Its All Greek To Me

The best moment of 2005, huh?

So my best moment of 2005 would have to be coming out of anesthesia from surgery yesterday and getting to eat warm cinnamon raisin toast with butter and a warm cup of tea. The reason for that is 1. because with all the meds I'm taking today, I can't remember any farther back, and 2. because waking up and not having any worries or pain and getting to do something so simple as eat a sweet treat is just the best in the world. Hope everyone has a GREAT 2006 and that the good vibes I'm sending out catch all of ya!

Technorati Tag: 2005

Magalie's World Tour 2005

Magalie's post today highlights two of my very favorite things: Tea and hiking. As a novice hiker, I am very impressed with the fact that she hiked in a foreign country all by herself. Solo. In the jungle. And as a tea drinker, I love that she finished her hike with a cup of tea grown in the region she had been traipsing through. It doesn't get any better than this:

i saw a waterfall, butterflies, tons of different types of ferns, a squirel and a few birds but nothing to write home about (although i'm kinda doing that, aren't i?). i went up to the observation tower and the landscape was beautiful, with mountains playing hide and seek with the clouds.

after the hike i headed to the old smoke house, where i had great locally grown tea with a slice of spicy fruit cake, 2 scones, home made strawberry jam (nothing compared to mine!) and thick cream. yummy! the whole place felt very english and it was all proper. i thought that it was a great way to get energy back after a hike and i wondered why i never did that in whistler after hikes instead of going for nachos :)

Travel books almost invariably have a "women traveling alone" section - or at least a mention of things women who are traveling alone should do in that particular country - that addresses women's safety in that country. This has always made me wary - I'm not as adventurous as I like to think I am. So to read Magalie's solo hike in the jungle, then capping it off at a tea house, drinking locally grown tea is just mindblowingly amazing to me.

Props to Magalie for being fearless.




Technorati Tag: travel

homesick home

A Very Jungian Christmas

We at the Homesick Home desperately need some Carl Jung dream analysis.


Perhaps it was the pork roast I made last night -- the recipe called for sake, but I didn`t have any, so I put in a bottle of Anchor Steam beer. Whatever it was, three members of our household had weird dreams.

Technorati Tag: dreams

scribbling woman

Carnival of Feminists V

Here is some holiday reading of the feminist variety, and a day early, too. Thanks to all the nominators, particularly as I have not been able to surf too much this last little while. And a happy Winter Solstice to all!

There are alot of links here ... make yourself comfy and prepare yourself to read for more than a few minutes.

Technorati Tag: feminist

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid

The writer at Full Exposure is beating herself up for sleeping with the ex.

We've all done it. We've all regretted it afterwards. (Or have we?)

But I have to say, this one passage really struck a chord with me, because it is SO true (for me, anyway):

I am a sucker for funny. Funny will get me naked quicker than anything else on God's green Earth.

What is it about funny guys that is so sexy? A funny man will do it to me every time. Seriously.

As far as sleeping with the ex, I hope that by now (since you posted on 12/5) you've cut yourself some slack. Girl, there's nothing wrong with a little somethin' somethin' as long as you don't get caught up again. Recognize this moment for what it was, and then move on. You've only got one life to live. Enjoy it. Don't spend it regretting the past.


Technorati Tag: relationships

The Happy Feminist

THE CARNIVAL OF BENT ATTRACTIONS

In case you are not all carnival-ed out, I have stumbled across a brand new, very cool sounding carnival-- The Carnival of Bent Attractions hosted by Daily Dose of Queer. This Carnival may have the best title ever -- and, as you may be able to infer, it features posts of interest to the gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, trans and queer communities.


Feminists, whether we have "bent attractions" ourselves or not, are natural allies of the gay community because we too are fighting the notion that we have to "be" a particular way or live a particular way due to gender roles. For example, I take laws limiting state-sponsored marriage to "one man, one woman" very personally because I interpret those laws as one step by the state towards dictating gender roles. As a childless professional woman, I view that as a threat.

Technorati Tag: feminist

Words on a Page

When did Republicans and Democrats switch parties?

Back in Lincoln's time republicans were, well decidely more like democrats. If you've studied much history, you know this to be true. Who would have ever thought it would take a democrat to finally turn the national deficit into a national surplus? And who would have ever believed a republican would send it spiraling so far out of control?


What has happened to the people who call themselves conservatives? I always thought Republicans were the party of the people who wanted LESS government interference in their private lives. LESS government regulating what we as private citizens could do, say, think, read, watch on TV, eat, drink, smoke, or whom we have sex with. That and LESS government spending. Keeping a tight reign on the fiscal budget. Which would ultimately mean lower taxes.


Aren't Republicans suppose to be all about personal responsiblity? Taking care of yourself and your family. Minding your own business and letting your neighbors mind theirs?

Technorati Tag: politics

Christmas Party

It's that time of year again. Time for the seemingly incessant holiday party circuit!

I went to one last week, and it was actually pretty fun. One of my coworkers hosted the party at her house and brought in one of the chefs from Boulevard to cook for us. [We're big foodies over here in the Bay Area, I tell ya.] A comparative tasting of Scotch followed.

It was a great night. The party was swanky, yet informal. Comfortable. But then again, I knew almost everyone there.

SOH at Someone Out There regales us with her tale of a holiday party she attended this weekend. I know I can definitely relate:

I'm tired this morning, more mentally tired than physically. I spent six plus hours at a pre-Christmas cocktail party yesterday afternoon and evening. Six hours of yackety-yak and small talk.

I'm a quiet person, more inclined to reading, blogging, movie watching and hanging with the family, than socializing with large groups of people. Still, I ventured forth yesterday into the world of the Christmas party. I slapped on some makeup (which I normally shun unless absolutely necessary), slipped on my Christmas sweater (Oh God, I just know that is so cliched and wrong) and shuffled down the street to the neighbor's house.

Hello neighbors, here I am. Everyone take a look! I have stepped outside of my house! Oh well, not exactly like that but something similar. Am I the only one who feels that way when they arrive at a party? If I could crawl in a corner and hide, I probably would. Somehow, I manage to make it through the awkward first hour and then as more and more people arrive, it's easy to blend into the crowd and feel less conspicuous.

The better half and I intended to stay only an hour or two but we found ourselves chatting it up with various people who live only a few houses away. People I have never met or seen before but who live their lives only a few hundred feet from me. They were interesting to spend a little bit of time with. Hour two passed into hour three and then four. Before I knew it, hour six had arrived and it was definitely time to head home.

[...]

The outing was interesting and fun. I'm glad I went but I have to acknowledge that I'm really not a party person. So, for the moment, I just want to curl up on the couch and watch something, anything, to stop the party voices in my head.

I don't know what it is about the holidays, but I have found myself more and more being forced to painfully attempt to make small talk with many people that really have nothing to say to me. I'll admit, I am shy (at times), and it's in mixed company where I find the most performance anxiety.

Some people, like SOH, just aren't "party people." It's exhausting making small talk for hours on end, to people who you may or may not ever see again.

What are some of your "tried and true" conversation starters? Let's have a discussion here - maybe your suggestion will help someone out for an upcoming party this weekend!


Technorati Tag: holidays

Battlepanda

Blogging Cory Maye...con't

Bastard! "...some times people do irrational things." That's the motive they used to charge Maye with first-degree murder? That and "we do not know what else he might have to hide" (that you obviously did not find in the course of your investigation of Maye, Mr. Persecutor). Ugh! I'm going to go out on a limb and say that if Maye was white, the persecutor would not be coming up with this kind of retarded presumption of criminal intent despite of all available evidence.


I am listening to NPR right now where they are having something of a mini Tookie-thon. I mean, I'm glad Tookie reformed and all, and it's true I'm against the death penalty in general. But we should not be doing all this handwringing over Tookie when a completely and obviously innocent man like Cory Maye is rotting on death row.

Please click over and read what she and other bloggers have to say bout this. I've even blogged about Cory Maye. If you have a blog yourself, please consider adding your say as well. More attention needs to be given to this case.

Technorati Tag: Cory Maye

Nancy's Crazy Adventures

The Chocolate Tasting Club November Selection Review

The Chocolate tasting club November Selection arrived this week to my delight, well packaged as usual and containing the usual menu score card and Chocolate news letter. Their Christmas Catalogue is wonderful, I will order a few things and review them if I can afford it.


This months selection included fudge which is unusual though it was chocolate covered and called "Ariba Fudge by Hachez Feodora" only made with premium ingredients including madagascan vanilla and arriba cocoa from Ecuador. It was lovely delicately wrapped in foil and paper, melting easily in the mouth and not over sweetened.

... and there is more ...

Technorati Tag: chocolate

Home Fires

In the spirit of the commercialism of the season, Lois Lane over at Home Fires offers up an interesting idea (just don't call it a meme!):

Our imaginary community is so tight that we know each other better than some of our real live fleshy friends know us or we them.

This is no meme crap either so don't give me any lip about playing! Here is what I want you to do. When you see an item that makes you think of a fellow blogger make a mental note. When you get home, type about the person and the gift and why you would get that for them. Money is no object and it's the thought that counts, so "shop" 'til ya drop.

Since the weeks before Christmas are so crazy and hectic, and many of us won't have time to blog, this will be a quick fix. You'll have the notes on your computer. Now all you have to do is do an image search of the gifts and post them all.

Have any of you started holiday shopping yet? I have so many nieces and nephews to shop for that by the time I get through with them, I probably won't have any resources available - or maybe very little - for my friends! A sudden burst of creativity is definitely needed.

Maybe I can just knit everyone a scarf.


Technorati Tag: Holidays

Letter to Kevin and Pauline, Bilingual Kiwi Kids in France

Nocturnal Earthshaking Belly Laughs

For some strange reason, in the middle of the night, I dreamed of someone telling me that terrible old joke:


Q: How do you become a Olympic medal-winning athletics champion?
A: You sit in the bath until you're Dick Quax...


I started to laugh silently, so as not to wake French Hubby, but the effect of the belly laugh straining to escaped my clamped shut mouth produced vibrations strong enough to make the bed shake. The more I tried to stop, the harder I laughed, and the more the bed shook. French Hubby eventually woke up with a start and wanted to know what was happening. He's really miffed that the pun simply cannot be translated into French.


Oh, it's lovely to be self-sufficient in the entertainment department!

Technorati Tag: humor

Commemorating World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day.

Danya at Jerusalem Syndrome posts today about the art community's poignant way of remembering those creative souls who have died as a result of this disease.

Art is covered up in museums around the world to commemorate the many people in the art world who have died of AIDS.

Danya also highlights several organizations available if you are so inclined to do your part to stop this epidemic. We're not even close to getting a handle on this. Far more work needs to be done in terms of AIDS education, research, and moving past political pressure to make a real difference.

My high school teacher, Mr. Colon, is the only person I know who has succumbed to this disease. He was one of the most intelligent, vibrant, and witty personalities I had ever known, and he had the most beautiful soul. High school was more than 15 years for me now, but I still miss him.

Technorati Tag: AIDS

A True Jersey Girl

A Slogan For My State

Did anyone see The Daily Show last night? I love me some Jon Stewart and that show is among my favorites even though it keeps me up past my bedtime. Well, last night they were talking about Jersey and how the state is looking for a slogan.

Technorati Tag: New Jersey

Deborah Lipp

"Merry Christmas. And Happy Chanukkah to all our Jewish friends."

One of the local TV stations used to say, this time of year, "Merry Christmas. And Happy Chanukkah to all our Jewish friends."


Gods, I hated that. It's the very epitome of unconscious marginalization. I mean, more than half the people to whom I expressed disgust just didn't get it. "It's nice," they'd say, "It's inclusive." Not so much. The implicit statement is: There's an Us and a Them. Merry Christmas to Us. Happy Chanukah to Those Others.


When they changed the message, maybe ten years ago, I felt vindicated. It proved I wasn't a whacko who was offended for no good reason; someone else saw the problem and made the change.

Technorati Tag: holidays

Girl with a one-track mind

Taxi

Holloway Man grabbed me by the waist, pulled me close, kissed me and slid his hands slowly down my skirt until they came to rest on my arse. He squeezed it tightly and I got wet at the prospect of what lay ahead.

This blog is a bit different than what I normally highlight, but I thought "what the heck!" I am in just that kinda mood.

Technorati Tag: erotica

Save the McRib

The Thaoist over at The Tao of Thao posted earlier this week about the McDonald's McRib sandwich. This cracked me up to no end because I have a friend who is wild about this sandwich. Some of you readers might be interested to know:

Now Micky D's has launched a McRib campaign, the McRib farewell tour. There is a petition you can "sign" online to keep it going. You can send in your McRib pictures and they even have t-shirt decals you can download.

Aaaah. The McRib. You either love it or revile it.

But what amused me even more than the fact that McDonald's "bring back the McRib" campaign appears to be nothing more than a PR stunt, was the ingenuity the Taoist displayed when it came to her childhood and providing for her Barbies:

I happen to [have] good memories of the McRib. It first appeared in 1982 but I don't quite remember when my mom decided she wasn't going to cook anymore and that raising her kids on good, wholesome American fast food was the right thing to do.

I would get the McRib. It came in the Styrofoam packaging that was so popular back then. It wasn't that the McRib was so great that I had to eat it. There was a greater purpose. You see the brown, oval shaped non-recyclable Styrofoam container that housed the McRib also served as a bath tub for my Barbie.

This brought a tear to my eye, truly. As a girl who used to make her Barbie clothes out of old socks, I could totally relate.


Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Technorati Tag: McDonald's

Retarded Rugrat

Ughhh.

My birds are ill. One of the babies died this morning although only one of them is showing symptoms. I have a feeling they all have a cold, but for Exotic Finches, this can become dangerous very quickly.


I don't have a quarantine cage for them, nor do I have an infrared heat lamp. The only option I have is to place a bare lamp without a shade near the cage, and partially cover the cage with a cover. I can't fully cover the cage because Finches need at least 12 hours of daylight, if they don't have that then they won't get enough to eat and will die anywayz. Not a good idea considering the fact that they're already ill.

Technorati Tag: birds

The Fat Lady Sings

Subic - Finale

Mechanical bulls, evil ministers, and too much alcohol - the perfect combo for trouble! Feeling left put? Just go back and read the first three installments - I promise you'll be up to snuff in no time!

I seated myself, borrowed black hat in place, doubling up on the strap - gripping with my knees like I was back in dressage class. For a split second I considered what might be the better part of valor. This bull riding craze was stupid and dangerous, and I was way too wasted to be participating in any way. Part of me saw myself leave - but that was the floaty me. In reality, I stayed right where I was.

Technorati Tag: women

A Mom on a Mission

Batton Down the Hatches

About 2 weeks ago we started having problems with D's AD/HD medication. He wasn't just having trouble sleeping; the poor kid wasn't sleeping, period. He went about 3 days with no sleep and little to eat. Both of these issues are side effects of the meds he was on. Although he has been on these meds successfully since February, he is going through a growth spurt, he is 12 with all of the hormones and other crap happening, and the side effects just stopped being tolerable.


He missed a day of school just so that he could stay home and get some sleep (as soon as I didn't give him his meds he fell asleep and didn't want to wake up for a whole day). We then took him to the doctor and told him what was going on. He immediately gave us a new prescription and told us to start with the new meds that night.

Technorati Tag: adhd

Everybody Knows

Dilemma

I'm sitting here in my darkened spare bedroom/office. The only light sources in the room are the 60 watt bulb in the desk lamp and my laptop screen.


A minute ago, a tiny moth flew by. It crossed in front of the laptop screen, headed for the lightbulb. I lost track of it as it bobbled over the glass containing the last two inches of my rum and diet coke. It is not currently battering itself against the light or otherwise fluttering around anywhere nearby.


Do I finish the drink?

Technorati Tag: women

Quirky Chick

This Song...

This song makes my heart stop and my mind go backwards to the past. A place that holds horrors and happiness... The past brought me to my present... I am happy in my present but then... I was once happy in my past.


How does this song make you feel?

Technorati Tag: song

Francessa's Thinking ...

Only in the movies

I'd love to see a film where everything happens the way things usually happen: searching for a parking spot for about 23 minutes, starting to dance in the street and everybody's crying for help and so on ....

Technorati Tag: movies

Women and Gadgetry

Techie Diva poses to her readers this question:

Are women less likely than men to choose an all-in-one gadget?

What's your take on this? There's an implication here that men are more tech-savvy than women are, which - as Techie Diva herself can tell you, I'm sure - is far from the truth.

I don't know about you, but love gadgets. But I don't get them because I spend all my money on shoes and beer, and technology keeps changing anyway. By the time I save up enough money to buy the latest thingamajig, a newer, better model always comes out. So why bother?

Technorati Tag: technology

Ya Don't Say ....

How do you handle negative comments on your blog?

I contemplated this a bit while reading Krystin's blog post. For example, my blog has evolved over time to focus more on political issues. I don't really have a big readership yet (I get excited when my Sitemeter says I got 40+ visits in one day), but I have already received a few negative comments from people of a more, shall we say, politically conservative angle that have attacked my moral compass based on my likes and dislikes on my Blogger profile.

I pretty much blew them off, figuring that I do not have the energy nor the capacity to make one's political beliefs turn a complete 180.

I know some blog templates allow for some form of comment moderation. Blogger, for example, has a system in place to prevent spam comments. Other blogs I've seen require blog owner approval of comments, or a user login before leaving behind a comment. Here's how Krystin dealt with a spate of negative commenting on her blog:

First things first, thanks to everyone for the sweet words!!! Getting nasty comments really get me down sometimes, especially when their personal attacks. Truly uncalled for, but I can't get rid of it, I think its a template conflict.
[...]
On one last note, I'm allowing comments by anyone again. Unregistered users can use my comments too. I found something called comment moderation, it allows me to say which comments are published and which arent. So, if your comments don't show up right away, it's because I've not published them yet, no worries.

People create blogs for many different reasons - one need only look to our Blogs By Women Blogroll to see the myriad interests of our blogging sisters - but I think that there are also little bits of our egos baked into our regular posting: The rush one gets when reading a really good comment; Technorati info showing somebody linked to your blog and built a post of their own while springboarding off of your idea; your chosen web tracking mechanism telling you that that day's hits exceeded that of yesterday's, for example, are some of the little perks that come along with citizens' media. That people respond to your writing, your emotions, your thought processes in a positive way - it's just great to be able to connect with people on a common interest that is dear to your heart.

The great thing about blogging is that it helps create a dialogue where there might not otherwise be one. So I guess the moral of the story here is to take all comments with a grain of salt - what matters most is your point of view, and letting your voice be heard.



Technorati Tag: blogging

Natalie Solent

Random thoughts

I like cheese.


Expect to hear a lot about how the French riots are a result of their policy of laicite or secularism - refusing to label a French citizen with any other category than "French". There will be many calls to get down to the work of giving everyone a religious or ethnic group tag so that an army of survey takers, equal opportunities trainers, race equality officers and lawyers specialising in discrimination cases can get to work - and get work.

Technorati Tag: french riots

Jellyfish Online

Cool It Off Before You Burn It Out

I was headed for the local railway station, walking through the side streets near TaborstraBe, a few blocks north of the canal. The clocks had gone back the previous day, and the temperature had plummeted in correspondance - along with people's mood. Resigned to the fast-approaching winter, the Viennese seemed to be battening down the hatches. Although it wasn't very late, the street were already empty.


A building on the other side of the road caught my eye as I approached it. The windows at street level had dark red curtains and a string of fairy lights. As I looked at them, the drapes twitched and a woman emerged, leaning her body close to the glass. She was a wearing a low-cut dress and the exposed skin of her arms and chest glowed in the soft light.

Technorati Tag: imagination

Get out and vote, California!

Don't forget to cast your ballot in the Governator's special election today.

Need more information on where your polling location is? Smart Voter has a function in which you can not only find your polling location, but you can also print out a copy of your city-specific ballot.

According to the SF Chronicle this morning, voter turnout was anticipated to be quite low, causing concern among non-Republicans. But now, 6.8 million people are expected to go to the polls today.

The Field Poll estimate calls for about 43 percent of the state's 15.8 million registered voters to cast ballots today, not far from the 42 percent turnout predicted by Secretary of State Bruce McPherson.

"This is not a bad turnout for an election without any names on the ballot,'' said Mark DiCamillo, director of the Field Poll.

That could be bad news for Schwarzenegger and his allies, who had hoped for a low-turnout election in which increased interest among Republicans could offset the Democratic number advantage among California voters.

Get out there and make your voice heard. Nix the first six.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. - 8 p.m.



Technorati Tag: politics

Brutal Women

In Which the Protagonist Realizes It's November

I sometimes forget that I can be a hack writer when I want to be. I once produced 50 pages in about 12 hours, which, when I break that down, doesn't seem possible. But it got done.


I realized at the Con when VanderMeer asked how many pages I had of God's War that, in fact, I barely had 150.


If it's going to 400 pages and done at the end of the year, this is a problem.

Now part of me thinks I've done this blogger already, but perhaps I've just seen so many that they are starting to blend together?? So forgive me if I have. Maybe I need to make a list of those I have done so I don't do them again.

Technorati Tag: writer

Cyn City

Because my spouse thinks I don't like surprises, I now know that he bought tickets to the Broadway musical "Wicked" for my birthday at the end of this month. He's so funny. The day before he asked what live show I'd like to see downtown and I hadn't looked at the theatre section closely for a while as we had no plans to go--so the first thing that popped into my head was "Wicked" (based on the Wicked Witch of the West's story before she became really wicked).

Technorati Tag: surprise

So What Do We Do Now?

California's upcoming special election involves one particular ballot initiative - Proposition 73 - which would require doctors to notify a minor's parent or guardian 48 hours before performing the procedure.

One school of thought supports this measure because it would help ensure a minor's safety. Another school of thought is against this measure because they find it does not guarantee communication between a minor and her parents, but that instead it would deny healthcare for the most vulnerable of teens.

Alley Rat shares with us a very personal anecdote related to this particular initiative. She says:

I think about what would have happened to me had I not had relatively easy access to abortion. I had just moved to a town where there were multiple providers, and the one I chose was practically next door to my apartment. Easy.

But so, so difficult. It wasn't a difficult decision to make, but it was a painful one.

If I had been a bit younger and living in a place with parental notification laws, I would not have told my parents. There is no way. I would have tried to self abort or gotten an illegal abortion.

If you live in California, I urge you to check out this site, which gives some pretty good information - from both sides - on all of the specific ballot initiatives up for vote. And consider in particular Proposition 73 - will it do more harm than good?

Technorati Tag: Proposition 73

finslippy

Let's get physical.

I'm beginning to think Henry's preschool teacher doesn't like him.


I know what you're thinking. "Someone not like Henry? Impossible! I will hurry to her classroom and beat some sense into her!" And so I am glad I never told you which school he goes to, because I'm beginning to think you're a little nuts. That said, I am also puzzled as to how someone could not like Henry. Yes, he can be... challenging. He knows what he wants, and he's not easily swayed. Sometimes his motives are baffling; there's a lot more going on in his head than he lets on. Also, he can be shy in group situations. I can imagine that when you're faced with eleven children clamoring for your attention, the enigma in the corner might not be your favorite.


But my God, woman! Have you seen his cheeks? Have you ever looked into those blue eyes of his? Have you no soul?

Technorati Tag: mommy

bitter girl

Y'know what's a good sign?

When you stop taking attacks on the things you do so personally. For example: I recently taught a class where someone decided to complain on her course evaluation form that I talked too much about my "book and personal achievements" during the class. Now, they averaged out the evaluations and lumped together the comments from two classes I did, so I can't tell which one generated that comment, but I do know that one student specifically asked me how the book came about and how I ended up doing what I do. You can't please everyone, can you? By answering her question, I might have inadvertently annoyed one of the other students. (I was brief about it; these students were roughly 30 years older than my book's target demographic!)

Technorati Tag: life

The Y Files

Some closing thoughts on the same-sex marriage debate

First, my basic position. I think that ending the social and legal persecution of homosexual men and women has been one of Western culture's greatest cultural and moral victories in our time. I think that sexual orientation is largely innate, and that discrimination against gays in the workplace, housing, and other matters is gravely wrong (and should be illegal if we agree that other types of identity-based discrimination by private businesses can be outlawed -- in other words, you can't be selectively libertarian about anti-gay discrimination if you have no problem with the government prohibiting race or sex discrimination).

Technorati Tag: same-sex marriage

Black Girls Like Us

I can't do nothing for you man or Don't believe the hype

Does anyone else feel that there are times when there is something inherently unfair about being a girl?


The revelation hit me today as I had a conversation with a co-worker about the lies we are told by EVERYONE about body image. Now mind you, this girl is GORGEOUS. I mean stunning. She has the whole package: long pretty hair (that she didn't buy) beautiful smile, great skin (she is 32 but she looks about 25 maybe... I thought she was fresh out of TSU to tell you the truth.) And yet, she is insecure not about the way that she looks but about how much she weighs. She is a thick chick. But she rocks it like it’s her job. Big Ups for that. She stood in my cube (Lord I hate cube-dwelling) and talked to me for 20 minutes about how she gets grief from everyone about her weight. Her mom, her friends and, most disturbingly to me, brothas have all told here at one time or another that she has such a pretty face. If she would just lose that weight... .

Technorati Tag: women

Rosa Parks

Civil Rights Pioneer Rosa Parks Dies at 92

Speaking in 1992, Mrs. Parks said history too often maintains "that my feet were hurting and I didn't know why I refused to stand up when they told me. But the real reason of my not standing up was I felt that I had a right to be treated as any other passenger. We had endured that kind of treatment for too long."

Yes, I realize she did not blog, but can you fault me for this mention of a great woman?

Technorati Tag: Rosa Parks

Happy Birthday, Baby

Tamara's boyfriend, Louie, just had a birthday, and she gives us a funny recap over at T and A:

Mixing my friends (Louie's new friends) with Louie's Hollywood friends, and work friends, and college friends, and highschool friends and parents and siblings together, made for some strangeness. Me announcing I was pregnant for no reason other than to get a laugh as I took a swig from Tony's flask, made for some awkwardness with Louie's mom, but not in the way you'd expect. The "I'm pregnant" joke has to be put back on the shelf and left to gather dust, I'd guess... for at least the next ten years.

Nobody tells a story better than Tamara does. I've been loving me some T and A ever since I got into the whole blogging "thing," so I thought I'd share.

Check it out.



Technorati Tag: life

Frankie Can't Relax

And...Breathe

Exercise. I need to move around for an hour a day and break a sweat. This is necessary for both my mental and physical health, as well as taming the aforementioned sumo ass I've been growing. I suppose a sedentary lifestyle coupled with an hourly dose of mini-snickers washed down with diet coke will wreak havoc on even the most metabolically gifted amongst us. I have the metabolism of a tree-sloth, so I really have to make a conscious effort to move around and get my body pumping.

Technorati Tag: exercise

ex-millennial girl

Tim

This is my last Ohio post. The next post will be of some good pictures I took in Ohio, and then onward.


My final story is about a man named Tim. I think Tim was about 55 years old.


Tim was the cook/janitor at The Rox.. Everyone who worked there was petrified of Tim, even the managers.


Tim was the "eyes and ears" for the actual owners of The Rox, a group of people whom I never met, and he never let us forget it. My co-workers talked in hushed tones about Tim. "He's mean, but just ignore him, or else he'll get you fired!"

This blog is about the true story of a stripper during the dot.com boom and all its excess, a totally different world. I have a past to share with you.

Technorati Tag: women

a discontent malcontent

As you all know by extrapolation and simple deduction

... from my last post that I have been on a mental vacation facilitated through chemical reactions in my squishy cerebral cortex brought on by alcohol and other unmentionables.


Thanks for the congrats on passing the bar. I will be set free onto the world to wreak legal havoc on the 4th of November in the year of our lord 2005 when I am sworn in to uphold the laws of this dear country that, with the confirmation of Roberts and the nomination of Myers, will probably change radically so that everything I learned on the bar exam, namely under the topic of constiutional law, can just fall to the wayside of my frontal lobe because they will surely be trampled upon in the very near future by big, lumbering, gray, trunked mammals (which, btw, did you know that the elephant and the rhino are the only mammals who can't jump?)


ah, it's good to be back in the land of the living and amongst the bloggers.

Technorati Tag: law

Philobiblon

The Carnival of Feminists No 1

Welcome! to the first Carnival of Feminists. In this show there are no captive animals or "freak" displays, but plenty of passion, lots of fun, and more than the odd bit of juggling of life.

Please take the time to read --- well worth it.

Technorati Tag: feminist

i'm just a simple girl who likes beans

Wow this is the first time I'm ever writing about me

and posting it out there so other people can read it. I have thoughts and confessions that I have kept private until now. I must confess I don't think I'll be able to completely open up but this is a huge step for me.

Today is the start of her blog and this is her first and only post so far. Funny I should run across it in my search for blogs by women. It will be interesting to see how it progresses.

Technorati Tag: women

Flood

The Fun and Fabulous Lives of the Mitchell DINKS

# Friday went to PF Changs with these people and drank lots of Plum Wine. Yum. Got pretty drunk. It was fun. :-)


# Noticed most of the conversation at dinner centered around something called a HooHoo (probably didn't spell that right) and I'm not quite sure why.


# Was told by Cullen our toilet smells "Wonderful". Dude had a crackle in his voice when he said that, like he had just got a cute little fury white kitten as a present. It was H.I. Larious.

You'll have to click over to see how the rest of the weekend went ...

Technorati Tag: weekend fun

karmagrrrl: tales of a karmically challenged life

Documenting the Documentors

A couple of weeks back I visited San Francisco (I love that city) and happened upon a protest on my way to Webzine2005 (more on that to come). So instead of documenting the protest (which many were doing) I pulled out my camera and documented the documentors.


I got to talk to a lot of interesting people, including one man whose son is in Iraq. And I got a bit of insight into the different reasons people are compelled to push the red button.

You'll have to click over to watch the video ...

And sorry for lack of postings, I was in Fort Worth, Texas for the last few days.

Technorati Tag: vlog

excuse the mess... that was just my head

the sound you hear is my heart breaking

Gore: I Don't Plan to Run for President

As you may remember, I was holding out hope for a Gore run in 2008. And I'm awfully sorry to hear that he won't.
But I love the fact that he goes on the attack these days.

Technorati Tag: politics

Sunset

Have you ever been intrigued by someone you come across in your daily life and immediately begin to conjure up a fantasy about the kind of life they must lead?

Ivy at Saving Ophelia shares with us her reflections on a woman she observed while getting her nails done - and how her curiosity and intrigue was suddenly brought back to earth by a sudden blast of reality.

So there I continued to sit in my helpless silence, dreaming up a much different story for her, perhaps far more realistic this time around. I watch the clock ticked by, hoping the fan would quickly dry my perfect manicure, so I can leave this stark little rectangular room, leave this beautiful young girl with her scared heart and the bruises behind in the inner Sunset of this romantically gorgeous city that may have betrayed her dreams.

Ivy's post got me thinking: I know I've been guilty of romanticizing images of people that I've encountered in the past. How many people get caught up in the fantasy - to their own detriment? Do people stay in unhappy relationships because they have some fantasy image of how things would be "if something would just change"? Why do people prevent themselves from fully experiencing life because of some notion (romanticized or otherwise tinged) they've already conceived in their minds?

Technorati Tag: women bloggers

A Woman of Many Parts

Carnival Time

This week is Carnival week. Over on Cary Miller's cancer news blog, he is hosting the first ever Real Cancer, Real lives Carnival. One of the posts that he has highlighted is my Reasons to thank Cancer and there are several from other patients too. Please go over and have a look.


And me?


This is hard.. I am finding this really difficult at the moment. Nearly in tears three times today and my mouth is sore from the chemo making it difficult to eat. I crawled into bed as soon as I got home from work and just put the phone off. I find it really difficult to talk at the moment and extend myself. If you do know me, please just text or email at the moment as that is much easier and I can write back when I am full of energy.

Technorati Tag: cancer

Just Another Girl On The IRT

Junkie Couture, anyone?

So, uber waif Kate Moss is mired in the unflattering fluorescence of "controversy" after being outed on the front page of the Daily Mirror cutting mysterious white powder lines on a CD cover in a dingy West London recording studio. The picture-in-picture inset reveals a shot of her caught in midsnort.


Dear God, lock up the children and have Conde Nast halt presses on December's Vogue!


Models caught doing blow, film at 11.

Technorati Tag: kate moss

A Milestone for Las Fashionistas

One's from California. The other is from New Jersey. Two women, two minds, one love: What's hot.

The girls have reached their 100th post, and they've decided to celebrate by giving their readership a little glimpse into the minds of the women behind the blog. Here's a taste:

Fashionista Cali
Favorite Article of Clothing: A good pair of jeans, a good little black dress. Anything that makes me feel hot.
Favorite Food: I've never met a food I didn't like.

Fashionista Jersey
Favorite Band: I could never pick just one, but my top four in no particular order are Bjork, The Who, Jimmy Eat World and System of a Down. Number five is usually a wildcard for whatever I love at the time. Right now it's Dave Matthews Band.
Favorite Song: "Baba O'Riley" by the Who
Favorite Book: Great Expectations

Want to find out more? Stop by, give it a read, and congratulate them for reaching their 100th post.


Technorati Tag: Las Fashionistas

Binary Blonde

Official Departure Date: November 1st

It's official. I fly out to the Louisiana region on November 1st to volunteer at the Alley Cat Allies base camp for a week. They'll put me to work and I'll know I will make a difference in the lives of the animals still struggling to survive there.


I've been wanting to do this since Katrina blew through the region, knowing that I had real skills to offer and I wouldn't just be a space filler.

Technorati Tag: hurricane

Postcards of Grief

Gravel

For the last few months, I’ve noticed a new person/dog pair walking on my street. The dog is one of several all or mostly black medium-sized pooches. The person at first looked very old to me, but I soon realized she just looked like my mom: fuzzy head, pale skin, glasses.


I saw her on my way to the bus last week, and we exchanged pleasantries about the weather. She takes small, quick steps. I saw as we passed one another on foot that she really does have the hair of someone who has been through aggressive chemotherapy more than once. From time to time, I had thought about saying something to her about how I know or understand what cancer can do to a person, but no one wants to hear from me. My cancer patient died.

Technorati Tag: cancer

bypolar/grey

attention all smokers

i wanna swing from trees
i wanna do backhandsprings


i want to teach my daughter how to do these things
and teach her how to throw a curveball


how to spike a volleyball
bump, set, spike
and serve


i want to teach her the cheers
and give her my cheerleading uniform

Click over for the rest ...

Technorati Tag: smoking

Life of Mom

Lazy Pants...

The saddest thing I can think of at this moment is, "By god, I have plumber's crack while sitting at the computer because I am too lazy to fix my pants." Sad.


Masscrebation-This is a word that Jaden and Joey made up. When they first said it to me, I kinda freaked, like, "Uh-okay, who taught you that word? Because I have a sick mind and I thought they were referring to something naughty. They were really trying to say, "Master Creation", because a four year old and a two year old need to have a "Master Creation".

Technorati Tag: women

Chasing Ovulation

Elle Dee's post yesterday highlights her current stress level trying to conceive. As her tagline reads, she is a 30-something lesbian with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and is trying to have a baby.

We inseminated on Sunday, but my fertility monitor has read only moderate fertility every day since. We were suppose to try again yesterday, but with that moderate fertility rating, we decided to postpone one more day. I have accupuncture tomorrow, so I'm hoping that will jump start my ovulation. I'm guess that the combination of pressures - trying to conceive while simultaneously starting back to school - are what's throwing my cycle out of wack.

PCOS is the most common endocrine disorder that affects 1 in 10 women. While there is no cure, the symptoms can be managed. Soul Cysters is a website that provides support and information to women who are experiencing this disorder.

My heart goes out to Elle Dea and her pursuit to have a child. Don't get disheartened; my best friend just had a baby, and she had PCOS. I'm thinking fertile thoughts for you.

Technorati Tag: fertility

Little Miss Knit

Fire!!!

Remember how I said we didn't really get fall in california?
I lied.


Our leaves turn a light golden red, just beautiful, right before they turn charred black because they CAUGHT ON FIRE!!!!


I'm teaching today in a middle school and fires are starting to literally circle around the city. And I'm supposed to get out not only to get home, but to leave tomorrow for the airport.... Not fun.


I wasn't here 2 years ago when the huge fires came, inches of charred randomness all over everything. My parents calling me asking what items from my childhood they should save if they need to cut and run. The fires were under a mile away from our house that time.

Technorati Tag: california

Reflections

Recovering

From surgery yes, but so much more as well. I feel changed. Less naive as to my country being behind me 100%. Caring whether I live or die. Helping me to succeed if only as a silent support. I am no longer convinced any of us matters to our government. I am resigned to it and continue on, more wise than I was before. Maybe less willing now to suffer fools. Or be one again.

Technorati Tag: women

My Place In The World

wondering?

well yesterday I talked to Ken for less than 1 min...see since we don't live togather we have the phone and computer and so on for those weeks or nights we can't see each other...


I miss him at times like this, but last night he got on line, for over an hour and never spoke to me...I was a little stunned...I don't think its as hard on him as it is on me to be apart...


I know I sound like a baby, but this has been going on for awhile...even when we are togather there is very little conversation...and he seems ready to argue at the drop of a dime...I have no clue if something is bothering him or if this is just a phase or what...alls I know is it hurts...

Technorati Tag: emotions

Word Whammy

On the Loose - Armed and Dangerous Dolphins

I really hate that our smartest marine animals are being used as agents of war. It's a shame they can't take aim at the chickenhawks who started the frigging nightmare in Iraq.


I like to imagine that they have relocated to the coastal waters of a peaceful nation where other dolphins have disarmed them.

Technorati Tag: dolphins

Crazy MomCat

Perhaps I should explain...

I don't know why I feel I need to post this, but it has been brought to my attention that perhaps there are some people judging/criticizing those of us in the Houston area who have NOT evacuated. So, I decided to take the time to explain a few things.


I actually DID leave. I packed up my kids and left here at 6:30 a.m. Thursday morning. A good friend of mine left at 3 a.m. that same morning. She got to Dallas in about double the time it normally takes. As for me...well, I drove for 5 hours and 40 minutes. Do you know how far I got?

Technorati Tag: rita

annatopia

My friend was assaulted in Finland "for being American"

I'd hoped I would never have the cause to write a diary like this. Unfortunately, this is BushWorld, where Americans abroad get very little respect.


One of my best friends, Brian R., just returned from a week-long trip in Finland. He goes there with his partner Mika, a Finnish native, on a yearly basis. They've been making this annual trek for at least five years, but this was the first time that my friend had been subject to discrimination based on his nationality.

Technorati Tag: politics

Lab Kat

In the eye

I'm lucky in that I have no family or close friends in harm's way. However, there are several dear bloggers who live in Houston who need everyone's good thoughts:


(snip)


Please let me know if we need to add anyone else to the list or any pertinent news I can pass along.

She has four listed right now, but if you know more, you might want to click over and help her build the list for her to monitor.

Technorati Tag: rita

On The Left Tip

A Call to Meetup for the 9/24 DC March!!

I took yesterday off from blogging. I was in nearly a full-day's Red Cross volunteer course. But NOW I am a certified Community Disaster Educator!! Whee!! Next step is Disaster Action Team training. Those will be longer courses and there are four of them, but I'm going to get them done so that I'm qualified to respond to single-family and mass disasters. So there you go.


That's not why I'm posting this here today, however. As many of you who blog progressively know, there is a BIG anti-Iraq war protest in Washington DC this weekend. The de-facto source for protest information seems to be found here - United for Peace. There is a blogger's contingent attending this. So far I am in contact with bloggers from Daily Kos, Booman Tribune, and ePluribus Media. We have an actual agenda starting on Friday, September 23rd.

Technorati Tag: politics

Can't Keep Quiet

The life of a friendship

Epilogue


I've had a couple of days to think about the whole issue with Susie. I've come to realize that Susie was draining me dry. The feelings I'd come to relate to our Friday night gatherings had changed from camaraderie and fun to obligation and unease.


I've also realized that Susie has been changing over the last two years. I know I mentioned it earlier, but until Friday I just didn't see it. The bitterness and contempt she has for her ex has permeated her feelings for everyone else as well.


Susie may and may not call me about the Friday gathering. More than likely she'll get T to call for her.


I won't be going, though.

You'll have to click over to see what brought this on ...

Technorati Tag: friendship

Bride and Predjudice

Since I'm heading off to Maui in a few days to attend my dear cousin's wedding, I thought it would be appropriate to highlight a wedding blog.

And what better resource to use but our very own "Blogs By Women" Blogroll.

Dahlia's Day highlights"Bride and Predjudice," a movie with an updated twist on the classic wedding-themed romantic comedy. I can't say I've ever seen it, although I think I did see "Monsoon Wedding."

If you're a fan of Jane Austen novels and movies, this one is a modern twist (i.e., Bollywood style) to the classic one. The actor playing Darcy in the movie looks almost like Luke Wilson - his name is Martin Henderson from New Zealand - playing opposite to an actress named Aishwarya Rai. If you enjoyed the movie called "Monsoon Wedding", this one is just as good! I really enjoyed it and got a good laugh.

I've never really been obsessed about getting married. Sure, I'd like to someday --- if I don't continue to meet guys like the typical sons-of-you-know-whats I've been dating these days. And with same-sex marriage legislation turning into public heated debate, and the fact that I'm heading off to Maui to BE in a wedding this weekend, the institution of marriage is just being thrown in my face these days.

It wasn't until I spent a little over a year living in upstate New York that I realized that there is this unspoken, invisible, slight nudge to get married as women get older. I'm in my early 30's, and am fine with not being married for now. But when I was in UPNY, I felt like a freak, like something was wrong with me because I wasn't married. Most girls that lived where I was had already been married by the time they got to my age. When I moved back to California, I felt "normal" again, although, with my cousin's wedding coming up, I'm starting to feel a little pinch.

Anyway, it's refreshing to see that Dahlia's blog isn't the obsessed-bride type of wedding blog that you'd imagine. In her blog, Dahlia asks the tough questions that really get you thinking: Would you sign a prenuptual agreement? Would you get married in Vegas if your significant other asked you to? Can you really tolerate Male PMS?

Wedding themed, yes: Bridezilla style, no. Quite refreshing.

Technorati Tag: weddings

gigglechick

sunday morning sunshine.

hey good morning. i am still feeling punky. yes i feel like i've been sick a lot - but i am chalking it up to a horrid summer cold that keeps rearing it's ugly head.


anyway- just helped gigglemom into the shower - waiting for her to yell for me to help her out.


last night's show was so-so... they sprung it on everyone that they could only do 5 minutes. what!??!? that sucks! i was having problems condensing it from 7 to 6... now i had to lop off another minute... frig...

Technorati Tag: comedy

Alyssa's ramblings...

Flintoff and Pieterson are the bane of my existence.

You heard what happened, didn't you? England won the Ashes. I take solace in the fact that it's the first time they've won since 1987, but still. The first year I take an interest in cricket, and we lose. Oh well, there's always next year. We'll kick their butts (figuratively)! We've done it every other year, for SEVENTEEN years in a row! So we can do it again. :o)

Does anyone here understand cricket??

Technorati Tag: ashes

badgerbag: messy, surly, full of books

Thinking of Dorothy

I keep thinking of Dorothy Hartzog, the sweetest person... she so politely kept coming to send a page for her husband Edward Williams. And he never came, though she said she knew or heard that he had been there in the Astrodome on the first day. She was in her 70s. This is torturing me as I think of all the times she came to me personally pushing her fold-up wheelchair with all her stuff in the seat, leaning on it for a walker, and I did not grab onto that problem and help her with all the powers at my command.

Technorati Tag: katrina

The Daily Blog with Kelley Bell

Theology

Because theology is a topic of interest for me, people often attempt to label me as a follower of some specific religion.


So, I will clarify:


I am not a follower of ANY religion. However, I do study ALL of them.


All religion can be defined as a form of cultural mythology.
Lots of folks have trouble with this idea. They are willing to look at the stories from other cultures as mythology, but they can not bring themselves to use that term for their own belief system.


When they define other beliefs as mythology, and define their own beliefs as Theology, it implies that one is false, and the other is true.

Technorati Tag: theology

Call for Bloggers

Grace over at I Am Dr. Laura's Worst Nightmare is doing her part to help in the Hurricane Katrina effort. Right now she's looking for bloggers in the EST/CST/MST time zones to help maintain her Hurricane-Katrina-specific blogsite.

This is, of course, an unpaid gig. Of course! But this is a truly magical opportunity with the greatest of all benefits - the chance to help get immediate comfort and aid to our friends on the Gulf Coast. And blogging has made this happen.

If you're comfortable with Six Apart's TypePad, the most user friendly blog tool ever, or, if you're far more techno-geeky than me and can harness any software and, most importantly, you have the time (four hours a day at minimum would be best), then please contact me directly (do not leave a comment) at gracedb@yahoo.com.

What a great opportunity to get involved in the relief effort.



Technorati Tag: Katrina

Ultrablog

Vitamin Z.

Sleep is considered a luxury these days, it seems. Working parents are supposed to be tired all the time, sure, but many of my kids' friends are exhausted--they're expected to do well in school (and the schools give a lot more homework than they used to), excel at a sport, take music or dance, attend religious services and participate in family events. They're chauffeured to practice in the afternoons, gobble fast food in the car for dinner and don't even begin their homework until nine at night. This is craziness, people!

Technorati Tag: sleep

8pril

All at once - at peace.

It's rare that I feel at peace with myself.
It's rare that I feel sexy and slim in the same day.

Technorati Tag: reflection

Let's Play Sudoku

Cross posted: SistersTalk

The lastest entry to the BlogsbyWomen directory is Sudoku, a very interesting game that looks like a great twist on tic-tac-toe. I was hooked right away because, well, I'm easily distracted.



Here are the rules for playing Sudoku. Once you've figured out how to play, try creating your own Sudoku puzzles.

Technorati Tag: games

Cookies In Heaven

Raise New Orleans Spirits....

Save New Orleans Cocktail Hour!


Monday, September 12, 2005,5:00 - 7:00 pm


On Monday, September 12th, between the hours of 5:00pm and 7:00pm, bar customers across the nation will raise their glasses for a "Save New Orleans Cocktail Hour" as bar and restaurant owners shake up New Orleans' classic cocktails to directly benefit New Orleans food and beverage industry workers who are out of work and sorely in need of funds for rebuilding their lives.

Technorati Tag: New Orleans

Quirky Chick

I've had Quirky Chick on my Blog Explosion blogmark list for eons. It was definitely the Chinese-menu-themed layout that grabbed me. But it was this Sept. 3 post that got me thinking in particular about rituals.

We all have our "rituals," whether it be our nightime face-washing/moisturizing ritual, our workout-at-the-gym ritual, our jeans-shopping ritual, etc. We do these every day, week, month, etc.

But what Quirky Chick alludes to in her post is the idea of "ritual" that's signaled by the changing of seasons. Living in California, we don't really experience the change of seasons. Where I live, my seasons are Foggy, Cold, and Occasional Heat Wave. If you're in Southern California, your seasons are probably Hot, and Not Hot.

Living in upstate NY for a while really made me understand the passage of time, and what role the change in seasons have in shaping our traditions, personalities (seasonal affective disorder, anyone?), and yes, rituals.

Quirky Girl posts about the beginning of Autumn, and how this season gets her in touch with her Inner Martha:

Although I tend to leave illegal trading out of the mix, a weird insanity befalls me. Even though I never, ever cook anything more complicated than Hamburger Helper or grilled chicken breast during the rest of the year, I start seriously pondering recipes for ridiculous things like homemade marshmallows and foods involving flambe.

Me personally, I don't get into rituals per se. I just get into phases. Around Christmas time, sometimes I'll get on this cookie-baking-from-scratch kick (although I generally like to cook anyway). Other years, I could care less.

What seasonal rituals, if any, do you have?


Technorati Tag: Autumn

ZenYenta

Cronies and hacks and operatives, oh my

This is criminal madness. This is letting us eat imaginary cake. Can you think of anything that takes more expertise than responding to a wide scale disaster? It's right up there with brain surgery as something that's both difficult and vital to get right.


While we're calling for heads to roll, and roll they should, how about a movement to require that political appointees have job qualifications? There is no particular reason why the jobs that run our country should be gifts to give out to political hacks. Maybe, if executives, from county and town supervisors right up to presidents were only allowed to appoint qualified persons to important positions government would run more efficiently.

Technorati Tag: FEMA

Mercury Rising

Wayne DuMond

Just found out from RBH over in the Kos diaries that Wayne DuMond has died.

Wayne DuMond would normally not be someone especially famous -- or in his case, infamous. But he was used as a pawn in a disgusting political game whose intent was to attack Bill Clinton, and the people playing the game didn't give a rat's behind who got hurt as a result.

Technorati Tag: politics

Standing By Grace

Laura, a blogger in New Orleans, has been using her blog to inform her family and friends on her status in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

I chose to highlight this blog entry because in the midst of all of this political fingerpointing and rage and bullshit and incompetence, it's so refreshing to read stories of human kindness and generosity. It's truly in moments of hardship like this when we all need to take a time out and count our blessings.

Here's a few of things Laura is grateful for:

As I mentioned in last night's post, this house we are now living in is FREE until we can go back home - no time limit, and it's phenomenal. It's big enough that I can have a room all to myself, without having to be packed like a sardine with others. E&M have their own room, J&M have theirs, and the kids are all sharing a very large room, which is the only carpeted one (the rest are all either hardwood or Spanish tile), and it's brand new carpet.

[...]

The neighbors on the other side invited us to dinner (grilling), all 12 of us, and fed us very well on steak and chicken. They have also graciously made their washer and dryer available to us, with only one stipulation...it has to be done by 8:00pm. And until the refrigerator was offered, they were offering the use of the spare fridge in their basement, again with only the 8:00pm rule. This couple is also housing M's uncle and his friend who are stuck like us...they're from Mandeville.

Check out the rest here. Laura is a very religious person, and it's nice to see how her faith is helping her get through this tough time.

The best of thoughts go out to Laura's family and to all the families that lost loved ones, pets, and property during the hurricane.




Technorati Tag: katrina

Blogs by Women Lets the Boys In?

Like Angie, it's been hard to stay on task with all the news of Katrina victims dominating our minds. One of my friends is heading to Texas to personally deliver much needed supplies since the Red Cross is having problems getting those supplies delivered. Please, donate to the Second Harvest Food Bank if you can.

I've tossed the idea around that I might want to add a touch of male presence here at Blogs by Women. Oh, I hear some of you now: They don't allow women at the Masters Golf tournament, why should we allow boys here at Blogs by Women? I also understand completely the need to have a space where women bloggers are featured without the necessity to add a male here and there to liven up the place. But, we want to be inclusive without changing the core of what we started.

So, here are a couple of suggestions:

1. A "Men We Like" Link List (this is not a reciprocal blogroll like the BlogsbyWomen blogroll). Example:

Title of Blog (link)
brief description of blog
--nominated by woman blogger (will be a link to the blogger's blog)

2. Weekly "Men We Like" Posts. Women bloggers send in their nominations and we do a cut and paste of your comments. We link to the blogger you nominated and we link to your blog.

We will continue to highlight women bloggers as we always have. That won't change a bit.

Technorati Tags: blogging, katrina

every passing moment

one broken flower

one broken flower
a new home between pages
your color changes


you rescued a flower from the ground
so that it wouldn't get run over
and gave it to me, it was so sweet.
a broken flower
to mend my broken spirit.

Technorati Tag: poem

Shorty PJs

It's been an ugly week. Let's kiss it g'bye.

Finally. Help arriving. Such a massive undertaking, and as I've said before - even in the middle of my angry rants - law enforcement, first responders, doctors, nurses have shown Herculean strength and fortitude. Hearing their stories and watching them weep should say it all. They'll have some truth-tellin' to do when all this is over, I'm sure, as will the National Guard and some of the newscasters who've been in the thick of things.

I have been a tad preoccupied with hurricane news lately to do my daily search for women bloggers, so for that I do apologize. I will try to keep on track here, but it's hard right now when so many are hurting.

Technorati Tag: katrina

DED Space

Bush stuns with ignorance and insensitivity in interview

As soon as it was clear how much damage Hurricane Katrina was going to do, Canada offered us aid. Soon after that, Russia offered us aid. Since then, several other countries have offered help. According to people who saw "Good Morning America" this morning, Bush said he knew of no offers from other nations because they "haven't been asked."


In a statement of such stunning ignorance I almost can't bring myself to repeat it, he said: "I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees." As a Louisianian, I cannot contain my resentment over this remark. Around New Orleans, all we have talked about for decades is a possible breach of the levees. It is well-documented.


Bush also made it clear that he sees to difference between parched, starving refugees taking food and water and opportunists stealing television sets and defrauding insurance companies.


And finally, some reassurance to the thousands of wet, starving, wounded, thirsty, homeless, desperate people in New Orleans: "Well, there's a lot of food on its way. A lot of water on the way. And there's a lot of boats and choppers headed that way. Boats and choppers headed that way. It just takes a while to float 'em!"


To the people who support this ignorant, greedy, insenstive cartoon figure: Thanks a lot. You got the Amurica you wanted.

Please do what you can to help those in need during these next few months. Donate what you can. Money, time, whatever. Every little bit helps.

Technorati Tag: katrina

Rants, Raves and Other Fun Stuff

Dia de los Muertos, part I

Summer in Mississippi. I am nine years old and I'm playing outside with my older sister and my two younger cousins. It's 102 F / 39 C and I smell musty air, cut grass, melting black asphalt and other oppressive smells of the Ol' South. My aunt calls my sister and me inside and sits us both down on the bed. "Stolie," she says in a rural southern drawl, "yaar grandfather daayead." But, I'm only 9. I don't understand death yet. It would be years before I would learn that Grandpa Tucker died of cirrhosis of the liver (a.k.a "he drank himself to death"). In the meantime, to attend the funeral in Illinois, we drive 645.16 miles / 1,038.28 kilometres over 11 hours and 32 minutes. It's strange to me. This person-this human being, my grandfather-with whom I've danced, talked, laughed, smiled, and spoken is gone. All that remains is a cold, suit-donned, lifeless body lying still in the coffin before me.

Technorati Tag: death

Gluten-Free Girl

I've recently discovered Shauna's blog, Gluten-Free Girl. It's a blog that both celebrates a gluten-free diet as well as Shauna's culinary adventures. I found myself going back to this post several times today, because quite frankly, the only time I've had a fig was in a Newton. It's been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and Shauna's food photography is as tantalizing and colorful and textured as the food she talks about.

I guess you could say my Inner Foodie was intrigued.

In this post of hers on 27 August, she tempts us with a platter of split figs dabbled with some goat cheese that are toasted briefly under the broiler until the cheese is melty, bubbly, and browned.

Christa made these broiled figs often in the penthouse apartment. Madamde CFP loved them. And so did I. Ridiculously easy to make, they tasted decadent, like gourmet candy and expensive restaurants at the same time. So I put little dabs of leftover goat cheese on the figs I had sliced in half, then put the tray under the broiler. Five minutes later, and I was sighing with pleasure as I ate. Softly sweet, with a crunch of seeds, everything melting into one, the smooth taste of goat cheese spreading into the sweetness, and all of it over in thirty seconds. But the taste lingers and fingers its way down to my stomach. I'm happy and absolutely awake.

I decided that I HAD to try this recipe today.

I don't even know if you can call it a "recipe," since it seems way too simple. But perhaps that's the idea: Food doesn't have to be elaborately prepared for to it to have meaning - what's important are the memories you associate with the food, be it the first time you tried it, or a special meal out with the significant other, whatever.

So I tried to create some fig memories - of experimentation - tonight. I tried one fig with brie (as the original recipe suggests) and one fig with dabs of chevre. And I have to say, the chevre wins out in my book. The creamy and mildly tart cheese is the perfect complement to the fig's natural sweetness, which is only heightened when you broil it.


Technorati Tag: food

Occupied

The quiet before AND after the storm (the next one)

Four dead in two weeks time


While writing last night's post, i didn't know that the next murders had already taken place. Two men, Mustafa Abu Huti aged 42 and Yaser Abu Shahab, 26 years old, reported to be close to the Hamed family (one of the families involved in the feud), were murdered in the "Etrog" market, not far from my home.


I write "the next" because everyone knows it's just a matter of time.

Technorati Tag: Israel

Soft Pretzel Love

What's that you say? The US would never fabricate evidence to further its own political agenda?

Well, aside from the reasons for going to war with Iraq, there's an article in the UK Scotsman that asserts key evidence in the Lockerbie investigation was fabricated.

I'm going to direct you now to my friend Erica's post over at Soft Pretzel Love. She's a friend of mine who did some journalism work in Lockerbie a few years ago as part of a project in partnership with our alma mater. I forwarded her the article (which was forwarded to me by my friend BYO - how's that for full disclosure?) because I knew her personal involvement would yield a better post than I could ever write.


Technorati Tag: politics

Aspects of Amber

What Does It All Mean?

We watched Hotel Rwanda the other night and it deeply affected me. Don't worry, I won't give away any spoilers so if you haven't seen the movie, rest assured I won't ruin anything. I do highly recommend renting it; it is a superb film and, like other films in its genre; "Life is Beautiful", "Schindler's List", etc., it is the kind of movie that makes you stop and think.


Or, as in my case, interrupt your sleep because you're thinking so hard.


I can't sleep since I've seen the movie two nights ago, you see. Last night I woke up around 2:30am and thought about the world and what happens in the world, struggling with *why* there is such insanity and darkness and hatred in the world until 5:30am when I finally dozed off and on for a while until I got up at 6:30.


Where is the good in evil? Where is the good in genocide? In murder? In abuse? If God is good and everything has a purpose, then where is the good in these bad things? I was an atheist/agnostic for most of my life, ever since I turned 13 or so and had read enough books on religion to realize that *somebody* is lying about what God is. Everyone says their religion is the right one, but they are all different, sometimes radically so, so they can't all be right. And I'm not quite vain enough to believe that just because I was born in a predominantly Christian country that Christianity is right and everyone else over the centuries has been dead wrong.

Technorati Tag: religion

Boinkette

Only in, er, Bangkok

I wish our government was this interesting:


Thailand's prime minister is trying to ferret out a government minister who allegedly had a penis enlargement procedure, saying news of it is affecting the Cabinet's reputation, a news report said Wednesday.


"Who did it? Tell me," Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra told his ministers at Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, triggering a round of banter and causing some to squirm in their chairs, The Nation newspaper said.


Talk about asking hard questions.

Technorati Tag: Thailand

Windy City Dreamer

Crystal over at Windy City Dreamer's post this week discusses Barbara Kingsolver's novel The Poisonwood Bible and how it presents a haunting tale of an American missionary family that moves to the Congo, and how their life in Africa changes them forever.

She then goes on to discuss the brutal murder of the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Patrice Lumumba. He was assasinated in January 1961 and was replaced by Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Wa Za Banga ("The all-powerful warrior who, because of his endurance and inflexible will to win, will go from conquest to conquest, leaving fire in his wake"). Mobutu - aside from having the longest name ever - turned out to be not so much a great leader. The Poisonwood Bible also makes many references to Mobutu.

Anyway, so here's what happened to Lumumba. Read the whole Wikipedia entry to find out the horiffic things this man went through at the hands of Mobutu and the Belgian government. I'm not going to pretend I'm an expert on African history and politics, but I urge you: Know this happened.

In February of 2002, the Belgian government apologized to the Congonese people, and admitted to a "moral responsibility" and "an irrefutable portion of responsibility in the events that led to the death of Lumumba." In July of the same year documents released by the United States government revealed that the while the CIA had been kept informed of Belgium's plans, they had no direct role in Lumumba's eventual death.


However, this same disclosure showed that US perception at the time was that Lumumba was a crypto-Communist. The same documents also record that US President Eisenhower directly called for Lumumba's murder in one meeting, and a CIA effort was initiated, involving an infamous CIA hit man codenamed QJ/WIN. [Emphasis mine.]

Interesting, eh? You mean Pat Robertson isn't the only one calling for assassination of international leaders?

Technorati Tag: politics