Robbie's Ruminations

Mirror, mirror on the wall...

2010-02-08T20:18:00.001-08:00

Who has got the fattest ass of them all?

About a week ago I broke down and bought new underwear because mine would no longer stay up, not because they were raggedy, old, and stretched out but because I had lost so much weight this past year that they were just simply too big. Two sizes too big! I don't think I ever had that happen before.

I felt great! I felt like I had made a significant improvement to my physical health. I don’t know how much exactly I’ve lost because I waited to weigh myself for a couple of months after I had already started losing weight. It seems like a strange thing to do but I was at my heaviest weight ever and I knew if I got on the scale it would thoroughly depress me and potentially thwart my efforts. Knowing how much I’ve lost since I started weighing myself, I estimate the total weight loss though is about fifty to sixty pounds all together.

I still have quite a way to go to reach my ideal weight. Of course, my ideal weight is what I weighed when I was twenty-five years old. Is it possible to return after seventeen years of aging and metabolism slowdown to a size eight? I don’t know but I figure a slow and steady turtle to the finish line is what will win the long term race. I am making lifestyle choices with hopes that this will be a long term accomplishment. All of my clothes are too big for me. I’ve been feeling pretty good about myself, maybe even a little smug.

Then an invitation to a wedding arrived. I decided I needed a new dress since none of my clothes fit and I gave away all of my thinner clothes. I went to Macy’s. I pulled several dresses off the racks and trudged into the dressing room. I hate trying on clothes at department stores. I usually know my size well enough that I just take everything off the rack and go home. But, since I haven’t bought anything since losing weight I really don’t know where my size is falling. So into the dressing room I went only to face the most evil of man’s inventions. The three-way mirror accompanied by fluorescent lighting! You could hear the wails and gnashing of teeth for miles I am sure. I just don’t get why these stores haven’t figured out that a Funhouse Mirror, the kind that stretches you out and makes you look thin, would serve their bottom line, and mine, better than the horror of seeing yourself from every angle possible. Thankfully, I found mercy via Calvin Klein’s rendition of a black tent to cover my horrendous posterior and I also found motivation to keep on with my weight loss regimen. Hmmm...maybe I should get one of those mirrors for the breakroom at work where the other evil invention of man exists in the form of donuts, cakes, cookies, and chocolates.

*** Picture is of a Botero sculpture at the Bowers Museum.

Look Above This Entry

2010-01-28T19:42:00.000-08:00

It sure would be nice to be able to embed videos in blog posts. Am I really THAT rusty! I managed to embed it in my template. Can someone help a sistah bloggah out?

Step One

2010-01-26T19:15:00.001-08:00

I'm alive and well. I'm just kickin' it - old school, reading books and thinking about what it feels like to have teachers' dirty looks. I've posted a few reviews on my Library Thing account and once in a while I cough up a line or two on the FB. I suppose I could cross post my book reviews here but it's just too much trouble in my mind. Yeah, I'm lazy that way and quite inconsiderate it seems considering how long it has been between posts. I keep promising myself I'll do better but I've gotten to the point I don't believe my lies so I just don't even make the promises anymore.

You, and yes, I mean you, the one solitary reader left of my blog, might be wondering why I posted the picture that I did. It's the first step in reconstructing my new favorite drink. The Cherry Limeade from the Yardhouse. Oh mama! Those things are good! They taste like the Cherry Limeades that Sonic makes but with less fizz and way more kick. But be careful, very, very careful, that kick sneaks up on you about the third drink down the straw.

I love trying to reconstruct new drinks. I suppose much like I do with boyfriends. I try to reconstruct them in the image of that imaginary guy living inside my head. I've come to realize the perfect guy, like the perfect drink, doesn't exist, but I keep getting darn close, with the drink thing anyhow.

My last drink recipe replication was the Basiltini from this swank French place in Pasadena that means the white horse in English but hell if I'm going to try and spell it here. I recreated it great over at Gi's for Thanksgiving. And, yes, it tastes great with Turkey! But, I failed here at home. It tasted like cough syrup. But, I decided she buys better vodka than me. I buy the gallon jug of Skyy at Costco. Not because it's cheap, because it's blue. What can I say? Blue is beautiful!

You're probably wondering what the next step is, aren't you? It's Amaretto. I'm trying to decide if I can cheap out on it or if I should get the Disaronno that costs about ten bucks more a bottle. Recommendations, as well as reservations, are welcome but bring the limes. I've got sweet & sour.

Simply Delicious

2009-11-14T06:28:00.001-08:00

I love to cook but only when I'm in the mood. Unfortunately, the other night I wasn't really in the mood for cooking or even for eating for that matter but I had thawed pork chops in the fridge and was afraid if I left them much longer they would go bad. So, I came home from a busy day at work and set myself to make this dish that I saw on the website "Simply Recipes." I didn't make any sides to go with it because I really didn't think I would even eat it that night but once I took the first bite, I was smitten and ate a whole chop for dinner.

This might just be the best dish I have ever made. It's called Porkchops with Mushroom Bourbon Cream Sauce. Other than cooking the liquids down more than the recipe called for and using two different kinds of mushrooms because I couldn't remember or find the ones the recipe called for at the grocery store, I pretty much stuck to the recipe. I think I also cooked the pork longer but it came out so juicy. I don't cook juicy pork. I usually over cook pork as a matter of fact because I grew up in the age where beef was served raw and pork and chicken were cooked 'til they were a step away from being jerky.

Simply amazing! And, the leftovers have heated well in the microwave since. Check out the blog/website. I've found other great stuff there too.

Anniversary Celebrations

2009-10-30T20:50:00.001-07:00

I'm late by a couple of days but I just realized that it was six years ago this month that I began blogging on AOL. It was two years after I had first heard of blogs when I was desperately trying to find info regarding the Iraq war and happened upon political commentaries on the matter and first person accounts of people who were over there fighting the war. Eight years later the war still continues to what seems to be no clear end in sight. Six years later my blog is limping equally, murkily along.

Is murkily a word even? I've been doing this so long, I just make the shit up. Heck, I was making it up all along. It's part of the fun of blogging, hiding in the shadows and doing whatever you damn well please.

Two other anniversaries passed in August that I sadly did not take the time to recognize here. One, my anniversary for having quit smoking. I don't recall how many years it has been but if I dug through my archives I could find it. One of the pluses of regular blogging, or perhaps sometimes one of the negatives: a record of your activities. And, two, occurred two years ago, I began my cat painting, barely. I applied tissue to the canvas and haven't touched it since. I really, really, began it last night and continued tonight. Heck, I might just finish before the weekend. It's craft quality acrylics I'm applying. They dry almost as fast as I squeeze them out of the bottle much like the digital ink on a blog.

Hate On Me

2009-10-29T07:01:00.001-07:00

It's funny how things plop into your lap sometimes at just the right moment for the message to be received. I don't watch Glee but I might just start. This song rocks and I needed to hear it. As my favorite Atlanta housewife says: "Let your haters be motivators!"

Invest in Women

2009-09-29T14:03:00.000-07:00

I didn't mean to take a blog break but somehow did nonetheless. I'll try to dust the cobwebs off around here and start writing again. Or at the very least share my odd ruminations from time to time. Here's to a new start:

"Experts now agree that one of the best ways to end poverty and fight terrorism, to fight extremism, is to invest in women." ... Sheryl Wudunn

You've got to watch the video of her discussion with Steven Colbert from The Colbert Report, but somehow I can't get it to embed here. Clearly, it's been too long. So, please, follow the link. Interesting stuff to think about. Invest in women!

Happy 4th of July!!!

2009-07-04T17:36:00.000-07:00

I really hope this tastes as good as it looks! As I said on Facebook, in recognition of the holiday, be independent and pursue happiness.

Live...

2009-06-26T20:27:00.001-07:00

I made a fourth postcard but I'm not sure I like. I keep messing with it so I decided to move on and figure out what I want to do with it later. So...here is postcard numbered five. I'm not done yet but so far I am loving it. The coolest thing is that it is a deconstructed postcard which I found on a billboard one day at lunch. So, I used a postcard to make a postcard. :-D

Lorakeet Love and Social Networking

2009-06-16T17:45:00.001-07:00

This is postcard numbered three going out tomorrow. The silhouette is of a lorakeet that I took a picture of a while back. The paper is the packaging from my last toothpaste purchase. I thought the color combo would be fun to make something with and reuse, recycle, etc.

I tried to send this and the detail pictures to Facebook but it's acting up. I swear it gets frustrating at peak times how slow that site gets. But, so far I am really enjoying connecting with all my friends and family, some were quite long lost. I haven't decided yet if I'll link this blog over there but if you know my last name you can find me there.

I've been thinking about Facebook and how it reminds me of the old days of AOL when there was a tight, fun, community feel to it. I think Facebook is really cool because it's like an ongoing conversation with a community of people and some aren't even your friends, there are friends of friends dialoging. Pretty cool stuff.

I'm trying to figure out if I want to add Twitter to the mix. It seems like there is just too much to keep up with so I have been reluctant to do so. I was trying to figure out what the difference is between Blogging, Tweeting, and Facebooking and I think I figured it out somewhat, for me anyhow. Blogging is for times where you want to elaborate and record an event or idea more extensively. It can be a past, present, or future kind of entry. Tweeting is a short blast of what you are currently doing. I think it even says, "What are you doing?" Whereas, Facebook is more about what you are thinking or feeling. It's a place to blast a quick emotive response to what is currently going on because it asks, "What's on your mind?" Although, Facebook does have games and crap too which makes it more dimensional. I haven't checked Twitter out enough to see if it's more than the texting interface that it seems to be to me.

Clowning Around

2009-06-13T18:55:00.001-07:00

I have decided to try my hand at some handmade postcards. This one hits the mail on Monday. I have another one in the works but I'm not sure I like it. So, I guess it's not done. We'll see. It's funny how things take a path of their own. I had no intention of making this look like a clown. But, smack on a red ball to the nose and it does. I wanted to put "heads up" on this but for some reason the yellow paint called my name and it wound up as "live." Go figure! Now, who to send it to is the question. I had one person in mind but perhaps I'll send it to another...hmmm... Keep an eye on your mailbox, something could be coming to you!

Bad Buddha Returns

2009-05-31T19:31:00.000-07:00

It has been months since I've done anything creative. I haven't made any cards since October. I figured that perhaps a little play and experimentation would break this trend. I'm using a book that has pictures of a fashion designer's trip through China, so it seemed only appropriate the first spread have an Asian theme. I've only just begun so who knows where this will end up.

On the right is a drawing I did a while ago and posted on here that I called "Bad Buddha," hence the name of the entry. When I applied the gel to it, it smeared the red pen and turned it a kind of pinkish color, but I think it works. I was going to tape the eyes over it that you see at the top of the picture but I can't bring myself to cover it up. I'll have to use them elsewhere. I'll post more pictures as I progress.

Calling All Greenthumbs

2009-05-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

I bought this plant at Trader Joe's earlier this week for eight bucks and I'm loving it. It's so fragrant with two different kinds of mint and a lavender plant. It's called "Tea Time" herbs. It provides a recipe to make a "Cup of Zen" tea which I have yet to make. But, the mint makes a refreshing Mojito. I don't have a green thumb though. I fear before too long this will be dead. Any insights on how to keep it alive is appreciated.

It's Gotta Be a Guy

2009-04-28T15:28:00.001-07:00

Every now and then a commercial airs that just screams to me that a man wrote it. When I saw this one, I knew no woman would write something so vulgar and tacky. My "favorite" of the blatancy is the "V" shaped bush towards the ending.

Ummm...enjoy.

How long would you wait?

2009-04-19T18:03:00.000-07:00

I came to the laundromat to wash my rugs in the large capacity machine. Both were full when I got here but completely done. I waited fifteen minutes before removing the quilt. It's been at least another fifteen or twenty minutes and they just showed up as I was typing. Please let them try to say something to me.

Update: If you enlarge the picture, you can see sheets on the table in the background. Those people actually waited for the other machine to be emptied by the machine hogs. Ha! And, they were there before me. I am sooooooooo glad I didn't wait. It took forever to dry those darn rugs and no, they didn't say anything to me.

Getting Ziggy with It.

2009-04-17T22:07:00.000-07:00

I saw this the other day and thought of my poor neglected blog. I've been blogging so long that if you come around here, just check out my archives. I'm sure that last year this time looks pretty similar to this time this year.

As a matter of fact, long before Groundhog Day there was Same Time Next Year, one of my favorite movies of all times. Even though the theme was adultery I think I took comfort that no matter how much some things changed there can be a stability in our lives if we nurture it. Gosh, I love that movie. Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn, particularly Ellen Burstyn, I don't think ever received enough credit for the incredible actor that she is. Perhaps, I should rent it soon. But, really, I think I get bored with stability, I like new things, challenges, and change. So, I've been seeking them in some unfamiliar and familiar places lately, and so far it's been good times for me.

I'm doing fine. I've changed my toenail polish to green, because I just like to be different. When I was in high school, I had a blond rat tail about a year earlier than everyone else. I wore my pants above my ankles about a year too early too, and was made fun of because of it. Heck, I even got a tattoo before it was mainstream for a female to do so. I'm not all that much of a forward thinker, adventurer these days. I'm more of an Eddie Bauer, nondescript, accounting type, which I gotta tell you... I loathe! I can't wait to be my own person again and REBEL! So, for now, I do it in small ways, like picking odd color choices for my toenails, and driving a Mustang like some mid-life crisis induced man.

There's a commercial on TV right now that I just LOVE because I really hope to have that flippin' zest when I'm older that these ladies exhibit. I want it back damn it, that is if I ever had it. The business world has a way of smothering individuality. It's a tragic necessity. I suppose. But, in case you haven't seen the commercial, revel and dream for a moment with me. Don't these ladies look like they know how to have a good time?

Twitching

2009-03-17T19:45:00.001-07:00

That's a crappy ass picture of my ugly ass feet but I'm posting it anyhow because I can and it's proof that I didn't spend the past week hiding out in the corner of my closet picking scabs on my belly. I went and got my first pedicure EVER right after I posted that entry and then took myself to see "He's really not that into you." The movie was adorable and just what I needed. And, I now LOVE pedicures. I MUST find a way to keep them in my budget. Of course, as each day goes by that gets harder and harder.

I hate my feet. I always have. Probably because of all the mean things my brother who shall go nameless (I have three) said about them when we were growing up. But, I almost like them now. It's amazing what a pedicure can do for them ~ a professional one that is. I've always kept my nails polished but it was much like, Sarah Palinshitforbrains, putting lipstick on a pig.

On to other things...my eye is twitching. It's another thing that occurs when I repress stress. Work is incredibly stressful. The economy is kicking our ass along with everyone else's. I really don't feel right whining. I at least have a job! But, I also have what feels like survivors guilt and worry and it's hitting me in ways too that I can't mention here because I want to keep that job. And, yet, I am happy and grateful because at least I have a job.

Now, I'm off to pour myself some more wine, it seems to be helping that twitch!

Hurt - Let's Get Real

2009-03-08T11:14:00.000-07:00

This is my new favorite song. I think I have this version by the NIN but it didn't stick with me like Johnny's does. There's a raw realness to his voice. And, well, I'm just relating to it so much more lately.

I dated a guy in high school that would take a razor to himself and mark up his body. I called him crazy and laughed, not realizing that perhaps he was doing it for more than just to show how wild and zany he was trying to be. It wasn't until many years later that I heard about "cutting" that people do to themselves as an expression of pain. When I first heard about it, I really couldn't relate. Then one day I heard a celebrity relate it to picking scabs on ourselves. And, I thought, I DO THAT. I'm actually quite bad at it but I hide it well. For instance, I do it on my belly or in my hairline and a lot of times I've created the wound before I really even realize that it's there and once I create a spot I go back to it time and again. I pull the scab to feel that quick shot of pain. I'm not even sure why. I think it is related to stress that I internalize instead of finding a constructive means of expression. I will force myself to allow the wound to heal and then without even realizing it I find a new spot to turn to.

I think we, I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in any of this, do this in our relationships too. I recently broke things off with a guy I've been seeing. The first couple of days it felt very right. I felt like I made the right decision. Although, I do regret the means by which I did it but I had to. I wouldn't have followed through otherwise. I had to pull the scab quickly. Now, a week later, I'm wallowing in the pain of the decision. I want to talk to him. I want to pull the scab again. Which is stupid because it won't change what led me to make the decision. It will only prolong the pain. I need to let this heal. I figured I'd come here and write about it - for a change. I haven't written anything real or raw in a long time. It feels good - and painful. Kind of like pulling a scab.

Checking In

2009-02-28T19:02:00.001-08:00

This picture really doesn't mean much. I took it while I was waiting for a table at a restaurant. I guess you could say I was drunkin' blogging.

Please take a lesson from me. Don't let your friends text or blog drunk. Bad things can happen, like me posting this picture inexplicably.

But, hey, I'm here to let everyone know I'm doing great. Life has just been in overdrive lately. I'll post a real entry soon.

Cloudy

2009-01-24T11:09:00.001-08:00

When I lived in Texas, the joke was if you didn't like the weather wait fifteen minutes, it will change. In California, it is a bit slower but can be just as drastic. The above picture is today. A high contrast to the climate of last weekend.

But, it's all good. Change is good. Somethings aren't meant to last. If it were bright skies all the time, it would get boring. I'm still going to go out and have a fun time with a special friend and enjoy the day.

The only fear I hold in my heart is the crazy Los Angeles drivers. They are so much worse when it's wet. Don't take my word for it, I found a blog, LA Can't Drive, recently that is dedicated to exposing us all for the idiots that we are. I say us all because I've done dumb-ass stuff myself. I'm sure. We all do. However, there are those who just do it more often and without regret.

California Dreaming

2009-01-18T20:53:00.001-08:00

This was taken yesterday from a beach in Malibu. California has been having some incredibly warm weather this past week and I couldn't help but get out and enjoy it. It was a most perfect time shared with a most perfectly special person.

I haven't been blogging because work has kept me incredibly busy and life has been using up the rest of my time. All is quite good though. Really good.

This week I fly to San Francisco for business. I'm hoping to see a friend of mine that I haven't seen in almost 13 years. I knew her back when I lived in Dallas. It's going to be another busy week. Hopefully, I'll find time to blog about it later. If not perhaps I'll become a photo blogger and just post pictures via my phone.

The picture in the entry below was my friend Kevin who took a picture of me and posted it to his Facebook as we were sitting there in the Getty's Restaurant. So I told him I was going to take a picture of him taking a picture of me and post it to Blogger and I did. I just never got around to coming on here and explaining it.

2009-01-03T16:51:00.001-08:00

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime® 6.5 or higher is required. Visit www.apple.com/quicktime/download to download the free player or upgrade your existing QuickTime® Player. Note: During the download process when asked to choose an installation type (Minimum, Recommended or Custom), select Minimum for faster download.

Robbie being Random

2008-12-14T15:16:00.000-08:00

I went to buy sympathy cards today. I try to keep a stash of cards at work or make the ones that we give but I am out of both. Sadly, there is an immediate need for these cards. So, I figured I'd buy several so I'd have some for the future.

May I never need them! :::knocking head:::

These were the only items that I was purchasing. At checkout, the cashier/owner of the shop asked how I was doing. I replied fine. She said I hope the rest of your day is good, or some such response, never really acknowledging or digesting that I was purchasing a slew of sympathy cards. Part of me wanted to start blubbering because it seemed like such an odd interchange and I thought it would be fun to make her feel bad.

Yeah, I'm a bitch. Wait, no, I'm not because I didn't do it. Right?

Here's a bit of irony that just dawned on me. The chair, in the picture above of the sympathy cards, I purchased from the son of my neighbor after she died. When taking the photo, I picked it for the lighting near it, but it seems so much more appropriate than that now.

You were worth waiting for....You the one that I adore....Oooh down to your type....For once in my life....You were worth waiting for....You the one that I adore....This kind of love you'll only find....Once in a lifetime, once in a lifetime.

Cadillac Records seems to be getting so-so reviews. I saw it recently and LOVED it. So much so that I've already downloaded the soundtrack from iTunes. My new favorite song is Once in a Lifetime by Beyonce. That woman sung her heart out and did a great job playing Etta James. The only thing disappointing is learning that even though this is based on historically true characters and life events, the actual story within the movie is fictionalized so you have to weed through what is real, what is conjecture, and what is pure fiction.

That's just a pain in the ass to me.

Why is it every time I make lima beans I burn the suckers?

I'm usually a fast learner. Why can't I get this right?

You can now import and export blogs on Blogger. I've now got all of my posts from my AOL days here now too. Of course that may mean a humongous meltdown on Bloglines when it updates because there were still several hundred that needed to come over here and I did them all at once. Last October was my five year anniversary. It's hard to believe! One of these days I want to go through my archives and weed out some of the entries that are worthless. You know the entry, where it's whine about this, whine about that, and no real anything is accomplished or stated.

Hmmm....I wonder if this entry will make the cut one day.

Celebrate - Damn It!

2008-12-04T19:31:00.000-08:00

I made this card at the end of October and haven't had a chance to do jack since. I called this an abstract birthday cake. The feathers represent the candles and the stone that is colored with alcohol inks represents the cake. Yeah, I was stretching it but this was meant for a guy and I don't do guy cards all that well. For those that are interested, I sometimes add cards to my Flickr account that I don't necessarily post here.

It's been a busy time for me since my last post. Good things, bad things, indifferent things and some really good things. I forgot how busy things get for me this time of year. Perhaps I'll be able to ellaborate on some of these things soon.

Right now I'm too paranoid to think about anything but my building burning down because I keep smelling smoke and no one in this building has a fireplace. But! I did see a box for one of those bowl like yard pits in the dumpster one day so I'm thinking one of the young, and perhaps dumb, guys that live in the building is stoking up the grill in the middle of his livingroom.

Perhaps this will finally motivate me to call tomorrow for renter's insurance!

Superstitious

2008-11-12T22:26:00.000-08:00

I am soooooooo not done with posting videos!

If someone asked me if I was superstitious I would tell them no. I don't think something out there controls my experience nor can anything I do thwart that. Yet, I am a walking contradiction to my very own beliefs. Perhaps I merely give them lip service or within me hope burns an eternal flame.

Because I love and save fortunes from fortune cookies. When someone says something ominous, without thinking I knock on my head, i.e. wood. I love the concept of Karma and I love, love, love getting good horoscopes like this one:

November 12, 2008
Scorpio (10/23-11/21)
Stepping outside of your comfort zone is by definition uncomfortable. But isn't it usually incredibly rewarding, too? You're in a strong phase of risk-taking and you are a brave person, so this combination means that right now you are in a prime position to make a huge leap in your life. Whether it's changing your job, moving to a new city, or starting a new relationship, you are ready to explore living your life in a new way. Talk to those who have done it before and get some tips.

P.S. Those in the know keep it on the down low if you choose to comment. Y'ah dig?

I'd like to wring your...shirt.

2008-11-10T19:56:00.000-08:00

Many moons ago when I was in 6th grade my mom packed my three brothers and me up and moved us from Florida to the middle of no where Pennsylvania. Talmar for those of you so inclined to wonder where exactly this place could be.

For some it would have been a horrific experience to leave a beachside community for the open fields of cow manure that wafted through our windows when the farmer down the hill plastered our hillside with it. And, some days it felt like we were given a raw deal but most days it wasn't so bad. In Florida there were things we were only too eager to leave behind. And, by coming to Pennsylvania we would be coming home to family. My grandfather had moved up to what we called the suburbs of Talmar (about a mile down the road you see curving past the stop sign) after he retired from his job in Philadelphia. Actually it's one of those suburbs of Philly, Neshaminy maybe. Pennsbury School District rings a bell. I think he was head janitor or some such. I'm sure a family member will come along to correct me.

Above is a picture I took last November of the apartments we lived in for the first couple of years. It's amazing how little has changed. It looks almost identical to what it did the day we moved in, including the peeling green paint. The only difference is the lower portion looks like it has been closed in and perhaps a living space created. It was a vacant window front store when we lived above it. I was told it was the post office for a time and a general store. They had one up the road in Unityville that sold practically anything you could think. Although, I'm not sure even that was still open when we moved up there. I recall having went with my grandparents who we would stay with during the summers.

Talmar hasn't changed much. It is still as isolated as it was back in 1978 when we were its residents for a time. It's still 8 miles to Benton and 10 to Millville where the closest laundromats were. I remember going to Benton with my grandmother to do laundry but that was when we were staying with them in the summers. Sadly, the motivation for moving to Pennsylvania was my grandmother's demise.

That's why I was grateful that our neighbors had a washing machine in the basement that they were happy to share. During the winter, I could hang the clothes in the furnace room and in the summer they hung outside.

Here's the kicker: Below is a picture of the kind of washing machine that I used. I saw it at an antique shop a couple of weeks ago. Most people my age would have no clue how to use this device, but I still remember as the memories of doing laundry came flooding back and I described to my friend that was with me what the purpose of various gadgets on it were. Actually, I think this may be an even nicer model than the one I used. I don't recall our wringer being encased with metal like the one below.

Go Obama!!

2008-11-04T08:19:00.000-08:00

It's Thriller!!

2008-10-31T20:44:00.000-07:00

Darkness falls across the land.

The midnight hour is close at hand.

Creatures crawling in search of blood,

to terrorize your neighborhood.

And whosoever shall be found,

without the soul for getting down,

must stand and face the howlings of hell

and rot inside a corpse' shell

I just found out that MTV now offers the viewing of free videos on their website. I'm lost in the 80's so I haven't figured out yet if they are just old ones or current ones too. But, in light of the holiday, I couldn't help sharing this blast from the past:

Michael Jackson - New Music - More Music Videos

Happy Halloween!!!

Oh Michael! You were so incredibly great - for a while. Miss ya man!

Hearing Myself Talk

2008-10-29T19:45:00.000-07:00

So, I'm hopping through my Bloglines feeds and I'm listening to a podcast from NPR's Planet Money because I am soooooooooo addicted to podcasts lately. I suddenly hear my own voice back at me. It is too freaky and then a ping of jealousy sets in because I wish I was as smart as this woman. If you want to hear her sound like me but not listen to the whole podcast skip to about the 14 minute mark and listen for a minute or two. Freaky! Meg Browne are you my long lost twin?

By the way, this is a great podcast about what is happening in the economy and money in general that is talked about in a very relateable way.

Opie, Andy & The Fonz vote Obama

2008-10-25T10:08:00.000-07:00

I promise to post something other than videos really soon, perhaps later today even, but these are just too funny not to share. I think the Fonz stole the show. Who says he jumped the shark!

Unfortunately, Blogger doesn't support the Opie, Andy and Fonz video so you'll have to click here: Ron Howard Video to see it.

The Married With Children character, Al, has gotten in the act too:

To check what your tax savings would be if Obama were to pass all of his tax cuts as opposed to if we followed what McCain proposes click here: Tax Cut Calculator or use the calculator in my side bar.

Even I would get a tax cut, and I never get one, since I don't own a home or have children.

Jackson Browne - Alive in the World

2008-10-20T11:11:00.000-07:00

I am loving this song. If you click through to YouTube it has the lyrics under the information for the video. Even though he is speaking Spanish here, the song is in English. I just didn't have the patience to search out another video of this song that was strictly English. Enjoy! I am off today so I am off to go get some stuff done that needs doing.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month - I Did My Thing

2008-10-17T21:14:00.000-07:00

I turn 41 next month and today I finally had my first mammogram. I should have had it sooner but my referral was lost in the system. About six months or so ago, I asked my doctor about it when I saw her for something else and that's when I found out it was misplaced. So, I called immediately and it took me over six months to get in for the appointment. It's a crying shame that it has to take that long. Apparently now that I'm in the system I'll receive yearly reminders but if it takes six months for an appointment and they don't remind me until this time next year, I won't have the recommended annual exam. So, come March, if I don't hear from them, I will be calling my doctor.

I was incredibly scared about having this done. My biggest fear was that it would hurt. I've always had sensitive glands under my arms and in my chest. When I was on the pill, some forms of it exacerbated the tenderness. Luckily, I'm not at my point in my cycle right now when it is the worst. But, everyone has heard the story that having a mammogram is like getting your boob caught under the garage door so I was still fearful of the procedure. As I waited for the mammographer to prep the machine, I asked her why there wasn't an ultra sound as an alternative, being that an ultra sound would be less invasive. She said it is used but not as a first line of offense. I told her if men had to put "something" up on a cold slab and flatten the hell out of it, it would have been invented by now. She laughed, and I felt better.

The truth is that the procedure isn't all that bad. It's a little humiliating and incredibly awkward but it's far less painful than a needle stick for blood or some other trauma. I'm pretty darn sure it's far less painful than a mastectomy or chemotherapy. So, please, if you are high risk or over 40, get yours done. And, by all means, check yourself monthly.

Feeling Optimistic

2008-10-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

It's the Economy Dummy!

2008-10-06T21:26:00.000-07:00

I have become a podcast junkie. But, that's a topic for another blog post. This one is about the current state of the economy and the podcast that unleashed this addiction.

I heard the best explanation for what is going on in the economy on the most recent episode of This American Life. It's called: 365: Another Frightening Show About the Economy. And, indeed it is! But, it's better to start making informed decisions about what you should be doing than to stick your head in the sand and hope that our government will fix it. Personally, I'm paying off my personal debt, saving what I can and diversifying those savings, and holding off on any unnecessary purchases. However, what's good for me might not be good for you so please don't take this as advice in any way. If you're unsure, consult a trusted financial planner.

Oh and if you have the money, some stocks are a good deal right now. I look at it as the stock market is having a sale. Do I love a sale! And, if you want a little boost to the investment ING has a thing called Sharebuilder and they have various incentive programs going on for people who are first time account openers. I think the most basic is they'll give you $25 but if you have a Costco account they will give you even more.

Here's hoping the ride gets smoother soon!

Tribute to Paul Newman

2008-09-27T09:40:00.001-07:00

I have admired this man since I was a little girl and first saw him in the movie "The Sting." In my mind, he represented what it meant to live a full and passionate life. He was the ideal that I held in my heart as the kind of man I would want for myself. He will be missed. There's not only a hole in the wall, or a hole in many hearts, but a hole in humanity because of his departure.

A beautiful tribute from a blog that I recently started following and in a more personal perspective can be found here: Memories of Paul Newman

Happy Birthday Birdie Card

2008-09-23T21:26:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday TA1
Originally uploaded by krobbie67

I thought I'd share a recent card I made. It was inspired by one on pages 74 & 75 in the book, "Treasury of Tips & Tricks." You can see a part of it in this photo. It's the dragonfly image to the left.

I changed the card up a bit beyond just stamping a bird instead of a dragonfly onto the acrylic scrap. Besides making the acrylic piece much smaller, I raised it up by covering dimensional dots with matching embossing powder. I liked how raising it up caused the bird to project a shadow.

I also made the stars match by coating them with embossing powder. Sadly, I got a little ahead of myself though and mounted the bird while the birthday script was still wet and it smeared some.

This card took a lot of planning and trial and error. I was being real careful up to that point. I hate when I mess up. I got careless. Hopefully, I'll do better next time, if I can develop some patience that is. I have another idea to play off this same concept.

I almost forgot an important part, the checkerboard background. It was made using adhesive tabs and embossing powder. Cool, huh?

Strange Overtones from some Talking Heads

2008-09-08T19:55:00.000-07:00

I wake up ev'ry morning

I hear your feet on the stairs

You're in the next apartment

I hear you singing over there--

I came of age listening to the Talking Heads. Burning Down the House was the video to see. Talking Heads, Robert Palmer, Devo, Men at Work, INXS, Dire Straits and perhaps a few others made MTV what it was back in the day, and seems to no longer be. Do they play any videos at all? They were the pioneers of Reality TV and now that is all that there seems to be on there.

This groove is out of fashion

These beats are 20 years old

I saw you lend a hand to

The one's out standing in the cold--

Through the years, David Byrne of the Talking Heads has continued to produce an amazing portfolio of creative endeavours. He is one of those artists whose talent knows no limits. He sings, he writes, he performs, he does art installations, he photographs. What doesn't he do? He fascinates me and inspires me to the point I want to consume him. No, I don't mean in a Jeffrey Daumer literal kind of way just a -- I want to sit at his feet and watch, listen, breath, absorb everything I possibly can until my head pops kind of way.

Strange Overtones

In the music you are playing

I'll harmonize

It is strong and you are tough

But a heart is not enough-

David Byrne and Brian Eno have teamed up to release a new album. And, it seems that they are doing without a label. They are using a company called Top Spin Media to manage the digital distribution straight from their website, Everything That Happens Happens Today.

You won't find this on iTunes but you can play the full album on the site if you want. And, I don't mean 10 second bites that by-pass the hook, I mean the whole song, CD, everything. You can even get a free song download, although for $8.99 I couldn't resist buying the 11 track digital copy.

Darn! I wanted to embed the player here, but I can't get it to work. I guess being away so long has me a bit rusty. If you go to the website, you can play it there or if you can figure it out, you can embed it on your site. Hey, let me know, so I can poach the code. :-D

Back to School

2008-09-02T20:21:00.000-07:00

How do you like the outfit I chose to wear on my first day of school today? Am I over accessorized? Perhaps I thought it was going to snow or something. Well, I did picture myself walking down a New York street as I made my selections. Although, I don't think it's quite that cold there yet.

Ha! People who know me would know that I can never be over accessorized. I'm lucky if I am -ized at all. Today, I really pushed the limits. I wore earrings that matched my sweater that matched my toenails. And, yes, you could see my toenails because I was indeed wearing a sweater and sandals. It's still hot as dos jalapenos in Los Angeles so sandals are quite appropriate, perhaps the sweater isn't but I dress for the office temperature not the street.

Okay so I'm not really starting school either but it kind of feels like it since I took such a long blogging break. I used to love going back to school when I was a kid. I looked forward to the commercials every year and I anxiously awaited whatever catalogue I could get my hands on. I preferred Spiegels but I was equally gleeful to study the JCPenny's catalogue and in a desparate fit I'd even fantasize over the odd color spectrum of the Sears catalogue. I would write down everything I wanted and run a tally. Hmmm, perhaps the Accountant in me existed long before I realized my calling.

People who know me now probably would be shocked to know that I would spend all my babysitting money on Jordache jeans and prairie blouses (think Blair on the Facts of Life), on mongramed sweaters and boat shoes. Yes, I admit it. I was a preppie. Well, until I got rebellious and poked the second hole in my ear and had my friend cut out and die a blonde rat tail on the back of my head. Ah, those were the days. Somewhere along the way I lost that thrill. I have too many other things to pull my attention these days. I'm just glad to leave the house clothed. I buy multi pairs of slacks that are exactly alike in style and color even. Come to think of it, I do it with sweaters too. I've created the equivalent of a sweatsuit but for the office. Screw fashion or accessories, I just want to get out the door on time and be comfortable in what I am wearing. I'm losing my train of thought just thinking about all of this.

Recently, I found a site that can help me to relive my more fashionable memories. It's called Polyvore. It's amazing the creative compilations that people are putting together. I like the idea of creating color schematics to inspire me in other creative endeavours. It is actually a shopping site but watch out for some of the prices. Yikes! That chunky fun sweater dress above will set you back twenty-five hundred dollars.

Here's what I'm wearing to school tomorrow... I call it "Forever in Blue Jeans." (But of course) My favorite are those black shoes though. I may just break the piggy bank and buy those bad boys.

Wearing My Big Girl Panties

2008-04-01T18:13:00.001-07:00

100_2400
Originally uploaded by krobbie67

My computer is sick. Very - very sick. I've been hemming and hawing with it and I may be close to a fix but I'm just not sure. So, I decided it is best if I just take a hiatus from blogging. I'd like to say indefinite but that sounds so "Good-bye Forever" to me and that is at this moment not my intention. But, I do think I should set a definitive time to fish or cut bait as the saying goes. Hmmm....Labor Day. I've been blogging for over four years now. It's time for a long break.

Catch y'all at summer's end.

Sunglass Filter II

2008-02-23T11:23:00.001-08:00

Sunglass Filter II
Originally uploaded by krobbie67

I don't recall where I read this but it's a nifty little trick. Place sunglasses in front of camera lens when snapping your photos. As you can see I run around with rose-colored lenses. It really does make the world a prettier place.

Sharing Inspiration

2008-02-21T06:50:00.000-08:00

So I tried to post this entry on Saturday but my computer shut down and it ticked me off. Little did I realize it was waiting for me in my drafts. There's a lot waiting in there. I might just have to take a look-see and post some of that stuff.

I was digging through YouTube looking for creative inspiration and happened upon an eclectic free-spirited artist named SuziBlu. She's got a blog. She sells seashells by the seashore. No not really. I was just checking to see if you are paying attention. She does sell her artwork on Ebay though and posts videos to YouTube. Her videos are tutorials and just inspiring quirky creative snapshots of her life. I found it difficult to choose just one to share but I love her portrait of Freda so I share it. Need creative inspiration? The internet abounds with it. Go find out for yourself.

Dummies in Windows

2008-01-28T20:13:00.000-08:00

I must have a thing for dummies in windows. I found this picture on my hard drive. I took it while visiting with Babyshark a couple of years ago. It reminded me of the picture that I took when Gigi and I were in Little Tokyo a while back.

I have been a bad blogging slacker. Tomorrow will be a month since my last entry and my commenting has been hit or miss. This past week I bet I clocked less than two hours online, outside of work. You know, I'm kind of liking it but I promise it won't be like this forever. I'm working on some projects around my apartment that are lonnnnggggggg overdue and doing a lot of reading. My life is an ebb and a flow eventually it all comes back around. However, one of the reasons I'm trying to get everything in order and organized is because I've decided to get my butt in gear and return to school to pursue my Master's degree. Mind you, I still haven't contacted the college, but I will very very soon.

Mourning the Ghost

2007-12-27T10:31:00.000-08:00

I went to take a picture of this card that I made and my camera wouldn't work. I thought that perhaps I had accidently left it on and drained the battery. I snapped a couple of shots of the card with my camera phone and put "camera battery" on my grocery list.

I made another card so I pulled out the freshly purchased battery and replaced the old one in my camera. Cries and knashing of teeth could be heard throughout the valley, I am sure. My camera still did not work! I fear it has given up its ghost.

I have wanted a nicer SLR. Or is it SRL? --- some kind of cool better camera. I think the time has come. However, I wasn't ready for this. I just started warming to the idea of purchasing an HDTV and perhaps a new computer. I hate upgrading. I was the last person on earth with an analog phone. Oh whoa is me.

I've decided to postpone the purchase for a little while. Well, as long as I can stand it. So no new photography will be seen. But, I guess that's good because I've been wanting to get all of my pictures uploaded to Flickr and off of my computer. So, I shall use the purchase of the new camera as a carrot stick to complete the task.

We'll see - or perhaps we won't. Boohoo!

Robbie's PostSecret Vacation

2007-12-23T08:46:00.000-08:00

I love PostSecret but I've always felt a little jealous because I didn't think I had a secret to share. But, I think I finally found one. Here goes mine:

My company closes for the holiday. We were swapping stories at work of what we were all going to do with all that time off. It's eleven days including the weekends. I shared my grand dreams of getting rid of every last item in my house that I don't use, then to clean away the year's worth of dust and grime so I'll be sparkly fresh and organized to start the new year. In between I would run around Southern California and perhaps the Central Coast like a mad tourist doing all kinds of fun stuff.

Yesterday, I watched two and a half movies, picked up my drycleaning, picked up chicken at Popeyes and dropped a pretty penny at Michaels. If the first day is any indication, here's what I really think will happen the next ten days:

Into the sunset

2007-12-16T10:21:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I take pictures that I'm surprised that I took them. Maybe it's because I know them but there's something I just love about this photo. It's of my brother and his wife walking on their land. If memory serves me correct, this is the spot they will eventually build their house. From this perspective it looks pretty darn good to me. Although I'm sitting in warm Cali now and that day I was there with them freezing my bum off. I'm thinking an optimal site would be the beaches of Ensenada.

I've been busy over at Flickr trying to get my pictures from my trip uploaded. Although, busy online means me uploading about 10 or 20 photos a day.

In the meager spare time that I have, I've also been doing a lot of reading which was motivated by my uploading books to Library Thing. I couldn't believe how many unread books that I have on my shelves. I still have more books to upload but first I need to get all the ones I've taken off my shelves back to them. I have a stack of books I want to scan too because Library Thing doesn't have a cover picture for them. Another thing that is motivating me to read more is a site that a guy from work told me about called BookMooch. It's also linked on Library Thing. I've got a neglected account on BookCrossing which is kind of the same premise but more in a scavenger style. They are book exchange sites so you can trade your books with others. The only cost incurred is your postage or travel to drop off and search for a book, depending on which site you choose. I was a little concerned about doing it until one of my first exchanges happened to be a blogger that I've known since the early days of AOL Journals.

She sent me the Secret Life of Bees which is an excellent read that I'm having trouble putting down. I hear it calling me now as a matter of fact.

Quack - Quack

2007-12-04T20:52:00.000-08:00

I'm back from vacation but I'm working late every night to try and get all my ducks in a row before our company closes for the holiday at the end of the month. Thanks to computer problems, I am a day behind.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

2007-11-06T20:18:00.000-08:00

Last month sometime, I bought my plane tickets to take me into JFK. I couldn't sleep that night because I was so excited. Trying to get the details of my trip planned out has been a bit stressful and time consuming. I still have not nailed down my younger brother who lives in the 'burbs of Philly. But, hopefully it will all work out.

I feel a bit guilty because I'm as excited to spend time in NYC as I am to see my family. I scored tickets to the Rockettes at Radio City and I'm going to see Howard Zinn. He's like a rock star to me - even more so. I'm also planning to hook up with some long time blogging pals which is always fun. It makes the ethereal quality of the internet a little bit real. I hope to have time for a museum or two or three too but we'll see. I'm there three nights but I think only two full days really. The remainder of my two weeks will be spent bed hopping amongst my family in PA, from Philly to Scranton and somewhere in between.

I'm taking a train between NY and Philly which should be great fun. I haven't taken a train since the summer between 8th and 9th grade when I took a train from Chicago to Harrisburg, PA all by myself. Once I arrive in Philly, I'll rent a car - thus the title to this blog entry. I'm hoping I don't meet John Candy along the way though. It seems kind of crazy to do it that way since I'll head out of Philly first but to rent a car at JFK or any where near NYC was $400 more than what I'm paying. Just crazy!

I broke the bank and bought a new suitcase for the occasion. I had to stick it in the closet when I brought it home though so I won't stare at it. Even though the people at work made fun of me when they saw it, I think it's totally cool. I've never had a new suitcase. I went from an olive drab duffel bag in the Army to battered hand-me-down luggage. I took two pictures but neither this one or the other do it justice. It's much more brilliant green. I don't think I'll miss it on the luggage carousel in the sea of black suitcases. The color is called Tendor Shoots but I think it's more of a retro green. It's a Samsonite which reminded me of the Gorilla Commercials from the '70's but when I went in search of it I learned that it was actually American Tourister, not Samsonite that did those commercials.

Forgive my rambling, I'm on vacation count down and I'm excited!

Castle Rock 2006 - Pinot Noir

2007-10-20T10:05:00.001-07:00

Castle Rock - Pinot Noir
Originally uploaded by krobbie67

I'm not becoming a wino but I've thought about recording here my impressions of some of the wines that I buy. So, when I need to buy wine I'll know what I like and don't like, instead of taking a half hour to choose and feeling like a deer in the headlights trying to decide what might work.

I took this picture so I could remember this wine. I've never been a big fan of wine. I usually don't like the taste of most of them and after only one glass it makes me sleepy. But, I thoroughly enjoyed this wine. Normally, if I do drink wine, I go for a Reisling or a dessert wine such as port because I prefer the wine to be sweet. I bought this because I was looking for a red wine for a recipe I was making and didn't think a sweet wine would work. I knew I wouldn't use the whole bottle so I was hoping that the rest would be drinkable and much to my surprise it was very drinkable. This was fairly cheap too. I think it was only $10 for the bottle. I'm not sure what the proper temperature is for serving it but I tried it both room temperature and cold and either seemed fine. Although, I think room temperature had a slightly better taste.

756 - I Voted - Brand the Sucker!

2007-09-19T21:41:00.000-07:00

If Larry Craig were Gay

2007-09-02T09:57:00.001-07:00

I couldn't resist sharing this video. Some of my friends and I who read here on occasion have talked about this recently and the humor will ring louder for some than others.

Sneak Peek

2007-08-29T20:41:00.001-07:00

I am working on a super secret something. I'm tracking my progress with pictures which I'll post to my Flickr page once I'm done. But, I thought I'd sneak this work in process picture in here as a teaser of tales to come. Now, I'm crossing my fingers that this will turn out like I envisioned it in my mind.

Tea Break

2007-08-26T10:44:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd finally post this picture. I don't know why I don't blog more than I have lately. For some reason, I've not made time to do it. I've written some - not much, but I save it as a draft telling myself I just don't have time right now. I'll return later to it. But, I never do. I guess because I'm always pushing forward to the next thing on the agenda. Never really quite feeling like I've finished anything lately.

So...I've been working on that. I've been organizing and cleaning and accomplishing. It feels good. I've cleared stuff out of closets and cupboards and my spirit feels oh so lighter as a result. I've managed to even get some of it out of the house and into the trunk of my car. Today, I will take it to Goodwill or Out of The Closet. Period. The End.

The above tea kettle is one of my first drawings in my class that I took this summer. The teacher had us working on really large newsprint pads. There's actually a much larger attempt at drawing the kettle to the left of this. But I didn't like the way it was looking and I moved to the corner of the page to try again on a much smaller scale. What I learned in doing this drawing was that I have difficulty drawing large and free. I want things tight and controlled. Much like my life, I suppose.

A Moth to the Flame

2007-08-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

The second art class that I was supposed to take fell through. Apparently, there wasn't enough interest so the college cancelled it. I was totally bummed. But, I decided I just needed to take action and make something. I bought this book, although I have PLENTY of books on drawing and painting, and I ordered the supplies needed to do the painting of the cat on the cover. I'd show a picture of my work thus far but I'm only up to laying the tissue on the canvas for the background. White on white doesn't make for a very interesting composition.

I'm really proud of myself to have gotten this far. I've found myself starting and stopping a lot of stuff lately. I get that sometimes you have to have more than one iron in the fire but I am like a moth to the flame instead. I burn out far too early and nothing is accomplished.

Catch Up Ketchup

2007-08-01T20:40:00.000-07:00

The past month has been downright bizarre! First, it starts with a filling falling out of my front tooth. I rush to the dentist after practically having to throttle the HR person for my dentist's info because at the last renewal we changed companies so I changed dentists and I hadn't been to him yet and could not for the life of me remember who I had selected and she was taking her sweet time getting the info for me. Actually she never did. After waiting two hours and asking twice, I decided to call the insurance's customer service and they helped me. Luckily I managed to get an appointment later that afternoon.

I slipped into the dental chair several hours later. I open my mouth and he makes a strange noise which I expected because my teeth suck. However, he then had me open and close my jaw several times to listen to the lovely clickety clack sound that it makes. He pulled his gloves off and refused to work on me until I went to USC to have a TMJ evaluation. I was shocked to say the least. I thought he was some kind of charlatan until I got home and searched him online and discovered he teaches at UCLA.

So a week later I go to USC and fork out $230 to be told that I clench my jaw and have muscle tension which has displaced the disk and put me at risk for TMJ. News to me! I have exercises that I'm supposed to do throughout the day to release the stress from my jaw but I keep forgetting to do them. And here it is a month later and I still haven't been back to him to start work. Partly because the week following my TMJ consultation, I had a week and one day's worth of jury duty. Yuck!

But that story will have to wait until tomorrow. I'm exhausted. Stay tuned! Jury duty sucks but I at least had a somewhat interesting case. Very Hollywoodish!

Picture above is me when I had a mouth full of good teeth thanks to Florida municipalities having florinated drinking water. The red head is my grandmother and the brunette is my aunt.

A Still Life

2007-07-03T20:59:00.000-07:00

We draw Still Lifes in art class. I'm not sure I know what one is. My life is whizzing by. It's definitely not a still - life. But! I'm enjoying the ride. And, I'm enjoying my drawing class. It was just the ticket to motivate me in so many ways. My instructor is perfect. Amazingly, I have not shriveled from his critiques. He truly has the art of constructive criticism down pat.

No, that's not one of my drawings above. It's a camera-phone picture. I snapped pictures last night with my digital camera. Then, the battery died and not one of the pictures came out well. Or, is it good? And, the one I was willing to post, I accidentally deleted off the card before saving. Darn it!

The above is a cute-cute-CUTE blue mirror that I got from a very special blogger last week and I've been remiss to write about it. Not for lack of love and appreciation. I assure you! I hope to purchase one of her paintings one day soon. I'm just waiting for the right one for me to come along. But, I'm super excited to have one of her mirrors which I find inspirational and whimsical. And, all the more so because it was a loving and gracious gift for winning a contest on her blog. I'm pleased too that she'll be starting her Artsy Essay contests again so perhaps I can have the chance to win more of her creative fruits. Keep your eye on her blog and perhaps you too can win something.

For much better pictures and a step-by-step process of constructing the mirrior click here: Judi's Flickr Then, just follow the arrows in her photo stream.

P.S. The above is only a temporary home for the mirror. The overhead light on my stove is the best place for pictures after a certain time of day. Although, having a mirror at the back of your stovetop is supposed to be good Feng Shui, this one is too special to allow to be splattered with grease.

Thank you Judi!!!!

To Draw or Not to Draw

2007-06-14T06:15:00.000-07:00

I signed up for two art classes. They are provided by the local community college as part of their summer curriculum. The first one is a drawing class that starts today and goes through late July. The other class starts in late July and goes through August. It’s an oil painting class but it says acrylics are okay. I’m not sure which medium I’ll work in. I have some acrylics already and the clean up is a heck of a lot easier but I’d really like to learn to paint with oils. We’ll see.

I’m nervous. I haven’t taken an art class since high school, unless, you count the ceramics classes I used to take. Oh wait! Those were when I was in PA that means it’s the same time period as my high school classes. Okay, so I'm really nervous now.

I'm fearful it will be like when I joined the softball team when I was in the Army. I can play okay and I thought it would be great fun. About three or four practices in some girls showed up who could eat me for lunch, not only on the field but period. I quit. It was too competitive and I felt way over my head and my hand hurt because they would pummel the ball at me to the point it burned my hand right through the glove.

I sure hope the other students don't laugh at my drawings and break my pencils or something. If nothing else, maybe I'll get enough help that I'll draw better stick figures.

Wish me luck!

Sweet Joy U Happy Birthday

2007-06-07T19:10:00.001-07:00

Sweet Joy U Happy Birthday
Originally uploaded by krobbie67

I made this last night in a quick frenzy for a guy at work whose birthday is fast approaching. He's always offered me positive encouragement on my cardmaking so I thought I'd make him a card for everyone to sign instead of the generic Hallmark, from the gang bravado that we usually use.

One of the marketing people saw my card and asked me to make a selection for the company to purchase so they can send out to clients and employees and what-not by the executives!!! Woohoo!! They send out A LOT of cards too. This might just be an awesome door-opening opportunity. And, if not, it will at least be motivation for me to get busy working on my creative stuff because I have done didley squat lately.

Oh shoot! I hope 'the guy' doesn't have access to my Flickr or Blog. I don't think I ever gave him the link though. Anymore I just operate under the assumption that anyone and everyone reads my blog though. Honey! Nothing's a secret online even if you think you're smart and use a completely fake name and profile. If somebody wants to find you out, they will. Uh huh!

Cool Blogging Side Note: Blogging directly from FlickR rocks! It was so easy and the formatting seems to work well. The only downside I noticed was there isn't a spellcheck or an html edit feature. You have to post the entry then come into Blogger to edit for any of those functions. Okay, another downside is once I entered the editing it changed the formatting and that will take more figuring out than I might be willing to do. Hmmm...

Art is in the Eye of the Beholder

2007-06-03T11:48:00.000-07:00

I planned to write a proper blog entry this morning but used all my computer time looking and being inspired by other bloggers that I follow. As a result, my time has slipped away and I need to get off of here. But, I'm tired of my last entry being the first thing that greets people who come to this page. It sounds so very angry, and rightfully so, but I'm not in a constant state of anger and I hope no one else is either. Life must go on.

I took this picture while downtown yesterday because I found it quite ironic that much of the bonsai were dead and I wasn't sure if it was an artistic statement or just the result of a brown thumbist like myself. I look at the picture today and see so many layers of inspiration that I didn't even notice yesterday. I hope you do too.

Remembering...

2007-05-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken on September 4, 2005 on the beach in Santa Barbara. Each cross represents a fallen soldier. The markers along the side represent key battles in the war up to that point in time. According to the sign posted, there were 1,886 dead, 14,265 wounded U.S. military personnel, and 100,000 Iraqis dead at a cost of $1 billion per week.

Today, only twenty months later, the number of U.S. military that are dead has doubled. The estimate of the civilian population's loss is six times the previous amount. And, based on the most recent war funding bill, the plan is to fund $100 billion through the end of September. If so that means the cost of the war is now at approximately $5.5 billion per week with no end in sight.

We are not safer. We have only escalated the world's contempt for us and given motivation to the "terrorists" who wish us harm.

Being stuck in another country's civil war quagmire even if we were the cause of it is not making us safer, nor them. It's not fair to the fallen and it's not fair to the families that sent them off to war.

Impeach Bush for lieing to the American public in order to get us into an unjust war with Iraq, and bring our troops home - not necessarily in that order.

My Obituary

2007-05-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

While surfing the net, I came upon this silly quiz. I usually don't do these quizzes because I have a fear, perhaps irrational, that I will download a bug of some sort from one of these sites to my dearly loved computer.

But, I'm going through something right now that makes me wonder if I should wear clean underwear at all times and keep my eyes glued to the rear view mirror. So, I thought preparing my obit for my family was the least I could do, besides scrubbing the bathroom and washing the dishes which I'm off to do now.

'What will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com

I'd really like it if my family used Robbie in my obit, but I have a feeling my brother Chris who is oh so mature and proper would insist that my legal name for which I am only known by him, the magistrate, and teachers on my first day of school, would insist that Roberta be used. As such, here is what they can use if he wins the battle, but I sure hope one of my friends would speak up because no one but no one would know it were me especially since until now I have yet to reveal that Paris Hilton is my new BFF.

'What will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com

You've gotta laugh, even at the bizarre experiences. Y'ah know?!?

Aunt Wabi {Sabi}

2007-05-17T18:45:00.001-07:00

The other day I was reading something that mentioned the term "Wabi Sabi." I had heard it before but couldn't recall the meaning. What came to mind at first were hot wasabi peas which I love eating mixed with pistachios. But a second glance confirmed that a few letters more was in the term Wabi Sabi. So, as I often do, I headed to the internet for some answers.

I found out that Wabi Sabi has a very interesting and hard to translate definition. Wabi Sabi is "sometimes described as one of beauty that is 'imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete' (according to Leonard Koren in his book Wabi-Sabi: for Artists, Designers, Poets and Philosophers)." I'm still learning what it is about and I hope to pick up Mr. Koren's book soon to discover further but what little I've read has me very intrigued.

I liked the meaning so much that I almost decided to set up a secondary blog for my artsy/craftsy stuff because it seems that the term is often used in reference to art. For some reason, that just makes me breath a sigh of relief. I am a perfectionist and it often hinders my ability to complete projects, even start some, because I have this fear of it being less than, not just less than perfect but less than what someone else would have done.

I decided against the second blog because I find it hard enough to maintain this one on a regular basis. However, as I was throwing around ideas it reminded me that my nephew used to call me Aunt Wabi when he was little because he had trouble pronouncing his "R's." He's in the picture above which is circa 1987, if I could only remember the exact year my brother Chris was married because that is when I went to my brother Andy's place in Paxton, IL when he was still in the Air Force and stationed at Chanute Air Base. Oh Well!

Adam's all grown up now, and with a military career of his own but like me he joined the Army instead of following in his dad's footsteps. Sadly, so. He no longer calls me Aunt Wabi but I'll forever hear it when I think of him. And who knows, maybe somewhere along the way, I can find a place for Aunt Wabi {Sabi} to come out and play.

Meme: ABC's

2007-04-26T19:25:00.000-07:00

Ally tagged me. I almost missed it. Now, you better read down to make sure I didn't tag you!

A-Available or Single? You can't be both? I sure as heck wouldn't want an available married man. Hmph!

B-Best Friend: I don't like ranking anyone. Life has a way of ebbing and flowing but I will say I've known Debbie the longest and we're more like sisters than friends.

C-Cake or Pie: I'm beginning to hate this choosing thing. I want it all! If it's cake I usually want Jewish Apple Cake or Shoo-Fly Cake. If it's pie I usually like a good apple pie a la mode or a berry such as blackberries a la mode too.

D-Drink of Choice: Sonic's Cherry Limeade

E-Essential Item(s): Glasses, Keys, Bank Card, Car and reading material.

F- Favorite Color(s): Silly question for those who know me. It's blue, blue, and blue.

G- Gummi Bears or Worms? Neither unless they've started making them with chocolate. I'm not much of a candy eater.

H- Hometown: I'll steal Ally's answer: "I suppose I call Los Angeles my hometown since I've lived here the longest." Yup as of this May I'll be here eleven years. It's the longest I've lived anywhere and that includes all of the times I lived in PA combined or all of the times I lived in TX combined. Heck it's almost longer than all of the times that I lived in TX and PA combined.

I- Indulgence: Chocolate, Coffee, and Facials

J- January or February: How about June or July?

K- Kids: Probably not but who knows. I still think maybe someday when I'm financially independent I will adopt or be a foster parent.

L- Life is incomplete without: Growth. People who remain the same year after year without learning and growing and developing bewilder me. What other reason is there to life?

M- Marriage Date: What kind of lame question is this?

N- Number of Siblings: Three - all brothers.

O- Oranges or Apples? Can I have fruit salad instead?

P- Phobias/Fears: Fear of getting to the end and regretting something I shoulda, woulda, coulda done.

Q- Favorite Quote: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." -- It's quite humorous how much flack I was given over the years by random assholes who read that in my profile when I was on AOL Journals.

R- Reasons to smile: The innocence of a child, a dog or cat at play, a beautiful piece of artwork, the voice of a friend, a crisis averted, a sunrise, a sunset, a secret look from a lover, flowers just because, music of any kind, and too many more to write.

S- Season: Summer

T- Tag Three: I think there is at least one in this bunch that won't be ticked off that I tagged them: Gigi, Donna, and Wil

U- Unknown Fact About Me: When I was twenty years old, I took the test to become an air traffic controller. I passed too. I just didn't score high enough to be hired. I'm very glad.

V – Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animals? Biased much? Vegetables have feelings too! Hmmm does that mean every other carnivorous animal is an oppressor? You choose only veggies, good for you. I choose both. It's nature. Get over it and quit trying to oppress ME.

W- Worst Habit(s): Speaking my mind. (See above answer)

X – X-rays or Ultrasounds? What's the question? I've never had an ultrasound. Does it really matter which I prefer. Hmmm...

Y- Your Favorite Foods: Alaskan King Crab Legs with butter, a rare Prime Rib with horseradish sauce, and asparagus.

Z- Zodiac: Scorpio

Up for a swim?

2007-04-21T05:55:00.000-07:00

I hope 3000+ miles isn't too much for you.

I received this in an email and couldn't help but share it here. It's quite humorous.

Go to Google and get directions to London from Pittsburgh. Scroll down to where you leave Long Wharf. I think it's item number twenty. It has you swimming across the Atlantic.

I tried this with several cities. I typed in Philadelphia, Louisville, Dallas, and New York and they all took you to Long Wharf which it looks like it is in Massachusetts. And! After that leisurely swim across the Atlantic, Google doesn't even take you to the closest point of land on the other side. It looks like it sends you to France first.

Strange, but true. Check it out for yourself.

Here's a screen capture of one of my attempts:

What Dreams May Come

2007-04-12T19:35:00.000-07:00

What was that movie? Snakes on planes or some such idiocy. I didn't go see it because I hate snakes. They absolutely creep me out with their slithery, slimey, poisonous selves.

A friend sent me an email a couple of days ago about a lady bringing home a potted plant from the store that had baby copperheads in the bottom of it. I guess it has been on my mind ever since because last night I had a dream that a big fat beefy snake like a boa constrictor had my fist in its mouth. Just as I began to freak out in my dream, I woke up. My hand was in a tight fist and sore. The creepiness of it has stuck with me all day. I'm kind of afraid to go to sleep tonight.

Why couldn't she have sent me an email about this snake? I don't mind waking up laughing. I don't think I'll be able to buy another plant again until I verify the validity of the story. How big are snake eggs? They would have gotten squashed. Don't you think? Of course, now I just read in the boa link that boas don't lay eggs, they give birth to snakes. Great!

Photo courtesy of mensatic on MorgueFile.com

What We Call The News!

2007-03-29T19:22:00.000-07:00

What We Call the News Send To Friends Funny Animations at JibJab

Walking on Sunshine

2007-03-23T06:50:00.000-07:00

Some people walk on sunshine. I walk on gold! That's real gold inlaid on those tiles. Unabashed decadence. I should be ashamed but I love good eye candy whether it be by the hands of mother nature or by the hands of man. It distracts me from my putrid existence before I die. Woops, I'm floating on the edge of the existential pond. I better get those feet to work.

The Last Day

2007-03-20T08:54:00.000-07:00

Today is the last day of my vacation. There is too much I didn't do and lots that I did and want to share but for now this picture will have to suffice because I want to squeeze in a little more fun and not sit here at my computer a minute longer than I have to sit.

Bad Buddha!

2007-03-16T09:22:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago Gi and I went to the Bowers Museum. They were having an exhibit called "Treasures from Shanghai" Although some aspects of the museum, exhibit, and events of the day weren't such a treasure. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't the company it was the way in which the museum presented pieces and some of the staff had, shall we say, "quirky" personalities. One of whom attached onto Gigi and wouldn't let us go. He had an agenda against the docent and the British museum that befuddled me. I'm all for hearing about conspiracy theories but...well...

When at museums I like to hit the giftshops to see what I can find. I nearly had to wrestle Gigi to the ground for this item but luckily they had an extra one in stock in the back. It's a good thing too because, it was rightfully Gi's since she found it first but gosh I really wanted it. It is a book called "The Wisdom of the Buddha." I am quite the amateur theologian. I enjoy reading about religions and how they came about. I haven't read a lot about Buddhism and thought this book would be just the ticket.

The artwork in the book is quite interesting. I especially like the picture on the front cover and thought I would try to draw it. The lines are pretty simple so I thought it would be a great one to try drawing upside down like Danny Gregory has showed recently in his video demonstrations. I was in a hurry and didn't really concentrate on making it look exact but the above is what I came up with. I labeled it "Bad Buddha" because it looks a bit upsetting. Perhaps I should have called it "Texas Buddha" though because the more I look at it the more it looks like it has a cowboy hat on its head. I came to the conclusion that next time I should take longer than five minutes and perhaps I will give Happy Buddha a try.

Sugar Art

2007-03-15T12:03:00.000-07:00

I still haven't found the link for the woman who does sand art so I thought I'd show my version of it. However, it isn't sand in that canister. It's sugar. I made the switch to natural sugar instead of the white bleached stuff but was afraid it wouldn't work well in baking and bought the white stuff the last time I did some baking. The white stuff kept sitting around as I bypassed it for the natural stuff in my day-to-day usings. So, the last time I filled the sugar canister I decided to make it interesting and do layers of bleached and natural sugars, kind of pretty sitting on my counter. Too bad it's almost gone now though.

I baked a cake the other night which really knocked a dent in it. I'm pleased to say it worked just fine in the baking process. Well, what I could taste around the burnt parts, anyhow. The blasted recipe has the wrong temperature and time. I know this. I thought I was being careful when I started checking it at the forty five minute mark but I was a bit distracted by the horrible singing on American Idol that it got a bit too crispy and dark on the outside of it. But the center where the apples are and the top was delish, so some of the girls at work said and I concur.

Speaking of work. Yes, it is the middle of the day and I'm blogging. I'm on vacation. Can I hear a weeeeeee!!! and a woot!!!? Too bad it's not happening in France and London at the end of the month like my original plan but everything worked out for the best and I'm just glad to have the time off now to have some fun and get some things taken care of that I needed to get done. Speaking of which...

French Fry

2007-03-12T20:52:00.000-07:00

For those who don't frequent Danny Gregory's site with the fanatical enthusiasm that I do, this is just too cool not to share. It reminded me of another link I saved some where to share here in which a woman "paints" with sand. I'll return with it in a day or two once I figure out where the heck it is located.

If you haven't seen the movie "Super Size Me" yet, I highly recommend it too. It's a sobering documentary about junk food's affect on the body.

Recipes for the "Male Cook"

2007-03-06T18:47:00.000-08:00

When I was at my mom's for Christmas, she gave me a stack of old recipe booklets that she had and I am having a ball going through them. Some of these are pretty old. The one pictured above is from 1953. It's a "measured heat" cookbook.

You might wonder what it means by "measured heat." It means an oven with a thermostat! Go figure! I thought they always had one. Well, at least ones that you didn't have to stoke the fire before using it to cook your meal.

It's funny how time and energy efficient they tried to be too. They have entire meals planned out so you can cook your main course, side dishes (both starch and veggie), bread or rolls, and dessert in one shebang. I would not waste the brain cells today trying to find all those recipes that worked at the same temperature and the same approximate time frame. It's hard enough trying to shake up the color scheme of my meal so everything isn't pale and bland looking on a plate.

Thankfully more than meal planning has changed too! I about swallowed my tongue when I read this section of the book titled "Special Recipes for the Amateur Male Cook."

If you have trouble reading it, click on the picture to open a larger image. But, beware. Your eyes might bug out at how sexist it is! Tell me. Am I masculine for liking to experiment in the kitchen? After all, I thought a woman's place was in the kitchen. Barefoot and pregnant to boot! Ah, but we don't have the ability to be true epicurean gourmands. The first chef was a man according to this book.

Note: For some reason the second picture doesn't open up. I forgot that it would do that if I moved a picture around in the entry. I don't know how to fix it. I'll upload it to Flickr and do a link to there if you want to see it in more detail.

Camera Phone Fly-by Foto

2007-03-01T19:37:00.000-08:00

I do not have patience lately to sit and write. I try. I have about six drafts of entries that I just can't bring myself to finish. I think it's because I'm out of practice. Writing really does take practice - daily.

I used to sit down punch out a post and move on but I did it on a consistent basis. None of this saving drafts and trying to have a picture and links and grammar and coherent ideas. Screw spell check! But, somewhere along the way I began polishing my act. Peeshaw! No more I say!

That's not entirely true but I'm going to try to be better. If I could only break away from reading blogs, especially all of the artsy ones that I have been drawn to lately. They really inspire me to do creative things more. However, those are usually things with my hands not with words and not around here.

Above is a picture of a Van Gogh painting that I took with my camera phone. It's kind of crappy at this size but looks really cool as wallpaper on my phone. Better than the generic ones provided by Verizon. I figured since I didn't have a cute coordinating photo to go with this crappy entry, I'd slide it in here. Enjoy!

Take Heart

2007-02-06T18:49:00.000-08:00

I'm here! I am just spread a little thin right now and lately the last thing I want to do is sit at a keyboard any longer than need requires. This is generally a busy time for me because there is a catch up to do after the holidays then I go right into being under the gun to close for the year-end audit. Add to that a personnel change up and I'm a very tired gal when I get home. I've been itching to make cards though. Valentine cards of all things! I don't think I'm much of a mush but something has sparked my romantic side and I'm trying to come up with something frilly for the occasion. Once I finally figure out the end product that I'm gravitating toward, it can be found here in my Flickr Set. And, just in case, I don't post before then, Happy Valentines Day! Will you be mine?

P.S. "Heart" stamp and "XO" stamp are from Paper Source.

Boo!

2007-01-16T19:55:00.000-08:00

I was waylaid a couple of days fighting a bug, or something, but I'm picking up speed. I've added to the sidebar my links and my picture but I might revert back to my Yahoo cartoony self. I liked the fact that I can change clothes and locations often with my cartoony self, whereas my look changes so drastically from year to year that I don't look much like the picture that I inserted and it's about a year old. As a matter of fact, I have new glasses. :::clearing throat loudly::: Heads up to those out there who said they couldn't remember what they looked like. I have a different hairstyle and since I quit smoking I've packed on the poundage. So....we'll see.

Another picture from the road, quite literally, is posted with this entry. I believe it is somewhere in New Mexico but it could be the east side of El Paso too. I chased, drove through, ran from, hunkered down in, storm clouds both going and coming. It made for very little sight seeing except from my car window as I raced along the highway. Speaking of racing... that story will have to wait for another time.

A Work In Progress

2007-01-09T21:31:00.000-08:00

Another picture from the snow in Arizona to distract you from my words of nothingness:

I opened Blogger to actually post an entry then I got lost in the new templates. If I were smart I would create a test blog like Steven did to play around in but well I'm tired and not feeling so smart after a long day at work.

Okay, I'm lazy.

That's what it is really about. So much so, I don't even want to try and figure out how to get my sidebar frillies back. Not right now, anyhow. This shall be a work in progress. I'm hoping it won't take too long, but knowing me I'll still be doing it come next year.

My plan is to flip that stuff on the right back to the left. Add back all my standard sidebar stuff, see if there's any other bells and whistles to be had, and possibly get this color set up like my old journal. I realize most people like a plain white background. But, I've missed my blue walls. Perhaps, they'll inspire me to write more often. And, well, this is about me.

The End of The Road

2006-12-31T08:21:00.000-08:00

About forty miles east of Tucson I came upon a fairly heavy snowstorm. At which point I thought maybe I had reached the end of the road but I made it into Tucson and stayed the night to continue my trek the next day back home, where all roads should properly end.

I didn't expect to be without internet access for the bulk of my vacation. As such, I have a lot to catch up. Firstly, I upgraded to the new Blogger since I went to log in and post this entry I saw that it was officially out of Beta.

Happy New Year!!! May all your roads end at home.

Road Trip Day 1

2006-12-18T20:18:00.000-08:00

The long awaited road trip to Texas has finally begun. I'm so glad that I didn't get all regimental and try to plan it down to the last detail because nothing has gone according to my loosely planned idea that I held in my head and in Yahoo Trip Planner. There will be no links. The hotel wireless connection is weak and unstable. I even started looking for flights so I could back out of the drive. I thought I would never get out of town.

I originally planned on leaving Saturday but the trip to Boston was last weekend. Speaking of which, I've been trying to get my pictures posted to Flickr. I still have more to come but if you want to check them out click on the link in my sidebar. I didn't realize that I didn't have a weekend in between trips. I returned from Boston to a soggy mess at work on Monday morning. Apparently it rained over the weekend and a pipe broke. I handle the insurance claims for the company besides my day-to-day accounting responsibilities. Needless to say, the week was a whirlwind. Heck the past month has been a whirlwind.

Anyhow, I finally made it on the road today and breathed a sigh of relief that I didn't opt to fly. I forgot how beautiful the drive is to Arizona. I am bunkered down for the night on the outskirts of Tucson. The picture above is the desert on the way to the border of California and Arizona. I laughed as I began to post it because I think I have almost the exact same picture from my trip with Trish several years ago.

No problem

2006-11-14T06:26:00.000-08:00

Death knocking on the door down the hall?

Family pulling you in all directions?

Your party lost the election?

In-laws coming for a visit?

Work got you down?

Friends suck?

Pipes froze?

Rent's due?

Kids sick?

Stop!

See the insignificance.

Go to a planetarium.

See the big picture.

See the wonder.

Just imagine.

The universe goes on forever.

You are a part of it.

You are stardust.

These thoughts brought to you by the new Griffith Observatory

...and me.

Divine Sovereignty My Ass!

2006-11-07T19:16:00.000-08:00

Two years ago the current administration used the election results as a justification to declare that a mandate had been bestowed upon them. This year they've probably worked something out with Diebold that the elections will reveal a divine sovereignty. I figured I'd spout my two cents in the voting booth and here before the fact. After all, you have no right to bitch if you don't exercise the right to vote.

One Day In Boston

2006-11-05T08:11:00.000-08:00

It sounds like the name of a new TV show but it is actually one day in my life. Next month I'll be traveling to Boston for business and since I've never been there I decided to stay through the weekend. I fly in on a Thursday. Work all day Friday and fly out on Sunday. So, that gives me all day Saturday - one day- to see Boston. It's quite overwhelming. I'm starting to look online for things to do because I'm afraid if I don't have a lot of ideas I'll be so overwhelmed that I'll do something lame like go to a movie or hang out at the hotel bar the entire time.

I found this walking tour not far from my hotel. But, it is going to be December so I don't know how long I'll last outside and some of the places along the tour don't appear to be open on Saturdays. Suggestions are welcome. What one thing do you think I must do to get a real taste of Boston?

I've been thinking what I would suggest to someone if they asked me the same thing about Los Angeles. I would have to say Venice Beach for sure. It was one of the first places I had to see when I got here and I still love it. Other, obvious stuff, like Hollywood and all its touristy stuff is way overrated.

Happy Anniversary to Me - 3 Years and Counting

2006-10-24T19:46:00.000-07:00

That's right it has been three years today since I started my blogging career. Or is it a hobby? I sure don't make a dime off of it. That Adsense seems to be nonsense. Technically, I haven't been with Blogger three years though. I actually started with AOL and a good portion of my archives still sits over there. Somewhere, along the way, I got a Blogger log-in because back in the day, you had to have one in order to leave comments and along with the log-in came a blog which I left sitting here blank. Then, I decided to set it up as a mirror to my AOL site because I wanted a back-up, eventually I just gave up on AOHell and moved on over here. It was a fortuitous move because shortly after my decision all hell broke loose at AOL because of the unwelcome, force-fed banner ads. But that's all water under the bridge. Some have let by-gones be by-gones and begun blogging over there once again.

Why don't you pop a cold one and celebrate with me? However, I'm not sharing. It's BYOB around these parts. I think I found my thrill and it wasn't lurking up on Strawberry Hill either. The other day when I was out and about I had a Huckleberry Soda by Jackson Hole Soda Company and really enjoyed it. When I went to the grocery store later that day, I looked to see if Ralph's sold any. Unfortunately, they don't, but I can order it online. I'm not sad though because to my great drinking enjoyment, I found something even better on the shelf. Cherry Limeade that tastes almost exactly like that served at Sonic. I LOVE the stuff. I get at least one or two of their Route 44s everytime I visit Texas. I'm also super happy to see on their website that there is a Sonic only 32 miles from me! I never knew that. The next time I go visit Gi, I'm stopping by. Heck, Cherry Limeades are so good that I might just make Sonic my destination and screw waiting on an invite down that way.

Road Trip

2006-10-11T06:25:00.000-07:00

It has been a tough year. It's quickly winding to a close. These last couple of months always seem to zoom by. Don't they? I've decided to slow down a bit and give myself an adventure by taking the last two weeks of the year off and going on a road trip.

My plan is to drive from Los Angeles to San Antonio and make several stops along the way going to and fro so that I can check out some of the local scenery.

When I moved to California from Dallas ten years ago, I took the northern route, that's what we called it anyhow, through Albuquerque and Flagstaff. This time with the help of Yahoo trip planner, I'm taking the southern route. I think on the way out I'll stop at Phoenix and Las Cruces and on my return trip, I think I'll stop in El Paso and Tucson. But, I haven't quite nailed the details down yet.

I'm a bit nervous to do it alone but at the same time it excites me to face a challenge. I look forward to having time alone to do whatever I want. I'll have to force myself though to not put my pedal to the metal and whiz by all the roadside attractions. I have a tendency to look at road trips as a timed challenge to beat the clock. "Yahoo says it takes 19 hours. Ha! I'll do it in 18!" Most of the time I win. However, the one and only speeding ticket I have ever received was in Arizona, so hopefully that will be encouragement to keep it this side of 100 as I drive through there.

Dreams

2006-10-09T06:31:00.000-07:00

One of the saddest feelings I have had is waking from a dream crying, literally, wet face and all. It's a horribly empty feeling. In the fog of sleep, you don't quite know what the saddness is about.

This morning I woke up laughing out loud. Now that I like!

My friend had a beautiful baby boy a month ago. I've been spending a lot of my time lately talking her off the hormonal ledge. I think maybe it will be okay and I'll be back to regular blogging again.

Remembering...

2006-09-11T06:21:00.000-07:00

Ring-a-ling-a-ling. It's for you.

2006-08-30T19:27:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid living in Florida, I distinctly remember my mom bundling us up in our pajamas to go to the Jiffy Store, think 7-11, to use the pay phone to call my grandma. We weren't always without a phone, but there were times that I remember running to the neighbors to use a phone. I didn't feel like we were out of touch though. But, what do you know as a kid, roughing it is not being able to buy slurpies and ice cream on a hot summer's day. You sure as heck don't care about all that adult stuff like paying bills.

I think times have changed some though when kids in kindergarten are carrying cell phones and have their own entertainment centers in their rooms. However, that's not my point. I am thinking of dropping my land line - that's my point. I really don't use it much. The cost is probably twenty-something a month. It used to be a lot less though. I think for barebones basic I was paying $6.50 a couple of years ago but then SBC took over and now AT&T has the reins and it's costing me the equivalent of a pair of shoes on serious mark-down. For what? I have a cell phone, and most everyone I know calls me on it. Actually, what they usually do is call me on my home phone, then when I don't answer it they call my cell. Why not cut out the middle man? Because, I feel like I'm a drifter without a phone. It represents security, dependablity, and permanence. People who have phones aren't fly-by-night characters. Heck, it used to be if you didn't have a phone you couldn't write a check to buy groceries. Shoot! Other than paying my rent, I can't even remember the last time I wrote a check for something. I do have to provide my number to the drycleaner to get my clothes. And, the few occasions I've called Pizza Hut they knew me by my phone number. Can I get Pizza and my drycleaning if I only have a cell phone? Will telemarketers find me and start calling my cell?

The other thing holding me back is that I really like my phone number. It's one of the easiest numbers I have ever had. The first three digits are the same as the next three and the last one is only one digit more. There's also the fact that if someone I've lost contact with wants to find me they can if they know my last name. I've never changed it and I have yet to see a listing for my surname with an R other than my own. So what if that has only happened a hand full of times in my life, it could happen again. I've met a lot of people in my life. However, I've had my cell number for ten years so they can always reach me that way too.

I geuss what I'm looking for is opinions, pros and cons that I haven't thought of yet. What do you think? Have you ever been without a phone? Did you have a cell phone? Was there any problems? Am I nuts?

Scratch that! I know the answer to the last question.

Thanks!

Still Counting...

2006-08-13T08:25:00.000-07:00

For those counting with me, I quit smoking a year ago --- today. So I guess that means 365 days since my last puff. (Or, is it 366?) Anyhow, I'm still counting it by the day because I'm still battling the addiction demon. I almost caved a couple of weeks ago.

This is no lie: I was walking past, on my way to the parking garage, a public ashtray, on the patio at work where a lot of smokers go. There were a bunch of cigarettes sticking out of the black pellets, long cigarettes, tempting, tantalizing, calling my name. I kid you not, I stopped and contemplated whether I had a lighter on me so I could grab one and smoke it. In my defense, I had an extremely rough day which was but one of many that have occurred recently. Luckily, after doing a mental check of my belongings, I knew I didn't have a lighter on me and proceeded to my car for the drive home. I think if I would have had even a glimmer of hope that a lighter was on my person, I would have dumped my purse and bag on the tile to scrounge for it and lit the used cigarette butt of a stranger to get my fix. Sadly so.

However, I didn't. Yeah!!!

I've gained weight, which sucks. But, I can lose it. I find myself rationalizing why it would be okay to smoke, just one cigarette randomly. But, I know me, and I remind me, that the likelihood of me smoking a random cigarette and not taking it on full force is highly unlikely. I remind myself that I don't walk in a cloud of foul smelling, noxious fumes anymore, that I'm saving hundreds of dollars a month, and am extending my life expectancy. So far it's working.

P.S. Blogger is acting up again. I couldn't insert a photo directly from Blogger and had to do it through Flickr. I have no time (because I'm heading to the Grandma of all Flea Markets) to work out the kinks of the code to wrap the text with the photo. I'll figure it out later for those that will get multiple alerts through Bloglines. You're forewarned.

Don't Forget

2006-08-06T16:07:00.000-07:00

I just finished typing up a long entry, albeit silly, and I went to spellcheck it and lost it. Actually, when I logged back into Blogger and clicked on "Recover Post," it did recover part of it. However, I don't feel like re-typing the rest right now. So, I'll just share this poster from LACMA that I took with my Camera Phone a couple of weeks ago. It's so very true. Don't you think?

Energy

2006-07-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

Energy takes many forms, such as love, affection, appreciation and recognition, material possessions, money, friendship, etc. and the principles apply equally to all these forms. If you look around you at those who are most unhappy, you'll find they are often people who have a "starved" feeling in some way, and are therefore in a very grasping posture toward life. They feel that life in general and other people in particular are not giving them what they need. It is as if they have a stranglehold on life, trying desperately to wring out the love and satisfaction they crave, yet actually choking off the supply. And many of us have a little of this tendency.

by: Shakti Gawain

There's more to it here...

Life is energy and energy flows. I can allow in good energy or bad energy. I can stagnate at times where energy doesn't seem to be flowing in or out, good or bad. Then, I remember. It's my choice. What will I choose today?

Why I love blogging...

2006-07-05T20:50:00.000-07:00

Reason #1

Having someone post an entry about a long forgotten childhood toy and for a split second being transported back in time. I completely forgot about playing with those. I was a creative wanna-be as a child that's why I got the plates. I forget that I did have a creative side. I guess because I repressed it for so long.

Ladies, and (some) gentlemen, I give you Fashion Plates.

I'd post a picture but it seems Blogger is hiccupping at the moment. Follow either of the links and you'll see what I'm talking about.

"Hell Is Other People"

2006-07-04T13:10:00.000-07:00

I would not know the line "Hell is Other People," if it weren't for having read Sartre's play, "No Exit" for a Philosophy class that I took in college. I am reminded of it because I'm currently reading the play, "Cyrano de Bergerac," by Edmond Rostand.

As I began reading it, I almost put it down because I really wasn't enjoying it. I kept getting caught up in the stage direction and character titles instead of comprehension of the text. I began reminiscing about what plays I had read in the past and the only ones I recall are three by Sartre and one by George Bernhard Shaw, of which I can't even remember which one because it was over twenty years ago when I was a sophomore in high school. However, I did recall that as I stuck with the reading of the manuscript, it came to life and I soon forgot the format and enjoyed the story. I'm glad I recalled that or else I wouldn't have made it to this poignant dialogue:

Scene 2.VIII.
Cyrano, Le Bret, the cadets, who are eating and drinking at the tables right and left.

CYRANO (bowing mockingly to those who go out without daring to salute him):Gentlemen. . .Gentlemen. . .

LE BRET (coming back, despairingly):Here's a fine coil!

CYRANO:Oh! scold away!

LE BRET:At least, you will agree
That to annihilate each chance of Fate
Exaggerates. . .

CYRANO:Yes!--I exaggerate!

LE BRET (triumphantly):Ah!

CYRANO:But for principle--example too,--I think 'tis well thus to exaggerate.

LE BRET:Oh! lay aside that pride of musketeer,
Fortune and glory wait you!. . .

CYRANO:Ay, and then?. . .Seek a protector, choose a patron out,
And like the crawling ivy round a tree
That licks the bark to gain the trunk's support,
Climb high by creeping ruse instead of force?
No, grammercy! What! I, like all the rest
Dedicate verse to bankers?--play buffoon
In cringing hope to see, at last, a smile
Not disapproving, on a patron's lips?
Grammercy, no! What! learn to swallow toads?
--With frame aweary climbing stairs?--a skin
Grown grimed and horny,--here, about the knees?
And, acrobat-like, teach my back to bend?--
No, grammercy! Or,--double-faced and sly--
Run with the hare, while hunting with the hounds;
And, oily-tongued, to win the oil of praise,
Flatter the great man to his very nose?
No, grammercy! Steal soft from lap to lap,
--A little great man in a circle small,
Or navigate, with madrigals for sails,
Blown gently windward by old ladies' sighs?
No, grammercy! Bribe kindly editors
To spread abroad my verses? Grammercy!
Or try to be elected as the pope
Of tavern-councils held by imbeciles?
No, grammercy! Toil to gain reputation
By one small sonnet, 'stead of making many?
No, grammercy! Or flatter sorry bunglers?
Be terrorized by every prating paper?
Say ceaselessly, 'Oh, had I but the chance
Of a fair notice in the "Mercury"!'
Grammercy, no! Grow pale, fear, calculate?
Prefer to make a visit to a rhyme?
Seek introductions, draw petitions up?
No, grammercy! and no! and no again! But--sing?
Dream, laugh, go lightly, solitary, free,
With eyes that look straight forward--fearless voice!
To cock your beaver just the way you choose,
--For 'yes' or 'no' show fight, or turn a rhyme!
--To work without one thought of gain or fame,
To realize that journey to the moon!
Never to pen a line that has not sprung
Straight from the heart within. Embracing then
Modesty, say to oneself, 'Good my friend,
Be thou content with flowers,--fruit,--nay, leaves,
But pluck them from no garden but thine own!'
And then, if glory come by chance your way,
To pay no tribute unto Caesar, none,
But keep the merit all your own! In short,
Disdaining tendrils of the parasite,
To be content, if neither oak nor elm--
Not to mount high, perchance, but mount alone!

LE BRET:Alone, an if you will! But not with hand
'Gainst every man! How in the devil's name
Have you conceived this lunatic idea,
To make foes for yourself at every turn?

CYRANO:By dint of seeing you at every turn
Make friends,--and fawn upon your frequent friends
With mouth wide smiling, slit from ear to ear!
I pass, still unsaluted, joyfully,
And cry,--What, ho! another enemy?

LE BRET:Lunacy!

CYRANO:Well, what if it be my vice,
My pleasure to displease--to love men hate me!
Ah, friend of mine, believe me, I march better
'Neath the cross-fire of glances inimical!
How droll the stains one sees on fine-laced doublets,
From gall of envy, or the poltroon's drivel!
--The enervating friendship which enfolds you
Is like an open-laced Italian collar,
Floating around your neck in woman's fashion;
One is at ease thus,--but less proud the carriage!
The forehead, free from mainstay or coercion,
Bends here, there, everywhere. But I, embracing
Hatred, she lends,--forbidding, stiffly fluted,
The ruff's starched folds that hold the head so rigid;
Each enemy--another fold--a gopher,
Who adds constraint, and adds a ray of glory;
For Hatred, like the ruff worn by the Spanish,
Grips like a vice, but frames you like a halo!

Notes of Interest: Cyrano, surprisingly, was a real person whose life was preempted by a falling plank. The movie "Roxanne" with Steve Martin is loosely based on the play.

Where is the love?

2006-07-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

I had a difficult conversation with a gentleman last week. He told me to try not to worry. My response to him was that I'll try not to because I believe that if I operate from a place of integrity, no matter what happens, I will be okay. And, I truly believe that. Sometimes it's hard to hold the faith in that, sometimes I feel like it would be more comfortable to take the easy road, instead of the high road. Sometimes it feels like I'm drowning. Then I realize that I'm drowning in fear. All I need to do is let go, push off for the deep end, and swim. I know how. I've been there before and I made it to the other side in due time. To get me through the turbulent seas, I look for moments of Zen. I find them in art, music, and writing. I find love within.

Where Is The Love?
By: The Blackeyed Peas

What's wrong with the world, mama
People livin' like they ain't got no mamas
I think the whole world's addicted to the drama
Only attracted to things that'll bring you trauma
Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin'
In the USA, the big CIA
The Bloods and The Crips and the KKK
But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And when you hate then you're bound to get irate,
Yeah, madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate
to the love, y'all, y'all

People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek
Father, Father, Father help us
Send us some guidance from above'
Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love the love, the love

It just ain't the same, always unchanged
New days are strange, is the world insane
If love and peace is so strong
Why are there pieces of love that don't belong
Nations droppin' bombs
Chemical gasses fillin' lungs of little ones
With ongoin' sufferin' as the youth die young
So ask yourself is the lovin' really gone
So I could ask myself really what is goin' wrong
In this world that we livin' in
people keep on givin'in
Makin' wrong decisions, only visions of them dividends
Not respectin' each other,
deny thy brother
A war is goin' on but the reason's undercover
The truth is kept secret, it's swept under the rug
If you never know truth then you never know love
Where's the love, y'all, come on (I don't know)
Where's the truth, y'all, come on (I don't know)
Where's the love, y'all

People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek
Father, Father, Father help us
Send us some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love
The love, the love

I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder
As I'm gettin' older,
y'all, people gets colder
Most of us only care about money makin'
Selfishness got us followin' our wrong direction
Wrong information always shown by the media
Negative images is the main criteria
Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria
Kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema
Yo', whatever happened to the values of humanity
Whatever happened to the fairness in equality
Instead of spreading love we spreading animosity
Lack of understanding, leading lives away from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' under
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' down
There's no wonder why sometimes I'm feelin' under
Gotta keep my faith alive till love is found

People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek
Father, Father, Father help us
Send us some guidance from above'
Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)

Why Does The Caged Bird Sing?

2006-06-26T19:14:00.000-07:00

Because the cage can't stop her!

I don't know if it's a story or poem, but I know it's the title of something written by Maya Angelou. I was doing some stream of consciousness writing today to try and clear my mind. I was feeling stifled, trapped, caged-in, under a thumb, and the oft heard rhetorical question popped into my mind: "Why DOES the caged bird sing?" And, just as quickly, the answer came to me: "In defiance! Because the cage can't stop her."

I guess it's time for me to read Ms. Angelou's reason.

Life's Little Ironies

2006-06-04T18:35:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, I went to get in my car to take it to be washed and a neighborhood cat had left a "treat" for me on my convertible top.

Can't quite see it? Never fear! I took a close-up shot:

Yup! That be cat shit. Nice huh? All this week I've been fearful that I would come down to find more on my car. A girl at work told me that she heard that cats don't like lavender or citrus scents. I sprayed down the top on the outside and inside and so far it's working. I don't want to do anything to hurt the cat. Who I'd like to hurt is my neighbor who parks her car two down from mine. I surmise that she has an oil leak because she dumped what appears to be half of a bag of kitty litter in her parking space. It's been there a while and the neighborhood cats have used it as their outdoor facilities. She hasn't cleaned it up. If my memories from prior feline companionship serve me well, cats don't like a dirty litter box and they'll let you know by performing spiteful dumps in places they think will get their point across. This point was well taken but they're meowing up the wrong tree.

Another funny thing to happen this past week, occurred when I was driving home one night. I saw what appeared to be a relatively well groomed man dancing around on the corner of Sunset and Crescent Heights in West Hollywood while holding a cut out of the top of a pizza box. How did I know it was specifically a pizza box? It said "pizza." But, it was one of those generic boxes not a Pizza Hut or Dominoes type box. I started laughing and thought to myself the dude must be drunk and not realize that his "Will Work for Food" sign was facing the wrong way. I lost sight of him when a truck pulled into my line of view. When the light turned green and traffic began moving forward, I caught a glimpse of the guy again. He had turned his sign around. It now read: "I need beer." I laughed my ass off as I headed on home. I guess my first assumption wasn't far from the truth.

My Ten Favorite Works of Art

2006-05-28T19:47:00.000-07:00

Art comes in many forms, so I'll limit this to the visual arts. Even still, it was tough to pick only ten and I can still think of many more:

1. Anything by Edgar Degas. I love the way he captures the female form and movement. It has an ethereal reverence about it.

2. Starry Night by Vincent VanGogh. I love the texture and color of the painting. And, the dreamy nature suggested by the sky - like magic is happening outside while we are snug in our beds.

3. My Gigi original hanging in my apartment. I love her use of color.

4. A charcoal of my grandmother and grandfather. I think it was done by my grandmother but I'm not sure.

5. A portrait of my brother Chris as a child done by my grandmother.

6. Anything by Norman Rockwell. He captures nostalgia like no one else.

7. Many - many of Judith Heartsong's. It's hard to choose just one. Her women have a mystical quality. Some of her flora and animals have a bit of whimsy and then there's the brooding of some of her random other pieces. Emotion definitely shines through her paintings. Here are two that I particularly like. I think the close-ups express a certain sense of vulnerability.

8. A recent find, Trevor Romain. A talented children's author and artist. He recently used a technique of combining his photos with watercolors. The results are amazing and inspiring.

9. A mask that a friend created for me years ago.

10. Last, but certainly not least since I bumped so many just to keep this list down to ten, is my cousin Mallette. She has wonderful talent and I think she's the only one in the family who has dared to pursue it as a career.

The idea for this entry was brought to me by The Imagination Prompt Generator.

Let the games begin...

2006-05-23T06:14:00.000-07:00

As I was walking the other day, I heard the loud ping of an aluminum bat striking a ball, and it made me smile with glee because it felt like Spring. Flowers, birds twittering, and baseball are my ques for the season. Oh, and Trish's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRISH!!!

It was great that Trish's celebration choice this year was to attend a Dodger's game. It instantly threw me into feelings of summer though because I neglected to properly sunscreen myself and my inner arms where the skin has rarely seen the light of day was fried to a crisp. The top of my head feels a bit raw too. I don't have pictures as proof, but I did get the one above of the marquee wishing Trish a great day and the others that I took are now up on Flickr.

Ankle Deep

2006-05-17T20:30:00.000-07:00

I haven't been much in the mood to write anything of interest lately. I think because I'm working so much and much of what rumbles through my mind is work related as a result. I decided a long time ago to discuss nothing relating to work in order to preserve my privacy and my well-being by continuing to be gainfully employed. I think most know that I'm a manager though, an Accounting Manager to be exact. I like Accounting and I like management, most days. In addition to my functional area of management, I'm also the Office Manager. So, I've got a double dose of parenthood happening. That's all I'm saying. Some days it's a mighty bitch and a thankless job. Other days, it's raining roses. I haven't seen the roses in a while, so it seems lately, some people can be backstabbing, ungrateful, lieing, thieving, psychos. The only thing that keeps me going are those employees who aren't (and, well, my paycheck). They show up with a smile and they expect to put in a hard day's work for a fat paycheck. They act like grown-ups and treat people with respect. They provide a ray of hope and sunshine in the cesspool of a labor market that exists in America today.

That's all I'm saying. It's vague, but I know what's written between the lines and that's all that matters. For now anyhow, maybe someday I'll write a book.

I promise and you may receive

2006-05-03T22:08:00.000-07:00

A tiny dancer reminded me today that I had mentioned that I might post some of my handmade cards on here sometime. I actually began posting some on Sunday to my Flickr account and neglected to mention anything here about it. Well, now I am rectified of the matter and I posted even more pics over there tonight. Keep an eye on the set on that page if you are interested in seeing others because I probably won't mention it much over here again. But, you never know which way the wind blows around here.

Thanks Dawg for the reminder.

Got cheese?

2006-05-01T19:25:00.000-07:00

I need it to go with my whine. Mind you, I have no real reason to whine. Well, my reasons are real but comparatively so they aren't real. If you hate self-indulgent people like that, move on down. I need to get my whine on so I can get over myself already. You see, my router that is, oh, maybe a year or so old, went out last week. Don't know how or why. For the first three days I was too busy to even call the cable company to find out if it was the service. Alas, I discovered it wasn't. I am now hard-hooked to my cable modem. Sucks! I have to sit in the livingroom, no television to blare in the background, no headboard with pillows to prop up against. I feel like I'm at work. Egad! I don't even know when I'll have the time or energy to figure out what the "bleep" is wrong with it either.

So, that brings me to today. I left my house practically at the crack of fricken dawn. I'm not a morning person. I like to putz around the house and drink coffee in the morning. But, not this morning. They were applying "slurry" to my street and I didn't feel like parking a quarter of a mile away on the street last night before I went to bed so I just got out of here ten minutes before the scheduled time for slurry-ing to commence. Funny, no one was there yet to begin slurry-ing. Don't people arrive early anywhere anymore - say like one hour and fifteen minutes early? That's how early I was for work this morning. And, that's with stopping to pick up a coffee and sausage and egg biscuit from Mickie D's.

Since I got into work so early this morning, I decided to only stay until 5:30p tonight. In order to make good use of my time, I used the early-off to stop by the grocery store. I bought jugs of juice, bottles of sparkling water, milk, a case of water and two of those two and half gallon spigot thingies of water, oh, and two bottles of wine. I arrive to my street to turn in, only to see it blocked off and all the parking spaces directly in front of my apartment building taken. I drive down and around the block. The closest I got is about a quarter of a mile. Needless to say, that water, stayed in the car tonight. I still ended up having to hoof it back and forth twice to bring everything in.

Luckily, I decided to pick up a bottle of wine at the grocery store. That's a glass of it in the picture. I have wine glasses, but it was warm and I didn't want to wait for it to be chilled. Riunite on ice. It's nice!

Funny, if you look at the picture it looks like the glass is wide-mouthed and narrows at the bottom but it is actually the same circumference all the way down. Perspective is strange that way. Huh?

Enough about you, I suck!

2006-04-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

I hung out with my friend, Gi, today in Pasadena. I was all set to share the pictures I took with my new camera phone then I read Danny Gregory's post and I decided I needed to step up to the plate and suck.

You see, one of the reasons I haven't been writing so much is because I've been drawing and working on my card designs. I've gradually been sharing my cards at work but still don't have much confidence in their artistic value. But, I've decided I'm going to start keeping a file of them in my Flicker account, if I can only remember to take pictures of them before I give them away.

I also thought I'd share some of my drawings. I'm just beginning and haven't put much time into it lately. But, I really want to make a regular practice of it because ultimately I want to paint. However, I don't feel like I can paint until I learn more about...pretty much everything.

So here goes:

I'm trying to do journaling along with my pictures, like Danny and others' that I've seen, but well, I don't quite have "it" yet, the notations feel a bit forced. I guess because I'm not really drawing from life around me but from a book.

These are photos of the drawings which I kind of like better than scans because the blur covers over a multitude of mistakes and my scanner is out of commission as of late.

One last photo, this one I started but never finished because it was getting late and trying to do the white spots was really tedious. One thing I've learned through these endeavors is that I have little or no patience. This drawing was motivated by a picture I came upon one night on (sometimes)photoblog.

And so... Here I am testing Danny's theory that no one will really notice how badly I suck because they really are more concerned with themselves.

So...what kind of day did you have?

Success

2006-04-17T22:28:00.000-07:00

To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one’s self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived—this is to have succeeded. - Author Unknown

One of the most successful women I know of left this world. It happened on the eighth month and third day of me being smoke free, thanks to her inspirational story.

My saddness over her much too early demise can not compare to what her family and children are feeling. I offer my sincere condolences.