Forever A Fangirl

... And For How Much Longer?

Is Neil Young Looking Less Scary?

Singer Neil Young poses at the 25th annual Sundance film festival in Park City, Utah January 24, 2006. (Rick Wilking/Reuters)

Is it just me or is Neil Young looking less scary as he grows into old age?

Don't Worry, Be Happy

Sometimes things just seem very balanced and calm and well, it doesn't usually last really long, lol, but right now it's good. I'm happy with the work I'm doing. I'm glad it snowed so things went from gray to white. My marriage seems to be in a good place--and heading in a good direction. My younger son is Mr. Mellow--there's not much conflict with him, if ever. Older son is pretty wrapped up in his sweetie and her serious health issues so he hasn't the energy to tangle with me. I really enjoy the Madrigals group that I joined. It was just joyful being a part of it tonight. The director knows his stuff and I just want to soak it all in--and the people are friendly. Music used to be a huge part of my life (radio actually used to be good--and there was plenty of clubbing and concerts). Now I'm lazy about seeking out new stuff and I end up putting NPR on the car stereo. I won't pay $150 to see a name brand band and I can't do the smoke-filled club scene any more.
But I've been dutifully doing beginner's keyboarding and now with the singing I feel reconnected to music. It's not what I grew up with but it still strokes the same auditory feel-good areas.

And yeah, I need to keep working on not taking myself so seriously. Stop stressing and fretting over things that I have little or no control over. Just concentrate on being a decent human being and it pretty much falls into place.

Have a good one!

--Cyn

Winter Finally Comes To Chicago

Lost our teevee, Internet, & phone overnight due to storm.
This is what we did instead.

Walking the dog through the freshly fallen snow. The sepia colour resulted from it being a non-flash night shot w/out camera-setting compensation--no after-adjustments except sharpening on this photo.

Posterized

Dad & son got into a tree-branch shaking thing. I like the "mist"-like effect to this one. Again the photo has not been Photoshopped--just framed.

This really shows the weight of the snow on the tree branches--I'll bet it had a little something to do with our losing the phone, teevee, & Internet. :P

Our across-the-street neighbours. By now, my infatuation with bare trees must be quite obvious.

Stating The Obvious

And the award for stating the blindingly obvious goes to...

QUOTATION OF THE DAY         
     "George Bush won the election. If you don't like it, you better win elections."
  RAHM EMANUEL,   Democratic representative from Illinois, on halting a conservative movement on the Supreme Court.

Baby Boomers Turn Sixty

I am a Baby Boomer. We were born between 1946-1964 (I was '59).
What I want to know is, when do we get to be not special any more?

I thought that our kids, "the Echo Boomers" are more special than we because there's more of them.
Isn't that the short version of "why" we are apart from the rest-- 'cos there's lots of us?
I've been hearing how "special" we are since the census takers crunched their numbers and made the big announcement over 30 years ago. And we've been navel-gazing ever since.

From what I understand, this is how it started:
There was a war (WWII). Out of that came advances in science, technology and so forth. The war ended. Within a few years, prosperity was the order of the day (decade-plus, actually) so people cranked out lots of kids.
Since there was (are) lots of Baby Boomers, there was/is quite a lot of impact, naturally.

But to keep commemorating every little sneeze that the Boomers have collectively made?
Just like the Boomers, it's gotten old.

"New Orleans is reminding me of the city I used to come to visit..."

I will tell you the contrast between when I was last here and today is pretty dramatic," said Bush...

"New Orleans is reminding me of the city I used to come to  visit," he added as he sat next to New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin," before I 'ya know, quit hitting the bottle," Geo. Bush did not say.

U.S. President George W. Bush participates in a reconstruction efforts roundtable with small business owners and community leaders while visiting New Orleans, January 12, 2006. The president is touring the Gulf Coast region to witness efforts to rebuild the region after Hurricane Katrina destroyed many parts of the area last year. REUTERS/Larry Downing

Shattered

I'm totally bummed beyond words. And angry. And wish that I wasn't raised by an atheist so that even though the atheist is now agnostic, no matter how much I want to believe in the guy upstairs--I honestly can't.
Today I learned that the diagnosis for my son's steady gf--"L"--is Neurofibromatosis, Type II and I can't find one good thing on the entire stupid Internet about the prognosis. She flew to New York today and the news hasn't changed: multiple tumours in her brain and on her spine. Twenty-three years old. If she's lucky, she'll end up completely deaf. Soon. Maybe in a wheelchair. Look up NF-2 if you want to read more. I can't bring myself to type all the negative outcomes. Mortality is high with type 2. How do you put a positive spin on that?
I can't believe how very stupid and small my problems are compared to
hers. And I was such a whiner when I was first dx with congestive heart failure because it killed my career and I thought it would quickly do the same to me.
This just sucks beyond words. And words are worthless. All the "think positive and look on the bright side" crap. There is no bright side. None.

Tom DeLay: Still a Smug Bastard?

Republicans calling for elections to replace DeLay
Fri Jan 6, 2006
03:59 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - About two dozen Republicans have promised to sign a petition calling for elections to permanently replace Rep. Tom DeLay as majority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, aides said on Friday.

"We have commitments for about 25 signatures. The letter calls for a leadership election for a permanent majority leader," said Matthew Specht, a spokesman for Rep. Jeff Flake, a conservative Arizona Republican. Fifty House Republican signatures are needed to call elections, which would occur after the House reconvenes on January 31.

A source close to House Republicans, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters that the signatures were being collected from conservative and moderate Republicans. The source said Rep. Charles Bass, a New Hampshire moderate, was working closely with Flake. DeLay, a Texas Republican, was forced to resign as House majority leader, the number-two leadership job, in September after he was indicted in Texas on money laundering and conspiracy charges. At the time, DeLay said the move was temporary and that he would return to the majority leader job after he believed he would be cleared of the accusations. DeLay said the felony charges were engineered by Democratic opponents in Texas. But more recently, DeLay's political future has been further clouded by his association with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. © Reuters 2006

From the Smoking Gun

Tom DeLay Mug Shot

Republican pol is booked on conspiracy, money laundering charges

________________________________________

DeLay was such a smug bastard, vowing that he'd soon be back to reclaim his throne in the House.
This is just desserts for this puffed-up peacock.

"But more recently, DeLay's political future has been further clouded by his association with (stated "close friend") convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff."

Mom always said that whom one chooses to keep company with was a direct reflection on that person.
Boy, that Abramoff guy must be a real slimeball...

``Cyn

Daley Plaza Christmas Tree, 1/02/05

As seen through the back window of our Mustang GT.
Photo by my son.