I don't know about you but it seems to me that we are reaching a new level of media attention when the website for the major newspapers in Alabama actually prints the story on the front pages about Rove refusing to testify. I think this is good, folks. But I don't get the daily paper - what's the coverage there? Maybe someone can tell me about the placement in the paper version but the online world clearly has become the market to which they want to appeal and there's a sense that I have that it's getting more balanced. The Mobile Press Register, the Birmingham News and the Huntsville Times are, I believe, owned by Newhouse and they share the media stories but they put out different papers, of course. In the past it was anti-Siegleman all the time, and I'm actually not going to read the story right now because (1) I already know this idiot would do this and (b) I've got more urgent things to do. But tell me, dear reader, are the local media getting more savvy about the national news or are they sensing that this story has "legs" and going with it.

Because you and I both know that there have been many, many stories that have not been covered in these three papers - and had they been covered, Rove might not be in the lofty position of being above the law like he seems to be.

 

6:58:59 PM     comment []

Well, DUH! No wonder I flipped out that day...

I just came across a tiny spiral notebook that I used back in 2000 when I was first signed up for my painting classes. I guess this was the summer of 2000 because I know what was going on then from the notes in the little book. I was driving across the bay to a painting class three times a week, which was stressful considering I was borrowing a car back then I think - I'm not sure if I had my Van then or not. But even if I did have, it was a time before I had enough financial aid to really cover my expenses of going back to school and live. Life was tough, but some friends believed in me and were helping me get to where I needed to go. Sometimes they'd buy a painting, or a piece of furniture I'd refinished, or something, but there was a sort of group effort going to get me back in the art world. That summer eight years ago I was so thrilled to finally get confirmation from a professor about my artistic talents (Yeah, I'm sort of one of those who needs lots of reinforcement sometimes, okay? - consult Julia Cameron if you want to know more about the problems artists face staying with their art) but after about 30 years of not painting I'd finally enrolled in this degree program and was in my first real painting class.

The notebook I found this morning had a page that I'm inserting the image of below - I've blanked out the physician's name who treated me that day because I'm not at all happy with his prescribed treatment - but that's another story and I've already written about that. What I am now realizing from reading this notebook is that all this time I'd forgotten the three megavitamins and the Rejuvex that I took that day. I have always remembered the 100 degree heat, the long waiting and the dehydration and heat issues at my age that were most assuredly a contributing factor, but I'd forgotten the fact that I never eat breakfast, I probably ate a sausage biscuit at the most on the way to the critique (I truly can't remember if I ate anything at all).

 

           

So what I'm thinking of now is how I've never been able to manage supplements in any form, and I either take them improperly, or not at all.  Not that they are bad for you, although the way I took three in one morning plus the rejuvex, which is for women, is not the way to take them, and I'll bet you anything I wasn't taking them at all regularly - I'm sure I've thrown away those from that long ago but I actually have nothing but expired multivitamins and specific nutritional products like vitamin C and garlic oil in my cabinet now, and I just added a photo of the expiration dates. All but one expired a long time ago.  Some as long ago as 2004 and even the megavitamin was 04-07. Yea, I am really good at taking supplements.  For a few days.

You can keep those supplements. I don't need them anymore and I feel better than I have ever felt in my life (and look better too, I might add) and I'm going to throw out all the expired bottles in my kitchen cabinet. I'm going to add up the price of those before I throw them away and count the unswallowed tablets that are no longer good but that I had very good intentions of taking.

I'm off to the races but I'll add more to this later. Lots going on but most of it will have to wait till after the family reunion at the end of this month when I can breathe again...hopefully the house will be finished and I'll be back in my studio by then too. Yippee!!!

 

7:16:26 AM     comment []

Ingrid Betancourt is reported to be freed from the FARC captors that have held her since 2003. This is the most wonderful news. I can't imagine what her life must have been like, but it puts whatever small problems I have in perspective, and I'm thrilled that she's free.
4:40:53 PM     comment []

Tim Russert and I were the same age. Astounding. He collapsed yesterday of a heart attack at age 58. He will be mourned forever. What is so astounding to me is that he is my generation - I say that because I rarely learn that anyone of note came out of that particular era fraught with so much turmoil and insanity. I don't know for sure but it's possible that he graduated from high school in 1968 like we did and it's certain that he was involved in, aware of, and affected by all those events that so rocked our world and changed the way we view our country, our place in society, our patriotism and our need to speak out and our understanding of the truth vs. what we are told is the truth. Perhaps that is what made Russert so special. I don't know. I respected him, sometimes disliking his questions because he was equally demanding of both sides and that occaisionally would provoke the ire of those of us who wish to see the other side's feet held to the fire but not our own. Tim didn't make his own views part of his agenda, but simply sought the truth despite the spin that his guests wanted to put on events.

Tim Russert is gone. I woke up this morning wondering if they will continue Meet the Press since it had become so much his own "mark" - it's sure to be the most watched for a while as they rerun the best of the 20  years that Russert held this spot on Sunday mornings. Some of you might wonder if I even know what I'm talking about since I truly haven't watched TV in years, but frankly if I watched it at all Meet the Press was one of those shows I did watch. And when Russert said anything it was usually all over DailyKos which I do read daily. So even though my TV is almost never on, I do realize that there has been a huge impact on the political world and that this man will be missed not only by the journalistic community but by the public who came to trust him to get at the truth like no one else could do.

9:22:07 AM     comment []

Old Shell Road has claimed yet another of my cats. This one, by all counts the Alpha male of the house, had been warming the hearts of the families on both sides of me as well. He's buried next to Kinky, Booger, Callie and a few others that never even had names. He'll be missed forever.

 

6:09:35 PM     comment []

 

9:16:22 PM     comment []

In case you haven't heard, 60 minutes will do a follow up Sunday on Don Siegleman and Dan Abrams on Monday night will air a live interview with Governor Siegelman. Watch if you can.
5:13:45 PM     comment []

 

 

1:45:31 PM     comment []

Where were you when the lights went out? Last night there were three houses on Old Shell Road who cut the power at 8 pm and turned it back on at nine pm. We all were having lasagna at my house during that time and it was quite a fun evening. I'd learned about earth hour only earlier in the day - which is odd for me since I usually hear about these things sooner - but I suppose my focus has been on other issues of late -

Anyway, I found out just in time to let my two neighbors know and since we had already planned to gather around my famous lasagna it turned out to be a great evening of good food and good friends. I was sorry that my oldest son couldn't be there as it had originally been intended to welcome him to Mobile since he's just this week moved here. But he was otherwise engaged and I had already gotten my energy up for the lasagna by then. All I have to do is say that word and my neighbors are all eagerly awaiting the results. This was an interesting batch because it was made with deer meat. I don't think we even told everyone that, but it was quite good.

I'm off to do other things today but there are a couple of other things I've found that I'd love to share. One of them I may have already talked about - ForaTV is a web portal that has lots of interesting speakers and videos that you will enjoy - and another one called TED I just learned about has even more interesting stuf (okay, that's not a fair statement as they are both fascinating places to check out each in their own way. TED, however, is always just one person and that person has 18 minutes to make a presentation. TED stands for technology, entertainment and design, and it has a unique history - it is all about fostering action and collaboration - there are all sorts of presentations - musicians, physicists, philosophers, etc. Here, let me let them tell you more about themselves:

 

Our mission: Spreading ideas.

We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world. So we're building here a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world's most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other. Over time, you'll see us add talks and performances from other events, and solicit submissions from you, as well. This site, launched April 2007, is an ever-evolving work in progress, and you're an important part of it. Have an idea? We want to hear from you.

There's more at their website, but since I've got lots of other stuff to do, why don't you just hop on over there and check it out for yourself?

Have a great day wherever you are. And WELCOME HOME, Don Siegelman!

10:51:59 AM     comment []