Sunday, October 31, 2010
Alice Dancing Under the Gallows
Such a joy to watch this introduction to a very beautiful strong lady, and thanks to Claude for the link. You can find more lovely Paris photos at her Photoblogging in Paris blog.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Page and Plant Forever More
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Gives Ya tha Whim Whams!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Volleyball in Skirts
I love this old photo of my maternal grandmother...she is second from the far right. She died of brain cancer when I was about 4 years old and I wished I could remember her. What I have are very fuzzy fleeting recollections that I am not sure are entirely my own; rather, I think they are crafted from family stories and I just think I am recalling real memories.
Can you imagine trying to play volleyball in these uniforms? The coach doesn't look much older than the girls on the team.
In a few months from that photo's date, that same young girl will become a wife.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Civil Twilight
Friday, October 22, 2010
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!
WhoooooHooooooo WHOOOOOHOOOO!
TEXAS RANGERS ARE THE AMERICAN LEAGUE 2010 CHAMPS!
TEXAS RANGERS ARE THE AMERICAN LEAGUE 2010 CHAMPS!
What's YOUR Line?
The New York Times' Micheal Cieply is Longing for the Lines that Had Us at Hello today.
Most all of the usual suspects are listed:
Cieply's theory of why we are in a dearth of great one liners: Maybe it’s that filmmaking is more visual, or that other cultural noise is drowning out the zingers.
Could be. Or maybe filmmaking is prodigiously producing more pap than crème brûlée these days. Kman and I don't go to the movies as often as we once did, and are just now dipping into a trial of Netflix (shudd-up). So, I may be missing out on some of the more recent and more choice offerings.
Perhaps zingers and one-liners have to simmer a while in a cultural soup to become successful. And I've noticed the more I age, the less impact my quotes have - depending on the ages of my audience. Chances are if the one-liner is more than 5 years old, it will need to come with Cliff notes.
I've always spiced my conversations with quotes I find useful from both books and cinema. The times are numerous in which the Bruce Willis golden phrase, "Yippie Kayay MotherF*@#er" has come to my aid. GWTW has offered me a wealth of zingers, and are my favorites:"Welll, I won't think about this now. I'll go crazy if I do, I'll think about it tomorrow", or "With enough courage, you can do without a reputation.", "You, sir, are no gentleman!", and the best, "Don't bother me anymore and don't call me sugar!"
Part Two of this collection has the embedding removed, but you can access more one-liners here.
The name's Bond....James Bond.
Most all of the usual suspects are listed:
Go ahead, make my day
Life is like a box of chocolates
Stupid is as Stupid does
Plastics
Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn
The Dude abides
and from more recent cinema fare, Release the Kraken!
Cieply's theory of why we are in a dearth of great one liners: Maybe it’s that filmmaking is more visual, or that other cultural noise is drowning out the zingers.
Could be. Or maybe filmmaking is prodigiously producing more pap than crème brûlée these days. Kman and I don't go to the movies as often as we once did, and are just now dipping into a trial of Netflix (shudd-up). So, I may be missing out on some of the more recent and more choice offerings.
Perhaps zingers and one-liners have to simmer a while in a cultural soup to become successful. And I've noticed the more I age, the less impact my quotes have - depending on the ages of my audience. Chances are if the one-liner is more than 5 years old, it will need to come with Cliff notes.
I've always spiced my conversations with quotes I find useful from both books and cinema. The times are numerous in which the Bruce Willis golden phrase, "Yippie Kayay MotherF*@#er" has come to my aid. GWTW has offered me a wealth of zingers, and are my favorites:"Welll, I won't think about this now. I'll go crazy if I do, I'll think about it tomorrow", or "With enough courage, you can do without a reputation.", "You, sir, are no gentleman!", and the best, "Don't bother me anymore and don't call me sugar!"
Part Two of this collection has the embedding removed, but you can access more one-liners here.
The name's Bond....James Bond.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
A Little Help from Friends!
Be a peach, and click this link...vote for my bloggy buddy entry in British Airways competition. Tod and company's submission is a hoot!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
We Loved ya, Johnny!
Johnny Sheffield, better known as simply "Boy" died of a heart attack in his home shortly after falling from a tree in his backyard (you can't make that up!).
First Mrs. Cleaver, then Mr. Cunningham, and now Boy. My childhood heroes are fading fast.
First Mrs. Cleaver, then Mr. Cunningham, and now Boy. My childhood heroes are fading fast.
Silver and Gold; Elton and Leon
Monday, October 18, 2010
Elvis Perkins
And where have I been to have not heard of this great artist, Elvis Perkins? This video is hypnotic...I love it and the music:
And this is terrific:
Some commentor at YouTube dubbed Perkins as being "Lennon-esque"; an apt comparison.
And this is terrific:
Some commentor at YouTube dubbed Perkins as being "Lennon-esque"; an apt comparison.
Well-behaved Women Never Make History
And Mystery Woman proves my point!
From Blog of Ages:
Go Mystery Woman, Go!
From Blog of Ages:
People who have just met her immediately put her in a “nice woman” box because she is a retired elementary school media specialist. But those of us who have been around her for any length of time know that she gets up every morning, gargles obscenities and brushes her teeth with barbed wire.
If you see us in a restaurant, and if you have noisy small children with you, run for your lives. If you don’t, it can get ugly.
Likewise if you like to talk in movie theaters. She has a patent on withering stares.
Go Mystery Woman, Go!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Fall Monarch
This photo was taken with my Olympus today at the Wildseed Farms center just outside Fredericksburg, Texas. What you can't see is the little monitoring sticker that was placed underneath her wing. It has a number on it, and if this same butterfly is seen in another local, the spotter can go online and report place and time. Helps track migration patterns, and other life cycle information.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Gotta Watch This Rendition of "Come Together"
Friday, October 08, 2010
To A Daughter Turning 31 Today
A Gift for My Daughter
by Harry Browne - December 25, 1966
(This article was originally published as a syndicated newspaper column)
It’s Christmas and I have the usual problem of deciding what to give you. I know you might enjoy many things — books, games, clothes.
But I’m very selfish. I want to give you something that will stay with you for more than a few months or years. I want to give you a gift that might remind you of me every Christmas.
If I could give you just one thing, I’d want it to be a simple truth that took me many years to learn. If you learn it now, it may enrich your life in hundreds of ways. And it may prevent you from facing many problems that have hurt people who have never learned it.
The truth is simply this:
No one owes you anything.
Significance
How could such a simple statement be important? It may not seem so, but understanding it can bless your entire life.
No one owes you anything.
It means that no one else is living for you, my child. Because no one is you. Each person is living for himself; his own happiness is all he can ever personally feel.
When you realize that no one owes you happiness or anything else, you’ll be freed from expecting what isn’t likely to be.
It means no one has to love you. If someone loves you, it’s because there’s something special about you that gives him happiness. Find out what that something special is and try to make it stronger in you, so that you’ll be loved even more.
When people do things for you, it’s because they want to — because you, in some way, give them something meaningful that makes them want to please you, not because anyone owes you anything.
No one has to like you. If your friends want to be with you, it’s not out of duty. Find out what makes others happy so they’ll want to be near you.
No one has to respect you. Some people may even be unkind to you. But once you realize that people don’t have to be good to you, and may not be good to you, you’ll learn to avoid those who would harm you. For you don’t owe them anything either.
Living your Life
No one owes you anything.
You owe it to yourself to be the best person possible. Because if you are, others will want to be with you, want to provide you with the things you want in exchange for what you’re giving to them.
Some people will choose not to be with you for reasons that have nothing to do with you. When that happens, look elsewhere for the relationships you want. Don’t make someone else’s problem your problem.
Once you learn that you must earn the love and respect of others, you’ll never expect the impossible and you won’t be disappointed. Others don’t have to share their property with you, nor their feelings or thoughts.
If they do, it’s because you’ve earned these things. And you have every reason to be proud of the love you receive, your friends’ respect, the property you’ve earned. But don’t ever take them for granted. If you do, you could lose them. They’re not yours by right; you must always earn them.
My Experience
A great burden was lifted from my shoulders the day I realized that no one owes me anything. For so long as I’d thought there were things I was entitled to, I’d been wearing myself out — physically and emotionally — trying to collect them.
No one owes me moral conduct, respect, friendship, love, courtesy, or intelligence. And once I recognized that, all my relationships became far more satisfying. I’ve focused on being with people who want to do the things I want them to do.
That understanding has served me well with friends, business associates, lovers, sales prospects, and strangers. It constantly reminds me that I can get what I want only if I can enter the other person’s world. I must try to understand how he thinks, what he believes to be important, what he wants. Only then can I appeal to someone in ways that will bring me what I want.
And only then can I tell whether I really want to be involved with someone. And I can save the important relationships for those with whom I have the most in common.
It’s not easy to sum up in a few words what has taken me years to learn. But maybe if you re-read this gift each Christmas, the meaning will become a little clearer every year.
I hope so, for I want more than anything else for you to understand this simple truth that can set you free: no one owes you anything.
by Harry Browne - December 25, 1966
(This article was originally published as a syndicated newspaper column)
It’s Christmas and I have the usual problem of deciding what to give you. I know you might enjoy many things — books, games, clothes.
But I’m very selfish. I want to give you something that will stay with you for more than a few months or years. I want to give you a gift that might remind you of me every Christmas.
If I could give you just one thing, I’d want it to be a simple truth that took me many years to learn. If you learn it now, it may enrich your life in hundreds of ways. And it may prevent you from facing many problems that have hurt people who have never learned it.
The truth is simply this:
No one owes you anything.
Significance
How could such a simple statement be important? It may not seem so, but understanding it can bless your entire life.
No one owes you anything.
It means that no one else is living for you, my child. Because no one is you. Each person is living for himself; his own happiness is all he can ever personally feel.
When you realize that no one owes you happiness or anything else, you’ll be freed from expecting what isn’t likely to be.
It means no one has to love you. If someone loves you, it’s because there’s something special about you that gives him happiness. Find out what that something special is and try to make it stronger in you, so that you’ll be loved even more.
When people do things for you, it’s because they want to — because you, in some way, give them something meaningful that makes them want to please you, not because anyone owes you anything.
No one has to like you. If your friends want to be with you, it’s not out of duty. Find out what makes others happy so they’ll want to be near you.
No one has to respect you. Some people may even be unkind to you. But once you realize that people don’t have to be good to you, and may not be good to you, you’ll learn to avoid those who would harm you. For you don’t owe them anything either.
Living your Life
No one owes you anything.
You owe it to yourself to be the best person possible. Because if you are, others will want to be with you, want to provide you with the things you want in exchange for what you’re giving to them.
Some people will choose not to be with you for reasons that have nothing to do with you. When that happens, look elsewhere for the relationships you want. Don’t make someone else’s problem your problem.
Once you learn that you must earn the love and respect of others, you’ll never expect the impossible and you won’t be disappointed. Others don’t have to share their property with you, nor their feelings or thoughts.
If they do, it’s because you’ve earned these things. And you have every reason to be proud of the love you receive, your friends’ respect, the property you’ve earned. But don’t ever take them for granted. If you do, you could lose them. They’re not yours by right; you must always earn them.
My Experience
A great burden was lifted from my shoulders the day I realized that no one owes me anything. For so long as I’d thought there were things I was entitled to, I’d been wearing myself out — physically and emotionally — trying to collect them.
No one owes me moral conduct, respect, friendship, love, courtesy, or intelligence. And once I recognized that, all my relationships became far more satisfying. I’ve focused on being with people who want to do the things I want them to do.
That understanding has served me well with friends, business associates, lovers, sales prospects, and strangers. It constantly reminds me that I can get what I want only if I can enter the other person’s world. I must try to understand how he thinks, what he believes to be important, what he wants. Only then can I appeal to someone in ways that will bring me what I want.
And only then can I tell whether I really want to be involved with someone. And I can save the important relationships for those with whom I have the most in common.
It’s not easy to sum up in a few words what has taken me years to learn. But maybe if you re-read this gift each Christmas, the meaning will become a little clearer every year.
I hope so, for I want more than anything else for you to understand this simple truth that can set you free: no one owes you anything.
Early Happy Birthday, John!
Google UK celebrates John Lennon's birthday a little early. (It's actually tomorrow).
My favorite Beatle - even with all the flaws - may you have a good day tomorrow wherever you are, John.
Thursday, October 07, 2010
Laurel and Hardy Meet Santana!
Ears on and dancing shoes shined, please!**UPDATE:
I found this via YouTube - very clever!
Saturday, October 02, 2010
Better'n Woodstock!
AWESOME, UN-FREAKIN-BELIEVABLE!
***Frank Paynter over at Listics has the song set - much better coverage of the event than me... hop on over.
Just got back to my hotel room after the Crosby, Stills, Nash concert at the Orlando Convention Center and the end of Orlando@50+ event.
THEY PLAYED THE SONG I HOPED. Deja Vu album - THE BEST:
Best quote of the evening:
....David Crosby to the security guards when we all headed down front for the two encore songs.
Stephen Stills still has it, man, he was totally hot. Magic. Like totally had his s--t together.
Thanks, AARP gang! Very, very cool.
***Frank Paynter over at Listics has the song set - much better coverage of the event than me... hop on over.
Just got back to my hotel room after the Crosby, Stills, Nash concert at the Orlando Convention Center and the end of Orlando@50+ event.
THEY PLAYED THE SONG I HOPED. Deja Vu album - THE BEST:
Best quote of the evening:
"Let 'em on up! Let 'em on up! This ain't heavy metal, you know. What -you think they're gonna hit you with their canes?"
....David Crosby to the security guards when we all headed down front for the two encore songs.
Stephen Stills still has it, man, he was totally hot. Magic. Like totally had his s--t together.
Thanks, AARP gang! Very, very cool.
Deep Thoughts
Dateline: Orlando@50+ AARP Convention
So many weighty topics, great speakers and a sense of joyfulness in every venue - that's been my day. From Whoopi Goldberg and Larry King, to Rob Reiner and Judy Collins, I've literally had stars in my eyes.
From my notes:
I had a few technical glitches with equipment - fully intending to bring you more visuals, but I did not tote along my own camera from home; relying on new stuff you don't have much experience with is a big no no for future reporting gigs.
And a second note to myself: don't get your Texas temper all riled up when someone dismisses blogging as if it was akin to your 4th grade diary with the little gold lock and key fastener on the front; put your Big Girl Panties on and take the high road.
Tonight is the biggie concert event for me. Since they came on the rock music scene, I have been a fan of Crosby, Stills, Nash (as well as when they were CSNY - which included Neil Young). As if that line-up weren't goose-bump inducing itself, I also get to hear Judy Collins and Richie Havens. These people are legends of my youth.
I'll do a closing wrap up soon of my AARP Adventures in Orlando, but for now I'm gonna go take a hot bath soak and get ready for a little musical nostalgia tripping - no recreational drugs required!
Peace Out.
So many weighty topics, great speakers and a sense of joyfulness in every venue - that's been my day. From Whoopi Goldberg and Larry King, to Rob Reiner and Judy Collins, I've literally had stars in my eyes.
From my notes:
"Kids today don't want 15 minutes of fame, they want 15 mgs of fame." ( I might have to turn in my press badge - apologies that I am not sure whom to attribute this to, but I think it was Vint Cerf - father of the Internet, in this morning's Closing Session.)
"The digital world will be perfect when it becomes transparent - like electricity."
"Nasa has plans to bring you weather on Mars with a click on the internet in the near future." -Jeff Cole - USC Annenberg School Center for the Digital Future
"CHECK YOUR SOURCES!" Whoopi wisdom when asked what advice she would give to new media journalists.
"I'm not who I was the day before she died anymore." - Whoopi when queried about how she was coping with the recent loss of her mother.
I had a few technical glitches with equipment - fully intending to bring you more visuals, but I did not tote along my own camera from home; relying on new stuff you don't have much experience with is a big no no for future reporting gigs.
And a second note to myself: don't get your Texas temper all riled up when someone dismisses blogging as if it was akin to your 4th grade diary with the little gold lock and key fastener on the front; put your Big Girl Panties on and take the high road.
Tonight is the biggie concert event for me. Since they came on the rock music scene, I have been a fan of Crosby, Stills, Nash (as well as when they were CSNY - which included Neil Young). As if that line-up weren't goose-bump inducing itself, I also get to hear Judy Collins and Richie Havens. These people are legends of my youth.
I'll do a closing wrap up soon of my AARP Adventures in Orlando, but for now I'm gonna go take a hot bath soak and get ready for a little musical nostalgia tripping - no recreational drugs required!
Peace Out.
Get Native
(Not sure why Blogger did this - puts up two images at my post - but just click on the topmost image for the video)
You can also access via YouTube here.
Every afternoon at the convention center 2nd floor mezzanine, this impromptu drum circle starts up. Very infectious activity, and you just can't help but get the groove and start dancing.
I had already shut my camera off just after this clip, and missed filming a sweet retired couple who arm-in-arm were hopping and dancing towards the escalators with goofy happy grins on their faces.
For those AARPy convention folks that want to join in, here's a few simple guidelines for participating - yeah, there is an etiquette to it!
Listen before you leap:
•Listen to your fellow players.
•Take off rings or any jewelry that might damage a drum before you play.
•Don't play louder than your fellow drummers.
•Don't pick up someone else's drum and play. Ask. A cloth or sweater over an unattended drum, or an upside-down drum, usually means hands off.
•Don't showboat. If you want to solo, the facilitator will usually give you a chance.
...advice from Tommy "Purple" Hayes who facilitates a drum circle, "Drums From Heaven".
Friday, October 01, 2010
Party Tonight!
I am getting excited about tonight's musical offering at the Orlando AARP convention: Gloria "I Will Survive" Gaynor and the World Class Dance Party (a hearty mixture of old rock musicians who have it still going on - talk about survive with flair), and the uber wonderful Los Lobos!
ARRIBA! ARRIBA! ANDALE! ANDALE!
The World Class Rockers include band members from Steppenwolf, Journey, Toto, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Santana, and Boston.
Which begs the question....how much rock talent can one theater hall hold?
I'll keep you posted on that answer.
ARRIBA! ARRIBA! ANDALE! ANDALE!
The World Class Rockers include band members from Steppenwolf, Journey, Toto, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Santana, and Boston.
Which begs the question....how much rock talent can one theater hall hold?
I'll keep you posted on that answer.
Joan Lunden!
Coming to you Live! In Orlando! AARP Orlando50+ Convention...
Joan Lunden, long time perky morning personality on "Good Morning America", is first on my list this morning of to-do's. Maybe she'll have a few minutes to talk with me afterward.
"Living Younger Longer" - who could deny this is an ambitious and lofty goal - is the presentation topic. In addition to her website, Joan has a blog, too: "Joan's Blog". (Joanie baby, we really got work on a better title for that blog!)
On our seat is a freebie! Swag = Good: Murad Hydrating Toner- so I can finish my day refined and refreshed and soothed.
UPDATE:
My misgivings that this morning's first seminar was going to be about toned skin was way off base. Joan's advice and motivation was for me to take charge of my personal health and to NOT ignore those orange idiot lights on my life's highway. (She made a comparison of our cars' little orange "Warning Will Robinson!" flashing lights on the instrument panel to our human bodies' warning signals like shortness of breath, creaky knees, or the inability to climb a flight of stairs.)
I am in trouble, folks. Way past orange cones on the shoulder.
My body's idiot lights have progressed to the level of those public service announcements you hear blaring from the radio in three cringing blasts advising you that if this was a REAL emergency, you should proceed immediately to the closest public shelter. People think it's a cute ringer on my cellphone, only I never downloaded it.
And the final piece of worthy advice that Joan passed along was the need for each of us to be our own health records guru - creating and maintaining a PHR (Personal Health Record) either online or via a home computer. She stated a valid point...your health records should be as important as any other vital document you know to keep safe, like birth certificates, passports and tax returns.
BUT, however much Joan stressed that you are basically as young as you perceive yourself, and though I give her high marks for being a Lumpy Rutherford Overachiever in the procreation department, I give her low grades for common sense. Sorry, Joan, but I just can't conceive having two sets of twins after the age of 50 the most wise course for staving off old age.
Bad plan for most of us, chickie, even if the job came with multiple tiaras.
Joan Lunden, long time perky morning personality on "Good Morning America", is first on my list this morning of to-do's. Maybe she'll have a few minutes to talk with me afterward.
"Living Younger Longer" - who could deny this is an ambitious and lofty goal - is the presentation topic. In addition to her website, Joan has a blog, too: "Joan's Blog". (Joanie baby, we really got work on a better title for that blog!)
On our seat is a freebie! Swag = Good: Murad Hydrating Toner- so I can finish my day refined and refreshed and soothed.
UPDATE:
My misgivings that this morning's first seminar was going to be about toned skin was way off base. Joan's advice and motivation was for me to take charge of my personal health and to NOT ignore those orange idiot lights on my life's highway. (She made a comparison of our cars' little orange "Warning Will Robinson!" flashing lights on the instrument panel to our human bodies' warning signals like shortness of breath, creaky knees, or the inability to climb a flight of stairs.)
I am in trouble, folks. Way past orange cones on the shoulder.
My body's idiot lights have progressed to the level of those public service announcements you hear blaring from the radio in three cringing blasts advising you that if this was a REAL emergency, you should proceed immediately to the closest public shelter. People think it's a cute ringer on my cellphone, only I never downloaded it.
And the final piece of worthy advice that Joan passed along was the need for each of us to be our own health records guru - creating and maintaining a PHR (Personal Health Record) either online or via a home computer. She stated a valid point...your health records should be as important as any other vital document you know to keep safe, like birth certificates, passports and tax returns.
BUT, however much Joan stressed that you are basically as young as you perceive yourself, and though I give her high marks for being a Lumpy Rutherford Overachiever in the procreation department, I give her low grades for common sense. Sorry, Joan, but I just can't conceive having two sets of twins after the age of 50 the most wise course for staving off old age.
Bad plan for most of us, chickie, even if the job came with multiple tiaras.
...The biographical equivalent of 12 hour chili - Sticks to the ribs! -
