Words on a Wordless Wednesday

I joined Instagram recently, and am enjoying the all-images format.  We'll see how it goes.  Like Facebook, my children use it, so that is my excuse for opting in. 

My friend arrives from Polynesia in a few days.  Looking forward to sharing my little world with her. The seasons are changing here. We now get less than 12 hours of daylight, not 13.  The mandarin orange tree is producing like mad , and our navel orange and lime trees are as well.  Looking forward to another round of Surinam cherries, and still picking tomatoes and green beans.

We are now into the second season of Breaking Bad.  Yeah, it is definitely deep and dark at times.  I think they do a brilliant job of revealing what speed does to everyone it sinks it's rotten teeth into.  Since I watched a dear friend succumb to it's ravages before he even reached 40 years of age, I know only too well.  I will stick with ganja, thank you. We do break from the intensity with comedies, cartoons, and even the original Dragnet series.  (Which we also consider to be great comedy!) Tonight's comedic feature: This Is The End, a movie that was just released on Netflix, and recommended by my offspring. We love to laugh!

I am disgusted with politics and most of the news.  I still read plenty online, but am SO appreciating that we don't have television access to any of it right now.  I'd be throwing heavy objects at the screen if we did. 

One may gather, based on my recent viewing habits, that a show about the madness of crystal meth is preferable to what passes for news reporting these days. Which would be a correct assumption.

Monday Meanderings

OMG! The pope wants a pass... First resignation in 600 years tells me there is something funny going on in the Catholic church, and I am not referring to their silly hats. Even if Benedict's sudden departure is due to health/longevity issues, haven't countless popes before him died "in office?" This news has startled Catholics around the world. Personally, I am thankful to have joined the ranks of former Catholics many years ago. One day in 1971, my mother announced that we would no longer be going to church every Sunday. Something I had done every Sunday of my then-young life, and that mom had done all of her 40-something years. Thank goodness she came to her senses. I know that she'd have been disgusted and dismayed, but not surprised at what has been revealed about the church over the last couple of decades.

It feels good to be writing here again. I have little doubt that some of my chosen topics may irritate, infuriate, or induce boredom, but that won't stop me. I had completely forgotten about Q, a commenter at a friends blog and here. Let's just say that his viewpoints and opinions are pretty much the complete opposite of yours truly. Five and six years ago, it was tough for me to not get riled-up by our differences. These days I am okay with varying opinions. Just know, Q, that you won't be changing my views, and I have no hopes of shifting yours to mirror mine. As long as things are kept civil and peaceful here, comments are encouraged and appreciated.

I'm reading "Just Kids" by Patti Smith--about her years with Robert Mapplethorpe. I am still processing "Start Where You Are", by Pema Chodron, which presented itself to me at an optimum time. Lastly, I admit that I am now shamelessly drawn into Downton Abbey, and was wondering what my reader(s) in the U.K. might think about all the fuss? We do not watch much sappy t.v. around here, but I admit to enjoying it, even though it IS sappy, and much like a soap opera with fancier clothing. I appreciate that it provides sixty minutes of frivolity and fantasy. A welcome escape from this week's murderous rampage, wherever it may be. Aloha!

Be Seeing You!

I loved this television show. Didn't catch on until I was hunkered-down with my first husband.(The non-evil one) We rented an episode at his suggestion, and kept going. That was the early 1980's, well after the show's prime and in the thick of mine. I watched every episode several times. Silly on the surface, but deep man. Soul deep.

Has anyone else noticed that many news anchors and t.v. personalities sport the Prisoner blazer look? I liked it on him, but admit that I loathe it on anyone else. Especially as a pantsuit.Don't even get me started on the audacity of pantsuits.

Adios, Patrick. You are now a (completely) free man.

The Prisoner Theme - © R. Grainer

In Case You Missed It

On Countdown With Keith Olbermann last night... a look back at this historic, maddening primary season. It's hilarious! In my opinion, Mr. Olbermann is the best thing on T.V. right now. No, I don't watch American Idol. Or So You Think You Can Dance. Or any of the shows many seem to watch these days. Here's an idea: Watch more shows like Olbermann's and less mindless crap. Wait, that was mean. I do have my own mindless crap shows...mostly on Food Network. That's my guilty television secret. Anyway, enjoy...

Albion River Bridge

What a week, politically. I can't say that much of it feels genuine anymore. Or that the populous even wants genuine anymore. That's the sticking point with me. The easily-distracted masses drone on about meaningless shit, while everything around them is crumbling and collapsing. If you saw Bill Maher last night, you know that he went off about this sad phenomenon.

When I read that people decided to vote for Senator Clinton because Tina Fey highlighted the "poor me" act on Saturday Night Live, or because the "3 A.M. phone call" commercial convinced them of her capability, I cringe. Or, they voted for her because Limbaugh instructed them to, since Senator Obama is (probably) a Muslim. More cringing, with gnashing-of-teeth and some caterwauling too.

Obama's adviser called Clinton a monster. Wow, no fooling? Maybe because she's been behaving like one. I mean, there's bitch and then there's vindictive bitch. And maybe there really are millions of us that are fed up with vile, boorish behavior by politicians like her. Or maybe there are even more who want a loud-mouthed bully as president. Someone to have a beer and be a loudmouth with. Maybe we are all monsters.

River

Joni Mitchell & Herbie Hancock

Herbie Hancock won a Grammy. I was surprised.The last time a jazz album won album of the year was 43 years ago. Seeing him on stage with Larry Klein was a real treat. Especially when he slipped a "Yes We Can" into his acceptance speech. You may or may not recall that he performed in Will-i-am's recent video, in support of Obama.

Below is "Court and Spark", from the aforementioned winning record. All thanks to sweet Joni.

Life During Wartime

My youngest, on guitar(s). The high school had their end-of-year barbecue bash last week. It was a fog-free day, which is always a bonus. Parents were invited. She played acoustic on an original song, written by the girl next to her. (first photo) Then she played electric guitar with different classmates. (second photo) They did "Brain Stew" by Green Day, and a rousing "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" by The Clash. It rocked. Hard. I believe that even Joe Strummer himself would have been honored. I was insanely proud, but kept my cool. (Didn't want to embarrass her more than absolutely necessary.) She has one more week as a freshman. Too much.

My pals from San Francisco arrive tomorrow morning, for a day visit. This is thrilling news. One of those buds is my Aiko Bro, so I can't wait. I've missed him, and look forward to some walking, talking, feasting, and laughter. Few friendships follow you through your life. This is one.


Then they will head homeward while the man and I watch the last-ever Sopranos. On Monday, I cancel our HBO until August 24, when Bill Maher comes back. I can't tolerate most television AT ALL these days. (besides Comedy Central, of course.) Especially the cable news networks. Imagine news networks that showed us 24-hour-a-day raw footage of the streets of Baghdad. Bombs, blood, bodies, and all. Instead of poor, pitiful, Paris Hilton. Too horrifyingly real? Perhaps, but I bet people would WAKE UP. Why won't they? Is CNN like Soma? How the hell is that stupid-spoiled-psycho-white bitch's pretend sorrow more important to this country than the real sorrow of thousands suffering? Someone, please explain it to me, because I am going (calmly and quietly) out of my mind over it. Time for yard work therapy.


Ugh, more youtube? Yep. Joe Strummer flashback:

Welcome Back, Maher

New Rule: There's more to being smart than just not misspeaking. The world is a complicated place. Sometimes it all feels like a runaway train of violence, resentment and insecurity - sort of like a family reunion at Ryan O'Neil's place. Which is why for this next election, we need to pick the smartest candidate, not the dullest one who simply never had a verbal gaffe and said a wrong word or phrase.
We're a superpower, not a drinking game. It has to be about leadership, not just hitting your buzzer first and remembering to phrase your answer in the form of a question.

A couple of weeks ago, Senator Joe Biden hit the ground flopping when he described Barack Obama as articulate and clean. But if you think he's a racist, then you're not really thinking, you're just playing Gotcha. Yes, the remark was cringe-worthy - it always is when someone old and out of touch says something creepy - even a Chinaman knows that.

However, when it comes to the most important ISSUE of the day, last year, Joe Biden was out ahead on calling for an Iraq broken into three countries - and that is what's going to happen, no matter how much surging George Bush does. And I say fine, so what if Iraq gets broken up, it's a made up country anyway, there's only been an Iraq since 1932 - it's 7 years younger than Paul Newman. And the people in it hate each other so much, and are now in such a, shall we say "intense" phase of the revenge cycle, that they're only going to be able to start breathing again if they live in different countries - which they're already moving to, on their own.

So, the guy who got this right, he can't run, because we're a very sensitive people, and he said a black man was clean, and we care more about a one second verbal brain-fart than we do about who has the right answers. The guy who had the right answer on terrorism in 2004 was John Kerry - he said fighting terrorism was primarily an intelligence and law enforcement operation, which doesn't sound macho in elections, but is true, he can't be in the debate either, because he's a crappy comedian. He screwed up a joke - about our troops! Hit the road jack.

Howard Dean has been a virtual Nostradamus on predicting what would happen in Iraq from the beginning. But he screamed once. He said "yee-ha" - publicly! He screamed louder than a crowd of people screaming at him, and the media acted like Grandpa just yelled out the "N" word at a ball game.

And before the war began, it was Al Gore who got it right, who spoke unequivocally about not making this bad choice, a choice that 77 Senators voted for. But during the debates of 2000, Al Gore... sighed! We can't have a sigh-er for president! That's why I think every candidate has to come out NOW, and say or do the stupidest thing they possibly can, and get it out of the way.

• Chris Dodd must tell the religious right to take their abstinence programs and go back to Hymentown.


• John Edwards must be caught hiring an illegal alien to wash his hair.


• Sam Brownback must be caught having sex with his wife that is not for procreational purposes.


• Hillary Clinton must mispronounce South Carolina "Mouth Vagina."


• Barack Obama must tell people he's, quote, "bigger than Jesus."


• Rudy Giuliani has to declare at a press conference that he's cheating on his wife, but it's ok because he's undergoing cancer treatment and he can't get an erection anyway. He did?


• John McCain must be caught with a Filipino bar girl with an Adam's apple.

The sad thing is, all of those could really work. Does John Kerry really think the troops are stupid? No, Karl Rove thinks you're stupid. And if a botched joke or a sigh or a brain-fart is enough to derail you from a wise choice, he's kinda right. Does this mean that Joe Biden or Howard Dean should automatically be president - of course not. But the next time something really bad happens, remember it might have something to do with our election process having turned into an episode of Survivor - not even Survivor, Showtime at the Apollo - one note that's a little off key, and the Sandman comes out with the hook.

So disqualify the smartest leaders because they may have caused you a socially awkward moment, but next time another painful disaster is visited upon us, perhaps because we weren't being led by the best and the brightest, you'll know why: because the black guy on Grey's Anatomy said "Fag!"

And by the way, if we're going to choose our presidents by which one never misspeaks, how did we end up with the Chimp we have now?

(How indeed. Great to have you back, Bill !!)