C-Myste

On Becoming Sixty

2012-01-28T17:31:00.000-08:00

One of the questionable benefits of having a birthday later in the year is that you have several months to get used to the idea of being older. This is a big one that is taking quite a bit of getting used to. I am still trying to work through it in my mind, as I am sure that I don't feel almost sixty.

Maybe "sixty is the new forty"? Forty didn't bother me much at all. And the fifties have gone by with no major changes to make them memorable. The next decade will be quite different.

Random thoughts:

It is ok to drive the speed limit. It is after all about the journey, not the destination.

Function over Fashion. It felt good to cut my hair off. Also I have a preference for silver over gold in jewelry, so why not in hair?

Yes, I do walk more carefully at times. Especially when it's icy. So what? And speaking of such things, I no longer see a need to prove that I'm tough. Thumbs up to motorhome with sleep-number bed. Thumbs down to roughing it with a flat air mattress.

It's not "old lady skin". It's well-worn and comfortable, like a favorite pair of well-washed jeans.

There is life after PMS. Being post-menopausal has turned out to be a very good change of life.

I'm sure that I will have more . . .
_________________________________________________________________________

2012 reading and watching list:

7. Absolution by Miriam Herin. Found on kindle: I don't know whether it was free or if Tom picked it for 99¢, but I hope that he didn't pay any more than that. I read it as it did have some good courtroom scenes but I admit that I skimmed large sections of the backstory from the 60's. Maybe it would hold more interest for someone who wasn't around in the 60's.

Currently reading Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash. A favorite of Jamie and Catherine's, it is the book that inspired them to name their puppy "Hiro" (Japanese for "first"). An entertaining book, set in sort of a post-apocalyptic California where people have a matrix/second-life as well as a real existence and religion is compared to a virus.

Concurrently reading the late Christopher Hitchen's Arguably Essays. Which does rather tie in.

Currently watching our way through 33 episodes of Breaking Bad on Net Flicks. Set in Albuquerque, some of the characters might need a good defense attorney at some point.

I Believe That Our Drought May Be Over

2012-01-23T07:19:00.000-08:00

A few pictures from the 4+ hour drive yesterday from Molalla to the Rogue Valley. Creeks have become rivers, fields and pastures are now lakes. No, there are no actual lakes passed on the drive.

Allergies, anyone?

2012-01-20T18:07:00.001-08:00

Updated Reading List

2012-01-14T17:08:00.000-08:00

And continuing to ramp up the treadmill work preparatory for the NYC trip.

1. John Grisham's The Confession
2. Stephen King's UR
3. Margaret Atwood'sThe Handmaid's Tale
4. Ian Graham's Unbillable Hours

5. Jonathan Saran Foer's Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The movie (Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock) is probably good but it can't possibly match the book. It is being touted as a "9/11" movie, but I found it to be less about 9/11 and more about means of dealing with loss. Images of 9/11 are juxtaposed with stories of loss by the boy's grandparents during and due to the bombing of Dresden. I read the book in two days last weekend, unable to put it down. I give it my highest recommendation.

I've started highlighting some of my favorite passages so that I can recall them.

"In the end, everyone loses everyone."
"I've spent my life learning to feel less. Every day I felt less. Is that growing old? Or is it something worse?"
"You cannot protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness."
"I understand, now, the tragedy of my childhood. It wasn't the bombing. It was that I never once liked a photograph of myself."

I'm now reading Page from a Tennessee Journal by Francine Thomas Howard. It is set in 1913-1914. I find it difficult to believe that this is the world my grandparents were born into, particularly my Grandma Ginny who was born in Bumpus Mills, Tennessee in 1914. Or that this was the time of her parents, my great-grandparents, who I was close to. They moved to California with their 5 children in the back of a pickup truck when grandma was 13.

It was not just a different time. It was a different world.

Reading (and watching) list

2012-01-07T09:34:00.000-08:00

I am finding the Fire even easier to read with than the original kindle. So far since Christmas I have breezed my way through John Grisham's The Confession, Stephen King's UR, Margaret Atwood'sThe Handmaid's Tale, and Ian Graham's Unbillable Hours. Over two hours of that time has been while walking on the treadmill, not that it has had any benefit at this point.

Now I'm a few pages into Jonathan Saran Foer's Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. I heard a report about the movie yesterday on NPR and could tell that I needed to dive into the book first. His Everything is Illuminated ranks high as one of my all-time favorites.

We've also been using Netflix to catch up on some tv series we originally missed, preferring to skip those things with commercials.

Portlandia. OMG, why didn't anybody tell me?

I Resolve . . .

2012-01-02T09:45:00.000-08:00

For the New Year from Neil Gaiman a decade ago:

"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself."

And this year he writes:

"I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever."

That is probably one resolution that I am sure to keep. So get off my case . . .

And for some more:

I resolve to enjoy my dogs. Maybe I'll get more training done, maybe I won't. Of course I still plan to get Kady ready to compete in something but I am getting old enough to understand time limitations and priorities.
I resolve to spend more time reading great books. I am measuring the years and months of reading time I will have against the number of books I want to read (even counting just those already written) and I am coming up with a deficit.

Did I mention that Santa Claus brought me a Kindle Fire for Christmas? I give it a "thumbs up". Currently reading "The Handmaid's Tale", a recent Kindle Daily Deal. How did I miss this book before?

I resolve to spend more time on the treadmill and/or exercise bike. Easily done while reading on above mentioned kindle fire.
I resolve to travel. I foresee a trip to New York City in February and a long rv trip to North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, and who knows where else in June.
I resolve to reduce stress in other ways. Learn to say "no". Of course I am already committed to being SOKC tracking test secretary and well as chief ring steward for the November shows this year . . . I wonder if I can still get out of the later? (I can say "yes" to web pages though. I enjoy doing those.)
I resolve to keep up this blog, even if it's just as a way to say "I was here". Facebook is great for what it is, but is too here-today-gone-tomorrow transient.

Years that end in "2" are always somewhat problematic for me. Each one has marked the start of a new decade of life, and I know that this one will hold many changes for us.

Shameless Christmas

2012-01-02T08:44:00.000-08:00

A show that's not for everyone, but I really enjoy it. As Tom says, "it's good theater".

Chocolate Stout Cake

2011-12-26T09:20:00.000-08:00

Catherine and I made this cake for Jamie's birthday Christmas Eve. I'll never make a box chocolate cake again. It was simple to make, moist and delicious.

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup stout - we used Rogue Chocolate Stout

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder - we used Ghirardelli

2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a sauce pan, remove from heat and let cool.
2. Mix in the stout and cocoa powder.
3. Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
4. Mix the eggs and sour cream in another large bowl.
5. Mix the stout mixture into the egg mixture.
6. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet.
7. Pour the batter into one or two greased and parchment lined circular cake pan(s).
8. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until a toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean. Two 8-inch round pans took 30 minutes.

We frosted the cake with a Bailey's Irish Cream frosting, but it would be good with anything.

New Ani record coming

2011-12-23T08:19:00.000-08:00

Due out January 17, 2012.

2011-12-17T15:36:00.001-08:00

Two Springs

2011-11-25T07:37:00.000-08:00

This week I have practiced being a snowbird. I have decided that I need lots more practice. Wednesday I did our laundry; after hefting the bags back down the street I told Tom that I would rest a bit before putting it away. His answer? "There's no hurry." I've been hurrying for 59 years. How's that going to work out for me?

I think that once I retire maybe I'll spend the first year sleeping.

Yesterday before Thanksgiving with 140 (or so) of Mom's closest friends, park friends got together to present her with a lovely fountain in memory of my dad.

Another bright and sunny morning here in North Palm Springs.

The dogs have enjoyed their regular walks.

Kady: "Look, over there! Another bunny!" The park is full of bunnies and roadrunners.

Farewell but not Good-bye.

The Sun Will Come Out

2011-11-19T08:08:00.000-08:00

From the webcam at home this morning: snow on the ground and more coming down.

But in Palm Springs it is a different story.

Sun!

Fog spills over the pass but does not reach us.

But you can tell how windy it is from the palm trees. Last night gusts of up to 50 mph rocked us to sleep.

I have sad news to report: my dad passed away at 5:45 yesterday morning. We just missed being able to have a final visit.

Mojave

2011-11-17T17:30:00.000-08:00

Camping with Joshua trees.

And a high desert sunset.

Across the Border

2011-11-16T20:08:00.000-08:00

Yet another cold, drizzly morning in Southern Oregon. Everything is UO colors of Green and Gold . . on a Gray background.

It never ceases to amaze me how often it is that the sun comes out and the temperature rises 20° as you cross the Oregon/California border and head down the back side of the Siskiyous.

Mt Shasta Splendor.

And Mt Diablo Sunset.

Backyard Birding

2011-11-13T11:36:00.000-08:00

A Black Phoebe. Not a bird that we commonly see even though we are included in its range. It should be headed to Mexico for the winter.

Not to be confused with:

Black Phoebe

Code is Poetry

2011-06-18T14:41:00.000-07:00

Tweeted by Chris Knight via Ask Leo on FB:

Programmers who apply for a coding job: Your spelling & sentence structure on your resume... is also a CODE. :-)

This started a long rambling train of thought for me during yesterday's morning commute. I have kept the "Code is Poetry" wordpress tag at the bottom of the site because it has always appealed to me. Code is poetry is poetic is code is words is structure . . .

As I have matured (which sounds so much better than "aged") I have grown to appreciate poetry much more than I did in long-ago English classes. And the books and authors I appreciate are generally those with interesting and unique sentence structure and word play. I immerse myself and wallow in the words with a happy smile on my face, as the dogs do when they find something delicious in the pasture.

Some favorites that come to mind: All the Pretty Horses for the long rambling train-of-thought sentences. Everything is Illuminated for the English-as-second language word play. Lolita for the alliteration (how can someone named Carolyn Cannon who has Cardigan Corgis not love alliteration?)

When I write myself I try to take time and choose words and structure carefully and with precision.

And then there's what I get paid to do in real life:

V3$ = Z$ \ HOLD$ = MID$(V3$,A3%(10,1)+1,A3%(11,1)-A3%(10,1))

W2 = VAL(MID$(V3$,A3%(8,1)+1,A3%(9,1)-A3%(8,1)))

IF W2=0 OR HOLD$<>SPACE$(LEN(HOLD$)) THEN GOTO NEXT.SITE

IF MID$(V3$,A3%(3,1)+1,A3%(4,1)-A3%(3,1))<>AGDAY$ THEN GOTO NEXT.SITE

TP$ = MID$(V3$,A3%(9,1)+1,A3%(10,1)-A3%(9,1))

IF INV%>0

FOR I% = 1 TO INV%

IF LEFT$(INVNO$(I%),1)=TP$

INV$ = INVNO$(I%) \ GOTO FOUND.INV

IFEND

NEXT I%

IFEND

OK% = -1

WHILE OK%<0

INV$ = RPAD$(TP$&STR$(NXT),B4(4))

Z0% = 9 \ Z1 = 0 \ Z2% = 0 \ Z1$ = INV$ \ GOSUB BASE

IF Z9%>0

NXT = NXT+1 \ IF NXT>999999.0 THEN NXT = 1

ELSE \ OK% = 1

IFEND \ WEND

FOUND.INV:Z0% = 4 \ Z1 = 0 \ Z2% = 0 \ Z1$ = INV$ \ GOSUB BASE

OF% = Z9% \ IF OF%=0

INV% = INV%+1 \ INVNO$(INV%) = INV$

V4$ = SPACE$(B4(5))

V4$ = OVR$(V4$,1,A4%(2,1),V$&"00")

V4$ = OVR$(V4$,A4%(2,1)+1,A4%(3,1)-A4%(2,1),AGDAY$)

Now: isn't that a pretty snippet? That's from building the repetitive monitoring invoices at the day job.

Taliesin West

2011-02-22T06:12:00.000-08:00

Painted Desert

2011-02-21T08:33:00.000-08:00

Abo Ruins

2011-02-20T08:32:00.000-08:00

Mountainair, NM

2011-02-17T12:14:00.000-08:00

Palm Springs Air Museum

2011-02-15T19:09:00.000-08:00

New Mexico

2011-02-15T12:55:00.000-08:00

Joshua Tree

2011-02-11T17:28:00.000-08:00

Frozen fog

2011-01-16T12:18:00.000-08:00

<3 Stephen Colbert

2010-12-19T14:49:00.000-08:00

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Jesus Is a Liberal Democrat
www.colbertnation.com

Fairy gone bad

2010-12-15T07:52:00.001-08:00

2010-12-12T18:15:00.001-08:00

SOS Managers' Party 2010

2010-12-09T08:52:00.000-08:00

Family pictures

2010-11-17T20:57:00.001-08:00

Banned Books Week

2010-09-26T14:46:00.000-07:00

We'll be back to the Harvest Fair in a bit. But first: it's the start of the week we've been waiting for:
Banned Books Week!

And to help kick it off . . .

September 11 Update

2010-09-11T14:53:00.000-07:00

The play was absolutely fantastic. We were lucky to get tickets as every performance has been sold out - probably it was a cancellation that lead to Tom's picking a pair up.

In the director's words:

“The idea which has stayed with the piece is looking at these people who at the darkest times in American history have poured light, who have shown good about America during times that are very bad about America,” says Jo Bonney, the play’s Australian-born director, who was sworn in as a U.S. citizen four days after Barack Obama was sworn in as president.

Read more at http://cultureclash.com/. I wish everybody in the county could see it, especially people in Arizona. Though I have to say that my favorite character was the 15-year-old Sacajawea (Saca-chihuahua?).

Also today, filed under "Things that I wish I had written":

Read Michael Moore's If the 'Mosque' Isn't Built, This Is No Longer America

Black Sheep Gathering

2010-06-20T21:54:00.000-07:00

I can't help it: I like sheep. I like the way they feel, I like the way they smell . . . I like the pretty things that you can make out of them.

Yesterday I drove up to Eugene for the day for a really good sheep-fix. I have brought back pictures, as well as wool. Some were taken with my camera, most with my phone. It does make a difference so while I love my phone, I will continue to use the camera.

Shannon (of Kenleigh Acres) in a little stock-dog demo.

A couple of Shannon's Jacob sheep.

Wool judging: the finals of the colored woolAdd caption

Best in show (left) and reserve.Add caption

I found the wool judging very interesting. Much as in livestock judging, the judge has a microphone and discusses each fleece while making her choice. She picks up the fleece to see its weight, checks cleanliness, and pulls out locks to check length and quality. The winner and reserve were both colored Lincoln from the same farm. The judge, who was from the UK, told us that while we might not know it in the PNW where they are fairly common, the Lincoln is nearly extinct in its original home and is classified as a rare breed. My first ram was a Lincoln. Big sheep. Wonderful, glossy wool.

Blue Faced Leicester, as I was visiting with Garrett.

Just look at these fleeces

The hay is always greener on the other side of the fence.

In the alpaca barn, you could walk them through an agility course

Some how I didn't manage to bring home any pictures of Shetland sheep. I'm not sure how that happened. There was a little moorit ewe lamb that I loved. I don't think she was for sale. I spent some time talking about the breed with a young man from Thunderhead Shetlands in Monroe, who was ready to put some diapers on them and load them in the Prius. Yes, I could easily have brought back 3 or 4: they're that small.

Here's what I did bring back:

Died rovings

Yes there was yarn too . . .

These will become a couple of pairs of colorful socks

But it was the rovings that caught my eye and made my fingers itch. I'll be bringing out my wheel to spin some lovely yarn. The rovings came from Dayspring Farm.

So, no new pasture ornaments yet. But as I was washing dishes last night I raised my head to the window and saw a young doe looking back at me.

I managed to get outside and take a shot as she made her exit.

Then I got a shot of our beautiful evening sky

Klamath Wildlife Refuge

2010-05-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday afternoon I begged off stewarding puppy groups so that I could "go play with my husband." We took a short drive down to the Lower Klamath Wildlife Refuge for a little birding and photography. Credit Tom and his Nikon for the shots: my contribution was driving the truck. Note: the Prius is a much better (i.e. quieter) vehicle for birding than is the Nissan Titan. Vroom.

Some of you will already have seen these on Tom's FB page . . .

I wish that I had video of the terns as they dove straight down into the water.

More National Poetry

2010-04-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

Derivative quote:

You know, a couple of days after the health care bill had been signed into law Obama ran around all over the country saying, "Hey, you know, I'm looking around. The earth hadn't opened up. There's no Armageddon out there. The birds are still chirping." I think the earth has opened up. God may have replied. This volcano in Iceland has grounded more airplanes -- airspace has more affected -- than even after 9/11 because of this plume, because of this ash cloud over Northern and Western Europe. . . . I don't know whether it's a rebirth or Armageddon. Hopefully it's a rebirth, God speaking.

And my response:

I know of this fellow named Rush

Whose mouth is too subject to gush.
His brain it was leaking
when he heard God speaking.
Most times I just want him to hush.

National Poetry Month

2010-04-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

It really is: check it out on poets.org. I haven't regaled you all with "national poetry" in a while and I just couldn't resist. But for some reason my favorite form of national poetry comes in the form of a Limerick. Perhaps it's the Irish in my genetic makeup?

So today, in honor of the following quote:

Asked this week about his faltering efforts to advance the Middle East peace process, President Obama did something remarkable. In front of some 47 foreign leaders and hundreds of reporters from all over the world, President Obama said that “whether we like it or not, we remain a dominant military superpower.”

Whether we like it or not? Most Americans do like it.

I bring you my offering.

I know of this gal name of Palin
Who thinks that our country's a-failin'.
No master of word,
She twists what she heard.
'Till sometimes it sets me to wailin'.

"Clueless in Costco"

2009-12-17T14:57:00.000-08:00

Opinionator from the NY Times this morning.

Some of my favorite excerpts:

For a native Westerner, the slights from the other end of the country start early, and build through a lifetime: national broadcasters on election night who cannot pronounce Oregon (it’s like gun) or Nevada (it’s not Nev-odda), or a toll-free clerk who thinks New Mexico is part of old Mexico.

“You’ll have to go through your own embassy,” a resident of Santa Fe was told when trying to order Olympic tickets for games on American soil.

[Of course I have met people in Orygun who also do not know that New Mexico is a state, not another country.]

These are all minor annoyances, mind you, in a world with daily reminders that an embittered, small-hearted senator from Connecticut can hold up health care for millions, or some people would rather read a “book” by Hulk Hogan than a short story by Sherman Alexie.

Love Sherman Alexie. How can you not appreciate a writer who includes a scenario where a father tells his daughter that it's fine to marry the [native American] guy, but why would you ever share a bank account with him?

Detest Joe Lieberman.

The Man in the Moon Turns Forty

2009-07-18T14:34:00.000-07:00

Forty years ago
I looked forward to my senior year in high school
I was idealistic
I still want to be idealistic
I thought myself no longer a sophomore
Not knowing that most of us remain sophomoric
Our entire lives.

Forty years ago
I envisioned launching the future
While I remained earth-bound
I would send others to discover and report back
Now on Facebook
Were I to create a "How well do you know" quiz
I would fail my own.

Forty years ago
Our peers told us "go with the flow"
But life's river took us
To a sea of petty challenges
Which has kept us too busy
To dwell on past dreams
And present realities.

Forty years ago
Arthur Clarke had a vision of a computer
Tool turned tyrant
The computer remains a tool with no personality of its own
But tyrannical nevertheless
We stare at the screen every day hypnotized
By the data thereon.

Forty years ago
We watched in awe the fuzzy images
One of us stood on the moon.
Now there are those who deny it happened.
They accept with their faith
Only fables told from the pulpit
And decry science and fact.

Forty years ago
Robert Heinlein told tales of a Future History
Religious fanaticism prevailed.
I cannot fathom how it came to be true
Perhaps by sheer number
How ironic that those with no belief in the theory
May win the battle of evolution.

Copyright © 2009 by Carolyn Cannon

Invitation Received

2009-01-12T20:38:00.000-08:00

Isn't it pretty, all embossed with gold logo and everything?

Yeah, ok: us and 14 million other people. But wouldn't it be fun? I think that I'll show it to my boss and tell him that I need an extra vacation day.

Limerick

2008-09-15T14:36:00.000-07:00

All my life I've worked hard to compete
To be part of the "liberal elite"
With wit that's keen
And Prius that's green
And Birkenstocks on my two feet.

Based on the Tom Buffenbarger quote:
"I've got news for all the latte-drinking, Prius-driving, Birkenstock-wearing, trust fund babies" which is not new but I still muse about.

Now technically I'm currently wearing Keen sandals, drink my Peace Coffee black, and long for a trust fund so that I didn't have to work for a living . . .

But I have my Prius!

I think that I'll go buy some new Birkenstocks to go with the socks that I'm going to be knitting. Richelle talked me into going to a yarn store in Eugene and the knitting bug bit me again. I've never tried socks before so I'll let you know how that goes.

Birthday

2008-09-12T20:42:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to everyone who sent their well-wishes today. I feel so fortunate to have the many friends that I've made through the dog world. And Mandy, too!

From my son, and I'm proud to be his mom:

This is a message from Jamie to Mom

Happy Birthday from a son who's grateful he was taught the meaning of equality and fairness for all.

McCain is trying to buy womens votes by showing them a woman who would be a huge step backwards for their rights. Many women are speaking out. See their stories here and spread the word:

http://womenagainstsarahpalin.blogspot.com/

Mom took my sister Tammy and me out to the Jacksonville Inn for lunch. With a little twist: it was the monthly meeting of the local chapter of the Red Hat Society. It turns out that my mom is "Princess Patty Rose" and the self-described "President of Vice". Who would have known about her secret life?

Left to right: me, Mom, Tammy, picture taken by my auntie Gay.

And see, I was even equipped with my own red hat (Cardigan embossed, of course) so that I did not need a loaner. And it just happens that I found a great purple shirt while I was shopping in Eugene with Richelle last weekend, not even thinking about the fact that I would need one!

Yes, the Jacksonville Inn was where our beloved president stayed when he came to town last election go-round. But we'll forgive it.

Lest We Forget

2008-09-12T20:39:00.000-07:00

Tom pointed out to me that most people won't know what I was referring to in my comment yesterday about the president and the Jacksonville Inn.

Lest we forget:

Moss v. Secret Service

ACLU LAWSUIT CHALLENGES SECRET SERVICE, LOCAL POLICE CASE TIED TO 2004 ANTI-BUSH DEMONSTRATION IN JACKSONVILLE

More links:
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2004/10/299964.shtml
http://www.progressive.org/mag_mc_pepper

Not-so-intelligent Design

2008-06-16T14:37:00.000-07:00

The hot flash:
an argument against
"Intelligent Design".

How intelligent is it
to design mature women as
sleep-deprived and irritable.

But perhaps it argues for
an old-fashioned male deity
who bears a grudge.

A grudge against Eve
for serving fruit for dinner
once too often.

We were told
our hormones ruled us
but now it’s the lack thereof.

Self-evident Truths

2008-04-20T14:38:00.000-07:00

Images of the children
Yearning for Zion
But the children are not seen
only the white buses
proudly stenciled and labeled
as First Baptist buses.

White buses:
White for purity,
White for sanctity,
White for godliness,
White for holier-than-thou.
White for the truth.

We hold these truths to be self-evident
But what truths are self-evident?
All men are not created equal.
Those who set down the truths
did not consider women equal
nor men who differed from themselves.

Self-evident truth:
Murder is wrong.
Except government-sanctioned murder
Where the people who are killed
Are different from us
And of a different religion.

Self-evident truth:
Stealing is wrong.
Except government-sanctioned stealing
Where the children who are stolen
Are different from us
And of a different religion.

The children are held for ransom
Ransom for the beliefs of the mothers
And for their way of life.
Give up your ways
And believe as we do
And your children shall be returned.

The founding fathers who wrote the truths
Were many fathers for one country.
The stolen children were
Many children for each father.
Many mothers for each father,
Many mothers for each child.

It has been said
“It takes a village”
But not this village, no.
It should be the proper village
So that the children are not indoctrinated
But educated in only the proper truths.

Send to me your village of children
And I will educate them
With my own self-evident truths.
That men are not created equally,
That men are not equal,
That men are not created.

It has been said
“Judge not lest you be judged”
You condemn the parents
Yearning for Zion
For teaching the wrong truths
To their many children.

Children having children:
Texans look to yourselves.
Your own state publishes truths
Publishes them on the internet
And if we read it on the internet
It must be true.

In Texas it is written that
1 of every 16 seventeen-year-olds gets pregnant
1 of every 27 sixteen-year-olds gets pregnant
1 of every 58 fifteen-year-olds gets pregnant
1 of every 967 thirteen-year-olds gets pregnant
1 of every 5280 twelve-year-olds or younger gets pregnant.

Self-evident truth:
Teen pregnancy is wrong
Teen marriage is wrong
But my own grandmother was wed
To her Texan at 16
And gave birth while still a teen.

Self-evident truth:
Polygamy is wrong.
But as I age
And the many tasks grow harder
I can see the advantages
In taking a sister-wife.

Copyright © 2008 by Carolyn Cannon

Ani

2008-04-16T14:43:00.000-07:00

eah, so we're usually some of the oldest people at her concerts. I'm still young on the inside - but old enough to have been a folkie for 40 years.

She has a couple of great new songs out. One of my favorites from last night was "The Atom"
(click to watch the YouTube link; embedding was disabled). I learned yesterday that believe it or not some people don't know who Ani DiFranco is. If you're in that group, take time to listen to some of the other clips.

Opening for her last night were Animal Prufrock and Judy Grahn. Judy did the Alan Ginsberg thing . . . my favorite from her was "The Vampires of Empire".

Like a Rock Star . . .

2008-03-22T20:44:00.000-07:00

Pity those poor people who waited in line overnight in the low-20's temperatures. Their seats couldn't have been much closer than mine. I left home at around 6:20 a.m. after a whirlwind of letting dogs out and in, showering, and defrosting the truck. It was about 6:45 when I found a parking place and close to seven by the time I trudged to what was then the end of the line. I was probably about 800-1000 people back from the door. I met new friends as we were all standing close to keep each other warm. I didn't want to take anything extra, like a coat, or a purse, or even the camera. That's why we are making due with cell-phone pictures.

They were seating people in batches, with traffic directed to different areas. I ended up on the second row of the bleachers right behind the circular stage. I was probably 15'-20' from Barack as he was speaking.

Color guard presenting flags as we were waiting. . .

Obama greeting volunteer Denise Cyr, who presented a fun and lively introduction.

The crowd was in large part (ahem) middle-aged white folk such as myself. But I guess that's most of Medford.

We discussed how great it would be to have a president who can use words correctly and in context, and even read!

And who, when posed with a question, takes the time to not only answer in complete sentences - paragraphs even - rather than sound bytes, but to actually give an intelligent answer to the question that was posed.

And . . . he shook my hand! I was able to get "ringside" at the end with no trouble. I should have thought to take the family copy of "The Audacity of Hope" (thanks Mom) for him to sign as he was doing that after the speech.

Questions posed during the second portion included: the economy (and how to curtail the recession), the Tibet/China situation, funding of special education, care of veterans, the environment, and stem-cell research. When posed with the environmental question which included a statement about logging old-growth forests, Barack countered that climate change has to be the number one concern or that there will be no old growth forests to protect.

And every Prius in town was there except mine. I never realized how many there were around here.

From the Office Window

2007-03-28T20:46:00.000-07:00

One of the good things about the "day job" office is that it has a view. Or at least it still does at the moment though rumors have it that there will be one of those ubiquitous strip malls across the street sometime soon. For now, we can still look up and see the end of the runway. The point where the planes turn around and ready for takeoff is directly in front of us.

Yesterday I looked up and saw an airplane of a different color.

This is the special 25th anniversary Horizon plane.

A couple of times now Air Force One has flown in, bringing with it assorted traffic problems.

I said that I'd be careful about politics on my blog, but maybe just a tiny bit would be ok?