Happy Birthday, Freddie

It's hard to believe he's been gone 20 years - or that today he would have been 65.

OMG He's Funny

Usually at these events, I take a picture of the artist/performer, but this was one of the rare occasions the venue made a point of saying "No Recording of Anything - NOTHING".

Tim Minchin is a wonderfully talented, intelligent, insightful and funny performer. His songs are funny, but they also make you think. I have previously shared the song "Prejudice" on this blog, and he performed this last night, along with many others that are loaded on You Tube. If you haven't seen him perform, take a few minutes and go enjoy. Please note, he is not a "G" rated artist, and one of his songs which is a commentary on the Catholic Church and pedophilia is not for the faint of heart or easily offended. In other words, if you're like me and have an issue with organized religion, he's the guy for you.

His final song of the night was the song "Hallelujah", which, as he noted, only is San Francisco can get a 1,000 atheists to sing a hymn. It was almost awe inspiring. 1,000 people in harmony, without any accompaniment singing the final stanza and ended as one. Beautiful. Two plus hours of laughing until you cry and smiling ear-to-ear enjoyment.

I hope he comes back to San Francisco again and again and again.

End of an Era

(Photo from www.wallpaper.net.au)

I think I’m pretty lucky. Back in October 2002, Kevin and I were in Orlando for 10 days and Atlantis was due to launch during our time there. Not that many people have been able to experience this in person. It’s hard to explain. Just being at the Kennedy Space Center was a cool experience, but to see, hear and feel that shuttle take off was just something that took my breath away. It was a uniquely American experience, being there on the coast with gators taking a peek at us from the waters between us and the launch site. Just a bunch of strangers watching American ingenuity take flight.

This Friday is the last launch, and I’m feeling a little melancholy. I wish I could have seen another launch. Many of those amazing people who have worked on this program will be out of a job soon, and so much knowledge will be lost to us. I’ve heard it will be at least 5 years before we may see what the next generation of “space vehicles” may be. We’re also kind of leaving those on the International Space Station a bit out in the cold. If an emergency comes up, it isn’t as if the Russians can launch in a few days. Transporting food and supplies will be more difficult, as I understand it. I don’t know. It just seems wrong in a way.

Blue Frog Brewery, Fairfield

There is no point to taking all kinds of notes about brewery visits if I don't post them somewhere. Brewery reviews will now be added to the blog, starting with our visit to the Blue Frog Brewery in Fairfield, CA. Warning- we aren't "hop heads", aren't crazy about hoppy beers, and I won't go into much detail on them. If they have a strong citrus/grapefruit profile, I will blame Cascade hops and note it accordingly.



We tried a total of 6 samplers. They were presented on a wooden lily pad.

Hefeweizen - Kevin liked this one best. Light and refreshing. A fairly typical hefe.

Blonde Ale - hoppy

IPA - hoppy

Red Ale - kinda hoppy

Belgian White - bitter finish on a the palette. Overall ok.

Scotch Ale - Though I liked the hefe, I liked this ale better. Nice, complex flavor with a hint of scotch note on the palette.



As to food, we both had Fish & Chips. There was a bit of a twist with these entrees though - the fish is wood-smoked. I had the salmon and Kevin had the basa. Overall, a satisfactory nontraditional version of F&C, but in all honesty there wasn't much smoked flavor to the fish. The salmon held together well, was moist and the batter was crisp and not too oily. The basa, which I wouldn't have considered appropriate for F&C, was ok due to the smoking adding some flavor. The fries were excellent and the coleslaw was crisp with sufficient dressing to add flavor and not drown it. We would probably order the Salmon Fish & Chips again, but probably not the Basa.

The atmosphere is a little on the dark side. We were there for lunch around 12:30 on a Saturday. The place had about 20 patrons. The wait staff was efficient, friendly and attentive. Even for that time of day, the interior was dark, which made the menus a little hard to read. They're going for an English Pub feel, which is moderately successful. We sat in a booth and the benches and seat backs were comfortable, but I did feel that I was sitting a little low to the table. Kevin seemed to be sitting a little higher. The acoustics are kind of loud in the main dining room. For the amount of people, the sounds really bounced. I can imagine it's very noisy during peak hours and may hinder intimate conversations.

As to the beers, on our next visit, we will definitely enjoy a pint of the Hefe and the Scotch Ale. They were very drinkable and of good quality. There were several other items on the menu that looked very tempting and I can't wait to give them a try on our next visit.

I still miss her

Heidi at 15 - 2005
Originally uploaded by solslett.

Today it has been 5 years since my beloved Heidi passed away. It's hard to believe she was part of my life for 16 years. Sometimes, in the wee hours of the morning, I can hear her nails clicking on the hard wood floors.

I pulled a box out of the coat closet last week. A dust bunny came with it. Nothing but downy white fur.

I still miss you, Boo.

Meh - It was ok

First - let me say that after having seen this place boarded up and neglected for years, Oakland did a fine job resurrecting this old classic:

It is beautiful inside and out. For that alone, I am thankful I went out last night. Also, had awesome sushi at Ozumo in Oakland. Need to go back there again.

The reason we went to Oakland was to see him -

Joe Satriani. Rock Legend.

Sammy Hagar came out for a couple of songs. That was fun.

But Joe spent the most part of the evening taking us to, and leaving us in, the stratosphere. You need to come down, and not just at the end. For the love of God, can you stay away from the whammy bar for a minute or two? Does each song have to be an epic endeavor?

I love music. I love concerts. I wanted to leave after half an hour, because it all sounded like one note at the neck pickup. Only once did the acoustic come out and he played it for maybe two minutes. It was beautiful. Melodic and almost ethereal. Then back to the break-neck, bass battering clamor.

I'm an old school head banger. Metal has been a passion since I was 17. I couldn't take this. I've seen Judas, Maiden, AC/DC, and would gladly see them again. Satch is on my "don't repeat" list.

Two hours later it was over and I felt every minute of it. After two hours with Springsteen, I want two more. I'll play the music on the way home just to keep the experience going. I had hoped to hear "Down, Down, Down" or "Chords of My Life", even "Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing". If all I heard was "Always With me, Always With You", I would have walked away happy and content. All the songs seemed to be variations of "Satch Boogie".

Hence the title of the post. Meh. It was ok. Check another one off the bucket list.

Prejudice by Tim Minchin

Love this song and thought I should share it in case you haven't been exposed to Tim Minchin. He is brilliant! He was on Conan O'Brien this week, and they didn't think this song would appeal to a US audience as they may be somewhat unfamiliar with the term that is used. As I posted on TeamCoco, there was a bit of a brouhaha over an South Park episode a few years ago that launched a Facebook page about "kicking" this segment of the population.

Go find Tim Minchin's videos on youtube. We spent a good part of an evening streaming them to the TV. Good times!

A Year In Reading 2010

I was surprised at the end of it that I managed to read 35 books this year. My crafts suffered for this, but that's for another post.

I also see that I spent most of my time in the land of unreality. Obviously an attempt to remove myself from my day to day hum-drums.

This is what I filled my brain with:

The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo, Stieg Larson

The Girl Who Played With Fire, Stieg Larson

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest, Stieg Larson

Knit Two, Kate Jacobs

Last Night on Twisted River, John Irving

Faceless Killers, Henning Mankell

Fool, Christopher Moore

The 8th Confession, James Patterson

7th Heaven, James Patterson

Lifeguard, James Patterson

Sweater Quest: My Year of Knitting Dangerously, Adrienne Martini

Harvest Hunting, Yasmine Galenorn

Night World No. 1, L. J. Smith

The Return: Nightfall, L. J. Smith

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle. L. J. Smith

The Reunion: V. 3 & 4, L. J. Smith

The Fallen 1 & 2, Thomas E. Sniegoski

Wuthering Bites, Sarah Grey

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, Jane Austen & Ben H. Winters

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Seth Grahame-Smith

Dawn of the Dreadfuls: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Steve Hockensmith

Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter, A. E. Moorat

Down and Dirty Viking, Sandra Hill

Viking Heat, Sandra Hill

204 Rosewood Lane, Debbie Macomber

A Hunger Like No Other, Kresley Cole

Pleasure of the Dark Prince, Kresley Cole

Dark Desires After Dark, Kresley Cole

Kiss of a Demon King, Kresley Cole

Dark Needs at Night's Edge, Kresley Cole

Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night, Kresley Cole

No Rest for the Wicked, Kresley Cole

Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean, Justin Somper

I probably enjoyed Steig Larson's books the most this year. It's a pity he passed away shortly after submitting them to the publisher. Staying with Swedish authors, Henning Mankell was also a pleasant surprise and now I need to get more of the Kurt Wallander mysteries.

John Irving. Author of World According to Garp. One the most troublesome books I've read and it still haunts me much like Metamorphosis by Kafka. I had high hopes that after 20 years, with age and maturity giving me a different view of life, that Irving would be a much better experience this time. Nope. I trudged through this as I did with Garp and thought at the very least I could say I read it.

James Patterson is becoming the Stephen King/Danielle Steele of the mystery genre. Dude, seriously, how many books do you have to publish a year to consider yourself successful? Allow us some down time between publication dates to at least savor an inkling of anticipation.

This was the year of Zombies and Vampires. I fell into the trap, managed to steer clear of pablum such as Little Women and Werewolves or Little Vampire Women. (Close call) The most enjoyable one was Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. The movie rights have been secured, and that should be a fun romp. DH is reading it now, and he hardly ever picks up a hard back.

Kresley Cole and Yasemine Galenorn were most enjoyable. They have created worlds where Vampires, Werewolves, and the Fey walk amongst mortals. Junk food for the brain - and no calories! Kresley has a new book coming out next month and it's already on the Amazon Wish List! Yasemine's series is going to take a bit to acquire, but it will be worth in the end, I think.

I wanted to read more books in 2010 then I did in 2009, and I accomplished that goal by 4. We'll see what I can do in 2011.

Whip it good

Here is another video, but this is why elkhounds are so awesome. If you consider they've been around since the time of the Vikings - elkie remains have been found in viking burial sites - that alone is pretty impressive.

And I was worried about our two taking on raccoons. Ha!

The head whip is a common trait. If you've ever had the opportunity to play tug with an elkie, and they employ the head whip, you will loose.

Sleepy puppy

There are days I miss my old pups. Today I needed a little elkhound fix and found this video on youtube. This little guy reminded me very much of our dog Fen at about the same age. Hard to believe he's been gone for 6 years.

Enjoy.

It's Wednesday

I don't know where the week went, let alone the year! Today was a blur, but I managed to get a Happy Birthday text out to a friend this morning, because I knew by the afternoon there would be no chance.

I am behind yet again when it comes to Christmas presents and I really only have until Monday to get anything in the mail. This year has been a constant churn of stuff that I want to get done versus the stuff I have to get done. Will next year be better? I truly hope so.

What I want to do is crawl into bed and sleep 12 hours. Ain't gonna happen. I can't sleep more than 6 hours at a stretch now. I just wake up. Very annoying.

Will I get everything done for Christmas? I have already cast aside a number of things that I wanted to take care of, because there just isn't time. Tonight, I will hopefully be done with the gifts for my mother and her sisters. Every year, I create something that is identical for all of them. Less bother from Mom, because she's had issues with things I have sent that she didn't see ahead of time. Catering to her whims has become so tedious. It just gets worse as she gets older. I wonder if there is a drug that fixes that?

9 days to go. Tick tock, tick tock.

Ever heard of Gymkhana?

Me neither -but this is soooo cool. I've always liked Le Mans racing, but I could get hooked on this.

A quick, and brief, apology

There are many of you that have received a very odd email from me from the email associated with this blog. My GMail account was hacked last week (thank you nameless ass wipe in China).

If you received one these annoyances, my apologies.

To Google - thanks for taking my blog offline for 4 days with not a peep or a note. Because the email address I use to post to this blog from my cell phone was also in my contact database, it got hit with spam. The spam-bots found it, and the site was gone.

I am happy to see it back. I will be happier when I get it moved somewhere else.

Both my GMail accounts got hacked this year - by the Chinese - and twice was enough. Oddly enough, though I am spammed to death, my Yahoo accounts have never been hacked. That is worth considering.

I will be back to posting on a regular basis shortly. I keep meaning to stop in and say hello, but there is always something else to take care of.

Take care!

And the fight goes on.....

I wanted to post this tonight, because when I heard the news that Prop 8 had been overturned, it made me really happy. For those of you outside of California, Prop 8 won by a small margin and took the right of marriage away from Gay and Lesbians couples.

I am posting this video by Keith Olberman as he stated it better than I ever could. As Keith asks in this comment, why does this matter to you? One of the most cherished phrases we have as Americans is from the Declaration of Independence "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Religious groups, including the Mormon Church, spent millions to get this proposition on the ballot. One of the most awful things I saw was the day before the election. During one of the worst storms I can remember that early in November, standing on busy street corners throughout my town were dozens of children holding Yes on 8 signs. These religious groups used THEIR CHILDREN as props for their campaign of discrimination and hate. They used THEIR CHILDREN to propagate their religious agenda in a Country founded on separation of Church and State. As Christians and Americans you choose to discriminate, and fail to treat others as you would be treated. You fail to follow the teachings of the One you say died for your sins.

If the one you loved lay dying in a hospital, and the staff refused to let you be there for their final moments because "you weren't related", how would you feel?

If you had raised a child together and your significant other passed away and their relative took your child away because "you weren't related", how would you feel?

If the one you loved had been in a terrible accident and their parents wanted to keep him/her alive at any cost, and you knew that isn't what they wanted, but because "you weren't related" that left you with no recourse, how would their pain and suffering make you feel?

Now take those three questions and ask yourself - what if I lay dying and I couldn't see - touch - hold the one I love because some hospitals deny non-family visitation to the dying - what if in your last moments your were denied that comfort, how would you feel?

Marriage is not only for procreation. Marriage is not only a religious covenant. It is a promise, a vow, a commitment to share your trials and tribulations, your successes and failures, your happiness and sorrow with another human being, and if you get it right, it is until death do you part. It's fun and it's messy and it's jubilant and it's stressful and half the time it doesn't work. Most of us want to find that one person who makes us happy that we can wake up next to day after day without going nuts. In this day and age, that really is all that is anymore. For those that bring a higher calling to the altar, that is your prerogative.

Marriage is a social contract between two consenting adults establishing a legal union under the law. That really is all there should be to it. Beyond that, your ceremony is between you and your God, as it should be.

And the winner is....................

I entered State Fair again this year. I was a little surprised at the results, and I don't know what to think anymore. Anyway, post your feedback. I'm very interested in hearing your opinion.



Sorry that the picture isn't better. I finished this one a while ago and decided to enter this on a whim. It is a beautiful shade of lavender, and usually has a special place in my curio.

From the judge: "Lovely little needle roll - color and stitch selection gives true "vintage " look."

Result: 1st Place - Counted Cross Stitch, Unframed Piece



This is really one of my favorite pieces and can take over a room. I replaced the antique gold tone frame because I thought it over powered the piece. Guess I was wrong.

From the judge: "Stitching has good tension. The details of the frame compete to be the main focus. Nicely shaded colors."

Result: Not selected for award

Which means it won't be shown. If you would like to see MEGA detail of the picture, go here. The beading, which I thought would be mentioned, as it is directional to suit the flow, was not addressed. On this one, I feel slighted. It may have something to do with the fact I'm a little emotionally attached to this one.



Those who are familiar with Martina Weber of Chatelaine Designs will now that these types of charts are not for the faint of heart. There are a lot of specialty stitches, and a laying tool was used liberally to insure proper placement of threads.

From the judge: "Sparkling, glittery design. (that would be the Swarovski Crystal, but I digress) The lack of variety in the size of motif groups makes it hard to find a true focal point. Good variety in stitch selection."

Result: 2nd Place - Other Counted Techniques, Sampler

**The needlework was judged by the same person - "BC"



I tried to keep it simple this year, as I found that was the basic draw of the prize winners last year. That seems to have been a good idea.

From the judge: "Map w/strings is clever (and they line up across the pages!) Nice, clear layout."

Result: 1st Place - "Scrapping " Through California, Holiday or Vacation Theme

I may have pandered here a little bit. I waited until I found out what the theme of the Fair would be this year, and used that in the theme, which is "Passport to California". I had already decided to do the coastal redwoods, so it worked out fine and now I have a theme of the entire scrapbook on our trips along the Lost Coast. Win - Win.

I just want to go on record that I did the next three the night before I had to drop this stuff off in Sacramento. I entered a month before. Nothing like waiting until the v-e-r-y-l-a-s-t-m-i-n-u-t-e to get it done.



From the judge: "Nice clean card. Embellishments would add to the card"

Result: Award of Merit - Card Crafting Contest, Birthday



From the judge: "Be careful with adhesive - you don't want any excess to show. Mats should be upright and evenly spaced. Love the saying!"

Result: Not selected for Award



Quick note - I bought some of the glass beads in a shop in Eureka last year. I wanted to make something different and submit it to Fair. I started this at 10:30 pm 5/14 and finished 2:30 am 5/15. It was at Fair at 11:30 am on the 15th. As I said - last minute!

From the judge: "Very nice work. The colors and balance are spectacular. Perfect tension on stringing and the findings have been chosen nicely. Just an overall great piece. Good job!"

Result: Honorable mention - Bead Art, Jewelry Art

Let me state further, this is the third beaded necklace that I have EVER made and the first time using wire and crimps. Not too bad. I already have ideas for next year.

That's it - let me know what you think.

Thanks for stopping by!

Time for an opinion

It's been a while since I spoke up about something, but I've had a bit of time to digest Arizona's new Immigrant policy, and I find myself truly bothered by it.

Hard as it may seem for some to believe, I have been the victim of profiling. "Venka" is the name I have adopted for use here in the US because it is pronounceable by American English standards. What appears on my driver's license is different, and I do not choose to disclose it publicly for identity theft and security reasons, as is my right.

Back in the late '90's, I was visiting a friend in L.A. on a rainy, Friday night. I got turned around leaving her house, and missed my turn. As I was driving slowly, stopping to see the street signs, a squad car pulled up behind me with lights on. I pulled over and turned off the engine. Allow me to set the scene.......

I drove a Mitsubishi Longbed pickup truck - all black - with some "aesthetic enhancements".

I hate umbrellas, so I was wearing a baseball cap - hair in a pony tail. I was also wearing a leather jacket.

I was in a not-so-great neighborhood minutes from downtown L.A. - there may have been gangs or less-than-law-abiding citizens in the immediate area.

I was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, driving the wrong type of vehicle, and not dressed like the OC goody two shoes that I was Monday-Friday at the office.

I was asked to get out of the vehicle with my hands up.

I did - and then called out to the officer asking what had I done wrong?

I was approached, and when he determined I was indeed a twenty-something female, he asked to see my ID. Again, as I was reaching for my ID, I asked him what was the problem. He said they were looking for a vehicle that matched mine, and I fit the description as far as the driver was wearing a baseball cap. I can't remember now which race he mentioned, but it wasn't white, and I wasn't male. I gave him my driver's license. He then asked to see my green card.

Did I mention that I was born in L.A.? Yes - I am not only a native Californian, but I was born in the City of Angels. And once I opened my mouth, all remaining doubt was banished. Shall we say "Valley" was my native dialect. Oh - my - God.

After lengthy debate - along with threats that I would be arrested due to my inability to prove I WAS A CITIZEN BY BIRTH - he realized that I was serious about filing complaints, going to his superiors, contacting the local news agencies. I was the organizing secretary for a local union, and one of our shops was the Herald Examiner. Hence the reason I drove the truck to LA. It fit in and no one looked twice at it when I was at the Herald, located across the street from the LA Mission.

I was given a warning - for what?!?! - and told that I really should carry something with me proving I was legal, other than my voter registration card. After all, that name didn't look American.

Yeah, back then I was still proud of the fact that I voted regularly. My Dad said that I should carry it in my wallet so I wouldn't forget when I got to the voting booth. He was very proud of the fact that we could vote together. Sorry - got off on a tangent.

Where were we? Ah, yes....

May I ask the multitude - what the hell is an American name?

Think on that a moment....




I'll wait......




I've been to Arizona. Overall, I like Arizona. I took a real liking to Tuscon, surprisingly, since I was there in August. But when you take Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Kaibab and Petrified National Forests, Arizona has remarkable beauty. It is also home to 21 tribes, including the Navajo, Hopi and White Mountain Apache. I have visited these reservations and acquired a deep respect for their people and their rich heritage. I have longed to go back there, but now I am torn.

If I were to say, make a call to check on my Mom and resort to speaking Norwegian, will I have to produce my papers. Which papers? My birth certificate - a document that can be forged quite easily, as I understand it. My social security card? That would be easier to forge than a birth certificate. My passport? What if I had never had the means, or desire, to travel out of the country? What if I had been raised poor? What if I was uneducated and worked a low paying job? What need would I have had to get a passport that costs over $100 to acquire?

I just found out that there is a passport card. Ladies and Gentlemen - I do believe this is going to become our new "national ID card". Just wait for it. It's like a credit card - it fits in your wallet! Usable at border crossings!

For someone born within the borders of the United States, what documentation are they supposed to carry? What if someone like my mother, a legal resident alien, happened to be out running errands and had left her green card at home. After all, she's lived here since 1963 and no one has ever asked to see it accept when she is returning to the US from an overseas trip. It punishes legal resident aliens and those born of immigrant parents.

Yes, I want reform. Yes, I think illegal immigration is wrong and a crime. Yes, states have the right to enact laws to combat illegal immigration. This one goes too far and infringes on our liberty. If what happened to me back in the 80's actually happened to me now on a trip to Phoenix, since I wouldn't have "proof" with me, would I be thrown in prison for 6 months? For being a US Citizen and not carry papers? For keeping the name my Norwegian parents gave me instead of changing to a legally acceptable "American" name?

You want to see fascism at work? Divert your eyes from DC people. It is alive and well in Arizona.

To blog or not to blog....

I feel guilty about not blogging. Probably, because I mean to and then I don't. I want to post things in chronological order, and I don't. So the cycle continues, and, yes, it's vicious.

I have a reason to blog tonight. I just got off the phone with my dearest, best-est (and for the longest time only) girlfriend. We actually managed a reasonable 2 1/2 hourish conversation. They've been much longer. I have phone bills to prove it! We were both a bit weepy since we heard from a long lost friend today. It brought back a lot of memories, and since we are women after all, we got emotional.

The one thing that has truly sustained me throughout the years have been my friends. Time and distance has made the relationships much more precious. Any time we actually spend in each others company are treasured for their rarity. Not a day goes by that I don't wish they were closer, but that's not the way it can be. I love them. I miss them. I am simply thankful that they haven't given up on me.

You see, the blog is the perfect representation of who I am. When I am troubled, depressed, in a negative funk, I internalize. I become a hermit. I have Kevin and that's about as much as I can handle. My friends get upset - rightfully so - because they want to help. I don't want to burden them, as I have so many times in the past.

The last few years have been some of the toughest of my life. I've questioned who I am. My own worth. My place in the world. My sanity. I really lost the sense of who I was, because too many things happened over a short period of time. And when you don't know who you are, you can't be "yourself" around others.

In the last couple of months, I've found pieces of myself again, though not completely. There's still some fractures that need to mend. I had this conversation about regrets with my nearly lifelong friend, because he knows me in ways that no one else does. He said it for me - I regret chances not taken, risks avoided, missed opportunities.

I haven't made the best choices the last few years, but I did take some risks. I tried something different. But some things changed in my life too, that impacted a few relationships, and it didn't sit well with me. I couldn't be the same person anymore. Some things that I had believed, that kept my world on an even keel, were wrong, were false. I still struggle with it and I still can't talk about it because it will seriously damage one relationship that doesn't need any more turmoil.

I don't mean to be cryptic, but part of this message is for the benefit of one person and I hope they understand why I'm saying this. I had to make a choice and it's one that brings me no joy, but I'm doing it to save someone else from a lot of pain. My hands are tied for now. I am truly sorry.

As I said, the last few years haven't been easy and I wouldn't have gotten through it without those I love - my husband, my family and my long-suffering friends.

So why the "to blog or not to blog"? In reality, I didn't feel free to blog anymore. Besides all the other stuff that I have eluded to, someone from my past, someone I thought was on the other side of world, is less than 10 miles from me. It really freaked me out, because this person had brought me so much grief and was the reason I moved to Northern California. For a time, all peace in my life was gone. But if I choose to be a victim, than I've lost again. I won't be victim anymore.

So, a-blogging I will go.

Port-Au-Prince Journal: It's The Living Who Haunt

I found the following story on the NPR iPhone App:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122945754&sc=17&f=1001

Port-Au-Prince Journal: It's The Living Who Haunt
by Jason Beaubien

NPR - January 25, 2010

For me the hardest part is the living.

There have been so many dead here, corpses are so common both on the street and oozing out of the wreckage, that it's the living who haunt me.

The old man crumpled at the curb calling out faintly, "Mon blanc! Mon blanc!" and asking for water.

The crush wounds. The children who've lost or are about to lose an arm, a leg or both.

The bodies laid out at night like cordwood on the street. Lines of people wrapped in sheets perpendicular to the curb, sleeping on the pavement because either their houses are gone or they're too terrified to go inside.

In the first days after the quake, the women wailing into the night.

Later, the dogs that survive and howl.

A young woman, alone down at the port. She sits on a bag with all of her belongings, waiting to catch a boat out. She lists the members of her family who died: mother, father, sister, cousin.

"It's just me now," she says, 22 years old and alone.

Another woman says, "There isn't a single family in Haiti that isn't crying right now."

She's trying to dig her brother-in-law's body out of a pile of debris.

There's the fear of being inside. Walking with my translator through her old neighborhood, her nervousness is palpable that any teetering building might crash down on us at any moment. An aftershock shakes the rubble under our feet. She runs for solid ground.

What is it like to watch your entire city crumble around you? Walls, roofs meant to protect you become projectiles, blunt instruments and traps. How do you ever go back inside?

A huge challenge lies ahead just to feed and house the people of Haiti in the coming weeks. Then, block after city block needs to be bulldozed. But for Haiti to be reborn, and to avoid becoming a wasteland kept alive on international aid, the living need to heal — they need to dream of a new country and move forward. Copyright 2010 National Public Radio

To learn more about the NPR iPhone app, go to http://iphone.npr.org/recommendnprnews

Sent from my iPhone

Why I don't live where there's snow or ice

My latest guilty pleasure is tv.gawker.com. Good for 15 minutes of mental vacation during the day, and to watch the clips of the "Late Night" snipping war. This however was shareable. I sympathize with the driver, just so you know.

 

http://tv.gawker.com/5453885/man-cant-drive-cant-stand-cant-walk-but-can-fall-and-slide-around-like-a-human-hockey-puck?autoplay=true

 

For Haiti

If you can, please click the icon to donate. This is a charity that I have worked with for a number of years now. They do good work and have been in Haiti for several years.