's a dry heat. So what! It's still HOT! The hottest day I've ever seen here was 117° It literally takes your breath away. The water in your swimming pool feels like a bathtub and there's no relief to be had.

We'll all read about some idiot who left their child in the car while they ran into the store "for just a minute," and some poor elderly person will die because they were afraid to open their window or turn on the air conditioner. Gangs will go at each other and innocent people will get in the middle of it, more than likely a child. It happens every summer... I think the heat brings out the stupidity in all of humankind!

I have to put it in property perspective and remember our troops in that hell-hole called Iraq where it's more than likely 150 in the shade, and those guys are wearing body armor and toting full gear! Lord God, keep 'em safe and bring 'em home soon...

And now Little Mary Sunshine will go away and try to think more happy thoughts...

Manic Monday - Independence

INDEPENDENCE

I've looked around briefly at some of the posts already up - you all are so imaginative and creative. A lot of the posts have been about America's independence from England, which we celebrate on July 4th. Some have used the song "Independence Day," by Martina McBride, which describes the horror of domestic violence and it's effects on children. No child should endure this and my heart goes out to all of you who have come through this long, lonely tunnel.

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The thought that keeps coming to my mind while thinking about all of the different ramifications of the word "independence," is that independence is not only individual but collective. It can be given and taken away. When you're young, you can't wait to become independent - free from your parents rules and regulations. Then at the other end of the spectrum, your hard-won independence slowly erodes and you become totally dependent on others again.

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It saddens me that it's very uncool in some circles to be proud of this country, and fly your flag high on Independence Day. I'm not cool so I don't care what people think. We fly our flag on July 4th and rejoice in our independence!

Happy Canada Day!

Happy Canada Day to my friends and neighbors to the north!