Mammograms

I can not emphasize enough the importance of getting an annual mammogram. I just had mine and went through my annual scare, anxiety routine because I generally have to go back for diagnostic mammograms and ultrasounds, which I had to do this year. Everything is fine and I thank all the gods for this good health news. But please remember to schedule your mammograms!

Slightly other news my cousin will be visiting and that is a huge drag. He is extremely parsimonious and just finds ways to irk me but then I only see him once a year and for only a few days. I suppose I will survive this visit.

Modeling

I keep finding pictures of me as a model. Most are from 1953 to 1956. I like this one, it is unfortunate that they are all newspaper clippings.

Slovenia

My grandmother was from Slovenia and she had great respect for her heritage. I think she was from a town near Nova Gorcia. Since I've moved back to Helena I think fondly about the Linden tree in the backyard and it may be because of this article that my grandmother gave me many years ago.

Mt. Saint Helens

My father was so excited about the eruption of Mt. Saint Helens, a geologist's dream come true. Well I have jars of the ash and I'm trying to decide what to do with it all. But I really love the note he wrote and put with the jars.

One of my best vacations

Venice, Italy -- I love it!

Venice 2002

The things I've found!

It is so amazing to me the things I have kept!

I've been cleaning up and cleaning out and I came across this business card and a related article. I met Richard Nixon in 1969 and got this autograph and I guess I just kept it.

Watching

Always watching!

Carpe diem

I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read and all the friends I want to see. -- John Burroughs

Many people die with their music still in them. Why is this so? Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out. -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

In theory one is aware that the earth revolves, but in practice one does not perceive it, the ground upon which one treads seems not to move, and one can live undisturbed. So it is with Time in one's life. -- Marcel Proust, The Past Recaptured (1927)

What would be the use of immortality to a person who cannot use well a half an hour. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

And yes I do think it is important to seize the day, everyday -- I just think I need more practice!

Raison d'être

This is my daily question and I'm still striving to find just what is my reason or justification for being.

This guy is a creep!

My only complaint about the inauguration was Rick Warren -- this man is an asshole! He has no soul and certainly no compassion. There are so many people who have written so much more eloquently that me so I will only say that Rick Warren was an extremely poor choice for the Inaugural Invocation.

Inauguration Day

The day has finally arrived, I am so excited. The 44th President of the United States and hopefully some new thoughts, new ideas, and changing and mending the problems and mistakes of the last eight years.

"Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our children is just a little bit better than the one we inhabit today." - President Barack Obama

"In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short–cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk–takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom." - President Barack Obama

Obama's Inaugural Address: Full Text

Sincere admiration

For the captain and crew of US Airways Flight 1549 that is really an amazing story with a very happy ending. Congratulations on your landing the plane and getting all the passengers to safety.

Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice marks the time in the year when the Sun is farthest away from the northern hemisphere, which causes the longest night and shortest day of the year. This links to a map that shows the current position of the Sun and indicates which parts of the Earth are in day and which are in night.

This also means that everyday will have just seconds more of daylight and the slow creep toward spring will begin in earnest.

Congratulations!

Congratulations Barack Hussein Obama on your election! It will be an exciting eight years and I wish you every success. Thank you.

Vote!

Please vote! It is so important that everyone vote -- no matter who you decide to vote for -- PLEASE VOTE!

ALCAN Highway (Alaska-Canadian Highway)

Constructed during World War II the highway connects the contiguous U.S. to Alaska through Canada, the pioneer road completed in 1942 was approximately 1,680 miles from Dawson Creek to Delta Junction. My father worked on this highway and talked about it often during his lifetime and I always enjoyed his stories. I have been going through many of his old photographs from his time in Alaska and I'm going to write a few entries and include some of the photographs. I think it is sad that they killed the bear but think it is interesting that anyone would be so foolhardy!

Colin Powell

It is entirely possible that Colin Powell is going to endorse Barack Obama; apparently he will make his decision after the final debate tonight. I sure hope he decides to do this. I have so much respect of Colin Powell even when he was a member of the Bush administration.

"$3 million for an overhead projector at a planetarium in Chicago, Illinois"

My friends John McCain is an idiot! Please read the statement from the Adler Planetarium in Chicago:
http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/pressroom/pr/2008_10_08_AdlerStatement_aboutdebate.pdf

OMG!

I just keep hoping that Palin is some bad joke -- I know that it isn't possible but why? The only thing that Palin shares with Hilary is a vagina so who in their right mind would think that Hilary supporters would migrate to the Republicans just because of a woman VP?

I know I'll be voting for the Democrats!

I am who I am!

Perhaps I am not meant to be anyone's wife. I can love truly, madly, deeply. I really can and do! Loving Roy taught me that above all else. Unfortunately I am so fiercely independent. I can actually be quite happy on my own.