A Bigger Bang Indeed

When I was a sixth grader dancing to the 45 of Satisfaction with my friend Mona Sula on her linoleum basement floor, who would’ve guessed that I’d see a bunch of 60 year olds perform the song, their song, 37 years later in Missoula Montana in the year 2006. To anyone who will ever be 60 years old, the Rolling Stones are a true beacon of hope. Their energy and vibrancy, not to mention their lean muscular physiques, are proof that no one with a lust for life and a passion for their work needs to become fat and sluggish with all the heath consequences that come along with it. And their Maiden Voyage to Montana for a bunch of guys who have certainly seen more of the world than most could ever hope for in a lifetime, shows that even at 60 you can still see new places and have new adventures. I love that their music and level of performance has stayed as high as it ever was. This is no classic rock band milking the last few ounces of a long ago career like so many of those has-been bands you see around at county fairs. These guys are the role model for rock and roll.

As for the actual show, it was a spectacle complete with fireworks and magnificent light show which included the whole humungous stage. It's refreshing that they all look their age, not pulled and reworked with face lifts as so many rich and famous their age. And Mick can really belt them out. It reminded me of when I recently saw Sting, now he's terrific in his own right, but should not include Roxanne when he can't hit the high notes. Not so with Mick. The play list was a pleasing mix of old and a few new ones from their recent hit release. Starting out with a roaring Jumpin Jack Flash and going on to include favorites like Let's Spend the Night Together, Start Me Up, Midnight Rambler including rousing harmonica by Mick, Brown Sugar, Tumbling Dice and a dazzling Sympathy for the Devil complete with Mick in a red coat and top hat. When you think of how many hits they've had over the years it's nice to see they include a broad cross section when performing. Also made me glad I'd seen them do Ruby Tuesday in '89 as it was very moving and not included here. The crowd too was very well behaved, one of the best I've experienced, and an age range from about 10 to 75 from what I could tell. It was nice to share the Stones first experience in Montana with them and 22,000 enthusuastic fans. It was a blast being part of history in the making.

Five Things I've Learned from Internet Dating

Okay, so I'm really new at this and really rusty at dating in general but I'm hoping to be a quick study and not make the same mistakes twice.

1. Don't travel more than 20 miles to meet your "new friend". Exceptions: it's a beautiful day for a drive, your car gets 35 mpg, you like driving, you've got that new cd you're dying to listen to and you like visiting the other town where you have other things you plan on doing: movie, shopping etc.
2. Meet the person as soon after you decide you actually want to meet them as you can. Something strange happens when you wait too long, it must be that mental impression you formulate of their personality, that preconceived notion which of course is never anything like the actual person.
3. Keep your expectations at zero, this lessens the disappointment. This is not as hard as it sounds, for the older you get, the more realistic life becomes. You're smart enough after all these years to do the math and realize that the chances this unknown person will turn out to be your soul mate are about five gazillion to one.
4. Make sure you do an activity, hike, art walk, etc. then when they bore you to tears you still feel a sense of accomplishment because you saw some really cool art or got some excercise.
5. If you're not attracted to their posted pictures, don't even bother, you won't have any chemistry when you meet either. This includes even if they seem funny in your e-mail exchanges and apparently have led a very colorful, interesting life.

Keith Olbermann's Lastest Special Comment

The Sandbagging of Clinton on Fox

Famous Faces & Snow in September

Bush is the Devil

Okay, so why all the fuss about Hugo Chavez exercising his first amendment rights to call Bush The Devil? And now the Right Wing media is promoting the idea to boycott Citgo Gas since it's based in Venezuela; there's even a call from a Boston City Councilman to remove the historic Citgo sign from Fenway Park in protest of Chavez's blunt remarks at the UN. Could it possibly be that when Chavez spoke those words, they rang so true to all who heard them uttered, right and left wingers alike, that the knee-jerk reaction was outrage? I've seen even lefty liberals like Rachel Maddow scold Chavez for his name calling. Hey people, it's just a name, it's not like he's dropped bombs which left our country in ruins, smashing our infrastructure, or caused the deaths of tens of thousands and turned our young military personnel into torturers and murderers, incited a civil war and imprisoned hundreds with no regard given to the Geneva Conventions or Uniform Military Code and has no plan as to how we'll extract ourselves from an ill conceived and unjustified war. Anyone with half a brain, if they really analyze the facts, can understand why other nations, lots of other nations, indeed do consider Bush the devil incarnate. It's just that Chavez had the guts to stand up and say what so many others are thinking.

More Paris

America Lost Her Heart & Soul Five Years Ago Today

Not just because of the horrendous tragedy of two giant planes crashing into the World Trade Towers, but because of the fear mongering that has dominated the political scene since that fateful day. The evil-doers of George W. and his band of cronies have capitalized on the shock and awe suffered by US citizens on 9/11. And now our government has become the kind of fundamentalist, intolerant regime that our leaders would have you believe we are actually fighting against over in Iraq and soon to be Iran. And NO the world is not a better place without Saddam Hussein, it's much worse. Saddam was a bad man, but not as bad as George W. who claims to be doing the work of God. Are you sure you don't mean Allah, George? Because the rhetoric you spew day after day is just as insane. So now we have become the world's number one terrorists, hated far and wide for an unjust war that has decimated Iraq and thrown the whole middle east into turmoil. Liberty and Justice are just hollow sounding words now as the Constitution is methodically dismantled by all branches of our government. The founding fathers must be rolling over in their graves. The kind of tyranny they so vocally warned against has finally come to fruition. God Help Us All.

The Stage is Set

It's Federer and Roddick for the US Open final tomorrow, and it promises to be a really good show. They're both playing at the top of their game, well I guess FedEx always has been, for years now. I was sad to see Youzhny go down in four in the semis to Roddick after beating Nadal. My prediction, Roddick will not be able to overcome Federer, but it will probably go to five sets. I hate not having it another Federer/Nadal showdown, but that's the breaks I guess.

You've Got To Be Kidding - Note to Katie Couric

Okay Katie, it was bad enough that the Long Goodbye lasted a freakin' six months on the Today Show, not to mention the half hour monologue of self absorption on the very last show. (I thought Matt Lauer was going to get up from his seat and personally strangle you on national TV.) But then your first night out of the gate on the CBS Evening News you come up with the "Photo everyone has been waiting for". THIS AIN'T Entertainment Tonight, and we don't Fucking CARE. There's only a War, a Stupid President, an upcoming mid-term election and 500 other things in the world that actually qualify as news that you could be informing the news-watching public about. You may have the legs, but you don't have the chops for a real news show. The stomach turning crap that has filled the Today Show the last several years making it unwatchable should die with your leaving, not just transfer over to CBS. Brian Williams, your future can only look brighter from here.

Farewell to Andre Agassi

Not a dry eye in the house when Andre Agassi hit his last professional tennis ball losing to Benjamin Becker, who will be known through sports history as the one that sent Andre packing. Unfortunately Becker got sent packing in his very next round. At least if someone beats you they should have the decency to go all the way. You had to feel bad for Benny who couldn't really relish the moment of making it to his first fourth round of major tournament ever. Andre gave a very heartfelt speech following his defeat, thanking his long time fans for their support on and off the court. He truly is a man of grace and class. From his days as a brash mullet wearing kid going pro at 16 to his final act as the senior citizen of the game, long outlasting all of his peers, he gave us great moments of tennis. A joy to watch, you couldn't help but root for him, and feel his pain when he could barely walk but managed to play his last match against the youngster Becker. Andre, you will be missed. Thanks for the memories.

Out in the Quarterfinals, Damn!!

Oh well, that's further than ever before for Rafa in the US Open

My Favorite Klimt

WTC The Movie

Well, Oliver Stone has produced a well balanced and touching film, without overdoing the drama or hinting at any conspiracy theory with World Trade Center. I was afraid it would be a real weeper, but actually wasn't too bad, although there are some very emotional moments. The pacing between the families and the trapped men was well done and seeing some of the sights from 9-11 while disturbing, after time you're able to look at the event with more of a historic perspective. The way the film opens with no opening credits, just a few notes of locations is very fitting. Well done.

The Swans of Hyde Park

Friday Notes

Back to Normal
Four weeks ago today we flew off to London. I guess it's time to get back to the routine and finish that painting I started about two months ago. Actually it's almost done, I have to pick a sunflower from the yard to use as the model, then a few touch ups and I'll be done. Next I have to decide if I buy two more canvases, which I think I should. The less fun task will be actually tackling that bare kitchen floor that I tore the gruesome carpet up from last summer. The bare wood is still nicer than the carpet ever was, even with the giant pesto stain from when the blender bottom fell out, oops! But it's a weird shaped kitchen and if I just lay down linoleum myself, it should be a chore getting it cut out. The ideal is ceramic tile, but not sure I'm ready for the expense yet.

No Thanks, I Already Have a Stalker
Been playing around on My Space, which I had never really checked out before, and it's strange. Still not too many local area men that I'd want to meet, but have been corresponding with a couple nearby. I thought it would be different than the online dating sites, which is all meat market vibe, but really My Space is pretty similar in that respect. And the formats, even the custom made ones, are not that pleasing to look at. I'll keep at it for awhile longer, and then probably chuck the whole idea. Besides, blogging is a lot more fun than worrying if the guy who wants to be your friend suffers from a major mental disorder. And another aspect, I'm really at peace with my life as it is, so why fix the unbroken?

I See Live People
One of the starkest differences between Paris and US cities I've visited is the total awareness and engaging nature of the Parisians. A city where people look at each other, watch each other and wonder about each other is pretty refreshing.

Double Feature

Okay after spending a couple of hours pulling up the dead sunflowers that baked while I was away, I decided to catch a couple of movies I've been wanting to see, even though the summer weather had returned. So, I'd heard Woody Allen's new one, Scoop, again had Scarlett Johansson and even Hugh Jackman. Seems every actor wants to work with Woody. Now if you're one of those people who doesn't like Woody when in his own movies, you'll especially not like this one. But, if you're like me and you really like almost all of his movies, this one is definitely entertaining. A little silly, but with Ian McShane (Al Swearingen of Deadwood) it's worth viewing. Scarlett's character is a little ditzy, but it's actually nice to see her play other than the usual smoldering sex symbol, which of course she is.

Speaking of sex symbols, I had to go see Miami Vice, Colin Farrell alone was reason enough for me. And it's actually good, the photography is a lot of hand held action, and luckily not overly violent, which I usually avoid. Not just an action flick, the added dimension of Colin hitting on the enemy plays well with some nice scenes, the speed boat in particular. I wonder how Jamie Foxx liked sharing the screen with Colin, as when he's up there, you just have to watch him, you can't help yourself. Colin has that magnetism that not too many actors own, I can think of only a couple off hand: Clive Owen and Brad Pitt. I smell sequel.

Europe, the Highlights

The trip was a complete success and I feel such a sense of accomplishment that we went and had such a great time. One of the major things that contributed to this, is the amount of preparation that went into the trip. When everything is planned out it allows you to relax and just enjoy the sights and share the experience with people you love, family. The European flavor is so different than the US and seeing things for the first time, especially when you've heard about them and seen pictures your whole life, is quite amazing. How many movies, pictures, etc. have I seen in my life showing the Eiffel Tower, and yet it was spectacular in real life. And Paris, the land of scooters, the streets are like nothing I've ever seen, although the yellow colored buildings did remind me of Stockholm, another city I hope to return to in my life. I think the value of traveling can not be overstated, to see other places and cultures and the different attitudes of each are valuable to give more perspective on life. I think of my siblings, parents and grandparents who would all love to see England at least, considering the family heritage connections, and yet I doubt many will travel there in their life. The barriers that keep people from taking on adventure, money, fear of flying or whatever, can be broken through and makes life so much more rewarding. I'm thankful my daughter moved to Sweden which prompted me to finally take the plunge and get on an eight hour flight. It scares me to think I might otherwise never have made it over to Europe. Now I'd like to make the trip annually, if possible. So much more to see.

"There are no hereditary Kings in America and no powers not created by the Constitution."

Judge Anna Diggs Taylor, from her scathing Detroit district court decision striking down the legality of the NSA spying program. Specifically she found the program unconstitutional and in violation of Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure.

Blue Dali & Big Ben

More Europe

London-Hostel & Paris-Louve & Sweden-Zoo

Escaping the Chaos

Well when I woke up this morning and heard NPR talking about the latest terror threat, in London no less, I was quite relieved that I wasn't stuck in Heathrow. That we just flew back Sunday quite effortlessly from there seems like a lucky stroke. Europe was so fun to visit and London was so easy to navigate it's hard to believe they're under lockdown now, NO WATER OR SHAMPOO, relinquish all liquids!! Seems a little silly that the best defense against terrorists, instead of actually tracking real terrorists, is to make all travelers submit to stupid practices, such as taking off shoes before flying and giving up the coveted water bottle. And that French wine you thought you'd take back to the folks back home, forget it! Flying is bad enough without all the HIGH ALERT madness. So, very glad to be back home instead of waiting in line for hours to board a flight.

Girls in Paris

Wrapping up Europe

last night in sweden, it's really beautiful here, green and clean and the people are so civilized. no drought here by the looks of things. back to london tomorrow for one last day with the brits, and hopefully some serious shopping, still have some gifts to buy for the folks back home. this time i'm thinking i need to come back next year instead of waiting two years, we'll just have to pick a couple of other places to see as well as another visit to sweden. pre=planning the trip has meant all the difference as to how smoothly it's all gone, thank God for the internet; plane, train, hostel/hotel and bus reservations all booked ahead of time. Paris, the land of scooters was very friendly, all that crap about the french not liking americans is a myth. We had so many people trying to assist when we were a little lost and all the service people were as pleasant as could be. And they're so observant of the people around them, not like NY where everyone is on their cell phone or nose in the paper. The Eiffel Tower is an awesome sight, as well as big ben from the london eye, which itself is a magnificent feat of engineering. Will be kind of a let down getting back to the regular work week routine, but what a great success the trip has been.

LA Adventure

So, two nights of Pearl Jam in a row is not too much! Eddie and the boys have really perfected their shows, packed full of favorites and new tunes, there was something for everybody. A couple of suprises, Jeremy for one, and Man of the Hour, and a bunch of real treats, including Baba O'Reilly before they finished off night one with Yellow Ledbetter. And the pre-show tune they'd been listing on their web play lists, which confused me, turned out to be Ed with an acoustic at the very start doing a tune, then introducing Sonic Youth. So all those late arrivers were clueless what they'd missed. And Sonic Youth were thoroughly enjoyable too. Each night had it's own personality, both nights had Tim Robbins who can almost sing. But it was nice seeing him anyway. Being a member does have it's privledges, seats were good both nights. The give and take between the band and audience reminded me of U2 shows, Eddie letting the audience sing the first verse of one Better Man, and it was sweet to hear it again on night two. The crowd was mostly civilized, a younger group than when they play in Montana, but we didn't see any famous faces in the audience like I thought we would, being in LA and all. The Forum has a good set up, no overhangs or balconies, just a big swooping bowl. PJ is at the Gorge this weekend, I'm trying not to think about it as I can't run over to Seattle, but I downloaded the two LA shows, and it's been fun reliving the moments. These special times are definitely worth the time, cash and effort it takes to follow through and make it happen.

Side notes: Saw the worst car crash scene I've ever seen about 7 minutes after leaving the parking lot on the 405 - three cars very mangled, a bloody man laying beside one with a woman attending to him, but otherwise it seemed the other occupants had escaped. If there had been back seat occupants I don't think they would've made it. Very eery sight, it had just occurred only moments before we came up on it, auto debris and glass strewn across the highway lanes. We tried dialing 9-1-1 but lines were busy, as every other car slowly creeping by was probably doing the same.

Visited Universal Theme Park and though most rides were okay, or pretty good, Back to the Future was a blast. They seat you in a Delorian which remains stationary but tilts and pitches so the effect of speeding through the wide open landscape whizzing by all around you gives you an amazing sensation. I laughed and screamed the whole time (and lost my car keys, which thankfully were retreived a little while after) and was ready to jump back in line, except two of the four with us got car sick...oh well.

Did view the new Pirates at Universal which has some charming, funny parts but in general doesn't really add up to the first one. Still worth it to see however.

They Were Awesome!

What a Heartbreak

Except for Roger Federer of course, who won his fourth straight Wimbledon. Just didn't seem like Rafa had the usual fighting spirit, maybe it was nerves about his first final at Wimbledon. Roger played fantastically though and really deserved to win. I was rooting for Nadal though, so it was a shame to see him get the 2nd place silver platter trophy. I guess there's always the US Open in a few weeks, and hopefully the same matchup in the final. If time and funds allow, I may try to go, but seems unlikely at this point with Europe and this latest Pearl Jam extravaganza. Speaking of which, the 2.5 hour show last night at the Forum was excellent, and once again Better Man brought tears to my eyes, there's just something about that song. More tonight at show two....

Whirlwind Month

First things first, keep your fingers crossed that it will be another Nadal-Federer showdown this time on the grass at Wimbledon. Tomorrow Rafa plays in the semi-finals and the only down side is I'll be in LA should the Sunday final indeed be another dream match. If so, it will be another nail biter no doubt, just a little worried about reception with no cable at the LA locale....

Okay, so LA will be busy, busy, Universal Studios on Saturday, and Pearl Jam at the Forum Sun and Mon. Then back to MT for more travel around the state. Thank God it's a couple of more weeks before London/Paris/Stockholm.

Johnny Depp is his appealing pirate self on the cover of this Rolling Stone, I believe the film's out this weekend, should be a blast. Haven't seen Superman, but now I have to as I found out the student film grave robber I got to work with has a minor roll in it. Now living down under, he has real star power and I have no doubt he'll go far.

The Devil Wears Prada is Meryl Streep at her evil best as a ball-busting boss that never shows mercy. The story wraps up in a bit of a tidy bow, too tidy, but still worth seeing. Stanley Tucci gives the film a little depth, although Adrian Grenier from Entourage (a great show) seems to fill only the part of pretty boyfriend character. Hopefully he'll get better roles in the future.

I love four day weekends, I even have time to do a little house cleaning when I have that much time off. Mostly gardening, painting (it's going pretty well), lots of tennis viewing, Game 6 - a twisted film that Red Sox fans can appreciate more than the general public. Michael Keaton and Robert Downey Jr. star in a worlds collide kind of story when a playwright's nervous opening night falls on the same night as the fated 1986 World Series Game 6 when poor Bill Buckner caused the series to slip between his legs on an error at first base. (I heard he even had to move to Europe because he was so tormented when he went out in public after that fated night.) Good movie, I like the way that the two stories intermingle.

ART.....sort of

Well, I finally let inspiration take hold and bought a couple of canvases, an assortment of brushes and some sampler size acrylics. (Boy are they expensive in the industrial size!) I have always wanted to paint but the only thing I've ever done with acrylics is put quirky shit on my jeans when I was a teenager. So now the big test. I took art in high school, and pottery in high school and college and the most memorable items I created were a pencil drawing of my shoe, not bad, and a batik with a geometric design that I actually wish I still had. As for the pottery, I threw a pitcher that my ceramics teacher said looked like the one in the Kool-Aid ads, but I did use it for years to cook Boston Baked Beans in. The longest I've ever worked on a project was on a massive macrame wall hanging I started in Durham NH when I was in college, using a beaver-chewed piece of musclewood that was at the house I lived at, brought it out to Idaho for the semester at UI, then to Bozeman for a few months, then to Yellowstone Park for year, then on to Missoula where I finally finished it about three years later. Thing is, it's the coolest wall hanging and I really love the way it turned out, so it was worth the wait, even though it sat for months at a time while I decided how to do the next part. I always drew as a kid, horses mostly as I was obsessed with horses. I still harbor a far off dream that I'll fall in love with a Montana rancher who has a bunch of horses and I'll quit my day job and just work on the ranch, mucking out the stalls and riding every day. But I digress...so it's always safe to just assume that the first few (dozen) items you produce will be pure crap, just accept it and keep on plodding along. The questions I keep coming back to: do I have the vision and patience to actually work on a project for the time required to make it halfway interesting to look at? I do feel like I've observed all kinds of art mistakes, things that people decide to paint/draw etc. that are just plain boring. I'd rather have bizarre stuff than mundane. Another note, I'm doing this to be a creative, relaxing activity, correct? So if I get stressed out because I don't have the skill to make anything that looks better than a 6th grader's work, do I have the faith to keep trying in the belief that I actually will improve if I practice? As an ADD person, I jump from project to project and get bored quickly, but can concentrate for hours if it's something that captures my interest. I guess the answer is to set out goals as to what I actually want to accomplish if I perservere for the long haul. It could be as simple as having fun mixing the pretty colors or as complex as really planning a project step by step and carrying it to fruition. So, here's where I am so far: the first canvas I got all excited about and whipped up a semi-abstract which turned into poppies amidst a weird abstract. Some aspects came out satisfying, it has layers which give it depth, and the poppies look good, but some of the background almost looks like the doodles I draw when I'm talking on the phone. I've been resisting the urge to do a complete makeover on it, I want it to just be done and keep it as is and learn from it. The colors are nice and it does have some sort of appeal, although not a very strong one, and I haven't seen anything like it elsewhere. So the next question is, are paintings the kind of projects where you always like some aspects and dislike others, so that you're never completely pleased with a result? That could be depressing. So I'm working on the 2nd canvas, also with flowers but I can already see problems, although the color and brushstrokes of the focal rose look fine. I should probably let it set for a couple of days before I get back to it. So, here's hoping I don't get easily discouraged and shit-can the whole idea.....stay tuned.

Little Fishies

The Joy of Summer

Time to get one of those new high-tech digital cameras, would avoid the quadruple exposure collages.
Fancy pink Iris, I think they're Beverly Sills















Old fashioned yellow iris. The rain has really made a difference this year. Planted 8 tomato plants, a hill each of yellow crookneck and zuchini squash and green beans. We'll see if I have any luck with the beans, this is the only place I've lived where I haven't been able to get them to do anything. I'm trying a different spot so we'll see how it goes. The spinich is starting to go to seed but did really well. While the yard looks like a wildflower garden I really like the variety. The bachelor buttons are all starting to bloom, but don't see any white or deep purple yet. And the clematis which I had given up on is starting to grow. I went nuts and ordered 24 new iris, now I just have to figure out where to put them.

Old Friends

Got the urge to e-mail an old friend from college on his birthday. The only reason I remember the day is because it was my due date, June 12, but I was born three weeks late on July 1, all red and wrinkled. I always told my mom it was because I refused to be a Gemini. So, I haven't seen this guy for over 20 years but I was in love with him in college. Unfortunately he didn't have the same romantic ilk that I did, plus I had an out of town boyfriend all through college, who I eventually moved west with. We were close friends though, and shared a love of music and corresponded through letters after I moved away. Of course I raved to my room mate about how terrific he was so she decided I was right and they hooked up for several years but it ended badly when she dumped him. I could've predicted it would end as such. So the suprise, when I finally spoke to him last year after connecting with a Christmas card was that he'd never married, never had kids either. But, he said he was still hopeful. Men definitely have more options as far as the family thing goes, he could meet a 33 year old, her biological clock's loud ticking keeping her awake nights and bang, just like that he could be a dad at age 49. And he would make a great dad. So, the funny thing is, when I did finally send the e-mail, was that he'd also been thinking about me lately, having come across the card and a picture I'd sent him of my three wonderful kids last year and he'd vowed to drop me a line. It would be extremely weird to see him after all this time, although I'd love to, if we could both realize, before hand, that now we're middle agers, while when we knew each other we were barely 20. That first shocked look seeing each other this age may be a hard hurdle to get over. He's one of those people that I think of on a fairly regular basis, wondering how he is and what his life is like. There are a few people in your life, too few, who you connect to on a deep level and even when you don't see each other for years, or even ever, you still have that deep bond. I often wonder when I have the vivid dreams of people from my past, are they having the same dream, are we sharing time in some alternate reality together? Or when I think of someone, am I picking up on their thoughts of me, or if I think of them first, do they then pick up my thoughts? Obviously recently we were on the same wavelength, so it proves my point, at least this time.

Rafa

Weekend Notes

A Thing of Beauty

The dream showdown realized, it was a joy watching Rafael Nadal retain his French Open title, beating Roger Federer in four sets. But it was a scary start. Both looked to be nervous, so much on the line for each. Roger’s chance to attain the four grand slams in a row, Rafa defending his title and increasing his clay court record to 60 matches in a row. But in the end the Raging Bull prevailed. Now Nadal has beat Federer six of their seven meetings and in the end I think it was the psyche-out that doomed Roger. He looked pretty disheartened during the last half of the match and made a ton of unforced errors. With Nadal, Federer doesn’t cast the “#1” spell that he does over other competitors. But if he can manage to bring his “A” game and Nadal has anything less than his best, Roger can surely beat him in the future. After all he beats every other player, consistently. But it’s like anything else, the longer the pattern continues, the harder it is to break free. Rafa is an intriguing fellow. Only just turned 20, he showcases more OCD tendencies than most, lining up his water bottles exactly so in front of his court side chair, pulling up his socks, tugging on his tighty whities about every other serve. Most endearing however is his climb into the stands upon winning to embrace the several family members in the crowd, mom, dad, brother and coach Uncle Tony with tears welling in his eyes. Only upon winning to you glimpse anything but dogged determination on his face, a quality that surely contributes to his amazing run. Barring any more injuries like the one that kept him from the Australian Open early in the year, he’s got what it takes to go on to win the next three grand slams. The grass at Wimbledon should be a great challenge for him and a treat for the spectators, but with the talent, confidence and sheer physical power he brings to the game, he’s got a shot. Roger’s consolation prize, he’s still #1.

Other Notes

Don’t bother with The Break Up until it’s on video, and maybe not even then. Jennifer and Vince may be hooked up in real life but unless you love the feeling when you’re out for a couples night and one couple just won’t stop the bickering, forcing their friends to take sides in each fight, you may want to skip it. Both characters are losers, him because he’s a juvenile, a cheesy tour bus guide who is devoid of any understanding of women and she because with her looks, body and career she wouldn’t even be with this guy, she’d be with some terrific fellow who can appreciate the female point of view and has half a brain. Side note, they seem to be getting along in their real romance, as there they were in row three watching the French Open. Ahhh, the life of the rich and famous. On the other hand, Friends With Money, the other current film featuring Jennifer Aniston was very entertaining with a fun script. Bickering couples are also a feature of this film, however here the dialogue is wicked and enjoyable.

On a somewhat related topic, from the one picture I saw of Brad and Angelina’s baby, the kid’s got her mommy’s lips. Having a baby may change everything, but since they were already a family, chances are they’ll make it, for awhile at least. I think Brad is a natural born father, and Angie’s obviously got a big heart with all her good will ambassador work. They’re the polar opposite of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes who I predict will not be so lucky. Katie makes the perfect Stepford Wife while Tom is the most self absorbed guy in Hollywood, and that’s saying a lot.

The more I listen to Pearl Jam’s new cd, the more I like it. Tour play lists show they’re doing several of the new ones at each show. The LA shows should be amazing.

The hot ticket I’d love to see is the Eric Clapton/Derek Trucks collaboration. Layla is one of the top ten songs of all time and the lucky ones who get to see this duo in action will have a lifelong memory, no doubt.

Not really too sad we’re not going to make it to Bonnaroo this year, last year’s lineup was so terrific it would only have been a let down. I do notice now however, especially since we’ve had a ton of rain, when I smell the moist earth it brings Tennessee mud to mind.

Art in the Big City

This Monet was one of my favorites when we visited the LACMA art gallery in LA. From a distance it's not overly impressive, but when you get up close it comes alive. How such a simple subject can translate into such a beautiful soul stirring painting is a mystery to me. There were a couple of other Monets at the gallery which were also very striking. Even among the big boys, which includes all pieces in the big city art museums, some stand out as ahead of the rest and Monet definitely does. My little Montana town is promoting itself these days as the Biggest Small Art Town in America and last week was the semi-annual "art walk" which I actually went on. This time was a suprise though, usually it's just a bunch of what I like to call "cowboy crap" but I saw some moving, creative pieces. However there is always a bunch of stuff from "artists" with as much talent as the rejects on American Idol. You wonder how they can display their "art" in public and still hold their heads up. The one thing it accomplishes for me is an urge to actually start creating art of some kind. After all it can't be any worse than a lot of the stuff I see from the small time folks. Next big art viewings will be Tate in London and Louve in Paris, I hope.

Pearl Jam in the Studio

Chili Peppers too!

I survived the 5 and the 405!

Structuring your day around driving is a new concept for me. Planning hours of lead time to actually make it to your destination on time leaves little time for other aspects of life. I'm so spoiled, my drive to work takes 3 minutes as work is .9 miles from home. And my parking garage, right next to work is paid by my employer. Montana is a cheap place to live, at least in my town. Seeing LA for the first time is really thrilling though. Funny how familiar so many things are. Our first night we ate at this great place at Venice Beach with an open air view of the Pacific. Sweet. And we traversed into the hills close to the HOLLYWOOD sign where the houses and windy roads and thick jungle growth create a very inviting atmosphere. If I could live in one of those areas I'd move here in a minute. I'm not ashamed at being a total tourist. We walked the Hollywood Walk and checked out all the stars, and even caught the last 5 minutes of the ceremony for Nancy Sinatra's new star. Not sure she really deserves it as the only thing she's really known for besides her icon dad is the "Boots" song. But I don't think the criteria bar is especially high these days to attain your own star. But I did recognize the majority of names on the walk. So it's off to the famous farmer's market and then to Craig Ferguson tonight.

NYC-Optical Illusion

The Culpret

Can you tell it was pepperoni? This is what happens when you come home at 3 a.m., pop a pizza in the oven, (400 degrees) then fall asleep. Six hours later this cinder disc is waiting for you.
Bucking Bronc by Capitol

Friday Afternoon Random Notes

Three cheers for Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen and Pink for speaking out against our current political mess. It seems like it's taken too long for the artists to start speaking publicly to proclaim that things have gone awry in this country. Pink's song Dear Mr. President cuts right to the bone. It is an honest and genuinely moving performance.

For years I've admired the fact that Pearl Jam, besides kicking ass in general, records their shows and offers them as official bootlegs. There's something really special about seeing them live and then owning the show to listen to at will. Doing different shows each night is essential and lots of acts don't do it. Well Tori Amos does and now she offers some shows as official bootlegs too. The results are true treasures.

To See or Not To See. I've never been a fan of flying and that's only one of the reasons I hesitate to see United 93 which opens this weekend. Brian Williams of NBC told of attending the premier this week, which a lot of the families of victims attended, and hearing the sobbing from the back of the theater at the end of the film when it suddenly goes to black. Which brings me to another reason I may not be able to attend as I'd be blubbering all the way through just knowing the outcome. It's not fun to cry in public, although I can be assured I would not be the only one with hankie in hand. Yet I feel I should see it, as 9-11 is such a part of our national identity now and it touched us all. Upon hearing of the flights originating from Boston's Logan I thought, gee I wonder if I knew any of the people flying that day. Well, I didn't, but I did watch Garnet "Ace" Baily, #14, play on the Boston Bruins hockey team as I was a rabid fan in my youth. He was still a young man and died along with another hockey scout that day. So sad. The night of 9-11 when I went to bed I remember having such a sickening feeling about what kind of horrendous acts humanity is capable of. To be so hateful and disrespectful of life seems incomprehensible to me. Maybe seeing the heroes of Flight 93 will restore some faith in humanity.

The Geriatric Cat

We had both cats and dogs when I was growing up, but none of them died of old age. They didn’t live long enough. Living on a four lane road, most came to their end in traffic. I remember one cat got wedged between a split rock for two days before we found her and had the vet put a metal framed cast on her. She lugged it around pretty well while it healed. We had one cat named Spastic, named for his epileptic-like state. He only lived about a year and one sunny day when I returned from school he was lying by the front door dead. We also as a family viewed helplessly as one cat choked to death on a chicken bone. A pretty disturbing experience and we could do nothing. So for anyone who tells you it’s okay to give poultry bones to pets, I wouldn’t recommend it.

Our Chinese police guard dog, a German Shepherd named Hoshee, was a great dog to have for protection for us small kids as living in a suburb of Boston a lot of the riff raff tended to venture out from the city. Unfortunately she also bit every person who came to our house in a uniform, mailman, milkman, you name it. She used to kill the garter snakes and prehistoric looking snapping turtles that would venture up from the swamp nearby our house. She also killed the chickens of our neighbor vet. When she disappeared we suspected the vet had had enough. Really as an adult I wonder why my parents kept such a dog. When I see lunging, aggressive dogs now I don’t usually think much of their owners.

So now I get to watch the old age process and declining state of Abraesca, our 22 year old tabby. She’s had a few close calls, a rotweiller grabbed her by the back once and two times we had to pay ransom to the humane society to retrieve her. She learned at a very young age not to cross the street, any street, and so she has reached old age. I’m told feeding her dry cat food all her life has also probably added to her longevity.

My kids would tell you I’m detached from reality for not putting her down long ago. They say she’s miserable and would be happier dead. Well I don’t know what it’s like to be dead, and I don’t even know if cats have souls, so I’m not convinced. My problem is that I think of what I’ll be like in old age and how I’d feel if someone got tired of taking care of me and decided to put me out of their misery. She is decrepit, no doubt, and can’t do much except sit around and sometimes cry. But when it’s warm and sunny and I see her through the kitchen window lounging on the patio, I have to think she enjoys it. I know I enjoy lounging in the sun. So the saga continues. I keep hoping one day I’ll find her dead of old age, going in her sleep peacefully, but somehow I don’t think I’m going to get off that easy. Not that’s it’s easy. We’ve had to barricade her in the kitchen so when she doesn’t quite make it to the litter box it’s not a big deal to clean up. But it’s not pleasant. I think it’s a real moral dilemma, a test for which I’ll be judged. How many more years could she possibly live? Well, I worked with a woman who had a cat that lived to be 25, so it doesn’t bode well for me.

Heron

Random Thoughts

Now Bush wants to delare NUCLEAR war on Iran. Some people never learn from their mistakes. And we think Islamics love us now, just imagine the backlash, worldwide, if he's stupid enough to carry it out. And it's apparent THE EMPEROR HAS NO BRAIN!!

Speaking of which, CNN had an excellent piece on documenting the falsity of the WMD case for war, the lies and arrogance were/are so outrageous. I think the public is in denial that the fraud and deception could be as bad as the facts say. Who could be that corrupt?? Easy answer.

Just finished 1st season of Deadwood, anxiously awaiting the release of season 2. Very good dialogue, really well acted and shot. This show will make stars out of all of the main players.

Also viewed the final season of Six Feet Under. The way they wrapped it up, fast forwarding to reveal the demise of all our favorite Fisher's was a really fitting way to go.

Almost Easter, the darkest day in the realm of Christianity, 3-3-3 Gods in One!! Funny thing is if the pictures hanging in the churches around the world reflected Jesus' true likeness, he'd look more like Osama bin Laden than that white bread character you see everywhere.

Paradise

Sweden

Strange, good movie

Stay with Ewen McGregor, Ryan Gosling and Naomi Watts is the most twisted, creative, artsy film I've seen since Memento and just as good. As you try to figure out the wild ride, what is dream, what is reality and who is who, it's easy to think you'll see a Fight Club moment where two characters are really fused into one. But the final scene reveals all bets are off as to where fantasy leaves off and reality begins. I'd be interested to hear other viewers' interpretations of what the plot really portrays. I think it reflects the journey between the living and the world beyond and how narrow and blinded to reality the human view really is as we plod along in our daily lives. There is so much beyond our comprehension we only scratch the surface of the true reality. The film seems to take the dying moments of a character and expands it to a 90 minute montage of life, dreams, hopes, regrets and fantasies. It's worth the viewing just for the cinematography alone.

Spike Lee's new flick

The Inside Man is an entertaining flick with some new twists to the usual bank robbery caper. Although I enjoyed it and would recommend it, the after effect left a lingering sense of what was missing. The most obvious thing, I'm reluctant to admit, was the face of Clive Owen which was covered in shades and white cloth throughout. It's just simply a shame to have him in a movie and not have his striking mug on the screen in every scene. Aside from that, Jodie Foster seemed to be in it to show off her great legs and not much else. The part seemed to be written just to get her into the movie as her character was really a throw away part. Denzel's character was the great redeeming factor, he plays a firecracker of a cop, a likeable, lively character who you couldn't help but care about. But the plot took a convoluted journey of unlikeliness and a necessary suspension of reality was required. The how's were explained, but not the why's. Don't get me wrong, I love to see the downfall of the Nazi War Criminal as much as the next person, but a little back story would've been nice. Still, it's a romp worth viewing.

Wings of Justice honors Boston Legal

This show rocks, and has from Day 1. This clip shows one of the best moments so far this season, in case you missed it. And they were just honored with a Peabody Award too!

Voter's Remorse

When George W. proclaims that he NEVER said there was a connection between Sadam, Al Qaeda and 9/11 and then you see the reams of clips from past speeches where he indeed inferred over and over again that they WERE all connected, and in fact led us under totally false pretenses into a war that is a disaster, how many of the 51% who voted for him think to themselves "gee, i guess I helped vote that liar into office"?

Keith Olbermann

If you've never seen this guy on MSNBC he's terrific. He's opposite Bill O'Reilly at 8 p.m. and Midnight EST and has the most informative, intelligent news program on cable. He's bright, quick witted and always approaches the issues from an original angle. Apparently O'Reilly feels pretty intimidated by him: if you mention his name when calling in to O'Reilly's show you get immediately hung up on followed by a call from the Fox Police, no shit. Talk about paranoia!!

E-mail to Annie Proulx - Re: Sour Grapes

Dear Ms. Proulx,

I was sorry to hear of your rant in the British press about losing the Oscar to Crash. I saw most of the nominated films, including Brokeback Mountain, which I wanted to win Best Picture, and Crash which was also a high quality film. In fact I was thrilled to see so many excellent films this year, not so in many years. I too gasped when Crash got the nod, however I felt Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Director, plus score did show that the Academy recognized the quality of the film. To denigrate the academy members for their choice is not a classy move, they are entitled to their opinion and get to vote on what they want. It's always better to take the high road, don't tarnish the reputation of a beautiful film, as well as your own reputation, by whining about your loss, for that is what people will remember.

Yours truly,

Dana

READ Annie Proulx's rant in The Guardian:

http://books.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1727309,00.html