Easter Chuckles

This makes me laugh every year.

Happy Easter.

March Madness

This is a pretty good representation of what I did today. Yes, it is the annual organizing of the receipts for the whole IRS thing in April. I have been staring at the box of stuff for weeks now and finally succumbed to the call and got halfway through it, mostly my stuff. MMspouse is self-employed and there's a mountain of his stuff I still need to go through. That's one type of March Madness.



Another type of March Madness will no doubt descend around us tomorrow when green beer and drunken shenanigans abound. Here's a quiz you can take if you prefer to stay in and close to your keyboard. St. Paddy's Quiz

Finally....the brackets are in and the REAL March Madness starts. Who ya rootin' for? NCAA tournament.

Painterly

What, you ask, has become of all that painting you've been doing, MM?
I've been remiss in posting more details but since I have the concentration of a gnat at 28 days of no smoking (yea for me...I wish I were happier about that) I have a hard time stringing sentences together, in print or verbally.
The Master Bath: done! I love it. It changes everything about how I feel about the room except for the need for a much bigger bathtub...other than that, it's all good and I am thrilled with the color. Here's my arty take on the paint and my towels. Pretty exciting stuff:

Here's the niche where the commode resides that I've populated with favorite things including one of my favorite music posters from an evening at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco, back in 1994, that featured a then unknown Ben Harper along with the amazing Ali Farka Toure.

Meanwhile, I am mulling over the next project: Guest bath? Master Bedroom? Living Room?

I can't decide which to do next and my coping skills are fairly minimal right now so any project has to be broken down into increments that do not inspire any type of frustration level for fear of loud outbursts of ridiculous yelling or throwing of objects. Thus is the state of nicotine withdrawl. Whee....are we having fun yet? I'll leave you with a helpful state of zen that is the mountains I have the pleasure of looking at everyday.

Job's Peak, from the Douglas County Fairgrounds, Nevada

Rx

Funniest birthday gift Ever! "Eat your way to Inner Peace" Thanks MMsis.

THE SHOES!!

Cute, huh? To everyone's suprise: Not Black. These were my birthday weekend and I just quit smoking gift to myself and at 10 days and still going I can honestly say I deserve them and even if I never wear them I can always encase them in lucite, hang them on the wall and admire them as a work of art. Here's another view:

I adore the heel though I am going to have to practice walking in them.

Still Going.....

Day 6. Phew...this not smoking thing is a bit tiring. My mind is constantly thinking up new and interesting ways to not smoke and ignore that habitual little sneaky voice that wants me to go out into the garage and light up. Luckily, I have a new inner voice, RESOLVE, that speaks kindly and says....no sweetie, we are a non smoker now. So, me and all my voices are very busy and chatty and playing alot of Freecell and wanting to blog but not quite ready to sit and blog. Thank you all for the encouraging words. I'll update you all on my birthday weekend later this week. It involves a ridiculously beautiful pair of shoes!!

Patch Me Up

Day Four of No Smoking!

Happy Valentine's Day

Uploaded from Cute Addict

I am celebrating my birthday on this 14th day of February. I am hoping there are cupcakes in my future. I find it reassuring that I was born on a day where chocolate is expected and given as a sign of love and adoration. This makes me laugh seeing as I am addicted to chocolate. It is a day of high expectations for many and I say okay, if you want to buy into that great ,otherwise, put those expectations aside and go buy yourself a lovely cupcake and just enjoy it and yourself! This has always worked for me. I'm heading out of town for the long weekend to revel in my personal new year. Happy Valentine's Day to all.

But It's Tuesday

"These are the days that bring you meaning
I feel the stillness of the sun, and I feel fine"
-jamie cullum-

Sunday Sunshine

Bold Color

One of my holiday gifts was a gift card to the GAP. The reason being I have been wanting something (RED) that I have yet to see in stores. So with gift card in hand there was online shopping and viola: T-shirts. The Red one is for hiking, me thinks and the black is for sleeping in.

I love when I can be a consumer and do good at the same time.

Once those lovelies arrived I was indeed inspired. I have the most boring color beige on my walls and it is time to be bold and put some color on them. Enough with the vascillating, the indecisiveness, time to pick a color and just do it! Here's the niche high up on one wall (there are 2 in the living room) that is so blah you can hardly see it.
Challenging? Yes. Hanging off the ledge and trying to paint was interesting but oh my goodness what a nice change it is.
Both of them look stunning. This niche is going to house two prints I have that MMspouse was kind enough to have framed for me over the holidays. I just love them and the colors were my inspiration. So there is much painting going on here. I've finished the niches and moved on to a wall that leads to a hallway and painted it a very striking Burgundy/Merlot. It is dark but I like it. I'll get a picture of that when the light is better in the house. It's overcast today. Meanwhile, I've started on the master bath today with a tuscan/brickish color that I think will look swell with the new towels I was given and my dusty blue stuff. We shall see. Next, something soothing and light on the walls but with a hint of color. The paint bug has bitten. Meanwhile, I am also working on a mirror that has traveled through my family. It was initially my sister's. Then my niece had it. She passed it on to me. It is lovely and beveled. The Gold frame is not really me so I have decided to apply a riot of color. Seriously, I am just making it up as I go along. I'm liking it so far.

Color is the theme for February for me. It is helping keep the winter blahs at bay.

Sunday Snow Angel

Woke up to 6 inches of fresh snow. Yes, I did plop myself down in it! Refreshing!

MidWeek MishMash

Here I am...yes, I did caucus last Saturday and was happy to report that my precinct had a really good turnout with a large majority of those folks for Obama. I was nicely suprised. Our group was quite lively while the Hilary group seemed serious. Just my perception. It was a good experience and I am happy to report there weren't too many glitches. Results, well, that is why I'm not terribly political. It is a race and there's always a winner and losers...Hilary won the popular vote in Nevada however, Obama came away with 13 delegates whereas Hilary scored 12. She won predominately in Clark County which is Las Vegas and the surrounding areas while Obama took Northern Nevada. I'm keeping a close eye on the election news coming out of the states that are due to primary in the next few weeks.

It is cold and snowy here and has been for several days and is expected to continue for several days. We are definitely having more winter than last year. There has been snow in the SF-Bay Area which is always a weird and wonderful occurence. I'm tucked in with books and movies and just hanging out. I've got a couple creative projects in the works but I'll share those later.

The Time is Now

Courtesy of: Reno and its Discontents

My Defining Moment

Let me first say, I am not a political creature by nature. However, I do feel that this current presidential election is an important one at this point in my lifetime. I am deeply concerned about the damage done by eight years of a man who smirks when he speaks and clearly lacks intelligence. I simply can not listen to him. That may be an unfair judgement yet it is how I feel. I believe each of our political beliefs are personal and shaped by our lives and experiences. I avoid group think mentality. I prefer to gather information quietly and decide for myself. This last week I have done more political homework than I ever have in my life. Nevada will caucus on Saturday, January 19th. I felt suddenly that I better find my position if I am to caucus. I need to be firm in my decision so that I can stand in my candidates corner. This is Nevada’s first foray onto the political radar. That is pretty exciting stuff and we have benefitted from it with an array of visits from candidates descending on our state and that brings me to:

Barack Obama came to Carson City and I was there. I will tell you the lighthearted stuff that made me smile. Once we were allowed into the auditorium we waited about an hour and during that time a mix tape played. It was a mix tape after my own heart. Staple Singers, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, any artist who had the funk and an uplifting message was on that tape. I just wanted to dance and sing and I sort of did, in my chair. Senator Obama has a wonderful sense of humor. He commented about the DNA analysis that showed that Dick Cheney was a distant relation. He said when these types of tests are done you hope to be related to some one cool like Abraham Lincoln (one of his personal heroes) or Willie Mays. He said Cheney was a bit of a disappointment. He mentioned that many have questioned his experience and suggested he is not ready. That he needs more time to simmer, needs more seasoning and what he thinks they are really saying is "they want to boil the hope right out of him". He’s a "hope monger". Like that is a bad thing.

He said he came to this campaign as a agent of change from the beginning. Now, all you hear everyone in the democratic race saying is they are about change. He gave an uplifting political stump speech about "Why I am running for president" and it was good and it covered all the topics that are in the forefront of the public’s mind right now. The war, health care, veterans, economy, all things you can read on his website: Barack Obama .

He is accused of being naive in regards to his plans and hopes. I am not naive enough not to recognize his reason for being in Carson City but it also speaks to his true feeling for grassroots organization that he was here. He urged everyone, no matter their choice, to caucus on Saturday. Yes, he would like us to caucus for him, but more importantly, caucus because it is an opportunity to be heard.

He quoted Martin Luther King, Jr.. He quoted John F. Kennedy. I can’t give you specifics. You can read and investigate yourself what his plans and goals are. There are any number of speeches available on his website or YouTube, this is certainly the most computer friendly campaign yet and I am especially impressed with Senator Obama’s website.

Do I think he can do all he speaks of? I don’t know but then does any candidate follow through on all their promises? I believe if he wins he will need a good 8 years to realize his goals. I’m down with that. I went knowing his reputation for charisma but honestly, I wasn’t looking for that and it was not on display in anyway that I expected except to say he is smart, articulate, funny, works without notes, excellent speech giver.

I walked away understanding that he is passionate and part of that passion is "the fierce urgency of now", this particular time in the USA. I saw a man with a strong moral compass. I saw someone reasonable, aware of his strengths and weaknesses, I saw a man who is down to earth, grounded in a way I had not expected. I saw a man who can lead and possibly change us and the nation for the better.

If you haven’t seen the victory speech Senator Obama gave after his win in Iowa
Marilyn has a lovely post and the video available. It gave me chills.

Senator Obama did take questions from the audience. He listened very attentively, he answered them in a straight forward manner and spoke directly to the person who asked. He did not stray off topic from what the question was, he was impressive in that regard. When a woman asked him "Are you electable? With all due respect Senator, we have never had a black man for president." He smiled at her and said "I have noticed that." He then went on to say that he knows there will be people who will not vote for him because he is black, people who will not vote for Hilary because she is a woman, people who will not vote for John Edwards because of his accent. He said that he has been pleasantly surprised by people along the campaign trail, in that they, for the most part, have looked to the issues and the message each candidate brings rather than race or gender.

Could it be we are finally ready to act on the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.?

"I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color

of their skin, but by the content of their character."

In the news today, that very issue was addressed by Obama and Clinton. The Baltimore Sun has the article.

My lovely readers expressed an interest in my experience Monday and I am so happy for your comments. I’m not writing to sway you or spell out specifics. In fact, I am a bit shy of putting this out there: as I said I believe politics is personal and I hold my beliefs close, I don’t engage in a lot of political discourse or savor an argument over who is the better candidate, who has the better plan or policy. I understand the vast amount of vacillation democrats feel around having to choose a ground breaking candidate either female or African American. How amazing that these are considerations. I love the volume of what that speaks to. Progress, in my lifetime, of which I am proud to see.

For me my choice has been clarified. I have felt in my gut from the beginning of the political season that this is where I would come to. To you I will say this: check out all the candidates websites, put some time aside to at least read their statements, register to vote and take part in the process whether it be primary or caucus. VOTE. It does matter.

"Fierce Urgency of Now"

Barack Obama came to Carson City this evening.
I went. I saw. I listened. I was pretty darn close.
Turn out was HUGE.

The Banner

The Man

I'm a bit tired and trying to thaw out from waiting outside in line for 2 hrs. I'll write more tomorrow. I will say that I am so glad I went. That for me it was a moment in my own personal history. That I am impressed by his sense of humor, his ability to speak without notes and to answer questions on his feet. It was a very important night.

VIP Visitor

One of the great things about living in Nevada's State Capital (yes, Carson City IS the state capital) is many a politician will stop by our little 2 horse town and make an appearance.
Jack Carter made an appearance in his run for the senate right after I moved here.
Hilary was here shortly after kicking off her presedential campaign.
Tomorrow evening:

Barack! Here! In Carson City.

I have my ticket. The event is one block from the office I work in on Mondays. I am so excited to see and hear this man speak. Nevadans caucus next Saturday so the timing couldn't be better. I am wondering if we will see Hilary again before the week is out. Stay tuned.

Pogonip

Yes, that is the new word for the day. Pogonip is freezing fog. Here are pictures of this event from 2005 courtesy of Scott at AroundCarson. Scott knows everything. It seems it is similar
to an ice storm in that it leaves crystals all over everything and is particulary lovely on the trees.

Courtesy of Scott

Of course, there were no signs of this phenomenon when I awoke. I did, however, sleep in quite late. Now I am excited to see this happen.

UHMMM

The forecast for tonight in the area calls for freezing fog...

????

Anyone?

Sunday Snow Day

This is the ingenious teenager from yesterday's ski park fun, come to snow blow my driveway for me this morning. How much do I love this kid! I will never complain about his hard rock band practicing again. AND he refused the cash I offered. How nice was that!


Again, if you can't have fun what is the point. I will have more fun in 2008

Somewhat strange dog like face. Still my first official snow person!

Pre-shoveling driveway message.

BIG Storm

First big storm of the season hit yesterday and last night. Here's the backyard view this AM.

If you can't play in the snow what is the point.

Pre-shoveling driveway message.


The ingenuity of the teenagers across the street who meticulously fashioned a two jump ski

area this morning.

Ad hoc sno park for sledding at the top of my street. The beauty of a saturday snow fall.