Phuc Dat Bich

Learned from my Vietnamese nail technicians...there are some names in Vietnamese which become BAD words in English. Of course, the pronunciation is different in Vietnam, but. For example, the name Phuc means happiness or good luck but comes across kind of dirty in English. The word Bich refers to a kind of gem (jade). They actually knew somebody named Phuc Dat Bich. But mostly, people with these names change them. They witnessed one guy at the Motor Vehicle agency who didn't change his name and the lady had to SPELL his name instead of call it out loud.

Tried to read the book Alan Turing : the enigma (book), by Andrew Hodges. This is the book that inspired the film The imitation game. I found the book totally dense and full of mathematical jargon. I gave it my best effort because I really enjoyed the movie and because Alan Turing is everywhere these days.
He makes the analogy that gay people are always playing "the imitation game" when they try to appear heterosexual. Another comment was the irony of the war (WW II) being won by a gay, atheist, British mathematician. I was glad to learn that he did have a number of friends and relationships. The movie made him seem like a bit of a loner.

It is a very gray, gloomy day. I don't enjoy being home of such grim days. It is DEPRESSING. Starting my plan of getting myself together and getting ON TRACK. That means eating right and exercising every day. I have to get myself under control as a 50th high school reunion is coming up. That is a daunting thought.
I am not calling it being on a diet, I am calling it ON TRACK. I have been extremely OFF TRACK lately.

There is a general panic about the snowstorm

50 million Americans are waiting for the storm of the century or some such nonsense. Sitting here in the Cumberland County Library like there isn't a scary storm going on. Tonight I volunteered to sit with the homeless people. Am enjoying this volunteer assignment less each time I do it. But I do really like the pastor in charge so I think I will make every crazy effort to go even though it is going to be quite messy and possibly dangerous. A commitment is a commitment, in my book. I only have to drive a few blocks.

Testament (book), Vickie Gendreau. I read this book in French and I am not sure I understood much about it. It seemed to be about a group of friends, some of whom die. Each section is preceded by a name or the name of a file. It was all very young and hip and hard for me to comprehend. Lots of English words were thrown in and the short sentences were helpful.

My friend is going nuts taking care of his parents in their waning years. He even called them "fucking morons" on Facebook today. THAT was a bit extreme. They are losing it and are not really aware of how bad they are doing. May get together with him later because he needs SOMETHING a bit distracting to do on his birthday.

Which is worse, high blood pressure or slow resting heart rate?

So, I stopped taking my blood pressure pill as it was making my heart rate too slow. Now my blood pressure is too high. Darn, I thought maybe I was overcoming HBP with my modicum of weight loss and my pathetic, half-hearted efforts to exercise. Jeez...when you get to be 66 you just think about all of the things that can go wrong. And you see them happening to many of the people around you, even the ones YOUNGER than 66.

Taking an art class. I guess I like it. It is nice to get involved in something for three hours and I have noticed that I don't think about EATING during this time. I do, however, have a lot of competition anxiety. I don't think I am very good at it and have already mentally moved on to the next project. That is one reason I don't want to go out and spend a lot of money on fancy art supplies. Yes, my materials are possibly limiting what I am able to accomplish. Today I painted a sunset that I took a picture of down at Bivalve the other night. Now, I need to think of a project for NEXT week. Every week that I have been there the day has been sunny and gorgeous. And today a woman who fell down with a stroke a couple of weeks ago was BACK and none the worse for the wear. The nurse who had guided the rescue crew went home and painted her a picture and presented it to her in a frame today. After the class, I went out in back of the barn and relaxed by the pond. Was taking my "Vitamin D bath" and waiting for my watercolor to dry. Enjoyed greatly the sounds....wind chimes in the trees, waterfall fountain in the pond, wind blowing through the bamboo trees. Add to that the heavenly odors and another artist painting a fabulous pink flowered tree. It was rather heavenly!

On my way home soon. It is a struggle to get to spend time at home so I can read and organize (ha ha) and look out the windows at the sunny day. I was supposed to have a French club meeting tonight but one and then another dropped out so we ended up rescheduling it. I am just as glad as I had too many activities today. Started off with arthritis class at 8 AM, then art class, then a substantial lunch at the Olympia Greek restaurant, then chiropractor and massage, and now computer time at the Millville Public Library. It is a difficult life (not). I guess I should feel guilty about all of my self-indulgence, but, hey, don't I deserve it?

Noise and other pollution

Got out of my car at my favorite deli today and heard rude, cursing talk. Looked around to find the annoyance and a guy had left his car running while he went into the store. Not only that, he had left his MUSIC running, which was loud, rude, rap music, cursing out bitches, etc.

Frommer's Florence, Tuscany and Umbria, 5th ed, by John Moretti, (C2006) - Read most of this on my Nook. 1st edition Nook does not do well with nonfiction books. I think pictures were ommited, at least there were some captions that did not seem to sit well with the other text. I don't mind old travel books. I was trying to get myself excited about my upcoming trip to a house in Tuscany. (Isn't that every American's dream?) It was particularly MY dream, but, hey, I need an excuse to go on a trip. I took some notes and then had to type them up, along with some Italian vocabulary. Most of it I will forget, but maybe something will stick.

The invention of wings, by Sue Monk Kidd - The book was engaging in varying degrees. Glad I stuck with it! Sad and upsetting stuff about slavery. Fictional treatment of Sarah and Angelina Grimke, who grew up in slave-holding Charleston in the Mid 1800's. They were inclined to be against it. The book details the problems the sisters had in trying to stand up for their beliefs. Their parents were really unhelpful. Even the QUAKERS were unhelpful, although I guess they came along eventually. In alternating chapters, the story is told from the viewpoint of Sarah and her slave, Handful. The portrayal of slave culture in a city was unusual and appalling. Making their views more unwelcome were the fact that they were women. I laughed, I cried and was delighted to learn more about the Grimkes. I had heard some of this information in a play I went to see at the Painted Bride in Philadelphia (If she stood). The author learned of these women from The dinner party art work by Judy Chicago.

All things shall pass, even the bad ones

Usually, if I could be more patient, the neighbors will move and Yahoo will get around to fixing the things that are broken. Every time they "upgrade" I go crazy looking for things that I could do before. Just in case they aren't paying attention, I submit at least one complaining support ticket each day.

Started off with a good reunion of the French group. Now that we have had a meeting in the daytime, more hours have opened up as possible gathering times. It is absolutely amazing how difficult it is to get 5 people together, even though we are all RETIRED! Then the sun came out when it was not forecast. I LIKE those kinds of surprises. Brought leftovers down to my Wednesday hangout. My sister made some yummy quiche - one was watercress and spinach and the other was CAULIFLOWER and pepper jack cheese. How creative!

Today is election day. Even thinking about our government makes me sick. I would like to strangle some Tea Party Republicans. I can take some comfort in the fact that I live in a BLUE town in a BLUE state.

I don't want Yahoo to be just like Google

But now Yahoo is changing it's typeface every day to be more like Google.  They already changed the email to be more like Google.

I am getting so confused about apostrophes...and ALL punctuation to be exact.  I thought there was no longer an apostrophe in Alzheimers but the poster of the organization out in the lobby has one.

And I am about to get booted off of this computer as I AM a laptop hobo!

Getting behinder

. 

Books by the bed at home - eleven.  Have taken to reading every time I wake up in the night.
Also binged on cereal and fruit last night.  I shouldn't really have cereal in the house, especially the kind I like to buy even though I know I shouldn't.  I buy one healthy cereal and one "fun" (sugary) cereal.  Have "neighbor anxiety" which makes it difficult to sleep.

Yelled at the neighbor kids again yesterday.  The barking dog threw me over the edge and I rushed out in a frenzy of discontent.  Would I have the nerve to do something so rude and aggressive if they weren't defenseless foreigners?  They actually went and told their mother (who we NEVER see) and came over and rang my doorbell.  So I went out and next door and halfway up the steps and talked to A.  She feels we are harassing her by calling the authorities to come and investigate dog situation (I am not the only one who is calling).  I feel she has no concept of being a good neighbor.  When it came down to it, she says she is allowed to have a dog and dogs bark.  P., the pitbull,  barks many times a day and not in a nice way.  She also tears stuff up and spreads it all over their yard and mine and deposits unmentionables on my property.  I gathered up such and placed it on their porch.  I really should be nicer to the kids and may wait a week before taking further action.  I really want them to leave.  Also, a couple of guys were seen arriving with suitcases yesterday.

I did finish two books yesterday.

Book review: The complete potter, by Steve Mattison.  A good overview of making pots.  Each page includes one or two topics/methods with beautiful photos of procedures and finished pieces, giving credit to the potter and explanations of the pieces.  This book is available at the Vineland Public Library (738 Mat)

Book review:  The sweet life in Paris, by David Lebovitz. Started reading this BEFORE I went to Paris in May and was determined to finish it.  According to David, only 20% of Americans have passports and we are used to foreigners on our turf and not so good at dealing with them when they are on their own turf.  "The unspoken rule if you plan to live here - but equally good to adopt even if you're just coming for a visit - is knowing that you're going to be judged on how you look and how you present yourself.  Yes, even if you're just dumping your garbage."  I guess I should have mentioned that David is a chef from New York who moved to Paris.  The book includes several great recipes such as floating island (made by Julia Child and my grandmother) and Gateau Breton (made only one day a week at a bakery near the Pont Neuf where I lived after college).  I didn't copy the recipe for Ile flotant on page 28 because it looks really complicated and takes up three pages and I don't cook.  When people ask him how long it took him to become fluent in French, he points out that even the FRENCH are not fluent in French.  "One of the first words I learned in French class was raleur, which means 'someone who complains'.  Maybe it's la grisaille, the dull, gray skies that hang over Paris, causing la morosite ambiente, the all-encompassing gloom that blankets the city at times."
I learned a lot of good words in this books, like that there is a name for the prized crusty end of a baguette.  It is called le quignon.  This is a valuable introduction to life in Paris and equally fun after you have been there.  I borrowed this book from a friend.

 

 

Finished a bunch of books

Book review: Life after life : a novel, by Jill McCorkle.  I wanted to read this book as the author went to my college, Hollins University,  in Roanoke, Virginia.  I borrowed it from the Vineland Public Library (FIC McCorkle Jill).  Unfortunately, there is another book with the same title out right now.  Maybe because I am reading too many books at one time, I had trouble keeping the characters straight in this one.  The characters are all residents or workers in a retirement home.  There is the narrative which jumps around to all of the different characters.  In between the chapters are inserts about other people and little segments by those people.  They all seem to be people known by one of the characters, Joanna, who is a volunteer at the nursing home.  I liked the character  who was just faking alzheimers so that his son wouldn't bother him.


Book review: Tuesday's gone, by Nicci French.  I borrowed this book from the Vineland Public Library (MYS French Nicci).  I learned from the flap that this name "is the pseudonym of the internationally bestselling writing partnership of suspense writers Nicci Gerrard and Sean French".
It is the second novel in the Frieda Klein series and ended sort of mysteriously, leaving room for more books.  Our investigator is referred to as a "brilliant reclusive psychotherapist".  She assists the investigation into who might have killed a man who seems to have insinuated himself into the lives of quite a few people with money.  He was a different man to each of them.  Frieda tries to figure out who is telling the truth and who did what to whom and when.  London milieu.

 

 

 

Book review: L'étranger, by Albert Camus.  Quite proud of myself as I read this book in French.  It is not really difficult, being a rather short book.  Had to read it for a book club so I even took notes.  I know I read it long ago when I majored in French.  This copy came on interlibrary loan from the Matawan-Aberdeen Public Library in Matawan, New Jersey (FRE CAMUS).  This first lines are quite famous and can be recited by many people, especially French majors.  "Aujourd'hui, maman est morte.  Ou peut-ètre hier, je ne sais pas".  (Today, mother died.  Or maybe yesterday, I don't know).

The quintessential existentialist novel is about a man who drifts through life, getting into trouble after murdering an arab who is threatening his friend.  During the court trial, it comes out that he didn't cry at his mother's funeral and this adds to the damning evidence against him.  Waiting to see if he is condemned to death, he philosophizes that we are all condemned to death eventually.  And thinks that his mother was about to start a new life with a fiancé so no one should have cried over her.  I can't find the cover of my Gallimard 1942 paperback, but here is the link if you would like to read it.

 

http://www.scribd.com/doc/31581027/A-Camus-L%E2%80%99Etranger

 

 

 

I'm all museumed out

  My favorite pic at the Marmottan museum in Paris was The Tuileries, by Claude Monet.  It captured the sun and wonderfulness of my walk through the gardens a few days ago.  The Marmottan was my last museum for my trip and I am quite tired out.  It cost 10 euros and I got through it in under 45 mins.  Great paintings by Monet and Berthe Morisot and Gustav Caillebotte.  Special exhibition was Marie Laurencin and she is not really one of my favorites.  When I entered the museum you had to have your bags looked into.  "Vous avez beaucoup de sacs", said the guard (You have a lot of bags).  Sigh...just call me the bag lady.

Getting ready to go home.  Calling the taxi, checking in for the flight.  Not too enthusiastic about leaving except to get a REST.  And my pocketbook needs a rest too.  Blow out final dinner tonight.  I might get ALL the courses.  For some reason, I always like what other people order better than what I order.  OK, sometimes, I just order and I don't really know WHAT I am ordering.  My friend keeps telling me they have a really good whatever at le Mouton blanc, where we are going tonight.

I love it when the weather forecast is WRONG.  It was supposed to be raining and cold for the rest of the week, but today there has been rather a lot of sun and NO rain as of yet.  I even got my Vitamin D bath.
15 minutes a day.  I sat on a bench after our big lunch and before I entered the museum.

The best things about Paris

Here is what I love about it...the architecture, the iron work, the scupltures, the chestnut yoghurt made by La Fermiere, the buses, the flower shops!  Today I visited a more obscure museum, the Jacquemart-Andre, thinking I could avoid the crowds.  I was wrong.  Mrs. Jacquemart and her husband, Mr. Andre, collected art and made a gorgeous home with outrageously high ceilings, just filled with art and fabulous furnishings.  It was to create an oasis away from the "foule" (the crowds).  Unfortunately now the crowds are IN the house.
Exhibition of Eugene Boudin, who influenced Monet and who was influenced by Jongkind.  A big rainstorm came so I went into the cafe there and had a $7 Diet Coke (Coca Cola light).

Then I traversed Paris by foot and metro to go visit a previous love of mine.  We spoke rapid-fire French for an hour and it was very pleasant.

Then it got really cold, but SUNNY at last.  Walking, walking, walking...had a croque monsieur at a cafe overlooking the bronze flame sculpture over the tunnel where Princess Diana was killed.  Walking around the traffic circle, I managed to find the bus to get home.  I adore the buses in Paris.  At the bus stop they say how long you will have to wait for the bus.  Then you get on and put your ticket "dans le trou" (in the hole).  Then there is a digital sign telling you what is the next stop and how many minutes it will be until the end of the line.  All this and scenery too!

Notes from Paris

Staying up so late, I can hardly think!  It was still sunny at 9 PM.  Walking so much.  No busses today due to "Manif pour tous".  A manifestation which wasn't REALLY for all, as it was against gay marriage and any form of child rearing by gays (adoption or assisted births).  I was rather astounded to learn that one of the ring leaders with the very odd name of Frigide Barjot, received DEATH THREATS because she wasn't right wing enough.  I came upone this MANIF by accident and went up on a hill in the Passy Cemetery to view it from afar.  I know Manet and Berthe Morisot were buried in that cemetery but I didn't have the patience to LOOK for them.  Many thousands of people were demonstrating on French mother's day.  10 abreast walking down a broad avenue with horns, bells, drums and songs and signs.  Quite FESTIVE for a bunch of heterosexuals!  There were four different groups, I think.  The colors were pink and blue (for girls and boys).  The flags and sweatshirts had a picture of a nuclear family, man, woman and two children.

Up and down the 16th arrondissement today.  Visited home of Honore de Balzac (all in French) and visited address where I lived with an old countess with no money in my students days 46 years ago.

And ate a dynamite mousse au chocolat.  Have accomplished all of my food goals except for losing weight.
According to the scale in the apartment, I have lost 15 pounds in one week, but I know it is WAY off.

What the hell version is this?

I swear these songs change on Playlist.com.  Now I seem to be listening to a version of Halo on which Beyonce cannot even be heard!  I am deleting it right now.



Didn't really understand the name of my new nail polish for this week, My boyfriend scales walls.  So I couldn't even explain it to my Vietnamese nail technician. I looked it up and it is from the Spiderman collection.  This wasn't really what I had in mind for Paris.  The Guidebook recommended just clear polish but that is too extremely plain for me.  They said that French women don't get French manicures.  Neither do I!  I was really looking for a very pale barely white. 

Just registered for the Cancer prevention study 3.  While I was filling out all of the forms was feeling bad cause my memory is so bad and I had to confess that I actually eat very few fruits and vegetables and that I spend an inordinate amound of time SITTING...reading, at the computer and driving my car.  It was all so depressing that I had to come over to use the Internet and listen to music.  Was not really in the mood for exercising.  Especially because it is so HOT and humid today.

Am all stressed out due to upcoming trip(s).  So many undone things.  I haven't finished even ONE of the four books I was supposed to read before hand.  And I realize I am RUNNING OUT OF TIME, to find things, buy things, prepare things,etc.

Audiobook review: Pimsleur basic French.  Finished listening to these 5 CDs in the car.  It was instructional and amusing.  The conversations were silly and dumb with a great emphasis on eating, drinking and shopping.  I did find them helpful for getting the feel for the language, and even though I am fluent in French, I couldn't always get it right.  The pronunciation is the hardest part.  There was a lot of repetition (sometimes TOO much).  I borrowed these from the Vineland Public Library (448.342 Bas) because it was all CDs and no books, easier for me in the car.  Had a great time laughing about the conversations with a friend on a long drive.

I want to eat something right now

An apt phrase for me....learning in the car with Pimsleur.  It is a good thing I already KNOW French.  Don't know how I could do this audio lesson if I DIDN'T know French!  I have noticed that proper pronunciation gives your face and neck a workout.  The conversations are sort of stupid...stopping someone on the street and then asking her how she is.  I am trying to get ready for all of that helloing and goodbyeing and politeness that the French go in for.  It is hard to be on a diet when you are constantly having to say in French....Do you want to eat something?  Yes.  What do you want to eat?  I don't know.  Very good. (see what I mean about stupid conversations?)  WHEN do you want to eat something?  Je voudrai manger quelque chose maintenant! (I want to eat something RIGHT NOW).

Hearing loud drunk people on the streets of Bridgeton.  Maybe every downtown has loud drunk people?  There were some hanging outside of the Millville Public Library the other day.

Heard an oldies station on the radio today.  WIBG?  I thought that was defunct...or maybe it was just on AM and moved to FM?  So, I looked it up.  It seems to be broadcasting out of Ocean City now..... I guess they weren't OLDIES the first time.  WIBG is pronounced WIBBAGE.

About

Wibbage 99 was Philadelphia's original rock and roll radio station, introducing millions of Delaware Valley teenagers to the sounds of Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Motown and much more.

Wibbage FM 94.3 is our tribute to the great Philly station of our youth.  You'll hear retro commercials, jingles and airchecks, but you'll also hear local news, weather and events.  Plus, that great music you know and love!

Your favorite songs from...
The Beatles, Beach Boys, Four Tops, Billy Joel, Herman's Hermits, The Association, Temptations, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Elton John, Van Morrison, Roy Orbison, Rolling Stones, America, Buckinghams, Martha & the Vandellas, Doobie Brothers and so many more!!!

An entire afternoon without a snack

Can I do it?  Ate my lunch early cause it was here.  Nothing to eat all afternoon.  I brought no snacks to work because I am trying to be careful and my coworker apparently is in the same boat.

Practicing French in the car.  Pronouncing things properly gives your face and neck quite a workout.  I need to be doing those exercises anyway to combat the double chin affect.  Then went to get my nails done and the only magazines I could find were Essence, something in Vietnamese and People en espanol.  So I read People in Spanish.  

Working today but hardly working.  Classes are over and exams are starting and there is just not much activity around the library today.

And I thought OUR soap operas were bad

Forced to watch Spanish TV during my lunch.  Not fun.  Really bad acting and outfits and over the top everything.  This is one big disadvantage of eating in the little Spanish restaurants....loud and bad TV.  But I DID have some really delicious guacamole. 

Hard to concentrate cause I am listening to Tupac singing Hit em'up while I write. 

Book review:  Circle of quilters (an Elm Creek quilts novel) by Jennifer Chiaverini, narrated by Christina Moore. I borrowed the audiobook on CD from the Cumberland County Library (CDBR F CHI).  First one of these books I have listened to.  Interesting approach.  She follows stories about 4 people who all apply for the same job at Elm Creek quilt camp.   What I liked about the stories is how people just seemed to fall into careers doing what they loved.  What I didn't like about it is that each person had one really annoying person in their life.  You just wanted to shake them and ask how they could put up with it for so long.  This book appears somewhere in the middle or at the end of the series. 

Who has time for Twitter?

Is that why everyone is always playing with their phone?

I survived Valentine's day and it wasn't half bad.  Went with my French club to Philadelphia to see a movie called Amour.  A slow moving story of an elderly couple and their decline.  Lots to think about, even the day after.  Before the movie we dined at Fork, 306 Market Street. Had a yummy kale salad with creme fraiche.  Then my sister and her boyfriend invited me over for dinner and served Duck a l'orange.  This all kind of came together at the last minute and was an enjoyable day.  I even exercised at 8 AM.

Weather is sunny and temperate.  Winter is so much more bearable when the temperature is in the 40's.
And it is already February 15th!  How much more winter could there be?

I want you to be my sex slave

These were the lyrics that caused me to turn the dial on the radio in the car. Power 99 out of Philly played this song. Too much. Reminds me of the time I met a guy on a cruise ship. It was a cruise ship where we only spoke Spanish or Portuguese. I met a guy in the club who whispered to me, "Quiero ser tu esclavo" (I want to be your slave). Kind of more romantic sounding in Spanish, don't ya think?
Not to mention that it is the total opposite kind of request.

Better late than never? Was "balancing" my checkbook this AM, reviewing a statement from July 7, 2007. I don't really call what I do balancing, because I can't keep a checkbook balanced for more than a month. I have to keep a big balance in there in case of problems. I DO try to add and subtract various things but it never comes out exactly right. That is why I tell them to not count on me in church to count the money. I count everything three times and if it comes out the same twice, I consider that to be reality.

So much on my mind these days....shopping, wrapping, computers, exercising, appointments. Don't know which way to go first. So much to do at home, but so much to do OUT. Currently OUT and probably will STAY out til bedtime. Don't really enjoy being home in the DARK, cold night. I want to be HOME when it is sunny and nice but I want to be out then, too. See what a quandery my life is? It is so hard being me.

I was born to be a vampire

So says Bella, in the final movie of the Twilight series, Breaking dawn, part 2. She and Edward talk about the great sex life of vampires....they never get tired, don't have to sleep or eat, never get any older and they live forever. There was, of course, a ferocious battle scene, but luckily it turned out to be just a vision of a possible future scenario if they didn't work out their troubles amicably. Thank good ness it didn't REALLY happen, cause the good guys were losing their heads! So, I helped with a record breaking weekend of money earning. I had to go see it, even though my usual Twilight-loving companion has passed away. I am not really into vampires and stuff, but I make an exception for this series. I read all of the books, too. The previews at this movie were more than I could stand. Every single movie had to do with horror, or the undead or other grisly topics.

I watched the Christmas parade today in Bridgeton, as it went right by my house. I am not into STANDING around, but I just think it is so cool to live on the parade route. Yes, it was mighty cold, even at 2 PM. The parade was somewhat lame, but then I went over and hung out with the young Mexican kids next door and it was more fun. We were speaking some English and some Spanish. They were wildly running after candy thrown by the parade participants and they were telling me what they wanted from Santa Claus....a nintendo and a WII.

Using the wifi at my sister's house and eating some Thanksgiving leftovers. Someone has to do it.

Boy, am I glad that I am retired and that I speak English and Spanish!

In "my" McDonald's, listening to a conversation with some prospective employees. They don't speak English and one of the workers is translating. The prospective worker is balking at the possible schedule because she wants to spend time with her family and doesn't want to get assigned every Saturday and Sunday. Also, it would cost more for a babysitter than she could make at McDonald's. I've been there, baby. I have worked SO MANY Saturdays and Sundays but, of course, I don't have a family to spend time with. And, naturally, the "new kid on the block" does get all of the worst of the schedule. That is why I don't feel like looking for a job, myself.

I said I was over 60 minutes, but now I am into it again. Lasy night learned about the dangers of Chinese computer companies and the monopoly of eyeglass companies. But the one story that made me CRY was about a guy I never heard of (shame!), Rodriguez, who wrote some songs and put out an album about 40 years ago called Cold facts. It went nowhere and he went to work as a day laborer. Somehow, he was a huge star in South Africa but he never knew anything about it. Then there was a connection and a young adorable Swedish guy decided to make a movie about him with a Super 8 app he bought for $1 for his iPhone! The guy and the film are famous now. I really want to find the movie which won at Sundance and is called "Looking for Sugar man".

It is cold and grim today. I dread the coming of winter and having to pay for my own heat all day long. My house expenses are going to put me in the poor house.

Computer addiction...one of my many. An hour is just not enough time!

Hsving trouble figuring out this blogging stuff. I added a blog to my reading list and the next time I looked, it had reverted back to ITALIAN. That is one of the languages I do not speak. Now I can't figure out how to DELETE that blog from my reading list. Grrr...

It seems to be getting dark earlier. Yes, I should expect it, but I don't have to LIKE it. Other than that, I think I prefer Fall to Summer.

Went down to the shore today. It was quiet, TOO quiet, as my mother used to say. Also it rained, which was totally unexpected by us, in our bathing suits! So we watched other people swimming and surfing in the rain, talked to adorable life guard and other fun visitors on the covered deck at 101st St. in Stone Harbor. Then went to one of those new YOGO places. Been there, done that. You choose your yoghurt, put stuff of your choice on top and get charged $7 or so. (I tend to like the HEAVY stuff)

OK, library about to close, forced to get off of the computer. I really should try and watch some of President Obama's speech tonight, even if it is on after my bedtime.

Got lost this AM due to road block. Kind of fun. I think I will add it to my list of things to do...drive all over in strange direction and then turn on GPS on phone to find my way home. How scarey is that?