Notes

Overheard at La Madeleine: "and then I said to her, Like Really, and I said it, you know, like I liked meant it so she would like, you know, know."

Pot vs Kettle: On Stevie Nicks saying that Lindsey Lohan couldn't play her in a movie until Lindsey got her life straight: there is no one more stridently anti-something than an ex-something...from a bio on Stevie: In 1986, Stevie checked herself to the Betty Ford clinic for drug rehabilitation and has been clean ever since. "Yes, the drugs were bad and they got everybody sick and made a lot of problems. However, there's the tragic artist drug syndrome that sometimes makes for great art. So I would go back and change any of it? No I wouldn't. I think it all happened for a reason. But I got through it, so I was lucky. I would never lecture anybody because I don't think that's the way to get to people. It certainly wasn't the way to get to me. I decided to go to Betty Ford. Nobody came and threw me in a van and took me. That was my decision. I booked the room. I paid for it. So I really think when it comes down to that stuff, it's really all up to you."

I sometimes have opportunities others don't...the other week, pictures were needed to compare two proteins (colorwise) - one of them being e coli. Now, a picture of the beaker of protein itself wasn't that interesting. However, with Paintshop Pro...pretty cool. How's that for the beautiful side of an ugly thing?

In my notes journal (that stays in my purse), I keep a running list of items "to buy" - e.g. metal washers (Lowe's); rounded plastic hangers (Walmart) etc. I just noticed that on my list is a "Normal Gauge"...Now, where do I think I'm going to find that? And who's 'normal' do I mean?

I wonder if there is a contest for the most UFOs (Un-finished Objects) and if there is, how many UFOs does it take to be a finalist?

Is it weird to be looking forward to the Star Trek episode of CSI Crime? and more because it's about Star Trek than it's CSI? (even though they don't call it an ST convention in the storyline...)

Think my boss would miss me? I think it's a good thing that my work space doesn't have a window...

I Meant To Do My Work Today

by Richard Le Gallienne I meant to do my work today,

But a brown bird sang in the apple tree,

And a butterfly flitted across the field,

And all the leaves were calling me. And the wind went sighing over the land,

Tossing the grasses to and fro,

And a rainbow held out its shining hand--

So what could I do but laugh and go?

Happy Easter Monday

I was born on an Easter Monday umpty years ago - that's my new age, as of tomorrow I am umpty (meaning more than one and less than a hundred). I think it's better than x-years. When you're very young, you don't think much about time, except that it moves soooooo slooooow when you are being forced to do something you don't want to do. And when you are older, the years sometimes seem like months they go so quickly. And I like being umpty old . It far outweighs the alternative and it means that, instead of giving me something I don't really need, my husband takes me to our very favorite restaurant (www.yorkstreetdallas.com). And we can spend time in our house, puttering about and 'getting stuff done'. The thing about birthdays is that it automatically makes you think of birthdays past...but with very few exceptions, I can not remember many of them - but I remember Easters. I think the birthday sometimes became very confused in my head since it usually falls somewhere near Easter most years and I got presents for both occasions. My favorite Easter was the year I woke up to ice on the budding trees and everything absolutely sparkled in the bright sunlight, with the greens being very very green and backed by an incredibly blue sky. I'm sure my parents weren't thrilled, but I remember saying a special prayer in church that morning because it was so beautiful it made my heart hurt and I thought it was a special present from God. Maybe the holiday overshadowed the birthday because it was the only time of year I got chocolate - I was very allergic to it as a kid, but on Easter, that Magnificent Rabbit always left me a chocolate rendition of himself, of which I was allowed one bite that day and then it had to go into the freezer where he stayed until I just "needed" a piece. (It would take me months to finish off that rabbit. It taught me to savor the things I really really enjoy and also, now that I think of it, probably contributed to my desire to not wanting to wait for anything - ever - now that I'm an adult and can choose for myself).

The rest of the basket would be a stuffed animal and the remaining candy would be Peeps...beautiful, bright yellow, probably carcinogenic back then, Peeps. Which, if my mother had only thought about it, were waaaayyy worse for me than that rabbit. I only have to look at them now and my eyes begin to spin in my head and my heart starts to pound. And she just thought I was excited because of my birthday or whatever! So - tomorrow I will go to work and when I come home, I'll spend time scanning family photos. You should always spend your birthday with loved ones, even if they aren't all around any more.

Texas Goddess

Texas has a reputation of toughness - always has. But really - how ugly is this goddess? and she stands on top of the Capitol Building! Brewster Hudspeth wrote an article (well worth the read) on her at http://www.texasescapes.com/AustinTexas/Texas-State-Capitol-Goddess-Of-Liberty.htm and it does state:

The "strong" features were intentionally exaggerated to make her appear "normal" when viewed from below. She's quite startling when viewed up close.

Startling? OMG - she could frighten small children! - I kind of think it looks like Abraham Lincoln....

If Texas women looked like this in the late 1880's, no wonder Texas men were tough.

Capitol Saturday

Dave had a luncheon meeting in Austin yesterday, and I went along for the ride...it's amazing how much needlework you can get done while locked for three hours in a car! While he was off for his meeting (in the Capitol Building), I amused myself by walking around the grounds and parts of downtown Austin. Then it was back in the car and back home. So here I am over 300 pictures richer, 232 I deemed okay but not usable for scrapbook purposes...leaving me with 11 birds, 19 buildings, 13 flowers, 14 heraldry/symbols, 14 squirrels, 29 statues and 8 of the honor guard. I particularly like the pictures of the birds and the squirrels. You can check out all of the photos in the pdf on the scrapbook list...as soon as Dave shows me how to upload it!

Leaf Update

Don't forget to check on the progress of the tree project at http://www.internationalfibercollaborative.com/ The picture of my leaf contribution can be seen in gallery 7 (photo link on top bar of website) http://www.internationalfibercollaborative.com/html/gallery7.html All of the leaves are fascinating to look at - I can hardly wait to see the finished project!