Forks Off The Moment

Distinguished

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:25:00 +0000

These trees appear to be graying at the twigs

the day cool died

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:26:00 +0000

Don Cornelius died yesterday. He chose to take his own life at the age of 75; family and friends say he was in poor health.

In the 1970s Soul Train was the only place on TV to see black artists perform and to see young black people dance. Every Saturday morning my son and I would watch the show together. He'd laugh as I tried to mimic the latest dance steps. For a black child being raised by a white mom in a white neighborhood Soul Train was a window into a wider world.

Thank you Don.

Aretha Franklin says that Don Cornelius integrated television and brought young people of all colors together. Yes he did.

I hope Don found the peace he sought. I will never forget his deep booming voice, his incredible presence, his calm and gentle manner. I will be forever grateful for all those years of Saturday mornings where the music was great, the dance was lively and the world was a better, more colorful place.

Peaceful Journey Don

I wish you Peace, Love, and Soul

Striking Resemblance

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:13:00 +0000

James McCartney appeared on Letterman last night. The 34 year old son of Sir Paul looks a lot like Dad.

Dad is still one handsome guy.

Similar gestures

At the Ed Sullivan theater - James, not Paul

James has a pleasant enough sound, I wasn't overly impressed.

Paul was never my favorite Beatle. It was Ringo all through my youth, I had a thing for funny looking guys and then it was John for his activism and intelligent lyrics.

I think Paul has become greater as he gets older.

All good things for James.

'You've Been Trumped'

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:56:00 +0000

thanks for all the get better wishes - whatever I've got is slowly retreating
I caught an interview with Anthony Baxter the creator of a documentary film called You’ve Been Trumped

The story of unbelievable might against people and the planet.

Donald Trump, with the help of local officials and the Scottish Government, has terrorized the residents of a small town in Scotland and permanently destroyed acres of precious dunes.

After all, he needs another building to put his name on.

I saw several scenes from the film and hope to see all of it as soon as Baxter can raise the funds needed to get it widely distributed. I contributed the cost of 2 tickets to a crappy Hollywood blockbuster to his cause, the irony amused me.

I enjoy an opportunity to point out the ever increasing blind powerful destruction caused by huge unregulated corporations. It's more delicious when a vile douche asshat scum spewer like Trump is at the top. It's more necessary when this same spewer continues to insinuate himself into the 2012 Presidential election.

silly sidebar
isn't it astounding how many of these spewers need to speak with their fingers?

The Flu

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:54:00 +0000

I think I've got it. That or an alien is moving into my body.
There is a jet plane revving its engine in my head
My ears and throat burn and don't like each other when I try to swallow.
Water over ice has become a delicacy to me.

I could go on and on about all my complaints but my arms are already hurting from typing.

Just wanted to 'splain why I wasn't visiting anyone.

Oh - and Hope wants everyone to know that she did not get the red boots. She decided on pink puddle jumper things and asked Nana to "look for purple on the IPad"

The Red Boots

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:50:00 +0000

Hope loves to shop. She did not like the red boots. She said she wanted purple.

Conflicted

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 02:31:00 +0000

is how the skies seemed this afternoon. it was sunny then gray, light then dark, mostly blue was quickly replaced by layers of troubled clouds.

There is a storm headed this way.

Going to the Vet

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:36:00 +0000

The kitties went back to the vet over the weekend to monitor their improvement. Siren is doing much better; he is gaining back weight and seems comfy and happy. Isadora still has some respiratory issues going on but she's eating and only hides half the day.

On going to vet day ...

Siren takes on his 'Hell No I Won't Go' stance

While Isadora dons her cloak of invisibility

45 minutes later I finally got her out from under the sofa. People laugh when I tell them we start getting ready for our trip to the vet 3 hours before the appointment but it's true.

Much later that night everyone came out to celebrate being home and feeling better.

We thank you for all the kind words and concern and hugs.

Cats on Tuesday

Dear Betty,

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 01:43:00 +0000

I hear that you’re going to be 90 this coming Tuesday.

If anyone makes 90 look like the new 60 it is you, you fabulous, funny, frisky old broad.

I’m really enjoying your latest project ‘Hot in Cleveland’.

Of course I adored your character Rose in ‘The Golden Girls’ and Sue Ann Nivens on ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’. Rose was so delightfully naive and Sue Ann was so deliciously wicked.

I found some videos of ‘Life With Elizabeth’; I didn’t know you had your own series from 1952 to 1955. I first saw you on ‘Password’ with your husband Allen Ludden. I love how you talk about your 18 year marriage to Allen with such warmth and romance.

I know that you won 5 Emmys and were nominated for many more awards. I think you deserve an award for just about everything you do.

I’m looking forward to NBC’s tribute to you airing this Monday, January 16th. I hope they gave you lots of goodies and boy toys.

Perhaps all you want is money for your animals. I smile every time you tell an interviewer that you have to keep working to care for your animals. The work you’re doing with the Morris Animal Foundation has saved many animal’s lives.

At least you sometimes get off your 90 year old feet to sit at a keyboard and do some writing. I found 45 titles attributed to you.

I love you Betty. I hope you keep on doing all that you love for a long, long time.

Happy Birthday Betty

One last thing Betty, when the studio made you pose like this didn't you just want to start dancing on the pole? Bet you did.

Hopeful Yet Realistic

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:36:00 +0000

Soon after I adopted Isadora I discovered that she was sick with an immune system disorder that caused her gums to swell and split open. Imagine the worst case of gingivitis times 10. After trying many treatments I decided that removing all her teeth was the best hope. That surgery was done just a year ago. The success rate for the surgery is at best 60% and gets lower the older the cat is. Isadora is 3, Siren is 10.

Isadora's issues are better but she still suffers relapses. They're not as severe and don't last as long.

About 6 months after Isadora joined us Siren began exhibiting similar symptoms. Little is known for sure about this disease. A very small group of vets and researches say it's a virus; more say it's environmental, poor nutrition in stray moms, or perhaps it's genetic. They thought a bacterial cause had been found but that was disproven.

The most effective treatment is a combination of long lasting, heavy duty steroid injections, antibiotics and pain killers. The steroids can cause diabetes as they did with Siren 6 months ago. I changed his diet and once the drug was out of his system his blood sugar was normal. Good news. Bad news is that none of the other treatments are working. Since Christmas Siren has lost 2 of his 10 pounds and is so miserable that it breaks my heart just to look at him.

So we come to yesterday. I took both Siren and Isadora to the vet and had them treated with everything that will make them feel better NOW. They need to eat. They need energy. They need to be happy NOW.

I will continue a high protein, low carb diet for them and the vet will monitor.

It was a difficult decision but using an ineffective treatment is absurd.

Cross your fingers for us

I have linked to Cats on Tuesday, I could use a hug from some fellow "cat people"

And on we go

Hang On

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:27:00 +0000

I took this photo at a local park. A small limb from a huge tree had fallen onto a metal and wood fence.

There was something about the way this little bare tree piece clung to the rusty metal and darkened wood that touched me.

It seemed to say to me 'hang on'.

You can find many little and large messages in nature.

NATURE NOTES

Food Network's Newest Chef

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:45:00 +0000

One of Hope's favorite Christmas gifts is a chef set - outfit included.

I'm thinking of branding her 'The Littlest Chef' and shopping the networks for a reality show.

I can't cook if I can't see

Never mind, I'll do my own wardrobe

Ready for my close-up

Who needs a big pot when they've got a garbage can! Work with me people!

Delicious!

I'm hoping there will be a spot on the show for me. I can throw food like Emeril and curse like Gordon Ramsey.

As I Wobble Into the New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:57:00 +0000

some things come to mind ...

I think it's going to be a rough year - a contentious election, financial upheavel, ~~squashed~~ revolutions, and on and on

Might be a good idea to listen to Hollywood ...

"Gird your loins"

the stunning Stanley Tucci in 'Devil Wears Prada'

"Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy night!"

Bette Davis as Margo Channing in 'All About Eve

“There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt.”

Erma Bombeck

I'm going to try to see the line and cross it a lot

It is better to travel well than to arrive.

Buddha

Remember that there's magic all around

According to String Theory, what appears to be empty space is actually a tumultuous ocean of strings vibrating at the precise frequencies that create the 4 dimensions you and I call height, width, depth and time.

This evening I'll spend some time with The Lady of Gaga. She's helping Little Tyke Mike drop the ball in Times Square.

I'm beautiful in my way

'Cause God makes no mistakes

I was born this way

Don't hide yourself in regret

Just love yourself and you're set

I'm on the right track, baby

I was born this way

Happy New Year Dear Friends

and on we go ...

celeb photos from Google, all other photos are mine

My Christmas Eve Peeve

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 13:46:00 +0000

The Time
Late afternoon on Christmas Eve. The day before Christmas. Early enough in the day to know that the chubby dude with his posse of horny donkey-like creatures hadn't even left his pole yet.

The Place
My humble home, discretely decorated for the season

The Setting

A warm, mellow gift wrapping room adorned with rolls and rolls of vivid Christmas wrapping paper.

In the background the meaningful holiday message of hour 723 of the Hallmark Channel Christmas movie marathon - a beautiful woman who is really an angel is flirting with a widower Dad who is having trouble connecting with his rebellious daughter. Showing Next - a single Mom falls in love with a rock star who is really an angel looking to see his rebellious daughter one last time.

I was lovingly assembling Christmas toys

when my meaningful movie was interrupted by a commercial. The excited, almost frantic, voice said ...

"Now that Christmas is over..." and went on and on about opening at 5 AM Monday and slashed super sales.

Now that Christmas is over?

Had I missed it all? I knew I shouldn't have ignored the signs

but really
seriously

I would have felt it if my head had exploded

Surely there must still be time for dinner and gifts and music and children before we headed back to the stores.

Where are the Christmas Tree Ornaments?

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 13:54:00 +0000

Nana, look at the beautiful tree

I don't have anything in my bucket

I'm going to ride my horse now

Hope, are you touching the tree?

No Nana, I'm just looking with my hands

The star is very high Nana and I can't see it

I was thinking

You could take the star down and let Chuck E. Cheese go on top of the tree
Daddy said it was OK

Nana! look! I found Moose. He was sitting on the table

If I find all the tree things you'll put them back?

And everything will be OK?

Sounds good Nana

Merry Christmas Everybody

Here Comes Chanukah

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:54:00 +0000

The Festival of Lights begins tonight.

I think of my Nana a lot during Chanukah, she loved the food and the music and she loved having people around her. Most of the people who celebrated Chanukah with her were not Jewish; Nana loved sharing traditions with everyone.

My Nana

My favorite part was lighting the menorah together. She would hold my hand and she'd whisper the 3 blessings to me and I would say them out loud.

This past Sunday I saw the Yeshiva Boys Choir perform on TV. I immediately fell in love with them; Nana would have adored them.

You can check them out at their place

My favorite video of them is here

I wish you all light and music - on this night and always.

"Oh My Goodness"

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:49:00 +0000

has become Hope's favorite phrase. She uses it frequently and with ethusiasm.

Here are some neighborhood sights that have called for an "Oh My Goodness"

Oh my goodness, where is that bell music coming from?

Oh my goodness, there is so much

Really Nana, there is so much here

Oh my goodness, my eyes can't see everything

Nana, do you like Santa?

Yes

I don't like Santa

That's OK

Oh my goodness, I want to like Santa

Oh ny goodness, the presents will get rained on

Oh my goodness, I can't eat a lollipop that big

Oh my goodness, it's a snowman elf

Oh my goodness, that is a circle tree

Oh my goodness, where are the Daddies?

Oh my goodness, I love this hat

There are so many Oh My Goodnesses out there

Don't forget to look

Who Are These Men?

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:47:00 +0000

There are approximately 1.4 million subscribers to Men's Health Magazine. I'm assuming most of them are men, although for the purpose of this post it really doesn't matter.

The magazine just released the results of their poll - Hottest Women of All Time and ...

wait for it ...

Jennifer Aniston is Number 1. Hottest Woman of All Time.

Not this year, or in the suburbs, or among soccer Moms and/or Angelina Jolie (she was #10) haters. No.
Among the general readership.

Of ALL time. That's a lot of freakin' time folks.

According to the dictionary sexy and hot are pretty much the same thing. Did you know the word sexy was first used in 1925? The word hot dates back to the middle ages but I think it was in reference to fire, not people.

The rest of the top 5, that is those LESS hot than Jennifer are

Raquel Welch
Marilyn Monroe
Britney Spears - there's another head scratcher.
Madonna

So Jen is hotter than Raquel and Marilyn?

In what universe is that possible?

Don't get me wrong, I don't condone reducing people to labels based on their physicality but they do this to men too and supposedly 'hot' means more than just appearance.

Of ALL time!?

And she still looks amazing today at 70 something

And she's interesting

A legend - plain and simple - a legend

OK, Jennifer can go above Britney but then again Britney can sing and dance so never mind

A risk taking chameleon who could make herself into a better version of Jennifer if she wanted to

Which once again begs the question. Jennifer Aniston? Really?

What The Trees Tell Me

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:10:00 +0000

This is the hat I wore to the royal wedding

I look fantastic in this light!

Give peace a chance

I think I can, I think I can

I think I need to exfoliate

I may be old but I'm spectacular

Christmas Tree
Holiday Tree
What difference does it make
Get a life

Enjoy the view now, we're getting our leaves back

I tried a nice henna rinse

Come closer, I have gold

I've been working on my core

I'll wear this crown if I want to

I'm Queen bitches!

They went that way

This is so much comfier than a Snuggie

I think I need to cut my bangs

I'm gonna hide out here til New Years

Have a wonderful weekend everybody

Take the time to talk to a tree

Shrouded Streets

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:56:00 +0000

This is what the world looked like at 7 this morning here in NJ.

I know it can be dangerous for travel but I love foggy mornings.

Sweet Shirley

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:37:00 +0000

No, that's not a close-up of me. My eyelashes aren't that lush.
That is Shirley looking deep into the hearts and souls of anyone who believes that all beings deserve respect and care.

Shirley now lives at The Elephant Sanctuary, after decades of circus work where she was repeatedly injured by other animals or by performing the absurd tricks that entertain people with pea brains.

This is Kenneth Feld, CEO and Chairman of Feld Entertainment.

The wild, cruel animal is not

behind the bars of a cage.

He is in front of it.

~ Axel Munthe

FE is the parent company of Ringling Brothers Circus. Mr. Feld - aka dick, douche, scum, asshole - recently "gladly" paid a $270,000 fine for egregious violations of the Animal Welfare Act. Of course he's "gladly". He wasn't shut down. The animals weren't confiscated and he'll continue on his merry way of making millions in blood money.

The fine was the highest ever levied against one corporation. At least there's that.

In the spirit of the season I wish for Mr. Feld whatever nature thinks suitable. The image I carry is of a tragic elephant dung accident where a certain spec of trash becomes a needle in a dung heap.

I won't describe the violations, it's just too much. I can't even type the words. You can Google all the eyewitness accounts and employee statements and federal investigations.

I'm going to go back to Shirley. She's been reunited with an elephant she worked with. Jenny was a baby when they worked together 22 years ago. Shirley recognized Jenny right away and they have been looking out for one another ever since.

I meant what I said and I said what I meant – an elephant’s faithful, one hundred percent

~ Dr. Seuss

my dear friend Jay, at Bailey’s Buddy, also posted about this a few days ago. You can find a link to the live elephant cam at the sanctuary on his sidebar. Thanks Jay for always speaking up for the elephants.

The Thanksgivng That Wasn't

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:26:00 +0000

So I headed out late Thanksgiving morning to make the delightful schlepp North on the turnpike to join my son and DIL and Hope for dinner. We were all meeting at Uncle Mike's restaurant.

I figured leaving 3 hours for the 90 minute trip would be enough. Gassed up the car, got a bottle of cold water and hit the ~~not so~~ open road.

I hate the NJ Turnpike. It is an homage to pollution and filthy sprawl and it forces one to make terrible choices. Do I take 'cars only' and get stuck with all the folks who can't merge or decide to create an extra exit lane; or do I hit the 'diversity' side and take my chances with exhausted truckers missing their homes for the holiday and feeling they have little left to lose.

I went with the truckers. I identify.

With the windows wide open and the radio blasting I felt like ...

ahhhh embracing my white trash roots.

It wasn't long before I began to feel queasy and feverish. Could I be making myself carsick?

It is really hard to drive from this position.

I tried to push on for a few more miles but the feeling was getting worse and I saw that the traffic ahead was getting thicker.

I decided to turn back to home.

It's so simple to find the Turnpike South when exiting from the North side ...

I was near some industrial something, nothing but iron gates and beware signs and rough road and lots of these ...

It had rained for days so the shoulder was nothing more that deep ruts full of water. I wanted to pull over and hit 'Home' on my GPS so that the bitch would stop screaming 'recalculating'

After what seemed like an eternity I found South and made my way home. Traffic was a horror and I finally got home nearly 4 hours after I had left. I felt like death by this point.

I had some leftover turkey and fixins from the meal I had made for the VFW guys but just looking at it made me heave so I shredded some turkey for the kitties and watched them feast while I laid on the sofa wrapped in a blanket sipping ginger ale and munching dry toast. I did get kitty kisses which made me smile - turkey breath and all.

My son explained my absence by telling everyone I must have caught the bug that Hope had earlier in the week. Hearing her name and my name and the word 'sick' put together has caused Hope to ask.

"I make you sick Nana?"

She knows she doesn't.

AM Talk with Hope and Nana

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:32:00 +0000

Hope and I spend a lot of early mornings together. She's accustomed to waking at 6 AM for school so when she has the sniffles or if school is closed she hangs out with me when Mommy leaves for work. Daddy is on the night shift again and doesn't get home until after 8 AM.

Hope and Nana do the morning talk between 6 and 8 AM.

I shot some short videos of our antics - 18 of them to be exact.

You can view any or all or none at MY YOUTUBE PAGE
If you have trouble with the main link try THIS ONE, it should take you to one of the videos and then you can see the others.
They were shot on November 9

A few screenshots from Nana's Scorcese-like films ...

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.

~Thornton Wilder

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

"Democracy Isn't Always Convenient"

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:19:00 +0000

... the protester tells the man in the expensive overcoat as he whines about needing to show ID to get onto Wall Street.

"Be grateful that you have jobs and can send your kids to a private school" another protester tells a parent who accuses him of being "a terrorist against children".

A small group of children needed to walk along a narrow barricade path early yesterday morning as Occupy Wall Street's Day of Action began. I'm sorry if any one of those children was frightened. One child was interviewed by CBS News and said "it was like a parade and it was very crowded, it was like a scary parade". Then he laughed and showed off his painting. I don't think the scars will last a lifetime.

Perhaps the parents of children who go to Prep School at 4 need to explain things clearly and calmly so that their children don't always expect the world to go the way they plan.

I'm not at all surprised by the reactions of Wall Street suits. To get anywhere in that world you need to let your soul dry up. I am disappointed by young Moms who bitch about needing to walk an extra block around barricades or whine about drum music. I think there's a group in between the 1% and the 99% (sounds like Yogi Berra logic) who is so afraid of looking at the world around them. They're closer to the top than most and can almost see the golden glow. They don't want anyone to breathe too hard and topple the tower.

I worry for and about those people. I feel a time will come to take sides. I don't think they're prepared.

Some scenes from the Day of Action.

this 87 year old woman needed to ask police to stop pushing her

labor unions joined the afternoon protest

witnesses say this young man was standing near someone who threw a bottle and several cops threw him to the ground and beat him and kicked him in the head

cops in street clothes infiltrated the crowds to start scuffles and then arrest people
I remember this tactic from my VietNam war protest days

how many cops does it take to arrest a man in a funny hat?

a member of the press was taking photos of the group when he was thrown to the ground by several cops

Mayor Bloomberg better start concerning himself with the people of NYC instead of the tourists. Maybe he could open a clinic for poor children with the money he wants to spend redecorating Times Square once again.

Every single member of the NYPD needs to do a check of his/her own pulse. As a group they operate as a secret society yet as individuals many of them struggle just as the protesters do.

Speaking of abuse of power - Joe Paterno sold his home to his wife for $1. Expecting law suits Joe Pa? Sandusky is out on what is called a Personal Recognisance bond, which means he didn't put up a penny to secure his freedom. The judge who arranged this, without the DA present, is on the board of Sandusky's so called children's charity.

Wake Up America and Stay Awake.

False Heroes

noreply@blogger.com (Dianne) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:59:00 +0000

I wrote the post below Sunday night and then decided not to share it. I am reluctant to add to the darkness of the world.. Yet I keep coming back to it.
I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. Of violence and neglect. So was my sister. She killed herself when she was 25.

As the days after the revelation of crimes against children unfold I find so very little real concern for the victims. So little true awareness of how this changes and molds and contaminates a young life and how hard it is to survive this.

So I share my feelings with you – unchanged since Sunday except now I’m angrier.

It seems fitting to follow a post about real heroes with one about fake icons.

I didn’t think I had anything to say about the horror of child abuse by Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky but as this weekend progressed and I got more information and saw the absurdity of the Paterno worship I truly thought my head would explode.

First of all the media needs to stop calling this a “sex scandal”. Consenting adults were not discovered screwing under the bleachers. Children were brutally attacked.

It might be a scandal to the powers that be at the university but it is a crime to anyone with a brain cell. A crime left unreported. A crime allowed to continue for years. I guess Penn State got its play book from the Catholic Church.

When I first heard about this I thought the graduate student coach mentioned had heard about an attack. No, he saw an attack happening and did nothing. This giant athletic man could do nothing to stop a man twice his age and in seemingly typical fat sloppy ex-player shape from attacking a child?

He’s been programmed well.

No one went to the police. Ever. Not the President of the university. Not any of the athletic directors. Not the man who saw an attack.

And not the man who so many are now mourning for and dedicating last games to and holding vigils for.

In the crowd at Penn State’s last football game I saw this sign

"Two of my favorite 'J's' in life: Jesus and Joe Pa."

Seriously?

I think these students are old enough to stop and think about their heroes. I think they’re old enough to get over the notion that one man has the power to make them sports idols or real men.

Even better they need to get over the belief that being a sports idol makes you a real man.

This young woman gets it.

Yet she felt she had to wear sunglasses and a hat and not give out her name.

Perhaps she should be a hero.

Or this young couple.

“Child abuse casts a shadow the length of a lifetime”

~ Herbert Ward