TV Crushes

TH and I are huge NCIS fans, and I seem to have developed a crush on McGee, the geeky/nerdy computer specialist played by Sean Murray.

Cutie-patootie

I also am not opposed to watching Simon Baker, who plays "psychic" Patrick Jane on The Mentalist.

Be still my heart

Who's your TV star crush?

Book Review

The Grift, by Debra Ginsberg

Marina Marks, a psychic by trade, suddenly becomes truly aware of her gift, but not after becoming entwined in the lives of several needy people. I enjoyed this book, with its combination of cynically hopeful and fragile characters, its safely spooky elements of dreams and visions, and its conflicted heroine. A mystery, a romance, and a view into the minds of people, it's also a really great read that I couldn't put down. Recommended!

Purple striped potatoes are not a myth.

The uniqueness of YOU

The latest O: the Oprah Magazine has been on my nightstand, and I've been enjoying this month's theme - Who are you meant to be? A brief section highlighting this month's contributors posed the following statements for their response.

• I look most like myself....
• I act most like myself...
• I feel most like myself...
• I feel least like myself...

So how would you answer these prompts? Here are my replies.
I look most like myself.... having fun to the point of laughing uncontrollably; or, concentrating on something until I understand it.
I act most like myself... when I listen to others, listen to myself, and access the love in my heart.
I feel most like myself... in motion.
I feel least like myself... when I get lost in busy-ness and forget human-ness, my own and others'.

Whip-my-butt-into-shape update

It's back to the open road...that's right, the weather has cooled off, and I can run outside again. This makes me happy, but is taking an adjustment. Since my last update in August, I joined a gym and got used to using a treadmill for my lunchtime runs. Treadmill running is very different from road running. Treadmills are so boring - oh, the monotony! - but much easier on the joints. The road is much more interesting, and difficult, due to the wind and having to be more alert to my surroundings. However, it feels good to be pounding pavement again.

A Woman's Place is in the House....and the Senate

I'm appalled at the GOP and their latest idiotic statement: that Pelosi needs to be "put in her place" for expressing her views about McChrystal calling for an escalation of troops in Afghanistan. (See this article if you want a little more reporting.)

Pelosi stated, “I’m in my place, I’m speaker of the House... And I’m in my place because the House of Representatives voted me there. That language is something I haven’t even heard in decades.”


Damn straight. A woman's place is in the House. A woman's place is using her leadership role to speak out about concerns. A woman's place is up to her to define. Suck on that, GOP.

Citizenship

I attended a lecture today by former Florida Governor and US Senator Bob Graham about civics and how people can and should participate in politics. He emphasized learning how government works, applying critical thinking skills, finding what motivates you, and getting to know your elected officials. He got me thinking about how much I contribute (or not) in the political arena.

I think he had some important things to say about getting involved. As you know, I'm all about the power of community, and he talked about that. He debunked the idea that people get to be successful solely on their own power or their own abilities. It's true, individual effort makes a difference, but so do the factors we don't control: being born into a certain country, a certain family, a certain skin color, a certain gender. Individuals can decide how to impact their world, but there also needs to be some sense of what is best for the group, not just what is best for ME. Communities need to come together, to decide together what is important, what is an investment, and influence their legislators.

He also talked about the power of forming a relationship over time, in communicating with your lawmaker. Protests are all well and good, but it is also the ongoing conversation about issues that has an impact. It is tenacity and contact and communication. It is an ongoing awakening to what is happening in our daily lives, in our communities, and then talking about what can improve and how we can get there.

What have you done for your community lately?

Scenes from the ridiculous, #5,674

Really, chickie? You really need to sit on the floor of the locker room, in front of the mirror, blocking a major pathway, while you're talking on your cell phone?