Please send a prayer for Victims of Train Collision

I am sad and stunned today. I hope that you can please send a prayer to my fellow Los Angelenos who have been killed or injured in a horrible commuter train and freight train collision yesterday. I ride the commuter train (different line) occasionally and enjoy taking it with the boys into downtown LA. It is a "community on wheels", a wonderful thing in this horizontal and dissociated car crazy city. My heart breaks for the families who wait in vain for their husband, wife, child, lover, sister, brother, or friend to walk through the door.

Sorry for the depressing post, even though the accident is 15 miles away, it hits close to home. Whenever I think, "That could have been me, us", I am reminded of the fragility of life and how well we deceive ourselves it is anything but.

"Oh, what a world! What a world!" Wicked Witch of West, The Wizard of Oz

"People do not like to think..."

"People do not like to think. If one thinks, one must reach conclusions. Conclusions are not always pleasant."
Helen Keller

I am weary of people who base their decisions on shallow, superficial issues. I believe we are all smarter than the politicians and bureaucrats think we are. I am sick of the lies and avoidance of real dialogue among politicians. I am proud to be a citizen of this country and to cast my vote. I feel it is my responsibilty, we all have so much at stake, especially now.

If you haven't registered to vote, please do so, the deadline is nearing. If you "Don't vote, don't complain" is my motto. See you at the Polls!

100 Words - Memories of 9/11/01

The phone rang at 6:15 am in Los Angeles; it was my husband from his office. He asked me if I heard the news, "What news? That Michael Jordan is coming out of retirement?" I said glancing at the morning paper. "Turn on the TV" and I did and I saw the Twin Towers fall on the screen and our world change forever for our two sons and all of us. I remember how quiet it was that day with no airplanes flying overhead as if we were observing a sacred silence and sharing our grief from three thousand miles away.

Wordless Wednesday "Bad Table!"

Pictures from Lake Piru, Ventura County, CA

The Golden Eagle is visible on the right side of the photo towards the middle.(Please open in a new window to enlarge if you like, my DH and I call these, "small dot animal pictures".)

This is the first time I have ever seen a Golden Eagle in the wild. They are 3 feet in height, very impressive.
Outside The Sanchez Market, Downtown Piru

What a Dame!/Perfect Moment Mondays

I hope you enjoy the excerpts below from a recent LA Times interview with Shirley Maclaine; actress, author, and spiritual seeker. This struck a chord with me because I get tired of dealing with other people's BS and my own BS too. Gee, who doesn't?

"... If anything interferes with my inner peace, I will walk away. Arguments with family members. All that stuff. None of it matters. Before, I would try to understand or win the argument.

(Interviewer) Are you getting smarter as you get older?

No. I'm getting tired."


Also, I am going to participate in "Perfect Moment Mondays" whose purpose is to share a moment that brought peace and joy. I am fortunate enough to have two moments to share this Monday. The first was a bad situation turned very sweet. About a week ago, while the boys were getting ready for school, it got very tense with my 13 y/o. He left the house in a huff with the accompanying slamming of doors and pouting face. I hate starting the day (or finishing it that way, or anything in between for that matter) with negativity for both us and was sad that's the way it was. Two minutes later, my son came back to say he was sorry and he wanted a Hug. That was special, especially at this age, where it's All About Them. Really cool.

The next perfect moment happened yesterday when we went boating on Lake Piru in Ventura County with our dear friends and neighbors. (In of itself, multiple perfect moments.) We were cruising around the lake looking for fishing spots when we came upon two Golden Eagles. One was perched on a rise 30 yards from us and the other was riding the thermals along the shoreline. Truly breathtaking. I will post pictures later this week.

Thank you so much for letting me share these things that remind me of how blessed I am and that all is not lost when it comes to parenting a teen and preteen. I noticed that perfect moments seem easier to find once I started looking.
I send my best to you and may your cup runneth over with perfect moments to sustain you.

WTF Wednesday Winner

Please join me in Congratulating ... Sara of Gas Passer aka UU'er as our First Winner of WTF Wednesdays with her closest correct answer of "Observatory". The picture is of the 35 foot high Swarovski crystal waterfall sculpture "Joie" that greets you on your way to the "Top of the Rock" Observatory on top of Rockefeller Center in NYC. This 3 story tall chandelier has 14,000 Swarovski crystals and fiberoptic lighting. I will be sending out the prize soon to Sara, a True Winner if ever there was one! I am also sending out consolation prizes to the wonderful contestants who guessed chandelier with a sincere thank you! I will provide a hint or two next time. Thank you again and best to all and hope you get to walk under a Waterfall of Crystals soon.