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Observations on urban motherhood, current events
and anything else that sparks my imagination.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Monday Mailbag
I miss your humorous little grape posts. Can you bring them back or is the Grape just not very funny now that he's older?
The Grape, at the ripe old age of three, remains a funny little guy. This weekend R. and I took him skiing for the first time and I'll try to write about that adventure later this week. The truth is, I haven't been in a funny mood in the weeks since the Newtown massacre and that's been reflected in this space.
I am going to go through old posts this week and tag the funny ones as humor, so you will be able to seek out our beaching, baking, traveling and other misadventures without scrolling through posts chronologically.
I'm surprised you haven't written anything about Cardinal Mahony... I am outraged he isn't under arrest... I hope he burns in hell.
-anonymous member of SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests)
I share your outrage, and I commend SNAP on their tireless work on behalf of victims of child rape.
Cardinal Roger Mahony is the poster child for a reassessment by all states of statutes of limitations on conspiracy crimes.
He's yet another glaring example of why we cannot allow the Roman Catholic Church to police itself.
If the evidence against Mahony is accurate, he deserves to rot in prison for the rest of his days. I hope prosecutors in California exhaust all possible avenues before throwing up their hands on his case.
The Conference of Catholic Bishops was quick to point out Cardinal Mahony's work as an advocate for immigrants. While he may indeed have made valuable contributions to the dialogue on immigration, thankfully our rules of law don't work in such a way that good acts in one sphere excuse felonies in another.
I don't personally believe in hell, but if there is such a place, I am sure they have a special section for priests who rape, and aid and abet and conceal the rape of, children.
I love your pieces on gun control, please keep writing them, but what can I do? I think my congressmen already support background checks and the federal assault weapons ban.
-Sue in RI (mom of four)
You can still make your voice heard. Contact your reps to tell them that new federal gun control legislation is extremely important to you, and that you simply won't support your reps in their next elections if they don't support such legislation.
You can also urge them to reach out to other members who might be undecided, on both sides of the aisle. Sensible gun control doesn't have to be a partisan issue. Moms from both major parties have joined One Million Moms for Gun Control, and many decorated military veterans (e.g., Colin Powell, Stanley McChrystal) support common sense measures like universal background checks and a federal ban on assault weapons and extended magazines.
I'd urge you not to automatically write off all Republicans as enemies of sensible gun control legislation. Case in point: Massachusetts has the toughest gun laws in the nation. We have a state assault weapons ban that was signed by then-Governor Mitt Romney. Regular readers know I've never before written a kind word about Mr. Romney, but this is one big thing he got right, and he deserves credit for it.
I was reading the comment thread on your post One Million Moms for Gun Control, and I wasn't surprised to see the comment from an anonymous gun owner who wrote that he keeps a handgun to protect his wife and kids.
Did you know that the presence of any firearm in a residence increases the risk of a female member of that household being murdered by a gun threefold?
Yes, I did, but the statistic bears repeating.
In a major peer reviewed emergency medicine study, researchers found that people of either sex who keep a gun in their home are almost twice as likely as those who live in gun-free homes to die in a gun-related homicide.
The risk was much greater for women: women living in a home where there is a gun are almost three times more likely to die in a gun-related homicide than men similarly situated. (Wiebe D. Annals of Emergency Medicine. 2003; 41:771-82).
Were you scared to take your child to a gun control rally?
No. That honestly never crossed my mind, but then again, we live in Boston and my neighbors tend to be a progressive lot. I urge moms in every corner of the country to demand action on gun violence prevention. Don't be scared of the NRA and its affiliates. They are nothing more than lobbyists who choose to behave like a domestic terrorist group. Their radical views fall far outside the mainstream, and I'm hopeful I will live to see the day when the NRA is as irrelevant to our politics as the once-almighty tobacco lobby.
Your (sic) an idiot if you think banning assault weapons will stop gun violence.
That's not what I believe.
I believe, based on evidence collected in every other industrialized country in the world, that a federal ban on military style assault weapons and extended magazines, that required all grandfathered weapons to be stored in a secured, insured facility, would drastically cut down on massacres of Newtown variety.
Frankly, I find arguments of the you're-never-going-to-stop-all-gun-violence-with-an-assault-weapon-ban to be a tiresome distraction from the real work that needs to be done.
Of course we won't stop all gun violence through legislation. That doesn't mean we shouldn't all be busting our butts to reduce the scale of the violence. The Feinstein Bill isn't some radical, crazy, leftist proposal. Even Rupert Murdoch (yes, the one of Fox News fame) supports an assault weapons ban.
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It is always good to see a post from you. Your posts on gun violence against children has stuck with me and, while I've been horrified by the number of gun related events that have made the national news in the last couple of weeks, I am glad that the media has continued to cover them as it can only help raise consciousness. There are plenty of hardened gun owners who we will never reach or bring over to a rational way of thinking, but there are also plenty of folks who don't have a strong opinion on the matter who may join the cause.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks for your kinds words about my blog. I share your optimism that the country is finally focused enough on gun violence to take meaningful action.Delete
Over ninety percent of voters want universal background checks for all gun purchases (right now there is a loophole the size of the Lincoln Tunnel, no checks at gun shows and no checks for person to person private sales).
My personal hunch on a secondary reason why the NRA suddenly opposes background checks is that Wayne Lapierre and many of his deputies would not pass them. Mr. LaPierre avoided the Vietnam draft because of mental illness. (The primary reason is the gunmakers don't want impediments to sale.)
I am also hopeful that horrific incidents like the one today (3 year old boy dies while playing with handgun he believed to be a toy while his grandparents were IN THE NEXT ROOM) will outrage enough people to push through much stricter liability laws and storage laws. The grandparents, in my opinion, should be charged with manslaughter. This wasn't some "horrible accident," it was completely foreseeable death caused by gross negligence.
First off, I appreciate your rational tone when engaging in discussion regarding guns.ReplyDelete
I'm curious as to why a ban on so called assault weapons is so important to you? Handguns kill far, far more people than rifles of all kinds on any given year in the US. If you really want to keep people safe from 'gun violence' then let's talk about a ban on handguns. Isn't that the end game, total citizen disarmament?
With these proposed liability laws, how would they protect the little boy who shot himself with his grandparents in the next room? Would the fact that their grandchild is now dead not be punishment enough? They would probably already be charged with some sort of endangerment or perhaps negligent homicide or manslaughter under existing laws. Would you like them to sue and subsequently pay themselves a large sum of money with the liability insurance? How about gang bangers who already ignore the laws prohibiting murder, rape, assault, etc? What if they ignored the liability insurance law as well? I just do not see how insurance will keep people from being stupid.
Finally, when you assert that the current surge in gun sales are nothing but hysteria ginned up by the NRA, you also imply that gun owners are a bunch of paranoid idiots who can't think for themselves. Please refrain from making veiled insults when referring to your fellow citizens.
Hi Matt,ReplyDelete
I find rational discussions more thought provoking, too.
As to your first question: Because industrialized countries that ban assault weapons report fewer mass shootings. A ban isn't a cure all, but a reasonable starting point.
As for the three-year-old, those grandparents should go to prison for negligent manslaughter. Had the child been an unrelated visitor, I do believe the parents should have the right to sue the gun owner and/or his/her insurer.
Of course all gun owners aren't paranoid idiots. But a scary minority are. See,most recently, e.g., the man with the manifesto in Alabama who killed a bus driver and held a kid hostage for a week. I challenge you to explain how Wayne LaPierre is anything but paranoid and unstable. Remember, the NRA doesn't even support a ban on cop killer bullets or wholly plastic guns.
Mari. There's no gun in existence made entirely of plastic...youre most likely referring to glocks, which have polymer frames but more than 200 steel components.ReplyDelete
Cop killer bullets are also mythological- first coined in the awful film Lethal Weapon 3 to refer to a pistol cartridge capable of penetrating a bullet resistant vest and later a bulldozer blade, they simply don't exist and are not marketed in this manner.Replies
The *entirely* plastic firearm is a holy grail for various terrorist organizations. It's one of those things we should not allow developed for public safety reasons.Delete
I use the phrase "cop killer bullets" in the way used by most of the press: any bullet designed to penetrate standard issue body armor.
And I wholeheartedly agree that LW3 was an awful film.


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|Steve Moseley, "The Last McSupper."
St. Louis folk artist, Steve Moseley makes patience bottles (aka whimsy bottles) that reflect the artist's satirical view of humanity. Inside each bourbon bottle is a scene with characters acting out a provocative narrative.
|Steve Moseley, "Genesis."
|Steve Moseley, "If You Vote for Trump You Will Not Receive Absolution."
Moseley's works are currently on display at Intuit: The Center for Outsider and Intuitive Art in Chicago through July 17th.
More: Brut Force

subset: commoncrawl


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Yet over the course of this year, as Senator Heller has felt the ire of a distrustful 21st Century Know Nothing base, he's been changing his tune yet again. As spring turned to summer and summer turned to fall, Senator Dean Heller was sounding less "No Labels Post-partisan" and more standard issue G-O-TEA (all over again). Why is this?
I'd like to think Sam Shad was looking for answers. Unfortunately for all of us, Senator Heller provided none in his most recent "Nevada Newsmakers" appearance.
Shad: "War on Republicans, the Libertarian side of the party versus the moderate side of the party. How is this going to affect future of the party and where do you stand?"
Heller: "Well obviously it has had impact. We saw during the last election cycle, in fact, if you take a look at the United States Senate two years ago we were sitting here thinking the Republicans were going to take control. I'm a big believer that to win a race you have to have a good campaign, you have to have a good candidate, and you have to have both. You can have both and lose, but you can't win without both. So we are seeing the same dynamics now going in two years later. The state of Georgia has some very conservative candidates and the key is to win races. I want the most conservative candidates that can win being the nominee for the Senate races. If we do that I think we can take the majority."
[Ralston:] Could someone please translate that into English for me? And the follow-up? Still waiting---
While I don't always agree with Jon Ralston, I do sympathize with him here. I think I also need a translation. I don't speak gibberish, either.
To be fair to Senator Heller, he's not the only Republican stuck in an increasingly confusing G-O-TEA civil war. Now that the G-O-TEA's latest and greatest manufactured crisis is falling apart fast, Congressional Republicans are quickly turning on each other.
As the deadline for a federal budget is fast approaching, Republicans are now busy fighting each other. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) bashed the G-O-TEA shutdown strategy on the Senate floor earlier today, only for the G-O-TEA culture warriors to turn around and denounce him. The Wall Street Journal editorial page again decried the G-O-TEA shutdown debacle, only for "the base" to throw yet another temper tantrum amd demand even more "purity".
Republican "leaders" are now saying they're pushing for "conservative principles"... But so are the G-O-TEA culture warriors. So who's to be believed?
And is there any wonder any more why Senator Heller is so afraid of saying anything substantive? His party is stuck as it's starting to feel blowback from its latest manufactured crisis. And right now, all it's doing is consuming itself alive. Senator Heller is afraid of being consumed alive. He's just lucky that his next election won't be until 2018.


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Regulation of anti-competitive conduct by airports
Civil Aviation Authority consultation (55 pages, PDF) on the application of Section 41 of the Airports Act 1986 and Section 32 of the Airports (Northern Ireland) Order 1994. These provisions allow the Civil Aviation Authority to investigate specific classes of potentially anti-competitive conduct by airports and to propose conditions to prevent such conduct. The paper highlights overlaps between the Airports Act/Order regime and general competition law enforcement by the OFT (the CAA has no power to apply the Competition Act 1998, Article 81 and Article 82 to airport matters). Responses by Friday 17 March 2006.
Sat, 17 Dec 2005 07:42:15 +0000
Saturday 17 December 2005Go to document
Filed under CAA.


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At the crossroads, standing at the edge trying to figure out which way do you go...
- Some people say go right, others say go left... but you know what?
"What does God say to go" ... Follow the simple principles of Gods ways.
Then you will see & go the right way you should go.
We seem to do things on our own accord or asking those for advice
who don't know what they maybe say or you telling you what they feel is right.
-"How could we take advice from those who truly don't know God"
We do it sometimes just to tickle what we may wanna hear; instead of just fully
Seeking in prayer & meditation. These two things are key things to finding the ways
God wants you to go. Truly think about it!
- (Now) Where do you go from here?
Walk by "Faith" & not by "Sight"..


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Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Forum on Sport: Institutions Under Siege a Huge Success
The Sport Communication Club delivered a huge success with the production of their first annual Forum on Sport. This year, the title was "Institutions under Siege" and discussed the impact of the recent scandals of Penn State, Syracuse, and others as well as their impact on society, morality, sports, and culture. The even brought together five incredibly talented scholars and practitioners in Dr. Dan O'Rourke (Communication Studies), Dr. Diane Bonfiglio (Psychology), Dean Dan Lawson (Religious Life), Professor Mattew Tullis (Journalism and Digital Media), and Mr. Al King (Athletics). The event began with words of welcome from Associate Dean Mike Hupfer and then Sport Communication Club member Kevin Stoicovy took over as the moderator. For the next 60+ minutes the audience was treated to some of the most robust and insightful dialogue about the concepts of sport, secrecy, moral obligation, societal impact, sexual abuse, and the greater conversation of where do we go from here. Perhaps it was Communication Studies very own Dr. Dan O'Rourke who so eloquently illuminated the greater teaching moments of such scandals and crises when he said "The only possible good thing to come out of Penn State is if we talk about it...It gives us a chance to do something about this issue."
Martcus Walsh, President of the Sport Communication Club said at the conclusion of the event, "It was great to sit back and watch everything flow smoothly and naturally last night, and I was honored to be a part of this worthwhile forum. I think we can have something special in the Department of Communication Studies as this series continues. Kathryn Lentz, Vice President of the Sport Communication Club said "I really liked being apart of this event. We are a small club, but we have big aspirations. All the faculty and staff that were apart of this forum were very insightful and showed a lot of care in this topic."
Special thanks to our panelists Dr. Daniel O'Rourke, Dean Dan Lawson, Dr. Diane Bonfiglio, Mr. Matthew Tullis, and Mr. Al King for their wonderful contributions. Thanks also to the wonderful folks in Journalism and Digital Media for their production support of the event.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Tom Julian at 440-465-7660 or email@example.com
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Summer vacation is already over. How rude. Thankfully, we came home with a boatload of awesome memories to sustain us for the rest of summer. Lake Oconee in Greenville, Georgia, is a beautiful spot in the world and now holds our heart. We spent a week in a gorgeous home overlooking the lake and indulging in all the water had to offer. The kids got to go jet-skiing, fishing, tubing, swimming, dock jumping and boating all week long. Mimi knows how to plan a good party!
This girl became an awesome swimmer on this trip. She was doing laps in this pool by herself for the first time. So fun to watch her!
"No fear Jackson"
The Pirate cousins and their very own Pirate Ship!
Jackson's first time tubing and he loved it! He learned thumbs up for speed and wanted to go faster, faster, faster. So proud. Also, he's THREE.
Lucca and the family VIP ~ Mema. The reason for the celebration season. We were all together to celebrate Mema's completion of chemo for the 2nd time. She's a warrior and cancer free, yet again.
These two share something special.
Snapping a Football 101
The ropes course at Stone Mountain, Georgia
Lucca scaled this rock wall, 5 times!!!
There are two things I know about Jack Stone's future:
1) He will own a boat
2) He will own a dog
...and he will love them equally.
Mema reading a poem at her Happy Party. Tons of family and friends gathered at the lake house for southern bbq to toast this incredible woman. It was a special time and I can't imagine missing it. Hopefully she loved our dance to Pharrell's "HAPPY" song as much as we all love her.
Our final boat ride to watch an amazing sunset
Last vacation dinner at the Ritz Carlton Reynolds Plantation
My favorite photo from the whole trip was the last one taken while saying goodbye to Mimi & Papa.
We had the best trip. Isn't that obvious?


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[My column for the May 20, 2015, Door County Advocate]
They say time flies, but it really doesn't. You wake up one morning and suddenly it's 2015, and the young man who remembers sweltering in the sun in a black robe while Sen. William Proxmire was awarded an honorary degree and a speaker who exhorted us to go forth and do great things is thinking, "Wait, wasn't it just 1975?"
But of course it wasn't. A day is a long time, and a year is a longer time, and today marks 14,610 days – that is to say, 40 years – since a full-of-himself, naive young man dove into the real world. For most of those days I have been what people call a journalist – a watcher of events and recorder of the first draft of history.
And what I have learned in all of those days! Here are four things I knew but didn't fully know on my first day of work as a full-time reporter.
> There are no superheroes, just folks. I walked into a men's room during a long city council meeting, and a U.S. senator came in and stood beside me. For some reason it was a revelation that nature also calls him during the days and nights.
They're all just people, muddling along as best as they can, like you and me. Not big damn heroes. Not super villains. Just guys and gals who need to get through the day, feed the dog, sift the cat litter, same as everyone. It helps to remember that.
> You may not realize when you're teaching. A reporter came in and started telling about the court sentencing she had just witnessed. She needed to share the raw emotion of the defendant, his family's tears, the victims' anger. Don't spend the words speaking them out loud, I said, write them down while the moment is still fresh.
She wrote a great great story, and years later she told people what an important lesson that was. I needed to be reminded I had said that. It made me feel worthy. It also made me fear what I might be teaching on bad days.
> Success is a long-term everyday enterprise. When I ran for state Assembly, I was proudest that both the conservative governor and the leader of the city teachers union told me, "I never knew you were a Republican."
That was because I had spent 22 years burying my personal opinion and trying simply to accurately convey what people were saying and doing. That was the job. It still is, except when the word "Opinion" appears on the top of the page.
> Every person is different. I have met good thinkers and compassionate people and rascals and scoundrels in every race, color, creed, gender, political party, ethnic origin, orientation, whatever. All of them unique. When we tuck people in a group, we lose sight of who they are.
You think you know what to expect because I'm an older white male journalist who once ran for Assembly as a Republican. Because of those assumptions you've done both of us a disservice.
Do yourself a favor: Stop thinking "All of those people are x" or even "Generally speaking those people are y." Approach every person as a mystery to be solved, because most everything important about that person you cannot know based on the category you're tempted to tuck them in.
> Oh yes, and a bonus fifth lesson: Never use a credit card. Never. Ever. Never. I'm still paying for that mistake.


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"After Acquired Cause"
This is not a new paper but is a new addition to my WebSource. Michael A. Watt, of Alexander, Holburn, Beaudin & Lang, wrote a paper on "After Acquired Cause" for the Employment Law Conference (Continuing Legal Education Society of BC) in May 2005.
The paper addresses the following issues:
- The Principle-A Review of the Ability to Rely Upon After Acquired Cause to Justify Summary Termination
- General
- Pre-Employment Conduct
- Conduct During Working Notice Period
- Post Termination Conduct
- Time for Alleging Cause
- Burden of Proof-Is the Test for Establishing After Acquired Cause Higher?
- Condonation-What is the Effect of Prior Knowledge of the Conduct by the Employer?
- Risks-What are the Penalties for the Unsuccessful Defendant?


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This friendly wine bar beckons customers to linger over a competent four-cheese pizza, fried seafood beehoon, Bombay chicken & a bottle of Rioja. A couple of bonuses: The kitchen opens at 3pm (relatively early for a watering hole of this sort), & intimate private rooms are available.
Wine Banque
72G, Jalan SS21/62, Damansara Uptown, Petaling Jaya. Mon-Sat, 3am-1am. Tel: 03-7731-3156


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Our mission is to keep you informed. We offer a variety of information on criminal behavior, cold cases, missing persons, domestic violence, and human trafficking.
Other services include victim intervention, mentoring, activism for victim/human rights, and legal document preparation services for victims and seniors.
As a non-profit, we base our services on a sliding scale for victims and private individuals. We are not attorneys and cannot office any legal advice in relation to legal representation or questions relating to your case or filling our legal forms/documents for you. We are criminal justice experts, who specialize in research, profiling, and psychology.
Contact for more information.


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Um exemplo do que é a "eficiência do mercado" da economia neoliberalby O. Braga
Já descobri o que é a "mão invisível" da economia hayekiana e neoliberal que determina a "eficiência do mercado":
Um corretor (e não "corrector", com "c") de uma empresa americana comprou, durante a noite de 29 para 30 de Junho, 520 milhões de US Dollars em futuros de petróleo — ¡ comprou 69% do mercado global disponível ! — , o que fez com que o preço do petróleo no mercado internacional subisse a pique.
Quando foi interrogado pela empresa para saber por que tinha feito essa compra durante a noite, o corretor explicou que não se lembrava de nada porque passou a noite bêbedo. Portanto, da próxima vez que a gasolina subir, provavelmente há um americano bêbedo que explica a "mão invisível da eficácia do mercado".
On June the 30th 2009 oil mysteriously jumped by more than $1.50 a barrel during the night, to reach its highest price in eight months, the kind of swing that is caused by a major geopolitical event.
The amazing, true cause of this price spike has now been released by a Financial Services Authority investigation (FSA).
Although not authorised to invest company cash in trades Steve Perkins, a long standing, senior broker at PVM Oil Futures, had managed to spend $520 million on oil futures contracts throughout the night.
On the morning of the 30th an admin clerk called Mr Perkins to ask why he had bought 7 million barrels of crude during the night. Mr Perkins had no recollection of the transactions, and it turned out that he had made the trades during a "drunken blackout."
By the time PVM had realised the transactions had not been authorised by a client, they had incurred losses of $9,763,252.
Between the hours of 1.22am and 3.41am, Mr Perkins gradually bought 69 percent of the global market, whilst driving prices up from $71.40 to $73.05, by bidding higher each time.
via .


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I had a LARGE group for this program today -- 20 kids and 13 adults. With some newbies and kids ranging from infants to six year olds ... It was all I could do to keep the attention (and control!!) of the crowd and make sure everyone was as engaged as possible and having fun ... Forget about any "talking points" on ECRR to the adults!
That's one reason I am a stickler about making and giving the program handout below. Before I begin, I make sure I put it in the hands of every grown up and say, "This is what we are doing and why we are doing it." True, a few handouts get left behind, but it's an effort at communicating the importance of the early literacy skills.
(If the embedded image does not display, visit the upper right hand corner of this blog. Under "Youth Services Programs and Resources," choose "Music and Movement (and Early Literacy!) Programs)." Then choose "(2011 2 24) Birthdays (Letters Bb and Cc)."
For the "Four Candles" rhyme, I had four plastic, battery operated candles that turned off and on. Below are the images I used to tell "Rub a Dub Dub." (They are available in the "Graphics" folder.) They were also in the Sound Suitcases. (I had a Bb and a Cc sound suitcase today.)


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Of course, such a decision is never made at that very moment. A lot has gone into such a decision. And so the narrator takes us back with her through the history of the relationship between her and her husband. We find out that it began in the 1950's, when she was his creative writing student at Smith College and he was married. That's rather cliche, and so are a lot of things about their relationship. I thought that Wolitzer did a convincing job of showing me that this is what it could be like for a couple who began in such a way, as cliche as it may have been.
There were other cliched parts of The Wife, though, that I didn't think she portrayed so well. Essentially this is supposed to be a story about a wife who sacrifices everything for her husband. The first part of the book is the strongest in my opinion, because the reader can easily see how she sacrifices the approval and support of her parents and her college education for this selfish, haphazard, impulsive man who doesn't truly love anyone, including himself. The reader can see how he is so caught up in his ambitions of writing that he is incapable of being much else. (The "selfish writer" is a theme I always find interesting, in Andre Dubus's short stories and in biographies of Raymond Carver, etc., because it does seem that being a successful writer requires a narrowly-focused, internal, solitary drive, to the exclusion of most everything else in life.)
What wasn't convincing in The Wife, however, was that the narrator was supposed to be giving up her own writing ambitions or her "career" for her husband. The problem was, she never really had any writing ambitions until her professor-turned-husband encouraged her, for the sake of starting an affair with her of course, and she never reveals that she has any desires to have a career outside of the home. In the flashback scenes to her early and mid-married life, she either seems content to be a housewife or she is bitter about the fact that her husband is cheating on her.
Perhaps it's that times have changed or perhaps it's that I can't relate to a character that I can't see myself being, but I just didn't understand why she put up with it. She seems to be resentful of the fact that her husband thinks he is some God when it comes to writing, yet she obviously encourages such thoughts by placating to him, encouraging his writing career and staying with him even though he doesn't treat her right. If this was supposed to be a book that showed why a woman sacrifices her own dreams (or never fully forms any in the first place) in order to stay with a rotten, no-good husband, it failed. But maybe it wasn't supposed to show me that; maybe it was supposed to just be about this character. Still, for whatever reasons I found those parts very unconvincing and it made me dislike the narrator when she seemed to get whiny and become a "poor-me" victim. The following is a passage that I feel sums up the theme of the book:
"Everyone knows how women soldier on, how women dream up blueprints, recipes, ideas for a better world, and then sometimes lose them on the way to the crib in the middle of the night, on the way to the Stop & Shop, or the bath. They lose them on the way to greasing the path on which their husband and children will ride serenely through life.
But it's their choice... they make a choice to be that kind of wife, that kind of mother. Nobody forces them anymore; that's all over now. We had a women's movement in America, we had Betty Friedan, and Gloria Steinem... we're in a whole new world now. Women are powerful.
Everyone needs a wife; even wives need wives. Wives tend; they hover. Their ears are twin sensitive instruments, satellites pricking up the slightest scrape of dissatisfaciton. Wives bring broth, we bring paper clips, we bring ourselves and our pliant, warm bodies. We know just what to say to the men who for some reason have a great deal of trouble taking consistent care of themselves or anyone else.
'Listen,' we say. 'Everything will be okay.'
And then, as if our lives depend on it, we make sure it is."
(Click here for more quotes from The Wife)
The ending of The Wife contains a twist which wasn't incredibly surprising but was nevertheless interesting. I don't want to include any spoilers, so suffice it to say that it adds another layer to the entire analysis about why a woman would do such things for a man.
I did think that The Wife was written well and that the first-person narrator voice, when not overly bitter or victim-y, was intriguing. Although there wasn't much to the plot--basically a history of the life of an unhappily married couple--it seemed realistic and it kept me interested, as I read the book straight through in a couple of days. I would like to read more of Meg Wolitzer's work, especially a book that has a completely different theme, plot and characters. So overall I give The Wife three and a half stars and I would recommend it with some reservations.
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Quotes from The Wife
You may also enjoy...
Parts of this book reminded me of Women Like Us by Erica Abeel, which is a book about a group of girlfriends who graduated in 1959 from Sarah Lawrence College. Most of them curtailed their dreams and ambitions for the men in their lives. Click here for my review of Women Like Us.


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Taken from Every Day With Jesus Bible p.409
'Our fellowship with other Christians heightens our understanding of God and helps us stay spiritually fresh. I have no doubt that my fellowship with other Christians has helped more than words can convey in keeping me spiritually alert and topped up. When for some reason I am not able to fellowship with other Christians, my spiritual life tends to sag. This is one of the laws of Christian life, and we ignore it to out peril.
Dr. E. Stanley Jones said, "The measure of our spiritual maturity can be and is measured by the breadth and depth of our capacity and willingness for fellowship." Note the words "capacity" and "willingness". This doesn't mean working at enlarging our circle of fellowship- though for some it may mean that- but that we have the capacity and willingness to do it if God should so lead.
I know there are Christians in churches, fellowships and denominations whom I will never meet down here on earth, but I have the capacity and willingness to fellowship with them if God were to make it possible. We are only as mature as our willingness and capacity for fellowship. Therefore, if we cannot or do not want to fellowship with others who are truly Christ's, then we are immature Christians….our basis ought to be this: everyone who belongs to Christ should belong to everyone else who belongs to Christ.'
The Measure of Maturity
Taken from Every Day With Jesus Bible p.409


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Why the Redwood Forest slideshow?
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Farewell to Judy
This morning at 7:50, Judy finished the valiant fight that she had fought for the past two years. I was at her side—holding her hand and telling her how much I loved her and thanking her for everything she had brought into my life—when her breathing became lighter and lighter and she finally slipped away. The sun had just risen over the horizon and touched the room.
Judy's last few days in the hospital had been filled with her fiercely fighting the cancer. It was not a pretty battle, and I don't intend to belabor the issue. Those of you who saw her in those last few days know how hard she fought, how much resistance she put up, how exhausted she must have been. The nurses kept telling me that they could not believe her strength, physically and spiritually. Well, those of you who had the great fortune to know her and be touched by her know what a tough little package she was.
When Dr. Phillips told me about her failing kidneys and liver on Tuesday afternoon, it became clear that nothing was going to stop the inevitable, and it was easy to decide to not try to prolong her agony but make her as comfortable as possible. Nevertheless, her tremors and fight continued as never was a quitter.
On my request, Tuesday night our friend Andy Y. offered Judy and about 15 of our closest friends communion, something that I felt was important for Judy at this final juncture of her life. Even though she could no longer speak, all of us saw how much comfort she drew from this act. All of us witnessed how she accepted that the fight was over. The speed of her final path seems to be testimony that with that acceptance came a way for her to let go and leave us.
Judy was always worried about others, and she was worried about how I would fare. Well, I don't know about the future, but today I was OK. I did not feel the haze and helplessness that I experienced when we were given the first diagnosis of cancer two years ago. Her final ten hours with us gave me closure, too, and even though I shed hard, hard tears in our last private moments in the same room this morning, I felt surprisingly at peace with everything that had happened.
I would like to ask all those of you who have traveled with us on this long journey to do something for yourselves and for all of us—and many of you may believe for Judy as well: Would you please share how Judy affected you and your life through who she was? We will be having a Celebration of Her Life this Saturday, October 2, at 12:00 noon in Chas. A Guy park (87th Street and Memphis Avenue) here in Lubbock, and we would like to share your comments with all of our friends who we hope will show up. Please send your comments to Liza who has graciously taken over the task of compiling it all. Her e-mail is firstname.lastname@example.com. Please send whatever fits into an e-mail!
We will have a memorial service at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning at Judy's church, St. Paul's on the Plains Episcopal, 1510 Ave. X. With the celebration at noon everybody should be able to slip into attire fitting for the kind of get-together that our archetypal party-lady Judy would have been at the forefront of organizing. There will be food, and there will be neutral plastic cups if you'd like to bring your own beverage. Bring your kids, because Judy loved them as you know.
And finally, since so many of our friends have already asked: Please do not send any flowers. Judy enjoyed them, but she enjoyed even more feeding the homeless on Thursday mornings at her church. So, if you would like to support that ongoing effort (and I know they were always short on funds), please feel free to direct any donations in her memory to St. Paul's Neighbor-to-Neighbor Ministry, c/o St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1510 Avenue X, Lubbock, TX 79401.
Dear friends, I hope you will be able to join us on Saturday. Nothing would make me more happy than to share my sorrow and my joy, my tears and my laughter with you at both the service and our celebration of the one that we all loved: my beloved friend, partner, buddy, and wife, JuJu.
In love,
27 comments:
- Anonymous said...
So sorry for your loss.
Lots of love, hugs and prayers.
The Odom family
- September 29, 2010 at 10:22 PM
- Anonymous said...
- September 30, 2010 at 8:30 AM
- Anonymous said...
Robbie and I are very saddened by Judy's passing. Judy's strong, yet gentle, spirit and innate sweetness will never be forgotten .
Robbie and Jim Walker
- September 30, 2010 at 8:42 AM
- Anonymous said...
Our thougths, love and prayers are with you. Juju will be missed greatly but never forgotten. We take comfort in knowing the suffering is over and she is in a better place.
Love, Fefi and Lee
- September 30, 2010 at 9:37 AM
- Anonymous said...
Jurgen, you speak of the peace that passes all understanding. I grieve the passing of your lovely wife and my friend. I will miss the celebration of her life as I am in Italy and cannot return in time. I will lift a glass of really nice cab and propose a toast in my own way here.
I will never forget Judy cargo bike surfing at Interbike or her infectious smile! A farewell good friend, I'll see you soon!
- September 30, 2010 at 9:40 AM
- aka Kathy said...
I'm trying to hold the tears back and it's not working...
Judy was such a beautiful, giving lady and I will miss her smile.
Godspeed Judy - you will be missed.
Jürgen, I so wish we could be there to share memories and to shed a tears with you.
- September 30, 2010 at 10:29 AM
- Anonymous said...
Jurgen, my mother used to say there are worse things than death, and you've been through it. May you find comfort in knowing that Judy used her time wisely here and touch so many hearts, but now she's not suffering and I'm sure she's smiling down on us all. She was so very special and I am so honored to have known her.
You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Cynthia Stewart
- September 30, 2010 at 10:46 AM
- Anonymous said...
It's me Shiloh. So sad I missed you at the airport today. I would love to help do whatever I can.
Judy was a beautiful soul with one of those golden oras. I have very fond memories of you guys over the last 10 years.....Please call me! 806-790-3034. Give my name and # to anyone who needs me. Judy was such an unselfish giving person. I will try my best to do what I know she would if it were me!
- September 30, 2010 at 10:46 AM
- Kay said...
I am so sorry for your loss.
Judy was so sweet and loving.
I will never forget the kindness and acceptance she gave me when I first meet her 8 years ago.
On the day I had the pleasure of meeting her, Dietmar had brought me over to your house and she invited me into her home and asked, if I would like something to drink or a snack.
She then proceeded to ask me a million questions about myself......
It was at that moment I realized what a Wonderful, Sweet, Caring person she is.
For you see::: She was making sure that I was the "right" person that was marrying Dietmar.
For you see Dietmar had been through a hurtful divorce and she was looking out for him.
Judy had been there to help Dietmar with his two girls during the divorce by having his girls over to make cookies.
Judy and I finished our visit ( or as I called it my Inquisition) LOL
Judy walked me to the door and smiled at me and said" I am so glad Dietmar has found you and gave me a hug.
She then said " I assume you cycle? " I looked at her and laughed and said "NO"
She looked at me kind of puzzled for a moment and then laughed and said "Oh, well thats ok, But you do know that by marrying Dietmar that you will either have to learn how or be his biggest fan!
Well, those were definitely some of the truest words ever spoken.
I became a True fan of Cycling, My Husband and Judy Austin!
My Thoughts and Prayers are with all that will miss Judy.
Jurgen, please let us know if we can do anything.
With Love,, Kay Kennel
- September 30, 2010 at 11:48 AM
- Stefan said...
Juergen, Stefan hier in Austin. Mein herzlichstes Beileid. Das sind sehr traurige Nachrichten aus Lubbock.
She was a very happy person and we'll all miss her.
Stefan Rothe
- September 30, 2010 at 12:58 PM
- Celia said...
Jurgen- I am so, so sorry. It was a privilege to know Judy. She was a very special person and I think back to our time together with Howard and Lidya this time last year. I haven't been on the blog for a few days and had no idea.... I will tell Howard. I wish I could be there with you. All my love Celia x
- September 30, 2010 at 1:07 PM
- Douglas said...
Will miss her. She was a true ray of sunshine at all the races. God Bless you both. I know the bike races in Heaven just became much more organized and fun with her there.
Doug W.
- September 30, 2010 at 2:22 PM
- Brandon said...
My favorite memory of Judy was at Comfort at one of the collegiate races when she was telling all of us to wear our helmets at all times while on the bike. She then hopped on someones bike with no helmet on and went over the handlebars in the grass. The only reason it was funny is because she was unharmed and got up laughing histerically.
God Speed Judy.
- September 30, 2010 at 3:45 PM
- Anonymous said...
Knowing Judy only from cycling she had an infectious positive attitude not just sometimes but all the time the world needs more people like Judy Austin.
We are so sorry for your loss Jurgen please take comfort knowing that Judy is at peace after fighting courageously for so long.
Bill and Catherine Moritz
- September 30, 2010 at 3:52 PM
- Anonymous said...
Dear Jürgen,
I had always hoped that one day it would work out that I could spend some time knitting and chatting with Judy~and now we know that will never be.
Although she and I were never able to meet, I still felt like she and I were friends.
I wish we could get to Texas~but that isn't possible...so Saturday Rich & I will head out to the backyard with the fuzzies to celebrate Judy's spirit~ I think she would approve of us toasting her with ice cream and cookies-don't you?
Thinking of you~
Cindi et al~
- September 30, 2010 at 5:01 PM
- Anonymous said...
The world and the cycling community lost an incredible person, and Judy will be surely missed by all those who have been blessed to be in her presence.
Chase Wesley and Texas Tech Cycling
- September 30, 2010 at 6:19 PM
- welch_kristi said...
Jurgen...I barely know you and Judy. You probably don't even know who I am. But tonight, I am sitting here with tears rolling down my eyes. I am truely sorry for your loss. I admired the two of y'all from a distance. The memories I have of Judy are from afar, but only all wonderful memories. Her kind and funny demaenor at the starting line of the tmbra races, her spirit, love, and laughter did NOT go unnoticed. I feel unfortunate that I did not get to know her better. She will be a memory of mine forever!
- September 30, 2010 at 9:38 PM
- Anonymous said...
We are so sorry to hear about the passing of Judy. She was full of life & always made us smile. The two of you always made the events we held so much more enjoyable. Her wit and charm and grace under pressure will be missed. I will now have to go find an actual bullhorn at the races without her around to yell at everyone & her calling up all the pussies (PS Es) to the line to race.
All our love,
Ian, Cat, Daria & Sophie Moore
- September 30, 2010 at 10:12 PM
- Val said...
Charles and I are very sad to learn of Judy's passing. Judy was always a bright light at the races and I'll always remember her spunk. She has been, and will continue to be, missed by all of us fortunate enough to have met her.
Vallarie Richards & Charles Covill
- September 30, 2010 at 10:24 PM
- Anonymous said...
My eternal thanks to you for your dedication to Judy and to the posting of this blog.
When I think of Judy, there is one word that surfaces more than any other - the word "grace". She showed the rest of us how to live life.
- September 30, 2010 at 11:43 PM
- Veljko said...
Dear Jürgen,
We are so sorry for your loss and our thoughts and prayers are with you.
We were all very blessed to have known Judy. She was a warm, caring, and always optimistic person who could never do anyone wrong. In the brief occasions we got to see her she became an instant friend and remains a great one. We will drink a toast to her and her life.
Veljko & Diane Roskar
- October 1, 2010 at 4:42 PM
- Anonymous said...
Judy was a friend to Donna and I , we are very sorry.. i have tears in my eyes, my friend and we know she is in Glory... Keep the faith JURGEN,,, Your friends William and Donna...
- October 1, 2010 at 8:05 PM
- Roxann said...
It was my pleasure to know and care for Judy during her journey. Her stronge will and couragousness made my job easy. Judy was a Great women and I will truly miss her and her little smile.
Jurgan, you gave her great strength and fight. She will always be in your Heart!!
Roxann RN :)
- October 1, 2010 at 8:21 PM
- tiura said...
Via con Dios, Judy. You were a fast friend to myself and my wife, Kit. Kit almost never immediately likes people, but rather needs time to assess them. You and Jurgen were exceptions to her, and to me.
Jurgen, I can't begin to understand the painful part of what you're dealing with, but I can fully understand the incredible gift you were given in this life to spend the years you did with Judy. She made an indelible impression on us in the short time we were fortunate enough to know her, I can only imagine how much she lit your life. Our thoughts will be with you. Take care of yourself and remember; Judy's life left her body, where it suffered recently and returned as the sunrise, where it can always signify new beginnings.
Our love to you both.
Kit and Kai
- October 1, 2010 at 8:44 PM
- brownie said...
I so wish I could be there. Just read the Txbra post this morning. Nothing would make me more happy than to be there with you at this time to support you. I just finished riding with Mr. Wiseman this past weekend at the TTT in Glen Rose and asked how the two of you were doing. You are in my prayers my friend!
- October 2, 2010 at 6:48 AM
- Anonymous said...
Dear Jurgen,
Lynn, and I send you our deepest condolences and offer our prayers for Judy's eternal life.
In spite of the deep sadness that all of her family and many friends must feel at her passing, we're certain that Judy's concerns must have been for you. And we are confident that the love and support directed toward you at the gatherings that followed must have pleased her greatly. That support will continue.
Many years ago, I recall being given a lesson on dying. It is that death is really a lesson on living. And I find some measure of comfort by asking myself what things I most admired about the person who's life is being remembered. And then I make a commitment to myself , in their memory, to reflect those qualities in my own life. My hope is that these reflections will improve my life and the lives of those whom I love. And in time, perhaps others will be similarly influenced by those same things. I believe that life is never in vain. Most importantly, lives greatly influence others. Just as Judy's has, and will.
I cannot help but admire Judy's upbeat attitude, her fighting spirit in the face of the challenges she faced, the pleasure of hearing her laugh and seeing her smile (she was generous with that). From my perch during your annual visits to Sonoma County, I saw no quit in that gal. Rather, I witnessed her passion for life. She loved those triathlons and always seemed to apply the "rules of the road" with fairness, prudence, and just the right amount of discretion. Although I could hardly feel her on the back of my motorcycle, I knew that I was ferrying a big hitter when it came to USTA events. She was justifiably proud of teaming with you to bring high quality officiating to these events. It occurred to me that her own motto must have been: "let's see how much life I can embrace."
Jurgen, as a motorcyclist, I often ride part of the Vineman bicycle loop. It contains some of the finest, most scenic roads in the county. Now, I will never ride that loop again without recalling my favorite passenger and course official. It seems fitting that it is such a beautiful ride.
We look forward to seeing you in the future. Meanwhile, may god bless Judy, and you
With Love,
Pete & Lynn Imbs
Sonoma County, CA
- October 4, 2010 at 10:26 PM
- Anonymous said...
I just found out yesterday, 10,20,2010. I am so sorry for your big loss. I had hoped to see her soon.
Everyone who knew her knows she, indeed, was a lovely lady.
I am Maria; Rick's and Angelica's mom.
- October 21, 2010 at 3:22 PM


text:
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Hurry Up and Wait
While certain other Banditas were busy cavorting around Europe (AHEM!), Aunty came home from RWA National and had to sequester herself deep in the writing caves of the Lair in order to meet a deadline. Well, I no sooner extricated myself from the deep dark recesses than I was called to Jury Duty!
HRUMPH! I scarcely had time for a brief neck massage from Sven before I had to do my civic duty and show up at the county courthouse at the horrifyingly unholy hour of 8 a.m. Now everyone who has spent more than five minutes here in the Lair knows that there are very few things that will entice Aunty to pry her eyes open at such an early hour. Cruises, flights to exotic locations in far away time zones, and scantily clad hunks all fit into this category. Doing ones civic duty by participating in jury selection does NOT! It is not that Aunty is opposed in any way to our fine judicial system with a right to a speedy and fair trial, but PLEASE, start at a bit more civilized hour.
After arriving promptly at the county courthouse, it quickly became clear to me why very few courtroom dramas, be they books or movies, mention the jury selection process. For the most part, the whole thing is BOOORRRRING! A classic case study in "Hurry Up and Wait."
First there's the long wait in the shuffling check-in line along with the other 299 people who were told to report at the exact same time. UGH! Then it's time to wait for names to be called for the first panel. The clock drags ever so slowly while a movie is started on the overhead TV (a comedy with Robin Williams which I've already seen and did not find amusing). Eventually, three panels are called and I'm not on any of them.
Just when I started to think I'd get a lunch break without being called, a third round of names is announced and I'm in it. I walked to the elevators along with the 59 others, then waited to be let into the designated courtroom. After about fifteen endless minutes, we were allowed inside where once again, there are not enough seats, so 20 names were called to sit in what the judge refered to as "the bleachers" (the jury box and a row of seats in front of it). I wasn't one of the chosen 20.
The judge started to lecture all of us on "presumed innocence" and "burden of proof" before he decided it was time for lunch and turned us all out for an hour and a half. Blessed relief! All 60 of us arrived back promptly. The judge and his assistants and the two attorneys did not. After another interminable 20 minutes, we are called back into the courtroom and the endless questioning of individual jurors began. Everyone in the jury box got asked the same questions over and over, and everyone gave basically the same answers over and over.
Those of us not in "the bleachers" began to nod off. The judge noticed and gave us a ten minute break. When we returned, roughly half the people in "the bleachers" were let go and eleven more names called to replace them. Lucky me, I wound up in the second group. Now I had to actually appear semi-conscious. But I lucked out again, and the judge decided to send us home early and told everyone remaining (in both the audience and the bleachers) to be back at 9 a.m. tomorrow.
I did appreciate the extra hour of sleep, but was still not happy when I returned the next morning. Most of my fellow potential jurors seemed to share my opinion, especially after twenty, then thirty, then forty minutes passed while we all sat in the hallway. Finally at 9:45, the judge's assistant opened the door of the courtroom and told us we were all dismissed. Turns out the defendant 'cut a deal' with the district attorney while we all cooled our heels! ARGH!!!
All right, now that I've finished my whiny tale of woe, I'll admit that I couldn't escape the parallels of jury selection and writing.
First, you work and slave weeks and months over your baby/masterpiece until you have it in a resonably readable shape. Time to start the submission process! First you craft (with the help of your CPs and other writer-buddies) a flawlessly clever query letter, which you dutifully send off to meticulously researched agents and/or editors.
Then comes the hurry up and wait part!
With any luck at all, you will hear back from your query somewhere between six hours and six weeks. Again, with some small modicum of luck, you will receive at least one positive response, and you will then send off your partial manuscript and synopsis. This time, your wait will most likely range from six weeks to six months, maybe longer.
Now you will need a very large measure of luck and the correct star-allignment in order to receive the much coveted "request for a full." After screaming and telling all your online and in-person friends and unsuspecting family members, you hurry up and send your entire manuscript.
Weeks and months crawl by as you try not to think about your full manuscript that is under consideration... Who am I KIDDING?!?! I open my email every darn day holding my breath, and I know YOU do too! When the phone rings unexpectedly, I leap on it like that proverbial duck on a June bug.
Waiting and hoping for that magical SOMEDAY when "The Call" happens! And eventually, oh yes, that wonderful, mystical day really does arrive! But are your "hurry up and wait" days over? Aunty is sad to inform you that they most certainly are NOT.
You will still need to hurry up and wait for your revisions to be done and approved, for your copyedits to arrive, for your cover to be created. And most of all, you have to wait and Wait and WAIT for your finished book to actually be released.
This takes months, sometimes YEARS! And when you write and sell another book, you get to do it ALL OVER AGAIN!
But unlike Jury Duty, it is absolutely WORTH THE WAIT!!! Aunty guarantees it!
When was the last time you had to hurry up and wait? Are there some things (like a massage from Sven) that you don't mind waiting for? And have you ever been called to Jury Duty? Did you hate it as much as Aunty?
61 comments:
- Helen said...
Is he coming to my place
Have Fun
- August 18, 2009 at 2:41 AM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
Yes he is!!! Super Congrats, Helen, and HIDE the TimTams!
- August 18, 2009 at 2:42 AM
- Helen said...
I have lots of Tim Tams to share we are going to have fun Jayden and Hayley have just arrived for dinner.
Aunty Cindy
I am glad you have patience I would have been very annoyed waiting all that time and then having to go back the next day, lucky me I have never been called up for jury duty and I hope never too I couldn't stand all that waiting.
The longest wait I have ever had is waiting for my children to be born and then the grandchildren and they were all worth the wait and so are your books Aunty Cindy.
Have Fun
- August 18, 2009 at 2:51 AM
- Elyssa Papa said...
OMG, I so know what you're talking about, Aunt Cindy. I so did. I was in such a waiting and holding pattern, had sooooo many rejections on past two mss, and told myself last weekend that I was never going to get "the call."
Last Wednesday, I did. :)
- August 18, 2009 at 2:51 AM
- limecello said...
I've never been called to jury duty... but I think it'd kinda be super fun.
Or... I'd hate it. :D can't decide.
I have to hurry all the time. And wait all the time- though they don't necessarily go hand in hand.
Congrats on the GR, Helen!
:P The blog hates me - I kept refreshing and it wouldn't update :P
- August 18, 2009 at 2:56 AM
- Lynz Pickles said...
Congrats on the GR, Helen!
Ugh, waiting. I'm one of the most impatient people I know, so it's not something I'm very good at. I'm glad I've never been called to jury duty, I'd be horrible at the waiting part.
The last time I had to hurry up and wait was when I was applying ofr disability. It's a time-consuming process, so I kept trying to get started, which involves phoning a liaison person and getting the forms you need, etc etc. The liaiason person never returned the calls, though... notice the calls plural? I'd wait for a couple of months between them before trying again. It took over a year for my calls to be returned, arrrg! Once I got all the forms I needed, I hurried to finish them and send in my application. After sending it in, I got to - you guessed it! - wait again! I had to wait for an intake worker to call and set up an appointment with me to see if my financial position rendered me eligible. Once she called, I had to wait over a month for an appointment with her. I had my appointment, and we determined that I was financially eligible, so next I had to hurry and fill in a second set of forms. Oh, and I had to hurry and get a set to my doctor, then wait for her to finish them. After gathering allllll the forms together, I sent them in and got to wait. Again.
Fortunately for me, my case was pretty clear-cut, so once they finally got around to reviewing my case, I got approved right away. But all that hurry up and wait-ing drove me nuts!
- August 18, 2009 at 3:24 AM
- Jane said...
Congrats on the GR, Helen.
Hi Aunty Cindy,
I have to hurry up and wait every time I have to head to the airport for a flight. You rush to make sure you get there with at least an hour or two to spare, but then you end up waiting and waiting for your flight to board and take off.
- August 18, 2009 at 3:42 AM
- Anna Campbell said...
Helen, one chook for you!
I'm back from RWOz which was fantastic. But I have a book due in two weeks, so I probably won't be around much until after the end of the month. Wish me luck.
Sadly, the green monster did not come home with a RBY. But the article in the local paper where I got to be on the front page did win the media award which was a lovely moment. Congratulations to Anne Gracie. Her wonderful THE CAPTIVE PRINCESS won my category and absolutely deserved to. Congratulations to the other winners too.
Hey, any Aussies around? I've got a short story in Woman's Day this week. Check it out if you can.
Ahem, sorry, Cindy, this is turning into a mini blog!
- August 18, 2009 at 4:15 AM
- Anna Campbell said...
Cindy, what a clever twist on jury duty. It IS like writing! I remember getting my runes read years ago (don't ask!) and the guy said that I was in this life to learn patience. Clearly he must have known I was a writer. I used to be incredibly impatient and all that does is make me unhappy. I try these days to take a much more laissez-faire approach to life. Well, for like five minutes, anyway!
- August 18, 2009 at 4:16 AM
- Helen said...
I am sure you all had a great time at the conference in my eyes Untouched is a winner but gotta say I loved Anne Gracie's book as well.
I will be buying Womans Day on my way to work tomorrow morning I wouldn't miss it.
Have Fun
- August 18, 2009 at 5:31 AM
- Trish Milburn (Tricia Mills) said...
Jury duty. Been there, done that. Okay, I didn't have to sit on a jury, but I did that whole going in early, sitting in the jury pool room with 299 other people (only we didn't get a movie), and then going to a courtroom but never getting to the questioning part.
Hubby got called once and was actually seated on a jury for a murder trial. Thankfully, it was pretty cut and dried and he was out of there inside a week.
- August 18, 2009 at 8:34 AM
- Trish Milburn (Tricia Mills) said...
Elyssa, huge congrats on getting The Call!
- August 18, 2009 at 8:35 AM
- Terry Odell said...
I enjoy jury duty. First, it's about the last bastion of democracy left. Next, if I had to go to trial, I'd want someone like me on the jury. And it's a wonderful way to people watch. Writing fodder.
- August 18, 2009 at 8:45 AM
- Beth said...
The one time I had jury duty was when I was pregnant with my older daughter (15 yrs ago) The trial was interesting especially since the defendant represented himself.
Elyssa, super congrats on The Call!! Can you share the details?
- August 18, 2009 at 9:10 AM
- EilisFlynn said...
I can't think of a reason NOT to hate jury duty, unless you really, really need a break from your day job!
- August 18, 2009 at 9:23 AM
- PJ said...
I've mellowed considerably over the years and am much more patient about waiting than I used to be. I just make sure I always have a good romance book along for the ride. :)
I've been called for jury duty twice. The first time was when we lived in a large city and, more recently, in the small town where I now live. Totally different experiences!
The city experience was very impersonal and "by the book" with a jury pool of over 200. Everyone was impatient and I don't think there was anyone who wanted to be there, except perhaps for a few who were just glad to not have to go to work. People stared at the floor, wouldn't make eye contact and heaven forbid they should actually talk to someone. So not me! lol
When I was called here a few years ago there were about 30 people in our jury pool. Among the group were my mail carrier, a clerk from a store I frequent, a receptionist from my doctor's office, a fellow volunteer from the hospital and at least three people I knew from church. Not a single person stared at the floor and by the time we were called into the courtroom for questioning the first morning we were all chatting like we'd been friends forever. Small southern towns are wonderful!
Alas, I was not chosen for either jury. Seems bankers who are the daughters of retired lawyers and married to retired military men aren't too high on the list of desired jurors.
- August 18, 2009 at 9:41 AM
- TerriOsburn said...
Oddly enough, I have never been called for jury duty. Though I think it would be interesting. Like PJ, I'd make sure I had a book along for the slow times and I'd like to see the process in action. Even if there's very little action. LOL!
TWO WEEKS! Whoot!
- August 18, 2009 at 9:50 AM
- Donna MacMeans said...
LOL - I'm right with you AC on the "early morning" at being in court at 8 AM. I read that in Victorian times, "morning" receptions were generally held between 4 and 7 PM. Is it any wonder that I love the Victorians! (grin).
I've never served on jury duty (knock on wood). I believe in the necessity, and actually believe I would enjoy participating on an actual trial, but the whole concept of waiting and waiting and waiting for nothing leaves me cold.
I think the last time I had to hurry and wait (besides the submission process) is an the airport. That entire industry is based on packing you in there early to wait for boarding, wait for a position in line, wait for takeoff, etc.
Congrats to Helen for nabbing the wiley wooster.
- August 18, 2009 at 10:27 AM
- MsHellion said...
A brilliant post--funny, clever, but with that "moral of the story" that makes you pause at the end. Thank you, Aunty Cindy!
My life is a perpetual hurry up and wait. And nothing as interesting as jury duty. *LOL*
- August 18, 2009 at 11:30 AM
- magolla said...
Ya know, I should have thought about the jury duty analogy--it works very well! I've been called up on JD five times for City-County and once for Federal (a month long stint that requires you to call in every Friday to see if you made the cut).
I've sat through the hideousness and learned more about rebar, 'dead' femur joints, and discrimination that I even want to think about--and that was only a portion of the cases that I had to sit on!
*sigh* It is boring.
There aren't enough outlets to plug in the laptop, or chairs, or desks. Don't even get me started about how to even TRY to get out of JD on a case. My niece works as a DA in the office and they still didn't kick me off--the attorney had to use one of her six whatever-they-are-called excusals.
I think I have another year before they can call me up again. Why is it I've been called six times in twenty-five years and I have friends who have NEVER been called???
- August 18, 2009 at 12:09 PM
- Virginia said...
Congrats Helen, I think he likes it at your house, have fun with him today!
Loved the post! Yes I have had jury duty and I hate, hate, hate it.
- August 18, 2009 at 12:57 PM
- jo robertson said...
Great post, Aunty Cindy. The parallels between writing and jury selection are so apt! You're truly at the mercy of someone else's speed or pokiness, usually the latter.
I always remind myself, however, that if there were no deals cut, the entire jury process would grind to a halt.
Yay, Helen, he's definitely coming to your house. Congrats!
- August 18, 2009 at 1:04 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
Morning Everyone!
Me, Donna, and the Victorians are just crawling out to greet the day. :-P
Helen, I had to LOL when you said I had patience. I'm the world's most IMpatient person! Pregnancy was the absolute worst torture for me. Nine long months, and then I went 11 days passed my due date. ARGH!!!!
Thanx a BUNCH for saying my books are worth the wait. Amazon says they have Treasures of Venice IN STOCK NOW! YAY! AT LAST!
- August 18, 2009 at 1:15 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
You got THE CALL?!?!?!?! SUPER SUPER CONGRATS!!!! Details, woman! WE MUST HAVE THEM!!!
So excited and happy for you,
- August 18, 2009 at 1:17 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
The blog was giving all of us fits last night. Blogger decided Romance Bandits was a SPAM blog.... ARGH!!! DO NOT get me started...
I do think some aspects of jury duty are interesting, and you probably would enjoy them... the FIRST TIME! For me this was my 3rd call in 6 years. UGH!
- August 18, 2009 at 1:20 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
Oh Lynz,
What a PAIN IN THE PATOOT you had to endure! Thank goodness it all had a happy ending but GEEZ! I'm sure it felt like it would never arrive...
- August 18, 2009 at 1:21 PM
- catslady said...
Knock on wood but the last time I was called for jury duty I had two small babies and didn't have to go. I wouldn't mind going for something interesting but there is also a big transportation problem (sigh). Anyway my husband just went through two or three days and then they settled. Seems there has to be a better way. There should be a time limit on settling or something. Or a fine if they wait until the last minute.
As far as hurry up and wait I seem to do a lot of that. Too many people think their time is more valuable I guess. It's rude really.
- August 18, 2009 at 1:25 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
Hi Jane,
I agree that the airport is one of the most frustrating "hurry up and wait" spots on earth. Luckily, you do get a nice reward (a flight to someplace, usually fun) for all the waiting. ;-) I can usually tolerate it for that reason, EXCEPT when flights are delayed, of course.
- August 18, 2009 at 1:27 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
Welcome home Fo!!!
I'm with Helen, "Untouched" will always be a BIG WINNER with me! But congrats to Anne G! So nice to have a Bandita Buddy win.
I blame astrology for my impatience. Saggitarius is supposed to be that way. Our motto is: God give me patience and I want it NOW!
- August 18, 2009 at 1:35 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
Now see, I think sitting on a jury for a murder trial would be interesting! My good friend was on an attempted murder, she said it was a gang-related hit. SCARY stuff but great fodder for story material!
I've been seated on 2 previous juries and both cases should have NEVER come to court, IMHO. They were just clogging up the system! GRRR!
- August 18, 2009 at 1:41 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
All kidding aside, out judicial system may have its flaws but it is still the one *I* want if I'm ever accused of anything!
As for the people watching... the courthouse truly can NOT be beat! Just the fashion choices alone in the prospective jurors is fodder for many, many characters. ;-)
- August 18, 2009 at 1:47 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
The defendant represented himself?!?! Well, we all know what -- was it Mark Twain? -- said about that! But that is part of the beauty of our system. People are allowed to do that. And what GREAT stuff for a future story!
- August 18, 2009 at 1:49 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
Believe it or not, the guy sitting next to me in "the bleachers" said he really hoped he'd be picked because he needed the break from his day job! So there are a few of those folks out there.
- August 18, 2009 at 1:56 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
PJ, your small town jury selection actually sounds FUN!
Too bad mine was the big city version. :-( Like I said, I honestly don't mind the trial part (even if it is frivilous) so much, just the LOOOONG drawn out process to get there.
- August 18, 2009 at 1:58 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
I was NEVER called until 1998. I had just started a new job, of course, and received my very first jury summons. I was actually excited about it until I had to sit through my first round of jury selection. It was a drunk driving case and they threw me off because my ex used to do blood alcohol analysis and I knew how that process worked. They were afraid I'd know more than their expert witnesses!
- August 18, 2009 at 2:01 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
You, me and the Victorians are definitely IN SYNC!!!
Like I said, the trial itself is not so bad, but the process of selecting the jury is torturously slow. If you've never been called, BRACE YOURSELF! Once you are called, you seem to be called back on a fairly steady basis.
- August 18, 2009 at 2:07 PM
- Cassondra said...
Helen, congrats on the chook!
Okay off to read the blog
- August 18, 2009 at 2:08 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
Thank you, Hellion! (Aunty blushes daintily at praise)
Woe is YOU, if your life is more boring than jury duty!!!
- August 18, 2009 at 2:09 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
Rebar and dead femur joints?!?! OMGosh! My romantic suspense sense (kinda like spidey sense) is TINGLING! That just BEGS to be put into a book!
I can't believe they don't kick you off every time with a niece who is a DA! They usually toss out anyone who has anything to do with the judicial system and/or law enforcement.
I too have friends who have NEVER been called. I was one of those people until 1998. Now I've been called 4 times! Talk about no rest for the wicked. ;-)
- August 18, 2009 at 2:13 PM
- Elyssa Papa said...
Thanks so much for the congrats!
I don't want to blog hog comment, but I am so excited about my news. Kimberly Witherspoon of Inkwell Management is my agent!!!
(For the past few years, I've gotten 173 rejections---# includes my first two mss and on the book that landed me my agent, so I know about rejections.)
Basically, the short version:
Email Tuesday: Are you available to talk tomorrow?
Me: Yes!
*OMG ensues, followed by it doesn't mean you'll have an agent, followed by OMG, this is it*
Phone rings on Wednesday morning. I haven't slept at all.
Agent Kimberly Witherspoon: *talks about book and how much she likes it, etc.*
Me: *stunned*
KW: *talks more*
Me, thinking: *OMG, she's actually read my book*
KW: So, you'll get an email next week...
Me, in my "genius" moment: So, does this mean you're offering representation?
KW: Yes. You're my client.
Phone conversation ends.
Me: *happy dancing*
Longer details can be found here.
- August 18, 2009 at 2:13 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
FANTASTIC NEWS, Elyssa!!!!
Thanx for sharing! You know how we LURVE to celebrate in the Lair!
CABANA BOYS! Break out the blenders!!!
(waiting for a certain Bandita to announce some good news too)
- August 18, 2009 at 2:15 PM
- Anna Campbell said...
Thanks, Helen! Hope you enjoy it. I like the hero!
Ely, congratulations again! It's such super news!
- August 18, 2009 at 3:08 PM
- Nancy said...
Helen, have fun with the rooster. If you share those Tim Tams, you're going to spoil him! He'll have expectations on future visits, y'know. *g*
- August 18, 2009 at 5:39 PM
- Nancy said...
AC, it seems to me that you are a fine one to talk of gallivanting, Ms Been to Turkey and Goes on Cruises. :-)
When was the last time I hurried up and waited? Flying home from National. As Donna says, you get there early, and then you wait. At least I had a book. But I always have a book.
- August 18, 2009 at 5:45 PM
- Nancy said...
Elyssa, congrats on getting the call! All that waiting and enduring finally paid off, didn't it?
- August 18, 2009 at 5:46 PM
- jo robertson said...
I'm pretty impatient about waiting too, but I know AC doesn't have that problem (snork, snork). It's one of the reasons I always have a book with me. I think most readers do.
I served jury duty only once. I like watching the process, but I was an alternate, so I had to do all the work, but couldn't be in on the jury deliberations. Bummer.
- August 18, 2009 at 6:14 PM
- jo robertson said...
Elyssa, you slipped that BIG news by us in a small way. Give, girl, we want all the thrilling details!
- August 18, 2009 at 6:16 PM
- jo robertson said...
Duh, should've looked at all the comments! Thrilling, Elyssa! Bone-chilling thrilling! Thanks for sharing; there's nothing better, I'm sure!
- August 18, 2009 at 6:18 PM
- Keira Soleore said...
Helen, it's been a while, eh?
Ely, hooray, again! Every time i read your news, I get excited all over again. And Banditas, I knew! I knew! You didn't. Nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah.
Jury Duty has to be one of those groan inducing, money-tossing, colossal waste of everyone's time activities. Worse, I don't believe in it. All the gossip ricocheting around the jury waiting rooms doesn't inpire confidence in the just-ness of the system either.
- August 18, 2009 at 6:39 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
Sorry everyone, I had to run out and do some errands which took longer than expected. Hurry up and wait AGAIN!
Virginia, glad you enjoyed my post, fellow jury duty sufferer!
- August 18, 2009 at 7:25 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
Hey Jo-Mama,
I seem to perpetually be at the mercy of someone else's pokiness! :-P
I know, I know, patience is NOT one of my virtues,
- August 18, 2009 at 7:27 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
I hear ya on other people thinking THEIR time is sooo important! Like all those idiots on the freeway who cut you off or tailgate or... Okay, NOT going there. :-P
I think a lot of defendants believe a jury trial is going to be no big deal, THEN they get a look at the jury members and hear what some of them have to say and REALITY CHECK! I'm pretty sure this was the case with this guy, and with another case I was on that was settled before the jury selection was finished. It sounds a lot easier than the reality turns out to be!
- August 18, 2009 at 7:32 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
Hi Cassondra!
Bye Cassondra!
Hope to see you later,
- August 18, 2009 at 7:37 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
Hey Nancy,
You KNOW Aunty has been stuck in the writing caves lo these many months, writing book #3. I'd been NOWHERE since the trip to Turkey, until I went to DC. TOTALLY worth blowing a couple weeks of cave time!!!
But I was still jealous of Christie getting to go to Italy! :-P (Aunty pouts) And the plane trips both to and from DC were NOT fun times for me... Good thing seeing all the Banditas and BBs more than made up for it. :-)
- August 18, 2009 at 7:41 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
MOI impatient?!?! I'm pretty sure if you look up the word in the dictionary, my picture is there. :-P
Of course I took a book with me. But it is difficult to read when you are being herded to a different locale every 15--20 minutes or so. Plus, they won't let you read inside the court room. :-(
- August 18, 2009 at 7:44 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
GLOATING does not become you, Ms. Keira. Just sayin...
As for the gossip going around in the halls and various waiting rooms, I don't think that scares me half so much as the "deal" cut before things ever get to the court house!
I feel my romantic suspense sense tingling again...
- August 18, 2009 at 7:51 PM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
Thanx to everyone for commenting today.
And SUPER CONGRATS again to Elyssa! (and Keira you know I was just jealous because you knew first!)
Cabana boys! Fire up the blenders for one more round of frosty margaritas before we call it a night.
- August 18, 2009 at 7:54 PM
- PJ said...
Ely, so glad you stopped in to share your big news. Congrats, again! I'm so very, very happy for you!
AC, I'm also impatient for your fellow Bandita to share her news. If it's the news I think it is, I heard about it earlier today and have sent her an email but can't wait to congratulate her here in the lair too! If it's somebody else's news then I can't wait to be surprised! :)
- August 18, 2009 at 9:37 PM
- Pat Cochran said...
I was lucky in that for many years
I didn't have to serve because of
having young children, my own and
my grandchildren to care for. The
four or five times I had to report,
I was not EVER selected and only
once did I ever reach an actual
court room for the preliminaries.
I never was so glad as when I did
reach the cut-off age. Like our
dear Aunty, it was not that I didn't want to serve, it just was not a very productive process!
Pat Cochran
- August 19, 2009 at 12:21 AM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
I dunno what you heard, but we LURVE GOOD NEWS in any way, shape, or form!!!
- August 19, 2009 at 2:36 AM
- Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...
My feelings exactly!
Thanks for popping by,
- August 19, 2009 at 2:37 AM


text:
Editor & Publisher had this article on the newspaper industry. I wouldn't call it entertaining, but it is worth a read.
His reasoning goes something like this: if newspapers want to recoup their lost revenue, they need to succeed online. To do that, they need network economics: the network effect and scale economics. Establishing a 'Switzerland Inc.' could help them attain that.
Monday, September 11, 2006
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text:
Sixteen Candles
Break Point
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa
Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?
World Trade Center
The Greatest Game Ever Played
Must Love Dogs
Are We There Yet?
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
All Michael Wilhoit films
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.
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text:
Now, I consider myself a fairly cautious rider. I always ride with my helmet and use hand signals. If the speed limit on a road is more than 30 mph, I ride on the sidewalk. I keep my eyes open and slow down when I cross driveways, because people are usually focused on the road, not the sidewalk. When I cross a road, I always wait for the signal, and if it's a major road I get off my bike and walk across. Sometimes people see me, slow down, and wait for me to cross an intersection/driveway before they turn in. Sometimes they blow by without even seeing me, chatting on their phone or staring at the road.
Today was the usual mix; I saw enough people completely ignore me that I had my usual morbid thoughts: geez, what if someone did hit me and I broke a leg? Could I get around? Could I teach class on crutches, or heaven forbid, in a wheelchair? I was feeling annoyed enough that I was thinking of posting on Facebook when I got home: "Diane wishes people would look at the crosswalk before plowing through intersections."
I was riding south on a major road (45 mph) and came to a red light at an intersection with a minor road (25 mph) leading into a sub. I stopped my bike just short of the road, so me and my bright blue bike would be visible to the traffic on the minor road. As their light turned yellow, someone pulled up to the light, right next to me. I waited for my walk light to turn, looked again to make sure the car was stopped, and proceeded into the intersection...
... whereupon the bastard pulled forward and ran me down! Luckily I saw him and jumped away from the bike, but he knocked the bike down and kept going enough to get one of my pedals caught under his bumper. He finally stopped, backed away from my bike (which I had to hold onto so it wasn't dragged by the pedal), and stopped to check on me. I was shocked and he was shocked, but luckily I hadn't been touched by the car. The bike's chain slipped off, but otherwise it was working fine, too. I told the guy no harm, no foul, and we went our separate ways. Among his apologies was "I've never done anything like this before." I nodded, but this was what I felt like saying:
IDIOT! It only takes the FIRST time!
I also felt like saying:
HEY MORON! It's called a CROSSWALK for a reason!
You're supposed to stop at the big fat line, FATHEAD!
Sigh. I've thought some more about it, and what I really wished I could say was something to all the distracted drivers who find me and my bright blue bike invisible: It only takes one time. Hmmmm, I think I feel a letter to the editor coming on....


text:
Shockingly poor technique
I happened to watch a bit of Indian batting in the ongoing India-England test series, but it was just a series of cringe-worthy moments one after the other. Mukund, Raina, Yuvraj and Dhoni – these guys just have no clue about batting technique at all. They don't even know the basics of batting in test cricket. I don't know if it is the ODIs or the T20s that have ruined these guys, but if this is what mainstream Indian batting is going to look like when Dravid, Laxman and Tendulkar retire, then India would be lucky to be rated in Top 5 test teams, leave alone being the best.
Consider the Terrorist
It turns out that terrorists may be nitwits. Sample these:
… it's fair to say that the Taliban employ the world's worst suicide bombers [in Afghanistan]: one in two manages to kill only himself. And this success rate hasn't improved at all in the five years they've been using suicide bombers, despite the experience of hundreds of attacks—or attempted attacks. In Afghanistan, as in many cultures, a manly embrace is a time-honored tradition for warriors before they go off to face death. Thus, many suicide bombers never even make it out of their training camp or safe house, as the pressure from these group hugs triggers the explosives in suicide vests. [The Atlantic]
Of course, a bullet fired from a nitwit's gun would be just as deadly as one from (say) Sheldon Cooper's gun.
Tendulkar Reaches IPL Semifinals
Really, how else would you describe the event of Mumbai Indians (MI) becoming the first team to confirm a place in the IPL 2010 semifinal lineup?
He has scored about 27% of the runs scored by MI, and is the highest run scorer in the tournament so far (512, strike rate 139.5). In 11 outings, he has been Player of the Match 4 times. And while he is leading the tally in the number of 4s hit (71), he has only hit 3 sixes (2 of them came in the last over of the 11th match).
The numbers are amazing enough but, what is really astounding is that he shows no sign whatsoever of the slightest dip in his hunger for more.
On April 24, he will turn 37. And 2010 is turning out to be one of his best years. Except for winning an ODI World Cup, he has no other real milestone left to cross. So, what is it that not only keeps him going but going like this?
I don't have an answer to that, of course. Perhaps, as he has said several times, it is simply his love for the game. I just hope that this love stays exactly as it is.
Things People Write on Currency Notes
I am not sure if this is a global thing, but the practice of writing stuff down on currency notes is rather widespread in India. If you are reading this post in India, check your wallet right now. I am sure that half the notes would have something scribbled on them.
The most common thing is the count of notes. Usually, when people are making stacks of 100 notes, they mark the count on the topmost note. In my wallet right now, I have 7, 49, 84 and 100 marked on notes. Another common thing is names and/or phone numbers.
But it is a rare note that is blessed by a poetic verse or a shopping list. I got this one as change a couple of days ago:
I didn't even know there was such a deodorant on the market!
I have edited out the mobile number scribbled on the note. Also check out the serial number – a pretty good hand to hold while playing Liar's Poker.
Now, what do you have in your wallet right now?
Bugging Me
I interrupt my holiday to bring you this bug from your nightmares:
Now, my question is: what the heck is it called? Can someone point me to a Wikipedia entry on this creature? The only other information I can give you is that this thing is about the size of a housefly (Musca domestica). They have been invading our house for several days now, and not knowing their identity is bugging me a lot.
How I Became a Cricket Fan
Over at Smoke Signals, Prem Panicker has published an American's account of becoming a Cricket fan. Prem adds:
On Cricinfo Gopal Rangachary talks of how he became a cricket fan. Strikes me, though we are all fans of the game, each of us acquired our fanboy status in different ways. Chikodi and Gopal have their stories; what's yours? [Smoke Signals]
It reminded me of of my own entry into Cricket-fandom.
I was a voracious reader from an early age, and reading a newspaper was part of my daily routine by the time I was 7-8 years old. At the time, it was just the regional Hindi newspaper. I especially liked to read the op-ed page and the serialized comic-strip that this paper published. A lot of this reading was beyond my intellectual grasp, but I read it all anyway because there was something new to read every day – something that was not possible with books, though they had their own place in my reading scheme.
It must have been either around the time Tendulkar and Kambli created a new world record, or when Tendulkar played his first series in Pakistan (or was selected for it – my memory is fuzzy on the exact details). There was a newspaper article about Tendulkar, and what a phenomenal talent he was at such an early age. The article also carried a photo of Tendulkar.
It was that photo that made me think – if that young kid (just a few years older than me) can do it, then so can I. Parents were urged to purchase a bat and a ball, cousin sister was recruited to play against me ("one more thing for you to better me at"), stumps were drawn on a wall with a piece of red brick, and a new Cricket fan was born.
A few years down the line, and I was setting 3:00 AM alarms to watch the action in Australia (also triggering my English-learning in order to understand the commentary). A while later, I bunked school for the first (and last, I swear) time to watch a game, which turned out to be the game in which Tendulkar hit his first ODI century.
I could go on and on, but perhaps this should be kept to a personal story about one's initiation to the game. The longer story of being obsessed with Cricket (going to the extent of watching Bangladesh-Zimbabwe Test matches) is for another day.
Pandora's Gearbox
This is one of those games that will leave you wishing that it had more levels.
Pandora's Gearbox is puzzle game where you're trying to get a ball though a machine to the finish area. You can't see into the machine, so you have to guess what's inside. You have several tools that help you in your task. You can move objects that are red directly. You also have a robot with built-in sonar that can explore the inside of the puzzle. [IndieBird]
Once you solve a level, the black curtain will come off and you'd be able to see the entire set-up for that level. The puzzles are just hard enough to be challenging, but not so hard that they aren't fun. While the levels go from 1 to 10, I don't think you'll find them as being of increasing difficulty. I found Level 9 to be the toughest, and a couple of other levels had their own "aha" moments.
The game has a nice background music, and the graphics are pretty neat too. A really enjoyable game, and totally worth one's time.
Go get it now! If you get stuck at a level, play another level and come back to it later. Have fun!


text:
Will help you free physical memory so that you can speed up your computer and make it run at an optimal level.
Power Memory Booster is designed to make your computer run faster and crash less often. It can optimize RAM to make your computerrun faster and crash less often, increases your system performance by cleaning the content of your RAM and lets you know the CPU information, memory usage, processes, and applications running on your computer.
Power Memory Booster is a smart memory management program that will keep your computer (PC) running better, faster, and longer. It continuously monitors your computer's memory, whenever free RAM goes too low, recovers your PC's physical memory by transferring data to page files. It also displays real-time graph of available physical Memory and page files.
Overall, this software will help you free physical memory so that you can speed up your computer and make it run at an optimal level.
Here are some key features of "Power Memory Booster":
· A high-performance memory manager
· Monitor your system and automatically optimize it when needed without interrupting your work.
· Speed up your computer by managing its memory
· See exactly how much memory you have at any time
· You can change the automatic memory optimization settings
· You can specify how much memory you want to free up
· You can use the slider to specify how much memory should be freed. Click recommended to free up the specified amount of memory.
· The module under Clipboard shows the current amount of memory occupied by the data in your clipboard.
· Add the process you want to clean up or compress into the Black List.
· Add the process you do not want to clean up or compress into the White List.
· Fast free and deep compress much more easier and faster.


text:
Before I share a fun strategy for ordering numbers. I wanted to show you what I spent all night doing... I cut my Apple Activities Pack. I put it on sale this week so go check it out here!
To practice ordering numbers, we use our bodies since ordering numbers with just a paper and a pencil can be pretty boring.
First, every table is assigned a decade ( teens, twenties, etc.) The students must choose a number in that decade that is different from everyone else's at their table. This ensures that everyone in the room has a different number for this activity.
Once everyone has their number written on a post-it note, we move around the room to the music. Once the music stops, the students freeze and listen for their challenge.
I will then call out a direction such as "Make a group of three" and I count back from 10 and they have 10 seconds to find two others.
Once in their group and I have reached zero in my count, they wait for the next direction which is "order". This cues them to order themselves from least to greatest. The students have to position their bodies to represent their order as well. For example, the student whose number is the least will be shortest, the number in the middle, a little taller and the greatest number the tallest.
Here are some pics of my kids after they had ordered themselves.
Hope that gave you an easy way to make a mundane skill more engaging and fun!


text:
Ronaldo wishes Casillas luck on Porto adventure
After Iker Casillas' departure from Real Madrid, former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo wished the goalkeeper good luck.
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has hailed departing goalkeeper Iker Casillas following the Spaniard's move to Porto.
Casillas made 725 appearances for Real after making his debut in 1999 and enjoyed a glittering career at the Santiago Bernabeu, although his latter years at the club saw him struggle to maintain his high standards.
The 34-year-old was famously dropped by Jose Mourinho in 2012-13 and, while he regained his position under Carlo Ancelotti, the Spain captain was on the receiving end of boos from the Bernabeu faithful late on in his Real career.
Casillas said farewell to the club at news conferences on Sunday and Monday, with Ronaldo tweeting his own personal tribute.
The Portugal skipper posted: "Iker, proud to have worked with you for so many years. Good luck with your new team!"


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text:
domenica 27 dicembre 2009
venerdì 25 dicembre 2009
Merry Christmas!
martedì 22 dicembre 2009
Brittany Murphy Tribute
I loved Brittany Murphy, I've always thought she was a great actress she always made me smile..I saw her the first time in "Clueless" one of my favorite movies ever..
In "Uptown Girls" I wanted to be exactly like her..I couldn't stop to watch it! She was absolutely perfect! Her style, her hair, her make up..I even wanted the same piggy she had in the movie!!
domenica 20 dicembre 2009
Love Love Love Moschino
Tanja S London
giovedì 17 dicembre 2009
My Romantic Christmas
Dress and sweater H&M 19,99€/9,95€, skirt Xmiss 112€, dress Moschino 848€, fur jacket Reiss Nyasia 219€, studded shoes H&M 12,90€, Heeled shoes Karen Millen 152€, nail polish Dior, perfume "La Lune" D&G, Lingerie Topshop 34€, bag Marni 529€.
venerdì 11 dicembre 2009
Love the Cover
martedì 8 dicembre 2009
Drew Barrymore at the Tribeca Film Institute
I LOVE the Emilio Pucci dress that Drew wore at the Tribeca Film Institute for the screening of her new movie "Everybody's fine".
Sorry if I did not wrote for days but I had problems with my pc..
Sorry if I did not wrote for days but I had problems with my pc..
martedì 1 dicembre 2009
(500) Days of Summer
This weekend I saw (500) Days of Summer and I found it so adorable! I love how it's made and I love the story so unusual.."This is not a love story but a story about love"!
Here how to recreate her look!
All Bows and Bandits
All Bows and Bandits
Belt and Bow Topshop
Posted by The Heart Of Fashion a 17:55
5 commenti:
Etichette: Movies
Mary Kate Olsen
Love it..
I want her shoes!!
Olsens Anonymous
I want her shoes!!
Olsens Anonymous
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