Last night's debate was meant to be about foreign policy, which no one wanted to hear about because this time it really is "the economy, stupid."
I mean, without a healthy economy, we won't need to discuss foreign policy issues, right?
Right.
On balance, I'd say McCain came off a hair's breath better than Obama in that he did look more presidential than I'd thought he would. (Our expectations are that Obama does already look and behave presidential at all times, so that's why McCain gets the edge here.)
Rudeness award also goes to McCain who failed to make eye contact with Obama, nor did he exercise common courtesy in using his first name even on one occasion.
McCain failed to brand Obama as a greenhorn, his failure helped in part by the fact he could not pronounce the name of the Iranian and Pakistani presidents.
Obama failed to get his rebuttals across during the remaining moments of the 'five minute' open floor because he was behaving too gentlemanly. In a crucial debate, get your point across Mate or the people won't know. McCain was very effective in this strategy and Obama needs to become more assertive here.
Next up is Biden v Palin. That will be most interesting. Can't wait.
Saturday
Monday
(Marginally less) Scarey days II
So, the meltdown has been avoided or, er, postponed.
For once both parties--well, the sensible House and Senate members of each party--have decided this is about America and not partisan politics and will work together on the bail-out.
I want the Democrats (and the sensible Republicans on the Sunday Morning shows yesterday) to stick to their guns and insist:
1. No golden parachutes for the Wall Street "captains" whose greed and ignorance got us here, and reform to establish proper and moral methods of compensation for these people. Fear of interfering with free market forces be damned. We've been down that road and it didn't work.
2. Relief for the hundreds of thousands of people facing foreclosure of their homes.
3. Strict governmental oversight.
It doesn't matter that a deal doesn't get down within two or three days as Treasury Secretary Paulson wants/insists. The days of this administration TELLING people what they need and want are over.
Barney Frank and Nancy Pelosi came across as people determined to get these three demands into any bill. He is knowledgeable in finance and we can wait a couple of weeks to get the bill drafted properly. Congress can stray another week. They'll still have five weeks left to get what they need to say to their individual districts before the elections.
Oh, and with the above three provisions contained in a bill, the bill will be clean.
For once both parties--well, the sensible House and Senate members of each party--have decided this is about America and not partisan politics and will work together on the bail-out.
I want the Democrats (and the sensible Republicans on the Sunday Morning shows yesterday) to stick to their guns and insist:
1. No golden parachutes for the Wall Street "captains" whose greed and ignorance got us here, and reform to establish proper and moral methods of compensation for these people. Fear of interfering with free market forces be damned. We've been down that road and it didn't work.
2. Relief for the hundreds of thousands of people facing foreclosure of their homes.
3. Strict governmental oversight.
It doesn't matter that a deal doesn't get down within two or three days as Treasury Secretary Paulson wants/insists. The days of this administration TELLING people what they need and want are over.
Barney Frank and Nancy Pelosi came across as people determined to get these three demands into any bill. He is knowledgeable in finance and we can wait a couple of weeks to get the bill drafted properly. Congress can stray another week. They'll still have five weeks left to get what they need to say to their individual districts before the elections.
Oh, and with the above three provisions contained in a bill, the bill will be clean.
Friday
Is your doggie chattel?
Saw an interesting segment on the telly the other night about people divorcing and their animals.
Apparently some married couples and co-habitees, not content to cause huge anguish (and damage) to their kids by raucously playing out the sad demise of their relationship, now are using their family pets as opportunities to inflict distress on the former 'beloved other half'. Some of them take off with the dog and cat and refuse to give the other partner visiting rights.
It's happening so regularly that people (including some judges) involved in sorting out the mess are beginning to wonder if the law that dogs and cats are chattel shouldn't change. By chattel, I mean possessions. Currently, the law is that dogs and cats are 'things' and the party who bought the dog or cat is the legal owner in law, regardless of whether or not the other partner cared or loved it.
The reasoning behind this sea change is that dogs and cats are really regarded as family members nowadays and should be treated in the same way as children when it comes to divorce/separation.
I agree a change is needed. The law's an ass here. (No pun intended.)
Apparently some married couples and co-habitees, not content to cause huge anguish (and damage) to their kids by raucously playing out the sad demise of their relationship, now are using their family pets as opportunities to inflict distress on the former 'beloved other half'. Some of them take off with the dog and cat and refuse to give the other partner visiting rights.
It's happening so regularly that people (including some judges) involved in sorting out the mess are beginning to wonder if the law that dogs and cats are chattel shouldn't change. By chattel, I mean possessions. Currently, the law is that dogs and cats are 'things' and the party who bought the dog or cat is the legal owner in law, regardless of whether or not the other partner cared or loved it.
The reasoning behind this sea change is that dogs and cats are really regarded as family members nowadays and should be treated in the same way as children when it comes to divorce/separation.
I agree a change is needed. The law's an ass here. (No pun intended.)
Tuesday
Scarey Days
Looks like Wall Street folks are beginning to experience some of Main Streets pain as they pack the contents of their desks into boxes and head out the door for the last time. I've always been suspicious of the greed on Wall Street, but now I'm hopping mad these guys have the keys of our economy in their hands.
Too many dodgy investments have been dreamed up by these so-called top-tier College financial analysts who 'earn' huge bonuses for creating them and getting the representatives of pension funds and Main Street commercial banks to persuade their clients (ergo 'us') to buy them. Even worse the CEOs' of these investment banks DO NOT understand the full extent of the risks their subordinates are exposing their institutions to, and the government's failed to ensure adequate control and regulation. And McCain and Palin are campaigning for even less regulation.
Are the chickens coming home to roost: First Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac being put under conservatorship (read Bankruptcy protection). Now Lehman Bros and Merrill Lynch--though technically the latter's a stay of execution; next AIG; after that WaMu? What's coming down the pipeline? What are we not being told? Are we heading toward another Great Depression? Huge financial institutions are failing and the public seems indifferent. Or are we going to wake up one morning to a massive run on the commercial banks?
Who needs to go to the movies and watch a horror movie to be scared?
Too many dodgy investments have been dreamed up by these so-called top-tier College financial analysts who 'earn' huge bonuses for creating them and getting the representatives of pension funds and Main Street commercial banks to persuade their clients (ergo 'us') to buy them. Even worse the CEOs' of these investment banks DO NOT understand the full extent of the risks their subordinates are exposing their institutions to, and the government's failed to ensure adequate control and regulation. And McCain and Palin are campaigning for even less regulation.
Are the chickens coming home to roost: First Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac being put under conservatorship (read Bankruptcy protection). Now Lehman Bros and Merrill Lynch--though technically the latter's a stay of execution; next AIG; after that WaMu? What's coming down the pipeline? What are we not being told? Are we heading toward another Great Depression? Huge financial institutions are failing and the public seems indifferent. Or are we going to wake up one morning to a massive run on the commercial banks?
Who needs to go to the movies and watch a horror movie to be scared?
Monday
Twisted Agendas
They say if you wait long enough something you need comes. Well, boy is that true in this case.
I've been dissatisfied with the titles of my new novel. Each title I came up with was interesting but just didn't enthuse.
And yesterday, I went with Larry and friends to Longwood Gardens--the estate outside Philly that Pierre DuPont saved in 1909 from logging interests when the Quaker family who'd possessed it for 200 years decided to sell it--and it came to me while watching the fireworks and colorful fountain display in the evening. It may or may not have been my mulling of the twisted plans of loggers to ruthlessly cut down the magnificent 200 year old Tulip, Oak, American beech and Ginko trees.
TWISTED AGENDAS is its final name. Because that's really what it's about--the agenda of Derry's overbearing father, the agendas of Piper's dysfunctional parents, the agenda of old Mrs. Hartley against Julia and Derry, the agenda of the MI5 detectives.
So now I can rest. The title's found. And any prospective agent and publisher will hopefully love it.
I've been dissatisfied with the titles of my new novel. Each title I came up with was interesting but just didn't enthuse.
And yesterday, I went with Larry and friends to Longwood Gardens--the estate outside Philly that Pierre DuPont saved in 1909 from logging interests when the Quaker family who'd possessed it for 200 years decided to sell it--and it came to me while watching the fireworks and colorful fountain display in the evening. It may or may not have been my mulling of the twisted plans of loggers to ruthlessly cut down the magnificent 200 year old Tulip, Oak, American beech and Ginko trees.
TWISTED AGENDAS is its final name. Because that's really what it's about--the agenda of Derry's overbearing father, the agendas of Piper's dysfunctional parents, the agenda of old Mrs. Hartley against Julia and Derry, the agenda of the MI5 detectives.
So now I can rest. The title's found. And any prospective agent and publisher will hopefully love it.
Friday
UK's Legend Press cover for A Son Called Gabriel
I rather like the cover that's been designed for the Trade Paperback version which releases in the UK in October.
I'm very excited about Tom Chalmers publishing the novel and thank Lucy who's busy securing PR for the book.
Thursday
On writing
I've just finished yet another rewrite of my novel whose working title has changed to Sparrows expelling Peregrines. It took longer than usual because I'm not good in the fierce heat and my family were here, though I did work early mornings. (My sister was impressed, and it take a lot to do that.) What's amazing is the word count fell from 106,000 to 85,000 words and I realized during the process just how difficult it is to cut stuff that's really good but doesn't need to be in the novel. Of course, I've saved all the really good bits for a future work.
I've also just completed the dreaded synopsis and am quite pleased with it. Most writers despise writing synposis, but I don't really have a problem with it as it was part of my 'O' level English course at high school to write precis.
I think the synopsis should be written as if one is writing copy for the book jacket. Only the most important plot details should be mentioned.
I've noticed some literary agents ask writers to send in a 1 to 7 page synposis as well as the first three chapters or so when querying them about one's work. Quite frankly, I am not interested in doing that because a short, on-point description of three paragraphs and a sample should be enough for a good agent to decide if they'd like to read the entire work or not.
As a result, there's a bunch of literary agents out there I won't query or who won't look at my work (I'm agent-hunting currently), but there you have it.
Another advantage to writing the synopsis is that one is forced to think about what type of novel one has written. This is invaluable as it then allows a writer to streamline the agent search.
My synopsis made me to realize I am really a writer of mainstream literary fiction that's offbeat and has dark and comic elements. Thus, I only query agents who like that kind of work.
So far, no requests for a 7 page synposis, tomes in themselves.
Anyway, here's my synopsis:
Exasperated by his domineering, highly successful father who's even handpicked his fiancee, Derry Connolly, a likable conventional young Irishman, breaks away and sets out for London to change while attending a language school. Change begins right on the ferry crossing when he meets Piper who’s really Philomena Harris, an independent young American studying at the LSE whose relationship with her mother is almost non-existent. Piper's enthralled with the “romance” of the IRA and falling in love with her Californian boyfriend, but not the sex.
After inviting Derry to stay at her home, Derry discovers a sawed-off shotgun in a closet and fears Piper may not be who she says is—even more so when he learns she had to escape the police during a visit to Westminster parliament. With alacrity, he moves in with Julia who’s an upstanding British immigration officer. She’s also involved with a married woman with two kids and despised by an elderly widow who writes to the Queen Mother and desperately wants possession of Julia’s home for her son. As a result, Derry unwittingly becomes her target, too. A bomb explosion leads the British secret police first to Piper and then Derry, who’s arrested and accused of being an IRA terrorist. While under interrogation, Derry's astonished to see a woman whom he's attracted to chatting to one of the female detectives, and Julia lies to his father as to why he's been arrested, a lie he appears to accept.
On a trip home to Manhattan following some unorthodox therapy for her sexual apathy from a German neighbor, Piper’s NYPD dad has a meltdown because he can’t accept Piper’s mother is getting married again. At the wedding, anxious that her new life be filled with good luck from the get-go, her mother informs Piper she’s working to forgive her for a past transgression. Fueled by champagne and irritation, Piper confronts her before she leaves on honeymoon and learns the reason her mother withdrew from her. Discovering Julia's lie and learning about his son’s legal predicament, his father arrives in London to demand Derry return home and a confrontation between the two occurs on that September day when the world’s view of terrorism changed forever.
I've also just completed the dreaded synopsis and am quite pleased with it. Most writers despise writing synposis, but I don't really have a problem with it as it was part of my 'O' level English course at high school to write precis.
I think the synopsis should be written as if one is writing copy for the book jacket. Only the most important plot details should be mentioned.
I've noticed some literary agents ask writers to send in a 1 to 7 page synposis as well as the first three chapters or so when querying them about one's work. Quite frankly, I am not interested in doing that because a short, on-point description of three paragraphs and a sample should be enough for a good agent to decide if they'd like to read the entire work or not.
As a result, there's a bunch of literary agents out there I won't query or who won't look at my work (I'm agent-hunting currently), but there you have it.
Another advantage to writing the synopsis is that one is forced to think about what type of novel one has written. This is invaluable as it then allows a writer to streamline the agent search.
My synopsis made me to realize I am really a writer of mainstream literary fiction that's offbeat and has dark and comic elements. Thus, I only query agents who like that kind of work.
So far, no requests for a 7 page synposis, tomes in themselves.
Anyway, here's my synopsis:
Exasperated by his domineering, highly successful father who's even handpicked his fiancee, Derry Connolly, a likable conventional young Irishman, breaks away and sets out for London to change while attending a language school. Change begins right on the ferry crossing when he meets Piper who’s really Philomena Harris, an independent young American studying at the LSE whose relationship with her mother is almost non-existent. Piper's enthralled with the “romance” of the IRA and falling in love with her Californian boyfriend, but not the sex.
After inviting Derry to stay at her home, Derry discovers a sawed-off shotgun in a closet and fears Piper may not be who she says is—even more so when he learns she had to escape the police during a visit to Westminster parliament. With alacrity, he moves in with Julia who’s an upstanding British immigration officer. She’s also involved with a married woman with two kids and despised by an elderly widow who writes to the Queen Mother and desperately wants possession of Julia’s home for her son. As a result, Derry unwittingly becomes her target, too. A bomb explosion leads the British secret police first to Piper and then Derry, who’s arrested and accused of being an IRA terrorist. While under interrogation, Derry's astonished to see a woman whom he's attracted to chatting to one of the female detectives, and Julia lies to his father as to why he's been arrested, a lie he appears to accept.
On a trip home to Manhattan following some unorthodox therapy for her sexual apathy from a German neighbor, Piper’s NYPD dad has a meltdown because he can’t accept Piper’s mother is getting married again. At the wedding, anxious that her new life be filled with good luck from the get-go, her mother informs Piper she’s working to forgive her for a past transgression. Fueled by champagne and irritation, Piper confronts her before she leaves on honeymoon and learns the reason her mother withdrew from her. Discovering Julia's lie and learning about his son’s legal predicament, his father arrives in London to demand Derry return home and a confrontation between the two occurs on that September day when the world’s view of terrorism changed forever.
Tuesday
Dara Torres
Congratulations to Olympic champion Dara Torres who, in my opinion, represents the best of what contemporary America represents. In a very generous act, she approached an umpire before her semifinal heat and asked her to delay the race because one of her competitor's swimsuit had ripped and she needed to change. And what an exemplary show of sportsmanship when she lost in the final by 100th of a second--it was amazing to watch the 41 yar old cross her lane and congratulate the German winner.
This is what America is about--not the absurd and possessed people leading this country today, nor the greedy Wall Street investment banker s or "Captains of Industry" send this country down the tubes.
While I congratulate Michael Phelps--himself, an all-round balanced guy it appears--I say, put Dara on the Wheaties box for kids to admire and give her speaking engagements.
This is what America is about--not the absurd and possessed people leading this country today, nor the greedy Wall Street investment banker s or "Captains of Industry" send this country down the tubes.
While I congratulate Michael Phelps--himself, an all-round balanced guy it appears--I say, put Dara on the Wheaties box for kids to admire and give her speaking engagements.
Sunday
Long time, no post
Well, it's summer and people go on vacation or just burn out on blogging, right.
I have to be honest and say I've not missed updating this blog. It take a lot of work and it's time that should be spent writing novels or whatever.
I've had a super summer this far. My sister Siobhan, brother-in-law Michael and nephews David and Ryan were out from Ireland and Larry and I had a ball with them. Much traveling was done, of course.
Finding our car too small, a Toyota Sienna was rented from Enterprise--must say the staff were extremely efficient and friendly, and we went to DC where we visited the White House and had a two hour tour of Capitol Hill courtesy of our local Congressman Patrick Murphy. An interesting vote was being held and we watched fascinated as the chamber filled with representatives.
A special thanks to Rachel, his intern, and wishing you good luck on her stint at Cambridge Uni.
Feeling the need for some roller coaster action (well, everyone that is except Siobhan, Larry and David), all of us including L&L set out to spend a day at Six Flags Great Adventure and much fun was had by all. I must say the park is not as efficiently run as the Disney and Universal Studio Parks and the fast food was a huge rip-off.
L&L are looking forward to some much-deserved downtime (this year has been a bit of an annus horribilis for them) and will leave soon for a one week vacation where they'll share a house somewhere in rural Tuscany with some friends. Much fun was had by my nephews at their swimming pool--Irish weather does not permit poolside life, unfortunately--and, sitting poolside one evening with L&L, I realized how truly special it is to have become true friends with such unpretentious, caring and open women. Here's to that Irish trip, girls.
Our penultimate outing was to the Bronx Zoo, which was of interest to me because it's one of the most important zoos in the world and does much important research. It did not disappoint, though we did not get to see all the exhibits especially the African one. Larry, who grew up in the Bronx, was a little disappointed as he remembered it being less commercial than it is now. However, the animals live in pretty natural habitats and seemed happy--ergo I was happy.
More anon...
I have to be honest and say I've not missed updating this blog. It take a lot of work and it's time that should be spent writing novels or whatever.
I've had a super summer this far. My sister Siobhan, brother-in-law Michael and nephews David and Ryan were out from Ireland and Larry and I had a ball with them. Much traveling was done, of course.
Finding our car too small, a Toyota Sienna was rented from Enterprise--must say the staff were extremely efficient and friendly, and we went to DC where we visited the White House and had a two hour tour of Capitol Hill courtesy of our local Congressman Patrick Murphy. An interesting vote was being held and we watched fascinated as the chamber filled with representatives.
A special thanks to Rachel, his intern, and wishing you good luck on her stint at Cambridge Uni.
Feeling the need for some roller coaster action (well, everyone that is except Siobhan, Larry and David), all of us including L&L set out to spend a day at Six Flags Great Adventure and much fun was had by all. I must say the park is not as efficiently run as the Disney and Universal Studio Parks and the fast food was a huge rip-off.
L&L are looking forward to some much-deserved downtime (this year has been a bit of an annus horribilis for them) and will leave soon for a one week vacation where they'll share a house somewhere in rural Tuscany with some friends. Much fun was had by my nephews at their swimming pool--Irish weather does not permit poolside life, unfortunately--and, sitting poolside one evening with L&L, I realized how truly special it is to have become true friends with such unpretentious, caring and open women. Here's to that Irish trip, girls.
Our penultimate outing was to the Bronx Zoo, which was of interest to me because it's one of the most important zoos in the world and does much important research. It did not disappoint, though we did not get to see all the exhibits especially the African one. Larry, who grew up in the Bronx, was a little disappointed as he remembered it being less commercial than it is now. However, the animals live in pretty natural habitats and seemed happy--ergo I was happy.
More anon...
Tuesday
Feeding homeless doggies
Here's a very easy way to help feed hungry, homeless doggies.
Mimi, a kid from Oregon, was upset by the number of dogs affected by hurricanes and mortgage foreclosures, etc and has set up a website that's sponsored by a company that donates 20 pieces of kibble to animal shelters for everyone who plays the Bow-Wow trivia game on her site. Initially, it covered her native Oregon but has now expanded.
Since April, over 3 million pieces have been donated. That's a lot of full tummies.
Clicking Free Kibble and playing is a way to feel good about helping feed unlucky animals even if you're not a dog (or cat) owner.
They'll make sure Augusten Burroughs keeps his hands of it.
Mimi, a kid from Oregon, was upset by the number of dogs affected by hurricanes and mortgage foreclosures, etc and has set up a website that's sponsored by a company that donates 20 pieces of kibble to animal shelters for everyone who plays the Bow-Wow trivia game on her site. Initially, it covered her native Oregon but has now expanded.
Since April, over 3 million pieces have been donated. That's a lot of full tummies.
Clicking Free Kibble and playing is a way to feel good about helping feed unlucky animals even if you're not a dog (or cat) owner.
They'll make sure Augusten Burroughs keeps his hands of it.
Monday
Monday at the Y
Pennsylvania is horrid when its muggy. I don't think I'll ever get used to this no matter how long I live here. Years ago, I thought high summer in London was bad but it was a breeze in comparison.
And this morning at the Y, they'd decided to conserve energy by keeping the air-con off and the windows can't be opened. All around the gym people were moving from station to station with a sheen on their skins and sweat beads on their foreheads--some were even sweating within minutes of beginning their routines. Even Hornet was having breathing problems and seemed too tired to bother to straighten her head band which was rakishly lopsided and the scrupulously applied mascara was running in ghoulish fashion. (She's since sold her bright yellow Hummer undoubtedly on account of the gas usage--to my surprise, she's eaten the whole hog and gone 'Prius.')
I was actually nervous some of the older dears might faint, or worse, expire. There's a policy at the Y that foul language will NOT be tolerated. Much subversion occurred today...even from the muttering snippets I heard from the old dearies.
And this morning at the Y, they'd decided to conserve energy by keeping the air-con off and the windows can't be opened. All around the gym people were moving from station to station with a sheen on their skins and sweat beads on their foreheads--some were even sweating within minutes of beginning their routines. Even Hornet was having breathing problems and seemed too tired to bother to straighten her head band which was rakishly lopsided and the scrupulously applied mascara was running in ghoulish fashion. (She's since sold her bright yellow Hummer undoubtedly on account of the gas usage--to my surprise, she's eaten the whole hog and gone 'Prius.')
I was actually nervous some of the older dears might faint, or worse, expire. There's a policy at the Y that foul language will NOT be tolerated. Much subversion occurred today...even from the muttering snippets I heard from the old dearies.
Thursday
Getting closer
I'm going to walk the hallowed halls of The White House...again. Just been informed by our local Congressman. I promise not to bag the Lincoln Bedroom.
First time I went there was eight years ago during the Clinton Administration and it was very interesting, though I was amazed at how small the house actually is. It was during Easter and the staff were putting out wooden eggs for the kids to find next day.
My youngest sister Siobhan, her hubby Michael and children, David--no longer a kid as he's now at University--and Ryan, arrive soon and we have been accepted and given the date of the visit. Since 9/11, one has to apply via one's Congressional rep to visit the White House and then information like SSN and Passport Numbers have to be provided. Makes perfect sense.
So we'll spend a weekend in DC.
Also planned is a trip to the Bronx Zoo, the largest in the world. What did ya expect? This is New York.
One can ride over the lion exhibit in a cable car the grounds are so huge.
First time I went there was eight years ago during the Clinton Administration and it was very interesting, though I was amazed at how small the house actually is. It was during Easter and the staff were putting out wooden eggs for the kids to find next day.
My youngest sister Siobhan, her hubby Michael and children, David--no longer a kid as he's now at University--and Ryan, arrive soon and we have been accepted and given the date of the visit. Since 9/11, one has to apply via one's Congressional rep to visit the White House and then information like SSN and Passport Numbers have to be provided. Makes perfect sense.
So we'll spend a weekend in DC.
Also planned is a trip to the Bronx Zoo, the largest in the world. What did ya expect? This is New York.
One can ride over the lion exhibit in a cable car the grounds are so huge.
Tuesday
Tis the season
We've got four blueberry shrubs in our orchard and, as it's now the harvesting season, it's now a constant battle between me and the birds as to who gets to the ripening crop first each morning.
Last year the birds won hands down.
So far this season I'm winning. And the noise the songbirds (especially the aggressive wrens) make as they watch beady-eyed from the peach and pear trees. It's as if they know what I'm doing and are irritated. Sometimes, their protests are so loud, I feel as if I'm in Hitchcock's The Birds.
And what a bounty. We've got three different varieties and the shrubs are so heavy with clusters of fruit that their sinewy branches dip toward the ground. I've already collected four pints of blue berries that look as if they have been dipped in the finest of talcum powder or kissed by the morning mist.
Blueberries are a singularly American delicacy--and choc-a-bloc with vitamin C. They are delicious to eat off right off the branch or can be made into jams, pies or,my favorite, cobbler and served with vanilla ice-cream.
Off I go a-picking.
Last year the birds won hands down.
So far this season I'm winning. And the noise the songbirds (especially the aggressive wrens) make as they watch beady-eyed from the peach and pear trees. It's as if they know what I'm doing and are irritated. Sometimes, their protests are so loud, I feel as if I'm in Hitchcock's The Birds.
And what a bounty. We've got three different varieties and the shrubs are so heavy with clusters of fruit that their sinewy branches dip toward the ground. I've already collected four pints of blue berries that look as if they have been dipped in the finest of talcum powder or kissed by the morning mist.
Blueberries are a singularly American delicacy--and choc-a-bloc with vitamin C. They are delicious to eat off right off the branch or can be made into jams, pies or,my favorite, cobbler and served with vanilla ice-cream.
Off I go a-picking.
Saturday
Tooth gloom
So this week was a little trying.
I'd been having some pain in the upper right side of my jaw every time I chewed and couldn't figure out what the hell was going on.
On Tuesday, it was so excruciating, I couldn't wait for Wednesday morning to come. Yeah, that bad. First thing I call my dentist. An appointment is made. Problem solved.
Fifteen minutes later, dentist's office calls back and says he's had to go home.
Doesn't want to see me, huh?"
"He's very ill."
So they arrange for me to go to a specialist and have an examination. I get there and first thing I'm asked to do--screw that I'm in pain--is fill out a bunch of forms.
All about payment of account and limiting liability. What a load of bullshit! Pain was so bad now I'd have bartered a first born. This is the good old USA. Roll on Obama and hopefully reform.
After forms were signed, I'm X-rayed and then told I have an infection that won't ever clear up (teeth infections don't as the white blood cells can't get up there to do their job) and the choice is a root canal at $1500.00 or extraction. No price on that because they only do root canals.
"A root canal is preferable because you'll still have your tooth." Subtext. We get the $1500."
"Do something. I'll have the root canal with a strawberry topping."
"Very wise. Just one thing. I can't guarantee complete success because the back molars have four roots. Sometimes the pain returns and extraction is the next option."
"Let me get my mind around this. You are a specialist, yes?"
"Yes."
And you charge $1500.00"
Correct.
"And you can't say it'll be a success?"
"Correct."
"I want a second opinion. I'll see my dentist tomorrow as they said he'll likely be in then."
"That's fine."
Next morning, there is no pain and I'm chomping breakfast like a horse in a field of fresh grass. Amazing how $1500.00 and no guarantee of success focuses the mind.
I go to my dentist. Yes, it's an infection. And the pain goes away often, but it will return at some point and sometimes with a vengeance."
"Can you do the root canal?"
"Sure."
"There's no guarantee of success, you know? Not with back molars."
"Oh, just pull the damned thing. Enough already."
And then the huge injection looms. I close my eyes and think of the Queen. (Joke.)
So I'm now almost recovered. And pain free. Did mourn the loss of my tooth, though.
He was a faithful little bugger, loved a good juicy steak and a thick hamburger. Now he's gone. Into the medical waste bin. Next, off to the landfill with a bunch of other stranger's teeth. Nothing in common with them. And no more steak.
I'd been having some pain in the upper right side of my jaw every time I chewed and couldn't figure out what the hell was going on.
On Tuesday, it was so excruciating, I couldn't wait for Wednesday morning to come. Yeah, that bad. First thing I call my dentist. An appointment is made. Problem solved.
Fifteen minutes later, dentist's office calls back and says he's had to go home.
Doesn't want to see me, huh?"
"He's very ill."
So they arrange for me to go to a specialist and have an examination. I get there and first thing I'm asked to do--screw that I'm in pain--is fill out a bunch of forms.
All about payment of account and limiting liability. What a load of bullshit! Pain was so bad now I'd have bartered a first born. This is the good old USA. Roll on Obama and hopefully reform.
After forms were signed, I'm X-rayed and then told I have an infection that won't ever clear up (teeth infections don't as the white blood cells can't get up there to do their job) and the choice is a root canal at $1500.00 or extraction. No price on that because they only do root canals.
"A root canal is preferable because you'll still have your tooth." Subtext. We get the $1500."
"Do something. I'll have the root canal with a strawberry topping."
"Very wise. Just one thing. I can't guarantee complete success because the back molars have four roots. Sometimes the pain returns and extraction is the next option."
"Let me get my mind around this. You are a specialist, yes?"
"Yes."
And you charge $1500.00"
Correct.
"And you can't say it'll be a success?"
"Correct."
"I want a second opinion. I'll see my dentist tomorrow as they said he'll likely be in then."
"That's fine."
Next morning, there is no pain and I'm chomping breakfast like a horse in a field of fresh grass. Amazing how $1500.00 and no guarantee of success focuses the mind.
I go to my dentist. Yes, it's an infection. And the pain goes away often, but it will return at some point and sometimes with a vengeance."
"Can you do the root canal?"
"Sure."
"There's no guarantee of success, you know? Not with back molars."
"Oh, just pull the damned thing. Enough already."
And then the huge injection looms. I close my eyes and think of the Queen. (Joke.)
So I'm now almost recovered. And pain free. Did mourn the loss of my tooth, though.
He was a faithful little bugger, loved a good juicy steak and a thick hamburger. Now he's gone. Into the medical waste bin. Next, off to the landfill with a bunch of other stranger's teeth. Nothing in common with them. And no more steak.
Monday
Happy Cows
I don't often comment on commercials, but one that's really made me laugh out loud is the latest California Cheese Board commercial.
It features two Fresians sitting in the barn discussing what they're going to do after they get up. In the background we hear a rooster crow.
"Shall we get an early start on the alfalfa field in the back?" one of the cows says.
The other cow is still not keen to rise yet and looks annoyed at the rooster.
The rooster struts into the barn and crows.
The relaxed cow says to her mate it's too early to get up yet. "Hit the snooze button."
Immediately we see the rooster shoot out the barn door and crash into the mail box. He picks himself up with as much dignity as he can and walks away.
The two cows go back to dozing as the slogan states.
"Great cheese comes from happy cows
Happy cows come from California."
Very funny. It's on You Tube, I think.
It features two Fresians sitting in the barn discussing what they're going to do after they get up. In the background we hear a rooster crow.
"Shall we get an early start on the alfalfa field in the back?" one of the cows says.
The other cow is still not keen to rise yet and looks annoyed at the rooster.
The rooster struts into the barn and crows.
The relaxed cow says to her mate it's too early to get up yet. "Hit the snooze button."
Immediately we see the rooster shoot out the barn door and crash into the mail box. He picks himself up with as much dignity as he can and walks away.
The two cows go back to dozing as the slogan states.
"Great cheese comes from happy cows
Happy cows come from California."
Very funny. It's on You Tube, I think.
With Family
View of whinbush-pocked hills near my late grandparents old farm
Had a wonderful time in Ireland catching up with nephews and nieces and brothers and sisters.
My youngest brother Dermot and I and his kids Dierbhle (my Goddaughter), Jermaid (Irish For Dermot), Fergal and Callum (fraternal twins) and their cousin Ryan went up to a place called Rock Ess in the mountains. It's a wonderful waterfall with a deep swimming hole where my father and his siblings used to play as kids.
Photo of me at Rock Ess with niece and nephews
--see primroses on bottom right hand side
How wonderful it was to see (and smell) the primroses sprouting near the moss-covered rocks and hear the kids running noisily around. It was also great to chat and catch up with my brother.
My other brother Seamus lives in his house near my parents (as does my sister Siobhan)--I joke about it being a compound a la Kennedy's in Hyannisport. I stayed with Seamus and we had good evenings of wine and chat. He's having trouble with his back--had an accident as a kid that left him with a bad limp--and his discs are runbbing together badly. He's due to have some kind of injection in a few weeks--so slow is the National health Service--which we're hoping will alleviate it greatly.
Siobhan and her hubby Micheal had Larry , Mum, Dad and I in for a good old-fashioned Sunday lunch on the Sunday. It was mega yummy--roast beef, Yorkshire Puds, roast potatoes and all the trimmings.
And my sister Deirdre and hubby Micheal (a lot of Micheal's) had us over after my parent's 50th Anniversary for drinks--lots of vino, chat and laughter. It was a hoot. Deirdre didn't want the night to end, but we managed to drag our butts home at two in the morning.
All in all it was a wonderful week seeing my parents very happy, and it sure made me appreciate the importance of family and unreserved love.
Thursday
Hectic is good
Been a little hectic here as Larry and I were away for a week in Ireland for a family affair. Wonderful to catch up on parents, siblings and nephews and nieces.
Novel is now DONE. I spent many late nights prior to my departure working on it. It was horrible to have to read and rewrite until two in the morning, one of those times wehn I don't like writing. But, of course, once the finished product is in one's hands, it becomes a horse of a different color.
Novel has been read and enjoyed by Jeanne, a member of my writing group. That was an anxious time as Jeanne knows what's bad and what's good and lets me know--which is what I want. Will make changes she suggests and get it off to my agent in NYC.
More anon
Novel is now DONE. I spent many late nights prior to my departure working on it. It was horrible to have to read and rewrite until two in the morning, one of those times wehn I don't like writing. But, of course, once the finished product is in one's hands, it becomes a horse of a different color.
Novel has been read and enjoyed by Jeanne, a member of my writing group. That was an anxious time as Jeanne knows what's bad and what's good and lets me know--which is what I want. Will make changes she suggests and get it off to my agent in NYC.
More anon
Tuesday
Writing blues
I finished the first draft of the novel last week, took a few days off to celebrate and now have started the rewriting.
This is the time when a lot of authors become uneasy, nervous or downright despondent.
They read what they've written and say to themselves, 'This sucks' or words to that effect.
Well, I'm no exception.
I've been going over a large chunk I gave to my writers group a couple of months ago and I HATE it. In fact, I wanted to burn the whole thing, jump on it, dance on it, shred it, eat it.
So, I grabbed a published novel--not my own, but rather one that garnered critical acclaim--and read a few pages throughout the book.
"Hey, this is good, but it's pretty much the same language as I use," I said to myself. "Maybe I'm being to hard on myself."
And so I go on. As Hemingway said, "The first draft of anything is shit'.
This is the time when a lot of authors become uneasy, nervous or downright despondent.
They read what they've written and say to themselves, 'This sucks' or words to that effect.
Well, I'm no exception.
I've been going over a large chunk I gave to my writers group a couple of months ago and I HATE it. In fact, I wanted to burn the whole thing, jump on it, dance on it, shred it, eat it.
So, I grabbed a published novel--not my own, but rather one that garnered critical acclaim--and read a few pages throughout the book.
"Hey, this is good, but it's pretty much the same language as I use," I said to myself. "Maybe I'm being to hard on myself."
And so I go on. As Hemingway said, "The first draft of anything is shit'.
Here we go again
Small minded parents are ganging on on their former pin-up girl Miley Cyrus aka Hannah Montana.
The fifteen year old heroine of the eight-year-olds to tweens had the temerity to pose in a more grown-up setting for Vanity Fair. She was photographed by Annie Liebowitz, yeah, she of asking the Queen to remove her tiara as it would look different--and I've seen the photo and it's not porn. Neither is it slutty or titillating.
She's fifteen and becoming a woman. She's got to make the transition or risk being seen as Shirley Temple for the rest of her life or...dare I say it... be written off as a child star.
Give her a break.
Unfortunately, given that she'd predicted to be a billionaire by 2010, her business people and Disney who produce Hannah Montana are back-pedaling in an attempt to save her image and their INVESTMENT. They've got to her parents (who were on set during the photo shoot.) They're trying to deny it and say Vanity Fair took advantage. This despite the fact she posed in a much odder position with Daddy Cyrus. I appeal to them not to risk being hypocritical or forgo their thirst for dollars, admit they liked the photos, that they are artistic and just tell the small-minded they need to get a bloody life.
We'll see. This is America. Almighty dollar rules.
The fifteen year old heroine of the eight-year-olds to tweens had the temerity to pose in a more grown-up setting for Vanity Fair. She was photographed by Annie Liebowitz, yeah, she of asking the Queen to remove her tiara as it would look different--and I've seen the photo and it's not porn. Neither is it slutty or titillating.
She's fifteen and becoming a woman. She's got to make the transition or risk being seen as Shirley Temple for the rest of her life or...dare I say it... be written off as a child star.
Give her a break.
Unfortunately, given that she'd predicted to be a billionaire by 2010, her business people and Disney who produce Hannah Montana are back-pedaling in an attempt to save her image and their INVESTMENT. They've got to her parents (who were on set during the photo shoot.) They're trying to deny it and say Vanity Fair took advantage. This despite the fact she posed in a much odder position with Daddy Cyrus. I appeal to them not to risk being hypocritical or forgo their thirst for dollars, admit they liked the photos, that they are artistic and just tell the small-minded they need to get a bloody life.
We'll see. This is America. Almighty dollar rules.
Wednesday
Out, out foul Netscape
It all happened yesterday.
I've been using a Mac for two years now but was terrified to migrate my email from Netscape to Firebird's Thunderbird, a free e-mail application for Mac Users. The Netscape version I've been using is a fossil because I've been terrified to move to updated versions for the same reason--because when I updated to Netscape 7.1 on my PC system, it didn't transfer my email and I had to start over again. The old stuff is still floating in Cyber space. I was terrified because I thought I'd lose all my emails and contact addresses. Maybe a good thing!!
So yesterday, I tried to send an email and the Netscape system kept asking me for my 'out' mail password. And when I punched in my usual password, it wouldn't recognize it. To make things even more aggravating, I was getting emails.
So over an hour later, my interet provider was confounded and couldn't fathom what the problem was.
It's your Mac," she said as a cop-out. "We can't do anything more. Sorry."
Lazy, uninterested bitch!!
With nothing left to do, I installed Thunderbird, waited with crossed fingers and toes as it stated on the screen "migrating files" or something like that. Twenty minutes later, a brand new email layout appeared AND all my old emails were there.
Hooray. So I promptly got rid of the last reminder of my PC days by deleting Netscape. I am now a proud and utter fan of Mac and Firebird and Thunderbird.
Netscape R.I.P
I've been using a Mac for two years now but was terrified to migrate my email from Netscape to Firebird's Thunderbird, a free e-mail application for Mac Users. The Netscape version I've been using is a fossil because I've been terrified to move to updated versions for the same reason--because when I updated to Netscape 7.1 on my PC system, it didn't transfer my email and I had to start over again. The old stuff is still floating in Cyber space. I was terrified because I thought I'd lose all my emails and contact addresses. Maybe a good thing!!
So yesterday, I tried to send an email and the Netscape system kept asking me for my 'out' mail password. And when I punched in my usual password, it wouldn't recognize it. To make things even more aggravating, I was getting emails.
So over an hour later, my interet provider was confounded and couldn't fathom what the problem was.
It's your Mac," she said as a cop-out. "We can't do anything more. Sorry."
Lazy, uninterested bitch!!
With nothing left to do, I installed Thunderbird, waited with crossed fingers and toes as it stated on the screen "migrating files" or something like that. Twenty minutes later, a brand new email layout appeared AND all my old emails were there.
Hooray. So I promptly got rid of the last reminder of my PC days by deleting Netscape. I am now a proud and utter fan of Mac and Firebird and Thunderbird.
Netscape R.I.P
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