lower gas prices feel like blood money in my pocket

Do any of you feel the same way?

Few weeks ago, over $4.00.
Last week, $3.77.
Yesterday, $3.55.
My mom said it's supposed to go down to $3.41 soon.

I feel like this is the gov't.'s way of giving me blood money. My heart sinks everytime I see the prices go down. The lower we fall, I know the more we're going to pay for it later. It's gonna hit us in the gut & I'm afraid some of us won't be able to rise back up.

I knew this would happen. I wanted to blog about this on July 14th. The day Bush overturned that ban on offshore drilling, I felt punched in the stomach. I just felt so sick to my stomach. Like seriously nauseous. I just hoped that we've elected a Congress smart enough to not make his executive order come to fruition.

The very next day, the price of oil per barrel dropped. It's been dropping since. I know it's only dropping cause ppl think that we're gonna be drowning in all the crude oil our lil hearts can take real soon. But that ain't happenin, Charlie.

What's gonna happen when ppl realize that this isn't the solution? It's just gonna skyrocket way past what we thought was high before. The truth is, this country's been spoiled as far as gas prices go for decades now. If ppl think they can't afford gas now, they're gonna be in for a rude awakening when it hits over $8.00 a gallon. That's what I think will happen when ppl realize that offshore drilling's not the end-all to this prob.

Please don't let this congress let us down.

Here's the long & short of it (mostly long, cause c'mon, you know I ramble):

- if (if) there's oil to be found, it will be decades (decades) before we actually got that oil & the price drop from it would be minimal. It would come out to a 2¢ drop, 20 years from now.

- 80% of US produced oil (from US reserves) is from 4 states: LA, TX, AK, & CA. If we wanted to find more, our best best would be the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

- Um... do you know what "National Wildlife Refuge" even means? It means, you told those animals that you weren't going to destroy their home for your own evil means.

- If they spent a decade looking/finding/drilling for oil, there's only realistically a year's worth up there. You're gonna destroy the sanctuary for that? Really? Really?

- It is very (very) likely that any oil drilled from ANWR will never be sold in the US. It will be sold off to the highest International bidder (most likely China). (C'mon, ppl, didja forget we're a capitalist society?)

- Currently, we have 500 oil spills in Alaska every year. Yeah, they don't exactly advertise that. You don't think that's gonna decrease when they have more new drilling monstrosities?

- Seismic testing to locate oil creates decibel levels of 260 – twice as loud as an ambulance – underwater. Exposure to these levels of noise underwater can cause disorientation, brain hemorrhaging, or even beaching for whales and dolphins. Only last week over 100 melon-head whales beached off of Madagascar close to where ExxonMobil was conducting seismic testing. (6/19/2008, from Greenpeace website)

Here's a video of a guy who spent 3 months hiking across Alaska, & spent a LOT of time in the ANWR (it's 3½ mins ppl):



What we need is an alternate solution. My main concern is that we will lose track of what's imp: trying to develop alternative renewable energies.

Like this Pickens Plan that this guy T. Boone has.


Here be the plan:
(click pic to go to site)

me & my cultured self

Ah, yes…. What have I been up to? Well, being the east-sider that I am now, last week I went to an orchestra concert AND the opera.

Yeah, ya heard me.

The orch concert was amazing; there's nothing quite like hearing a full orchestra live in a great hall. That was Wed night. Then, Sat night, I went to see La Bohème at Playhouse Square downtown. Just us gals went; there were supposed to be 6 ladies, but 2 had to back out.

By the time the lights went up for the 2nd intermission, I was just bawling. We had to go out to get tissues b/c 2 of us were just in tears. Thank goodness for waterproof mascara, no?

Tomorrow night, one of my fabulous friends arranged for all of us to go see John Caparulo at Playhouse Square. My friends are really the best! We are going to be in the 2nd row for a show that's being taped to dvd for Comedy Central?!?!!? Are you kiddin me? I just love my friends.

Not for that, per se, but b/c they really are great. I've been a Ms. Cranky-Pissy-pants lately, & they've dealt with me accordingly.

I'm also excited that we're going to Bricco before the show. They just opened it up here, across the street from Playhouse Square, & I was there just last Sat after the girls & I left the opera. It's totally fab, so I can't wait!

snowed in

So, I'm kinda bummed. Was really excited about going to a pre-show party tonight for Red {an orchestra}. My good friend & I had gotten tics to this Cool Cleveland party before the show. It was an open bar w/ appetizers catered by another friend of ours (who owns Gypsy Beans & does the yummiest catering). So, we were pretty psyched* about it.

Red {an orchestra} was doing a night of movie music....

BERNARD HERRMANN: MORE THAN THE MOVIES | 3.8.08

Red's sixth season comes to an exciting conclusion with a concert featuring the music of film composer Bernard Herrmann, whose scores for classic films of Alfred Hitchcock--Vertigo, North By Northwest and Psycho--are unmatched in their distinctive style. His style as a film composer, keen psychological atmospheres made with simple means, was formed in his concert music. His early pieces in the manner of his idol, Arnold Schoenberg, matured as he worked in radio and then Hollywood, his ambition remaining high, even as his film music eclipsed all other efforts. In this unique program, film clips featuring Herrmann's Hollywood music mingle with a suite from Psycho, and work from his time in the 1930s at CBS Radio. The highlight of the program is a group of excerpts from his unproduced opera, Wuthering Heights, perhaps the greatest unknown opera in the history of American music.

Sounds cool, huh? I KNOW! I was really looking forward to it, but just hoping now that they may reschedule. I mean, they've all been rehearsing for this show for a few weeks, I'm sure.

So, they were planning on doing a bunch of pieces that composer Bernard Herrmann did for Alfred Hitchcock's movies, but they were going to do excerpts from an unproduced piece too?!?!?! Seriously?!

They HAVE to reschedule!

Oh, did I mention the reason everything's cancelled? B/c of the winter storm. We were so ready to brave it. I went out there to my car. The snow drifts are 3 to 4 feet, I made it to the garage w/ the help of my trusty snow shovel. Then I opened the garage door......

Yeah, that wasn't gonna happen. No way my Corolla's makin it out of the garage. So, I call my girl to see what it's like where she is, cause I can make it to the end of the street w/ my snow shovel. She gets outside, & makes it as far as the end of the street....

No more.

Dude, you've gotta give us credit for tryin though. So, we're on the phone figuring out that this is just not gonna happen for us tonight, & go back into our respective homes. I get upstairs & turn on the news, & see that in some counties, the police are actually fining/ticketing ppl who are out on the street if it's not an emergency!

*do ppl still say psyched?

Nw Yr's Resolution: the shiny edition!

I know what's been on all y'all's minds for the last month & a half.... WHAT is D's New Year's Resolution this year???!?!!!?!

Well, the reason I never posted it is b/c I actually never even made my resolution. I'm being more conscious to look better. Like doing my hair (instead of just pulling it back), and I bought a few new cute outfits. Since the break-up, it's really important for me to LIKE what I SEE in the mirror when I look at myself.

I bought a new mascara that I love, love, LOVE! My bff-Sparky recommended it to me, & now they started makin it in waterproof, so I'm all over it. But it's not all over me... hahaha... I know, corny, but I crack myself up so it's ok.

I know this has been the most fascinating post so far, huh?

Anyway, here's my New Year's Resolution this year (drum-roll~ da da da da da da daaaaa):
Yup, that's right. I'm gonna make it a point to sparkle more. Whenever I go out. Here's what I got so far towards my New Year's resolution (ring on the left).

It's a HUGE cocktail ring, Swarovski Crystal. Last summer, a gal I met had a set that looked similar to this (to the right), but it was all clear crystals. I couldn't validate spending more than $150 on a ring right now. But I have to have something bright & pretty & shiny & sparkly; esp now that I can't wear my sparkly diamond ring anymore.

So, I'm vowing to wear jewelry more now. I used to wear jewelry all the time in high school. I never left the house without a necklace & earrings on. But in college, I lost that, and now I rarely wear a necklace or earrings. But my resolution this year is to be more sparkly, so I plan to wear it often.

What better way to kick this off than to buy what my mom is referring to as a huge tacky/gaudy ring?

Next up? Well, Sparky emailed me a pic of a gorgeous ring she's been eyeing (ring on left). And I went to the site & found THIS (yllw earrings)! I know, puuurrrtty. (these last two pics I've hyperlinked to the site where you can find them, so you too can look at purty, shiny, sparkly stuff!)

love me tender, love me true

Ok, I’m gonna tell you guys something. For the last 4 years, I’ve been investigating 2 ppl at my work. You see, 4 years ago, this elderly man who used to do business at my company told me that one of the women here had “kissed” Elvis. Yes, the Elvis.

So, I narrowed it down to 2 women. They were of the right age, & audacity. I mean, these are 2 spunky, outspoken broads*.

I knew that one of them would be leaving sometime in the coming year, so I figured I had a year to figure it out. Yes folks, I had turned this into my very own Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.

So, today I learn that 3 women at my company are retiring. Two are the initial two suspects, & the 3rd is a new-comer to the race. She had always worked at the company, it's just that I didn't know her that well in the beginning. In the last year, I've gotten to know her, & she could also have done the deed.

If you guys don't know, I have this compulsion to need to know things. Things that are interesting, things that are none of my business, just THINGS. I mean, take a look at my sidebar, & how many links I have under "Media Stuff" or "Celeb Stuff".

So, wish me luck, b/c my detectiving is abouts ta hit overdrive.

why ask?

Ok, so this might be like 15 years late in my asking this....

But we've all heard that lil tongue twister....

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Um.... who came up w/ this? Why ask?

If it can't chuck wood, it's like saying

"how many years can you go w/out breathing air if you could go years w/out breathing air?"

So, this just is the randomness that pops into my head that I normally don't share w/ anyone ever.

But I'm just posting it now cause I'm off to Cinci for a day & a half, & I wanted the 'Bron off the top of my page. Peace out yo.

playas gonna play, & haters gonna hate

That's just the way it is.

Here's what James Black of Yahoo! Sports wrote:

Ugly uni alert: Apparently, there will be a weekly mention in this space of attire. Here's hoping the references to hideous jerseys are kept to a minimum. A week after the Pittsburgh Steelers decided to take unis from three eras – bad, ugly and worse – and create a new look, their in-state rivals decided to upstage them. The Eagles rolled out a yellow and baby blue throwback ensemble so ugly that any further description won't do justice. See for yourself.

I don't know, I kinda like it. I mean, it's supposed to be a tribute to what they used to have. Styles change. That doesn't mean we can't appreciate what came before. The ppl who played for their team before they came around used to wear those colors, & they're just giving homage to that.

The only reason I even know about all this hating is b/c Mr. T is a huge Eagles fan. And I'm a big ole fashion fan. I also love wasting time online, & sooooo....

I've created this nifty slideshow using Flickr. And then I surfed the web until I found a way to embed it into my bl*g. Cause I'm cool like dat.



UPDATE: I thought the outfits were cute & colorful & happy-looking. Mr. T thought they were horrible.

at a loss

You know how there are some ppl in this world that have a talent so profound, it just stops you? Like, you hear Pavarotti start singing, you can feel yourself gasp?

It's been a year & 2 months since I posted about his pancreatic cancer. You can read all the posts I've written about him all together by clicking here. You don't have to click to read the posts, but I am very fond of the pics I put up to accompany the posts. I picked out older photos of him that I thought showed a lot of who he was beyond a maestro.

So, there's not much to say; I'm sure you all have heard by now that he's passed on. Instead, I'm going to post a bunch of things he's said over his 71 years.

Above all, I am an opera singer. This is how people will remember me.

Am I afraid of high notes? Of course I am afraid. What sane man is not?

At the age of 4. I jump on the table. I am a little tenor. And I begin to sing, La Donna e Mobile.

Children should be given the chance to play instruments, to sing.

Every Italian play football. The first gift they give you when you are 3 is a ball.

For me, music making is the most joyful activity possible, the most perfect expression of any emotion.

For an Italian, being honored in America was a big privilege.

I am open to everything.

I am proud to be a messenger of peace for the United Nations.

I haven't seen the Elton John, but I have seen Rent on many occasions.

I made 12 duets. It was such a pleasure to know these people from the inside, not from the cover of an album.

I smoke cigar in the summertime. Probably in three months, 10 cigar.

I want to reach as many people as possible with the message of music, of wonderful opera.

I would like to raise money for the kids from the world. To do that, the only way, it was to call pop singer. If you call pop singer, you can sell the ticket.

If children are not introduced to music at an early age, I believe something fundamental is actually being taken from them.

If you see me once, you cannot confuse me with another.

If you want to do something really bad to me, you invite at your home, and put one record of mine. And my digestion will be finished before begin.

In opera, as with any performing art, to be in great demand and to command high fees you must be good of course, but you must also be famous. The two are different things.

Learning music by reading about it is like making love by mail.

People have a right to criticize.

Sometime to be called Pavarotti is not always an advantage.

Why should be elite, music? Excuse me. Music must be for everybody.

We just baptized my daughter, and we have 300 people in the church. When we are going to be married, we will be alone.

With the piano, at the age of 18, I was already singing for $1, $2 a performance.

You don't need any brains to listen to music.

No regrets, no regrets.

If music is central to a person's life, it can be something very special and life-affirming.

I am a very superstitious person.[When he performs, Pavarotti wants nails strewn all over the stage, and won't tolerate the color purple. In former times, priests wore purple, and artists couldn't perform during the season of Lent. So, purple, to an Italian, to an artist, means no eating, no money, no work, no women.]

Olive oil is so incredibly healthy -- as a digestive. I love it and I use it despite the fact that it's the most caloric thing in the world.

I am not a boiled potato -- I am a fried potato.

I have lost twice 85 pounds. Can you imagine? Twice.

Despite the fact that I was born under the sign of Libra [balance], I am a person who calculates little and dreams a lot. With the grandissimi advantages and the grandissimi disadvantages. But, the advantages are 90% and the disadvantages, 10%. So it's worth living as a dreamer.

I love Ballo [Un Ballo in Maschera -- The Masked Ball, a Verdi opera] for many reasons .... The tenor character Riccaredo is a good man who is deeply in love with his friend's wife. I sympathize with him, not because I have ever been in love with a friend's wife, thank God, but because I know how pwerful love can be and how it can make a man do things that he knows are wrong.

I know one second before if is not going well. Absolutely. I feel it.

Teaching I think is the most difficult thing. Teaching is more difficult than singing. ..... Why? Because you have to transfer a thought from your brain to the brain of the other person and the throat of the other person. [2005 - This was when Pavarotti announced that he was retiring from performing, & was now going to teach for free.] I'm going to teach for free. I don't want to teach people just because they pay me. I want to teach people who really are good. I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation."

Mandy's umbrella

I like Mandy Moore. I don’t have a girl crush on her like I do on Salma Hayek. But I like her; I think she’s adorable. I don’t really listen to her music; just b/c I’ve never really heard her cds or anything. But isn’t she just the cutest thing? I do like the movies she’s done. She did crack me up in that American Dreamz; & made me cry in A Walk to Remember. I guess others thought it was a corny movie, but I liked it a lot. It struck me. I saw Because I Said So too; but I really like Diane Keaton too. And I can't wait to see License to Wed.

Anyway, I heard she’s re-doing that “umbrella” song* by Rhianna. Uuggh. I can’t stand Rhianna. I just don’t like her; something about her. I don’t like any of her songs either. I’m always asking y’all to sign petitions & if there was a petition to get this Rhianna-chick to stop making albums, please send me the link to it. Thanks.

Yes, this was a no-point post; & I prob wasted your time. But that’s all I’ve got to say right now.

*Ok, so I don't like any of Rhianna's songs, but I do kinda like Mandy Moore's version of it. Maybe it's just my bias b/c I like her, & can't stand Rhianna. Rhianna. Uuggh. Yek.

Bob Dylan - Hurricane

Pistols shots ring out in the barroom night
Enter Patty Valentine from the upper hall
She sees the bartender in a pool of blood
Cries out "My God they killed them all"
Here comes the story of the Hurricane
The man the authorities came to blame
For something that he never done
Put him in a prison cell but one time he could-a been
The champion of the world.

Three bodies lying there does Patty see
And another man named Bello moving around mysteriously
"I didn't do it" he says and he throws up his hands
"I was only robbing the register I hope you understand
I saw them leaving" he says and he stops
"One of us had better call up the cops"
And so Patty calls the cops
And they arrive on the scene with their red lights flashing
In the hot New Jersey night.

Meanwhile far away in another part of town
Rubin Carter and a couple of friends are driving around
Number one contender for the middleweight crown
Had no idea what kinda shit was about to go down
When a cop pulled him over to the side of the road
Just like the time before and the time before that
In Patterson that's just the way things go
If you're black you might as well not shown up on the street
'Less you wanna draw the heat.

Alfred Bello had a partner and he had a rap for the corps
Him and Arthur Dexter Bradley were just out prowling around
He said "I saw two men running out they looked like middleweights
They jumped into a white car with out-of-state plates"
And Miss Patty Valentine just nodded her head
Cop said "Wait a minute boys this one's not dead"
So they took him to the infirmary
And though this man could hardly see
They told him that he could identify the guilty men.

Four in the morning and they haul Rubin in
Take him to the hospital and they bring him upstairs
The wounded man looks up through his one dying eye
Says "Wha'd you bring him in here for ? He ain't the guy !"
Yes here comes the story of the Hurricane
The man the authorities came to blame
For something that he never done
Put in a prison cell but one time he could-a been
The champion of the world.

Four months later the ghettos are in flame
Rubin's in South America fighting for his name
While Arthur Dexter Bradley's still in the robbery game
And the cops are putting the screws to him looking for somebody to blame
"Remember that murder that happened in a bar ?"
"Remember you said you saw the getaway car?"
"You think you'd like to play ball with the law ?"
"Think it might-a been that fighter you saw running that night ?"
"Don't forget that you are white".

Arthur Dexter Bradley said "I'm really not sure"
Cops said "A boy like you could use a break
We got you for the motel job and we're talking to your friend Bello
Now you don't wanta have to go back to jail be a nice fellow
You'll be doing society a favor
That sonofabitch is brave and getting braver
We want to put his ass in stir
We want to pin this triple murder on him
He ain't no Gentleman Jim".

Rubin could take a man out with just one punch
But he never did like to talk about it all that much
It's my work he'd say and I do it for pay
And when it's over I'd just as soon go on my way
Up to some paradise
Where the trout streams flow and the air is nice
And ride a horse along a trail
But then they took him to the jailhouse
Where they try to turn a man into a mouse.

All of Rubin's cards were marked in advance
The trial was a pig-circus he never had a chance
The judge made Rubin's witnesses drunkards from the slums
To the white folks who watched he was a revolutionary bum
And to the black folks he was just a crazy nigger
No one doubted that he pulled the trigger
And though they could not produce the gun
The DA said he was the one who did the deed
And the all-white jury agreed.

Rubin Carter was falsely tried
The crime was murder 'one' guess who testified
Bello and Bradley and they both baldly lied
And the newspapers they all went along for the ride
How can the life of such a man
Be in the palm of some fool's hand ?
To see him obviously framed
Couldn't help but make me feel ashamed to live in a land
Where justice is a game.

Now all the criminals in their coats and their ties
Are free to drink martinis and watch the sun rise
While Rubin sits like Buddha in a ten-foot cell
An innocent man in a living hell
That's the story of the Hurricane
But it won't be over till they clear his name
And give him back the time he's done
Put him in a prison cell but one time he could-a been
The champion of the world.

i belong here

Hey,
Have any of you read this book by Miranda July yet? Or, any other book by her? Or heard any of her audio tapes? I just ordered it; I don't know if I'm getting the pink one or the yllw one. Apparently, it comes in two colors:

Those are screen shots from the website for the book, which is a TRIP, & you have to go visit. It's not one of those sites that just go on forever; it'll take less than 10 mins to go through it all, so you should. It's cute too.

So, go; & then come back..... I'll wait.

~tapping toe patiently~

SEE! I told you it was cute. [sidenote: um, you do remember how corny I am, right?]

Anyway, I'd like any opinions or recommendations. Thanks.

I'm gonna meet Bubba

Ok, so the last post I did wasn't supposed to be about Bill Clinton. I think sub-consciously it all came out b/c he's been on my mind. Why, you ask?

B/c I'm gonna MEET HIM!!!

Yes, you read right. Well, kinda. Ok, so not so much "meet him". Let's not argue about the semantics. I'm gonna be in the same place as him. [said silently: Most likely hundreds of feet away]

My sister's graduating & is about to take this world by the throat & shake it around a little. Is that violent? B/c she's not that violent; she's got an attitude (she gets it from my mom, just like me & my other sister do). But she's not violent. Anyway, she's super smart, & we love her, & are so proud of her. So, we were all stoked to see her gradumatate.

But now, we find out that Bill Clinton's speaking at her commencement ceremony, so we're even more excited now.

What? You say you wish you were there? Well, they're having a live videostream, so there's always that. And you can pretty much count on me posting about it w/ pics.

Now, before I leave you, be honest w/ me... Do you think it'd be a little much if I wore the shirt pictured to the left?

ghosts passing by

If a tree falls in the woods, & no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? What if over a thousand ppl are there?

One of the greatest musicians in the world played for free, & barely anyone noticed. The Washington Post did an experiment, & they had Joshua Bell, one of the greatest violinists of our time to play in a Metro station plaza during rush hour. You'd have to pay at least $100 a seat to see the grammy-winner perform live. He played some of the most beautiful (& challenging) pieces of classical music written.

The Washington Post wanted to see if their ppl had time for Beauty? If a supremely talented violinist playing a 3.5 million dollar violin was playing in a commonplace setting (in a t-shirt, jeans, & a baseball cap), will ppl take notice & observe beauty?

How often do ppl stop in wonder of rainbows? It's a really interesting article, & they video-taped the whole thing! You can read the article here: Pearls Before Breakfast.

Spoiler alert!!! Only 7 out of almost 1100 ppl actually stopped to listen for at least a minute. When Leonard Slatkin heard of this hypothetically, he propositioned that said violinist (not realizing it would be Joshua Bell) could draw a crowd of about 100, & make about $150. Oh, did I mention that he put some seed money in his case & turned it around; as a street musician. And he made 32 bucks & some change.

Ghosts: that's what the Post called these ppl just passing by Bell whilst he played.

Oh, & you can listen to his complete performance here.

just checking in

Hey guys,
Sorry I haven't been posting. Have been really busy, plus there's just stuff going on in my life that I can't talk about. I know, why even mention it, right?

Here's what I can tell you. I just got back from the Getty Center/Museum, & it is A-MAZE-ZING!!! I can't even tell you. Well, ok, maybe I can (& I will), but not now. I just got back to my room, & I'm just across the street from the Grauman's Chinese Theatre & the Kodak Theatre (yes, where the Academy Awards are).

But I have to go. I'll have more to write later. Just wanted to check in, & let you guys know I'm still alive. I didn't die in the 5 hour plane ride on the way here. Wait, should I not have said that until I complete the 5 hour plane ride back home? Well, whatev happens, happens.

I'll send out a post on Tues just to let y'all know I didn't just jinx myself. (I hope).

House of Galliano

Speaking of models & fashion. Let me say that I love John Galliano’s work. I like it cause it’s different, but not all so avant-garde that it gives me a headache. To me, he’s like the “Frank Gehry” of fashion. He creates interesting shapes & patterns. He has large obtrusive structure to his clothes. His pieces command attention.

I don’t care if you like his stuff or not. You’ll def look at it. Either cause you think it’s cool. Or, b/c it’s like a train wreck to you, & you just can’t look away. Either way, you’re def looking.

I heard a lot of smack for the dress he did that Charlize Theron wore to the Oscars last year. You know, with the big black bow on the shoulder? Anyway, I liked it. I thought it had a bit of pizzazz for a normally boring ole show. He did the dress for Dior, & spiced things up for them a lil.

And let me tell you, I think it’s fine for someone to wear something that’s a bit “out there” or “flamboyant” or even crazy if they feel like it. And God knows, we’ve all felt like it before. I remember when I was in college, I used to have a “clash day” every now & then. I could wear whatever I wanted out of my closet, so long as it totally clashed. I mean, it had to give someone a headache if they looked at me too long. I usually went with these green & navy checkered pants with a conflicting top. My other fave was these blue, yellow, & tan plaid pants (I called them my “golf pants”*).

Anyway, my point is that all the designers have been showcasing what they’ve been up to, & last Sat, the 7th, John Galliano showed his stuff too. This post is peppered w/ pics from his 2007 Spring collection. And isn’t he creative? I love it! It’s all normal stuff that I would love to wear. Nothing too severe. But he adds in the boldness with accessories, in this collection, hats & shoes. I’m not showing the shoes so much, b/c I didn’t really care for them.

*um, should I mention that I’ve never gone golfing below in my life? Although I’ve put-putted once. Maybe that counts. But not for years after I used to wear the golf pants. Also, ironically, I enjoyed wearing the golf pants to go “moonrock bowling”.

PhotoFriday #2: common

Today's challenge is 'common'. Whenever I walk past the Western Reserve Historical Society here in Cleve, I always stop at this patch:
There’s just so many of them. I keep thinking (sometimes hoping) that they’ll just take over! Just spread like wild fire.

They seem to be under some sort of “contained expanse” right now. I know this, b/c I’ve seen the dudes out there ‘controlling’ them while I sit on a bench, eat lunch, & watch. Damn the man. Always tryin to keep a good ivy-growth down! Or something like that.

I love the distinct vein-age on each leaf. You really should click on the pic to see it all large & in-charge though. Or, to see it completely blown-up, click here.

It's like an intricate spider-web, but it's the life blood of it all. It's really quite something to behold really, up close. And if you lift up just the surface leaves, you see this inticate spider-web of stems underneath.

They're everywhere & so common. You see them everywhere, but when you really stop to look at them, it's like you're witnessing something & noticing it for the 1st time ever. As soon as I saw what this week's challenge was, the 1st thing that popped into my mind was this patch of green in my life. So, I went out on my lunch break to capture it for y'all. To share. Cause sharin is kewl.

In other news, I’ve just finally opened up my very own flickr account!! Yea! (read: yay! yippee!) So, if you click on any of the pics, I’ve hotlinked them to the actual pic at the flickr account. Yeah, I know, I’ve become a lean, mean, htm-ell-in machine.

Click here to see other PhotoFriday participants. Some of their shots are just absolutely amazing; & superbly breath-taking. Mine is no-where close, but I'm really happy w/ it this week.

the military, the gays, San Fran, & Milk

You know how when ppl think of San Fran, they think of the gays? The city’s got the highest concentration of homosexuals in the country (maybe the world, mu-hahahaha). Sorry, that just came out. It’s also got the highest concentration of Chinese folks outside the mother-land (being China, duh!); but that’s a story for another day. Or not, we’ll see.

So, San Fran holds the whatever-title in terms of number of gay ppls. Mama must be so proud. Well, ever wonder why? I did & I found out! So whether you wanted to know or not, I’m gonna tell you. If you didn’t want to know, you don’t have to keep reading the rest of this. But I’ll leave you w/ one thought – the military.

Intrigued? Ah, then you’re my kinda person. So, here’s how it all went down. The time was World War II. The US gov’t was discoverin all the gays in the military. The military decided they would seek out & dishonorably discharge all the gays. The San Francisco base is where most of the dismissed men were processed. So, most of them just ended up staying there & settlin; instead of returning to their homes.

I mean, have you eva been to San Fran!?! Well, have you?! It’s amazing, I’d highly recommend it. If you haven’t seen my pics from there, go into my Nov 2005 archive. I’ll put up a link to it later. Maybe. I’m pretty lazy though, remember? So, we’ll see what happens.

Wanna see more? This site has a timeline of the history of the movement in San Fran. If you want to explore gay San Fran, you’ll wanna hit up the Castro. And go here to go on a photo-tour of the Castro Neighborhood. It's just amazing how much we share online, isn't it? I've learned so much about a neighborhood so far away from me just online!

The one thing I really think you should all read about is Harvey Milk. I don’t know if you know who he is or not, but he most certainly led an interesting life. They made a documentary about him. I haven’t seen it yet so I can't say if it's good or not, but it’s on my "to see" list. Anyway, he settled in the Fran after being (honorably) discharged from the military, & became a city supervisor. Another city supervisor, Dan White, who was against Milk’s gay rights bill, stepped down, & returned to City Hall w/ a gun & 10 extra rounds of ammo. He went to see Mayor Moscone, & went to town on him. He reloaded, walked clear to the other side of the building to where Milk was, shot him in the chest, then point-blank in the head for good measure. White got less than 8 years in prison for these two murders.

Anyway, Harvey Milk is on Time Magazine’s top 100 ppl of the century list & they have a great write-up on him. You can also find more info on him at wikipedia, of course.

I hated history when I was in school, but now I find myself fascinated w/ the ppl & events & places of times past. So, I have decided that every time I stumble across something like this, I’ll post it here. To share w/ y’all, & so I have a ref point where I can come back to. It’ll be just like the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler!

Aside: Photo of Goldengate Bridge was taken by bmdoty. I decided that I think it's amazing how many absolutely incredible shots that we as an internet community take & are willing to share. I'm thinking of joining too; cause I do love to take pics & I like the idea of sharing them as long as you give the pic-taker the credit. I also 'hotlinked' the pic itself so that if you click on it above, you can see his/her stuff & even leave comments for him/her if you want. Just sharin the love!

photo friday #1: Remarkable

This is the back of Isaiah Zagar's studio/residence on South Street in Philly. It says (if you click on either pic to zoom in) "Art is the Center of the Real World". The pic below is a close up of the writing; you can click on that to zoom in & see the detail too.

He is just this incredibly remarkable mosaic artist there; & there was this time when they were going to tear down his work.

Literally, they were going to bring a bulldozer & demolish the "Magic Garden" in the middle of the night. It was the most incredible thing, how all these ppl (w/in & waaay outside the community) banded together to save it.

Injunctions were filed, US gov’t hurdles were… um… hurdled. Just all kinds of crazy stuff, take my word for it. Or you can look it up yourself if you don’t believe me.

I think this fulfills this week’s topic of “remarkable”. And I knew that this or any shots of Isaiah’s work could be used (& trust me, I’ve got at least 100 shots of his stuff); my only prob was trying to figure out which one to use.

I’ve joined in on PhotoFriday; mainly b/c I love to take pics w/ my digicam. I love my cam. Now, here’s the thing: they post the subject for PhotoFridays on every Friday. Chances are, I won’t be able to take a pic (or find a pic I’ve taken from my archives) on that very same day. So, sometime that week, I’ll post it. So, now you know why you may see PhotoFridays on Mondays or Wednesdays. Don’t discriminate, yo!

OH-- & click here to see other PhotoFriday participants' pics.

duuuuude...

oooouuu, ominous!
This pic was taken by Joshua Gunter for The Plain Dealer. This is what Cleveland looked like last night from Edgewater Park, as the storm came a rollin in. I just wanted to share cause the pic looks awesome. That’s the skyline of Cleveland there in the bottom right, & you can see the line of clear sky in the background as the storm clouds just engulf the city. What an incredible shot!! I would love to take pics like this. It looks like Armageddon or something. But no worries, it wasn’t really that bad of a storm. It’s one of those things; like a really mean lookin dog, who’s really sweet.

send in the pigs!

Hey y'all! I've decided I want to make a pig gallery from ppl who visit this bl*g. So, here's the easiest way to do it.

Go to the pig drawing site, & create your pig.
Once you draw the pig & submit your drawing, it'll give you a link to your pig.
Just copy/paste the link in the comments section of this post. Oh, & if you want to add a comment about your pig, do it there too!
I'll take it from there!

Please, please, please do it! I never send out chain letters or memes or any craziness like that. So, you know I really want my own pig gallery when I post this. C'mon, you know you want to! If you do it, I'll give you 5 points! Thanks!

Here's what we've got in our pig gallery so far (click on each pic to enlarge):