Ooooh, ooooh, oooooh! Song of the Day/Night. Free download from iTunes---> Kuribota from Waldamar Bastos. I believe he could be a Harry Potter character with a name like that.

I bought a dianthus (carnation) really cheap last year at someplace like WalMart or Lowes. It came in a hanging container. I put it in the ground at the end of the fall. It came up this spring in two colors. Wow! I did nothing to it at all. Last year it was only dark violet. This year it's pink and violet. I guess dianthus react to acid in the soil like hydrangea do.

I visited Dali in Philadelphia. It was wonderful. I deeply enjoy retrospectives. I like seeing the artist's work collected from where it has been scattered and put back together all in one place. Seeing a comprehensive body of work helps me understand the artist's development and, in Dali's case, learn more about what it all means. My sister said, "What's with the beach? What happened at the beach?" I suspect Dali was happy there. He made a home at the beach all his life. It's interesting how non-artist's pick up on stuff. I suppose if they didn't Art wouldn't work. A guy I was dating went with me to a Vuillard retrospective in Washington D.C. a couple of years ago. Vuillard played around with a variety of styles, like Dali did. Then, when Vuillard's mother died, he suddenly produced these sophisticated, bright, portraits and images in a very strong, refined style. My companion remarked, "He had to support himself so he got serious." Stunning!

Back to Dali—no further elucidation on the ants, except I think they were just a tool to make an image vague. I really noticed the juxtaposition of vagueness and clarity in Dali's work. I also noticed what a thorough master he was of any style from any century. He painted a lot of drapery style stuff to challenge himself. There wasn't anything he couldn't paint. So impressive. I saw many pieces I'd never seen before.

My favorites are Corpus Hypercubus (Crucifixion) and The Railway Station at Perpignan. You can't really say you have see The Railway Station unless you've seen it in person. It's huge. So much is lost in reproduction. Also, a lot of the subtle symbolism is lost when you look at a small copy in a book. You can't print what Dali painted. Here I am on the steps to the museum.
Current Fads
Music. U2 Achtung Baby
Movie. Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Activity. herding cats
Gadget. Palm Zire 31
News Source. BBC News - Americas
Books. Blow Fly - Patricia Cornwell; Beauty: The New Basics - Rona Berg; 2005 Guide to Literary Agents - Editors of Writer's Market; The Forensic Casebook: The Science of Crime Scene Investigation - Ngaire E. Genge; The Elements of Style - E. B. White
(Yes, I really am reading them all right now—I'm a book addict. What can I say?)

... and if you go to Star Wars take IE. Lucas has joined the dark side.

Is pushing the Big Red Button like joining the dark side? I suppose in some cases it could be. "There is nothing evil but thinking makes it so." —W. Shakespeare

If you go to see Star Wars III go with someone and don't drive afterwards. Walk to a nice coffee shop and talk. It's very disturbing.

I just read an article that expresses my life almost perfectly. As I read this essay I noticed how much the writer has played for the first 40 years of his life (okay, playing the violin is work but basically he's been playing around, and loving it, and that's okay with me). I've come to the conclusion that all my activities are expensive hobbies: making art, hanging out at the beach, contemplating the universe, and hiking. None of them contribute to my bottom line. I do a lot a playing—basically expressing myself. When I can't express myself I feel horribly constricted. Yet I come across as a calm, mild-mannered, objective person most of the time, especially with strangers or those who only know me casually. I strongly identify with the writer's urge to push the Big Red Button and get the hell out of here and into some high-powered, lucrative, intellectually demanding job. Then I could really get into my hobbies in a big way with totally great expensive toys (whenever I wasn’t working). There's just one problem: I hate high stress and tight deadlines. What I really long for is to be paid to be me. But isn't that everyone's dream? Is it fair that I should be the one to do that? But then again isn't that what movie actors (thespians) get paid for? I also still suffer from a 1950's induced dream of being supported in the style to which I would like to be accustomed. It's hard to shake. I suppose I'm just over thinking.
Current Fads
Music. personal iMix Can't Let Go
Movie. Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith 2005
Activity. herding cats
Gadget. Palm Zire 31
News Source. BBC News - Americas
Books. Isle of Dogs - Patricia Cornwell; The Elements of Style - Strunk & White; Beauty: The New Basics - Rona Berg; The Forensic Casebook: The Science of Crime Scene Investigation - Ngaire E. Genge; 2005 Guide to Literary Agents - Editors of Writer's Market
(Yes, I really am reading them all right now—I'm a book addict. What can I say?)

It's Viggo time! I saw a lot of photos of him at a Cannes Film Festival press conference. He had frizzy hair but looked very cool. He hasn't always had a mustache has he? Now I'm reading the Variety free section on Cannes. Woo hoo! Free! Love that word.

Song of the Day: Only Time, Enya

In my small world I have been asked to provide an endorsement of a financial tool offered at my workplace. I was asked by having some words that would be attributed to me typed up by someone weeks after having a telephone conversation with them. Selective memory being what it is, I really don’t remember exactly what I said, but I doubt I said it exactly as the other person typed it. Instead of replying immediately (since no deadline was given), I typed up my version and then sent it to my boss figuring she ought to be the first one to know. Before I heard from her, I received the first draft of the proposed article with yet another version of what I could have said (but keeping the meaning).

I just cannot imagine how many versions of things famous people have said are floating around living a life of their own. I’ve known for some time now that editors have a way of making quotes sound better or fit the story better by editing them. However, I’ve never experienced this in such a personal way. I don’t like it. If you would like to quote me, then please do so exactly as I said it, especially in print.

Reality being what it is, I know if I queried someone I’ve spoken to and asked them what I said two weeks ago it probably wouldn’t match my memory. Close friends tend to remember it as I do. My ex-S.O. (in my first long-term relationship) took to writing things down and having me sign them so later he could go “Ah HAH!” when I didn’t remember exactly what he said—one of the many signs that the relationship wasn’t working.

Certainly everyone is entitled to their memories. I still don’t like it. I’m sure I’d be a raving lunatic if I was a public figure in the large world and everyone ran around misquoting me. How do those famous people stand it?

I like the story of Elena Baturina, new billionaire living in Russia. She started out making plastic crockery. Then she made a shift to the construction industry and really took off. I feel like I'm in the wrong industry sometimes. I keep looking for that niche that will let me take off.

How does the other .0001% of the population live? Out of our planet of billions there are only a little more than 300 billionaires. This is according to Forbes really interesting and entertaining website on billionaires. Here I discovered I spend more on my house than a billionaire. I spend about 25% of my income. A billionaire spends a lot less than that. Goes to show you that there’s only so much you can spend on a house. Makes me wonder how Ludvig XVI bankrupted Bavaria by building three houses.

You can take a quiz to discover if you have what it takes to become a billionaire. Although, if you have to take a quiz, I’m guessing the answer is “No.” In my case it was. I took the test twice. The second time I chose “making it all myself” over “winning it in the lottery” which raised my score from 60-something to 72, but still not the 100 needed. I’m sure my biology and history played a part.

There are lots of informative videos with buxom babes (not that excites me or anything – just FYI); plus a map of where they live (not the babes!) mostly in Washington state and California. I was surprised by how many live in Russia. I thought that economy was suffering? Oh. You can also see the signatures of the really rich and read an analysis of their handwriting. Did you know Steve Jobs doesn’t capitalize his name? I didn’t know you could even do that. They wouldn’t let me get away with stuff like that when I was learning how to write my name. Not fair! Well, that’s one thing I can do that a billionaire can do. I can also breathe. So maybe I should have that 100 score.

Would you like to marry a billionaire? There’s a list of the most eligible and a list of who spends the most. Find out who has a really huge house but still drives a used car. See a list of working women, including Martha Stewart (if you can call jail time working). Martha actually became a billionaire while in jail. Hmmm. I guess her company does better without her.

Enough of me – get over there and have fun!

What is better than watching movies? Watching full screen movie trailers in iTunes!!!!!