manic monday with mo ~ pride

Yesterday we headed to San Francisco to meet up with some friends to hike around Golden Gate Park. Coincidentally...it was also one of the country's largest Gay Pride celebrations.

We were in the area of the parade several hours before the festivities ....just as the booths were starting to set up. I was curious to note how many vendors had special marketing collateral specifically for the event.

Every company had picked up on the rainbow theme...but these two caught my eye as being rather clever. While I wish we had been able to stay longer ....prior obligations beckoned us to the other end of town.

other manic monday minions are mentioned at Mo's

photo hunting ~ bright

Last Sunday, after taking Lile home to Lake Tahoe....we took the long way through the back roads of Highway 4. Dropping into the valley we saw this amazing sunset. Although beautiful...it was created by the dense smoke from the many wild fires burning in this part of California. While the sunset was stunning over this farmstead...it reminds me of the devastation elsewhere....

(the photograph is totally untouched and un"shopped"...it portrays exactly how the sun looks thru the blanket of smoke that hovers everywhere)

It has been quite a while since I participated in Tennessee Chick's Saturday Photo Hunt. I have looking at this picture for the past few days....and thought it would be fit this week's theme of "Bright." Take a moment to visit some of her other photo hunters...

The Alpha Bitch

This is Lile
(pronounced lil eee)
She is on summer visitation with her Dad…
and went camping with us for a few days.

Ten years old….golden and husky mix…just about the sweetest puppy you’d ever want to know…

Never resting protector from raccoons, squirrels, deer, steller jays, and rattlesnakes…

Places to Go Things to See People to Meet

Dating in your forties has some distinct advantages.

One benefit is that you get to go lots of really interesting places and meet all kinds of new people. Here is a brief synopsis of one couple’s past week. It works better with charts and string lines…but oh well…just read slowly.

Boyfriend goes with Girlfriend to help her daughter move (following daughter’s six week nightingale tour with great grandpa) with the aid of Girlfriend’s ex-husband, Girlfriend’s mother and daughter’s half brother. Girlfriend and ex-husband last met at daughter’s college graduation. Ex-husband’s current wife doesn’t attend…but is helpful and supportive from 400 miles away. Girlfriend walks away laughing at the sight of ex-husband and Boyfriend lying down next to each other. (okay…okay…they were on the floor peering under the washer discussing the best way to disconnect…but still….) At the end of the day ex-husband and father of Girlfriend’s daughter is highly appreciative of Boyfriend’s packing and truck driving abilities. Even dinner was an enjoyable event.

Boyfriend attends Girlfriend’s stepson’s high school graduation with assorted members of Girlfriend's family....Girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend’s family…as well as family of Girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend’s deceased wife. Following ceremony they also attend graduation party at ex-boyfriend’s home where Girlfriend use to live. Girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend’s current girlfriend is an old friend. She wants to talk about the whacked-girlfriend in between, against whom we all have a TRO. Boyfriend is scrutinized by Girlfriend’s stepson’s deceased mother’s family. Boyfriend spends the better part of two hours hangin’ with Girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend’s brother looking at Harleys and talkin’ aftermarket upgrades. All may be riding together to Hollister for the 4th.

Girlfriend accompanies Boyfriend to his stepson’s college graduation festivities. Girlfriend gets to hang with both of boyfriend’s second-ex-wife’s ex-husbands and her current boyfriend at the home of the second-ex-wife’s first husband (father of the graduate) and his current wife. Families of Boyfriend, his second-ex-wife and her first-ex-husband are all represented. Girlfriend of Boyfriend…and boyfriend of second-ex-wife are too far down the food chain to warrant a ticket to the ceremony. So…Girlfriend hangs with Boyfriend’s younger Airforce son (who flew in just for the weekend) for a few hours...all over town. Girlfriend’s daughter (see above) graduated from the same university a couple years ago. All families are sweetly friendly and overly welcoming to Girlfriend in a manner meant to covey to Boyfriend that he is still a beloved member of their family. Girlfriend enters the twilight zone.

Boyfriend, Boyfriend’s father, and Boyfriend’s sons do manly activities for Fathers’ Day. Girlfriend hangs out with Boyfriend’s mother…helping her with her blog….and reviewing the 200 plus photographs that Girlfriend took at the wedding of Boyfriend’s older son and new daughter-in-law. (that was the week before)

Girlfriend and Boyfriend take Boyfriend’s dog from Boyfriend’s second ex-wife for a few days camping in the Redwoods.

Big Basin Redwoods.
Three Days.

No cellphone coverage.
No internet access.
No ex’s.
No Jerry Springer.

Just the Twilight Zone.

commenting back

Not wanting Mateo…or anyone else to “gaze in perplexion” at the comment left on my previous post…here are my thoughts.

At first it was kinda bizarre and out of place. An anonymous visitor in my comment section detailing a theory has to why OJ Simpson would have felt the need to butcher the mother of his young children … leaving her mutilated body and that of another for them to find.

I could tell right away that it wasn’t just spam as Anonymous begins by mentioning what I have said about meeting Mr. Simpson a few times…and watching the entire trial.

Then it dawned on me…confirmed by a quick search…this is a subject I’ve never written about on my own web log. Ah ha…the plot thickens

I fairly certain I may have at some time Congressman, commented on someone’s else’s blog with my opinion of this heinous crime and miscarriage of justice. To the best of my recollection Senator, I have a murky memory of mentioning it on a blogtalkradio show….but gotta admit I don’t know which one. I listen sporadically to a handful…and have called in to two or three. Either way…it’s been a while since I have mentioned any of my thoughts or opinions on this matter.

In my offline life there is a dropdead certainty I have categorically stated my opinion on the clusterfuck of a murder trial that resulted in one of the most shockingly horrific displays of juror imprudence. So…I am not sure how or where or when Anonymous came to know me. And I do not know why Anonymous does not want me to know them. But I am a big proponent of free speech….and I honor their right to do so.

(taking a very deep breath)

I really do not think that even if Ron Lyle Goldman was personally shoving drugs down Nicole Brown Simpson’s throat (or that of her children) it changes the situation one bit.

Even if Goldman was not the golden boy depicted…and even if he was the biggest drug dealer in all of Los Angeles County his crime pales in comparison to the brutal slashing that occurred.

There is no provocation bad enough to justify what happened.

Having done 15-20 in the greater Los Angeles area skirting the edges of the entertainment industry, I can attest to the fringe society that hovers around the rich and famous. The combination of money and immorality (in addition to fame and power) can be seductive. It is pervasive and attractive. You can not be anywhere near the entertainment industry and not be exposed to it.

I have no reason to dispute all that my unknown commenter claims about Ron Lyle Goldman, his history, his crimes, or his reason for being at Nicole Simpson’s home that evening. I do know that if OJS was indeed concerned about his children being exposed to that type of drug culture….it would have been pretty easy to prove the situation and gain custody of his children.

Somehow I think having their mother murdered in that manner….and living as they live now…with their father… quite possibly the man who committed that crime…is a far worse life.

The court system failed Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Lyle Goldman. It failed those children. I don’t care what the provocation was.

Ecclesiastes and Etymology

to everything there is a season….
…and a time to every purpose under heaven.

I am thankful to be given this season.
I am grateful to be given this time.

a time to weep
a time to laugh
a time to mourn
a time to dance

when autumn comes I want to be laughing
and dancing…

a time to cast away stones…
and a time to gather stones together

I’m gonna keep track of the Summer

yesterday I sorta started a journey…
(and rather surprisingly to me)
yesterday I sorta started a journal

any etymologist out there?
who can connect journal and journey?

a time to rend
a time to sew
a time to keep silence
a time to speak

I am not much of a journal-ist and certainly have never been known to keep a diary. I’ve had a few…but it was the locked book concept that drew me…not the idea of jotting down my thoughts.

There are pages I wrote when I lost my brother and pages I wrote when I lost my best friend. Those pages served to articulate into order and logic the overwhelming crashing of emotion and circumstance which threatened to implode in my brain. Articulation soothed my pain.

a time to kill
a time to heal
a time to break down
a time to build up

I can’t promise healing.
I won’t promise damage repair.
I can promise to not break down.
I faithfully promise to build up

in a book I will articulate summers journey

to everything there is a season….
…and a time to every purpose under heaven.

Dona Nobis Pacem

today I join the international celebration:

Blog Blast for Peace

The official site can be found HERE.
You can select a template and post your very own globe.

Mimi Lenox is an amazing woman who has taken the cause of Peace to an unbelievable level within the weblog world. Her everyday blog is a funny, touching...sometimes heart tugging tale of her life and love and Bloggingham Palace. However Mimi's Thirty Reasons to fly a Peace Globe detailed horrific, international situations to strive for Peace. She has inspired bloggers from around the world to join in their own personal way to stand for Peace.

Take a minute....go to the Blog Search page and enter:
"Dona Nobis Pacem"
You will be truly amazed.

Mimi, you have given thousands of people a heart for peace
and truly fulfilled the legacy of your Grandfather.