And, just in time for the onset of Spring, our gorgeous clivia are back. It makes me smile when I walk up to my front door and see them in full bloom. And, like all things their time here is fleeting. So, I must enjoy them fully now. … [Read more...]
The Health Miles Step Fest Challenge just a matter of perspective
March 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment
In the end I came in number 443 out of the 4023 participants in the challenge. Here's some other statistics. I had a total of 446,799 steps recorded on my pedometer for the challenge period from February 16 to March 18. That means I did an average of 14,413 steps every day for 31 days. Not the 15,000 or more I originally planned to do, but close. I lost a little steam and interest toward the finish line. However, there were 77 participants who did the maximum of 30,000 steps a day for 31 days for a total of 930,000 steps for the challenge duration. Like I said at the outset I could never compete with that. Nor would I want to. How does anyone amass 30,000 steps every day for 31 days in a row? It's mind boggling. On the other end of the spectrum were about 150 folks who never took one step or at least didn't record any into the challenge database. So, it is all a matter of perspective. 443 out of 4023 is not bad for an old lady like me. … [Read more...]
I lied
March 17, 2009 By Leave a Comment
I went back to my dermatologist and got shot up again. I know I said I wouldn't do anymore as a way to save money, but I lied. I gave in to botox a couple of weeks ago and was persuaded to try another hit of Rystalane since it was offered at half price if I could find a friend to do it too. Well, my doc even found me the friend. However, I'm not sure of the effects of the Rystalane injected into the lines from my mouth down into my chin and around my lips. All I know is, right now I'm still very black and blue four days later. It's not a pretty sight. Magic Potion I see deep furrows in my face over my eyes, across my forehead, from my nostrils, down into my chin. They look like scars, my niece says like her daddy has around his mouth. Mine are the scars of age earned through years of child rearing work, parent care, long hours, sleepless nights and family tragedies. But, I'll not let them be. My needle-wielding dermatologist injects each line with a magic … [Read more...]
A glue that really sticks
March 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment
On March 11 42 years ago, Bob and I fell in love forever and irrevocably. And I know this is true just from the look in his eyes. Sure we have our differences. But in the long run they don't matter. What matters is that after all these 42 years we are still together and as much in love as on that first night. So, I wonder now what has been the glue that has kept us together. Is it that we were both married before? We had practice runs, so to speak. Is it that Bob and I sowed all our wild oats while we were in between marriages? Is it because we were both older when we tied the proverbial knot? (We got married three years after we fell in love. Our 39th wedding anniversary will be in May.) All of these things I suppose are true, but not unusual by any means. At the outset, we certainly had a lot going against us. Both of our sets of parents objected. Mine because Bob isn't Jewish and has never had any intention of converting; his because they still were in love with his former … [Read more...]
Diverting the old dreaded feeling
March 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment
When the first word you think of upon wakening is "dread," when you're feeling so down about what's happening to our country and our ecomonmy you wake up in pure fright with a pit deep in your stomach, it's definitely time to go out among em and find as many diversions as possible. Well, that was me this weekend, and divert I did. Yesterday we saw/heard the LA Opera's production of Wagner's "Das Rheingold." This was probably the opera's most creative productions ever. The set, the costumes, the acting, the colors, the whimsy were like ear and mind candy. I wasn't sure at first whether to like it or not. And in the end, I knew I loved it. I wanted more. Now though I want to see this same opera as it was intended by Wagner. I guess I'll have to wait to see a more classic version in Vienna or Berlin or Munich. By contrast we saw Pippin on Saturday night at the Mark Taper Forum. It was awful. There was not one memorable song in the production, the singing and dancing were mediocre, … [Read more...]
Bucket list update
February 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Okay, here's the status. The things in Bold are the things I've accomplished. Needless to say, the results aren't good. Of course, it goes without saying, that my priorities have changed considerably since I wrote the first things down in November 2007. Well, yes, a lot of other things have changed as well. Leave my job as a full-time employee and work as a consultant sporadically Climb down into the Grand Canyon Go to the parts of the United States I haven't been to yet -- Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, the Carolina's Visit Florida Get my memoir published Get a poetry book published Read all the books that are waiting for me on the shelves in my closet -- starting with "The Golden Notebook" Spend time outside in my garden Get a Buddha for my garden Spend more time in my home office Write some new poems Take a cruise on the Cunard in the Princess suites to Scandinavia and Russia Visit my brother and his family in Denver Go to Virginia to see Anna and Ian this should … [Read more...]
Movie marathon weekend
February 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment
We saw three films this past weekend in an effort to see as many Oscar nominated performances as possible before the awards show on Sunday night. We didn't see them all, but came pretty close. Here's the run-down: Doubt on Friday night -- I loved it even though we saw the play. The script was very much fleshed out for the movie the playwright did the screenplay so the story was consistent. And the acting was phenomenal all the nominated actors Meryl Streep for best actress, Amy Adams and Viola Davis each for best supporting actress, and Philip Seymour Hoffman for best supporting actor all deserved their nominations. However, none of them won. Meryl and Amy showed their versatility because earlier in the year they each appeared in very different kinds of roles. And Hoffman is like a chameleon he can be anyone he wants. Yes, Streep is a cameleon too. Frozen River on Saturday afternoon -- This is a small independent film that I rented from Blockbuster. The lead, Melissa … [Read more...]
More about the movies
February 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment
I really wanted to continue on the path of seeing as many nominated films before the Academy Award presentations next week, but I got out voted. instead we went to see "Taken," last night, and I can't believe the interest and the high regard for action films. I just don't see the point. Liam Neisen was not acting, but being a ridiculous action hero who deflected every attempt to thwart his progress through the plot bullets, car chases, hanging it didn't matter. No matter how people tried to get rid of him, he prevailed. It was really laughable it was so unbelievable. Plus, he's getting old and isn't in that great a shape anymore, so that he could do this action hero stuff makes no sense either. Needless to say, I didn't like the film. It made me sweaty because the plot line was so uncomfortable people kidnapping young girls and then selling them into prostitution and slavery. It makes me uncomfortable because I know they do this all over the world including the U.S. This … [Read more...]
End of year letter
February 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment
I found this on my desktop -- the end of year 2008 letter never sent. Who knows why. So, why not post it here? It's never too late to say happy new year to family and friends and to whomever else reads my blog. I hope this year is turning out the way you want it to, so far.... 2008 Year in Review The death of my brother, Ken, this year made the importance of seeing and keeping in touch with friends and family even more important. So, this was a year of reconnection with friends in town, in Ojai and Santa Barbara, in New York at Bob's 50th Cooper Union reunion, in Washington State, in Colorado Springs at the Kwajalein reunion, and in Chicago and Winnetka for my 50th New Trier High School reunion. We also visited family in the Washington DC area and New York twice, made a brief trip to my sister's home in Oregon, and of course visited Denver many times before and after Ken's death. Going to Denver became like going across town on the shuttle bus. Besides all these little … [Read more...]
My mother’s birthday
February 12, 2009 By 2 Comments
Today would have been my mother's 101st birthday, had she not died in her sleep seven years ago. Here's a couple of poems I wrote about her. "Dream World" was published three years ago in the online magazine, "Mamazine." Happy Birthday, Hilda! I hope you're having a better time of it wherever you may be. Dream World I look toward my mother's bed in its sunny spot by the window. Her young nurse is smiling. So is mother. She lies in a blue hospital gown printed with triangles, squares and circles in shades of gray, burgundy and dark blue. Her skin looks healthy. Her thin, white hair brushed off her face. After the nurse leaves, she looks at me with wide eyes and asks, "Do you want to play bridge? We need a fourth." "I haven't played in years," I say She accepts that excuse and points her long painted nails to two or three other people she imagines in the room. "They will play," she says. I stroke her damp forehead, holding her bony hand bruised from the … [Read more...]
All dressed up as a flower girl
February 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment
My little great niece trying on her flower girl dress. A picture is worth a thousand words!!! … [Read more...]
End of month worries
January 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment
So, here are my end of the month worries: Will I still have my job for another month, six months, a year? Will I have any money left in my IRA at the end of next month? Will our country ever stop this economic free fall? I voted for Obama with the hopes that once he got into office just the optimism of his new administration would ease things up, and it seems in the less than two weeks he's been in office everything has gotten worse. Yes, it's all about the economy now, and it worries me that nobody out there knows how to fix it. Where do we go from here? Well, at least I can drown myself in drink next month. My January alcohol fast is over after today. … [Read more...]
The boyfriends
January 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment
There's Ben on the right with two of his friends whom he's known since grade school. In fact, Andy in the middle and Ben go back to Kindergarten. We had dinner with them and their families -- one of the boys has five children and the other has two -- on Friday night. It was like going back in history. We caught up, we played with the little children, and told old, old stories. In fact, we looked at a video that they made while in middle school. So much violence and bad words for such a gentle bunch of boys. The night was pure pleasure. … [Read more...]
Curiously satisfying
January 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment
We saw another one of the films nominated for an Academy Award yesterday The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I really wasn't all that anxious to see this film until it was nominated for 13 Academy Awards. With those many awards there has to be some good things about it. And actually, there are a lot of good things. Even though the story line is very weird living a life backwards the way it was portrayed was very beautiful. Plus a lot of the acting was superb Cate Blanchett, Julia Ormond, Tarajii P. Henson, Jared Harris. However, I didn't think Brad Pitt deserved an Academy Award nomination for his performance. He was really just being Brad Pitt kind of sleep walking through his lines whether he was portraying Benjamin as an old man or young. What deserves an Academy Award is the person who did the makeup. Not only did some of the characters need aging they needed to look younger than their years. And, that was pulled off brilliantly. I also think Blanchett very much … [Read more...]
Ranting about Manhattan Beach — is that a no-no?
January 18, 2009 By 2 Comments
Okay it's time to rant about walking in Manhattan Beach. Every time I take a walk from my house to the beach I always feel this way. It's about time to write it down and be done with it. And depending how this turns out I'll put the contents in a letter to City Hall and the Beach Reporter. Now first off, I should have absolutely nothing to complain about. I live in Manhattan Beach there is nothing to complain about that. And I live within blocks to the beach. I'm out my door and within minutes I can see the Pacific Ocean from the rise all blue and beautiful with the sun gleaming down on it, and then I walk down that little hill and I'm on the Strand just off the sand and I can see Santa Monica and Malibu to the north and Palos Verdes to the south and sometimes even Catalina is out. This morning there was full sun, it was warm but not too warm for a vigorous walk, and a little bit of haze over the ocean. Almost paradise, but not quite. The haze took just a little bit of the … [Read more...]
Revolutionary Road — had the "look"
January 13, 2009 By Leave a Comment
We saw Revolutionary Road this weekend. Though it was an excellent film -- acting, locale, sets, costumes were all wonderful and perfect for the time -- I found it very disturbing. And, not because it was the story of a very unhappy marriage. Here's why: The Look She looked toward him from the counter and offered him a glass of orange juice freshly squeezed. She was fully dressed in blouse and skirt and little wedgie shoes, Her makeup was perfect Her long blonde hair just so. She then invited him to sit down at the table. Scrambled or fried eggs? she asked He said whatever is easier, scrambled probably, and unbuttoning his suit jacket sat down, looking at her all the while. She stood at the sink scrambling and when the eggs were cooked she sat down opposite him and they ate. Not much talking, mostly eating, and looking closely at each other's eyes. He got up to go. That's the best breakfast you ever made for me, he said. And before he left, he … [Read more...]
More movies
January 4, 2009 By Leave a Comment
We've been catching up on our movie going -- taking advantage of the time off during the holidays and trying to get in some of the movies that will likely be up for some kind of award next month. Since Christmas Day we've seen: Frost/Nixon Yes Man Gran Torino Plus a couple on Netflix: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Also, right before Christmas we saw: Seven Pounds Well in my humble opinion Frost/Nixon was no where as good as Slumdog Millionaire and Milk, and Yes Man was a real loser. It was a great way to have a light time on New Year's Eve, but it wasn't even particularly funny. Seven Pounds had a pretty good script, but it was depressing as hell. But, I will put Gran Torino up there with my best picks for this round of viewing. Clint is at his best, playing the part of a tough guy -- and a really old tough guy at that. Even so, he pulls it off perfectly. I went thinking this may well be my last chance to see him on the big … [Read more...]
It’s that time of the year again!
January 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Every year, after the holiday parties and new year's eve toasts, I quit alcohol cold turkey for the entire month of January. I don't do it to prove that I'm not an alcoholic -- really, I'm normally just a moderate wine drinker -- I do it because I want to clear my body of the alcohol toxins that I know I draw in during all the end of year celebrations. Also, it just feels good. In fact, so good, after that first January that I swore off alcohol, I decided to stop for another month during the year as well. So, for the last 15 years or so, I'm alcohol free in January and July. It's a great break, and it even helps me lose a pound or two in the process. … [Read more...]
Ready for prime time?
December 30, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Here's a poem that has never seen the light of day except on my computer. I wrote it while sitting in a hotel bar in Bilbau, Spain in the Fall of 2006. I couldn't take my eyes off this man -- yes, he is real -- and felt I needed to immotalize him in a poem. All comments and critiques welcome. The Man in the Bar He sits at the corner table He doesn't drink He looks straight ahead Or at his lap as he smokes His hand goes To his mouth Away from his mouth Tick-tock To his mouth Away from his mouth Tick-tock A puff and then away Then back Tick-tock A puff and then away Then back. Tick-tock He gets up, pulls his shoulder bag Across his body He looks down, mutters to himself His eyes rimmed with dark circles Look down, His hand clutches his pack of ciggies As he walks Out of the bar He returns a few minutes later He sits in the same chair In the same corner Clutching a cigar in his hand He takes the cigar Out of the cellophane wrapper And he … [Read more...]
Wishes for 2009
December 29, 2008 By Leave a Comment
This year ends with bad news about two people I've known for years. My dear friend's husband is having surgery tomorrow to deal with his prostate cancer. And, my next door neighbor will begin chemotherapy for her pancreatic cancer when she returns from their annual holiday ski trip. Right now, I'm reeling from this news about people so close to me -- and so young, and my hearts and thoughts are with them as they proceed on their journey to recovery. Friday I spent some quality time with two of my women friends. We had lunch and walked along the beach in Santa Monica remarking about the absolute beauty of our surroundings and being thankful we lived in the mild Southern California climate. Even Catalina was out that afternoon. Sure we had a little wind and I had to borrow a pair of gloves. But, it certainly wasn't so cold that we could see our breath. During our lunch conversation, one of the women asked what we wished for in the new year. I wished for more rest and no deaths. … [Read more...]
