...it's clever....
it's sassy.....
and............
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
I learned something new today....the popular phrase ("All the world's a stage") that starts the monologue spoken by Jaques in the play (Act II) "As You Like It" - was not originated by Shakespeare. According to Wikipedia: "Shakespeare did not invent the metaphor; it was already in common use by the 16th century."*
According to Wikipedia's footnotes, "Henry V had a tapestry illustrating the seven ages of man PROME, 1423 October, item 31 entries 757-97 quoted in Ian Mortimer: 1415 - Henry V's Year of Glory."*
It had been such a common metaphor, that Shakespeare had expected his audience to already understand its meaning. Metaphorically, the phrase speaks of the world as a stage and life as a play:
"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts".
Further in Wikipedia, the phrase is broken down into 7 stages as follows:
"Infancy: In this stage he is in Childhood: It is in this stage that he begins to go to school. He is reluctant to leave the protected environment of his home as he is still not confident enough to exercise his own discretion.
The lover: In this stage he is always remorseful due to some reason or other, especially the loss of love. He tries to express feelings through song or some other cultural activity.
The soldier: It is in this age that he thinks less of himself and begins to think more of others. He is very easily aroused and is hot headed. He is always working towards making a reputation for himself and gaining recognition, however short-lived it may be, even at the cost of his own life.
The justice: In this stage he has acquired wisdom through the many experiences he has had in life. He has reached a stage where he has gained prosperity and social status. He becomes very attentive of his looks and begins to enjoy the finer things of life.
Old age: He begins to lose his charm — both physical and mental. He begins to become the brunt of others' jokes. He loses his firmness and assertiveness, and shrinks in stature and personality.
Mental dementia and death: He loses his status and he becomes a non-entity. He becomes dependent on others like a child and is in need of constant support before finally dying." *
According to Wikipedia's footnotes, "Henry V had a tapestry illustrating the seven ages of man PROME, 1423 October, item 31 entries 757-97 quoted in Ian Mortimer: 1415 - Henry V's Year of Glory."*
It had been such a common metaphor, that Shakespeare had expected his audience to already understand its meaning. Metaphorically, the phrase speaks of the world as a stage and life as a play:
"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts".
Further in Wikipedia, the phrase is broken down into 7 stages as follows:
"Infancy: In this stage he is in Childhood: It is in this stage that he begins to go to school. He is reluctant to leave the protected environment of his home as he is still not confident enough to exercise his own discretion.
The lover: In this stage he is always remorseful due to some reason or other, especially the loss of love. He tries to express feelings through song or some other cultural activity.
The soldier: It is in this age that he thinks less of himself and begins to think more of others. He is very easily aroused and is hot headed. He is always working towards making a reputation for himself and gaining recognition, however short-lived it may be, even at the cost of his own life.
The justice: In this stage he has acquired wisdom through the many experiences he has had in life. He has reached a stage where he has gained prosperity and social status. He becomes very attentive of his looks and begins to enjoy the finer things of life.
Old age: He begins to lose his charm — both physical and mental. He begins to become the brunt of others' jokes. He loses his firmness and assertiveness, and shrinks in stature and personality.
Mental dementia and death: He loses his status and he becomes a non-entity. He becomes dependent on others like a child and is in need of constant support before finally dying." *
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Visited Laughlin for the first time. It was hot and windy. Doug and I had our 5th anniv., and a welcomed get away.
I booked a river view room at the River Palms.
The check in was rather slow...there was a total of two check-in people at first and then one more came-and another...but that person only made a guest appearance and then took off. We waited and waited and waited. Then we had a couple in front of us who acted like they were the only customers in the place...looked like they were haggling over something with the check-in peson who was getting more and more annoyed. And meanwhile, we waited some more. Really? On a holiday weekend, this place isn't staffed with adequate help?
Not sure what to expect after that, but we got to our room and loved the view of the turquoise water outside our window. The water was so clear. From our location, we were in Nevada, but straight away, right on the other bank of the river, was the state of Arizona. That was kind of weird, but neat.
(view from window)
(view from window)
It was fun, but a little of a bummer at the same time, watching the people on their jet skis and boats. We considered renting, but knew it wasn't in our budget for this trip. We already planned a day's outing at the Grand Canyon Skywalk for the next day, and figured we would already be spending gas money, plus about $30 a piece for a turn to walk out on the glass over looking the canyon. The river recreation would have to wait for another time. We spent the rest of the day hanging around the casino and walking the river walk. At the end of the river walk, we boarded the "river taxi" that brought us back to our hotel. We did have something to look foward to, upon arriving back at the hotel!! Food, and LOTS of it. We had been given a recommendation to eat at the Harrah's buffet. We were told that it was more pricey than some of the other buffets, but that it would be well worth it. They were right. That buffet was superb...they had so many choices and dee-lish things like garlic mashed taters w/the skin still on, prime rib, steak, grilled onions and mushroom toppings, short ribs....on and on...and the dessert bar was awesome. I actually had two plates of dessert. After dinner, we went to the casino to play slot machines, neither of us winning anything more than $1.00, but it was fun. (water taxi)
The next day, we headed out for our rendezvous to the Skywalk-located on the Hualapi Nation Indian Reservation. On the way there, we stopped at what used to be an old mining town, Chloride, located in the boonies on an old county road. It was a nice, quiet ride, though, and we got to see many various rock formations on the way out. The town is in full operation, and is set up as a semi-tourist place. I say semi, because there really isn't any commercialized attractions there. We did find some interesting dwellers there, though, with "interesting" landscapes: the boot fence, the glass bottle tree, the pots-n-pan tree:
(above: glass bottle tree) (left: small replica of mining town-Chloride)
(pots-n-pan tree)
(boot fence)
At Chloride, we chatted w/the little market owner, who also serves as the "info center"expert. He gave us some suggestions about the local attractions, one of them being NOT to go to the Skywalk. He informed us that it is NOT just $20 per adult (as I had seen on a website-must have been old info) or even just $30 (as Doug had seen)...rather...it was going to be $30 p/p JUST for the skywalk tickets, then an extra $45.00 p/p just to get onto the reservation itself and to top that, no camera, no water, no cell. It was extra cost we were not prepared for and thought that it wasn't worth it..for how long would we actually want to walk around on the glass? Maybe 15/20 minutes? Oh. And for another $30, since you can't take your own camera, you can get a "staged" photo with the tribe elders. It didn't take too long to change our minds about the Skywalk. It was too much of a surprise and didn't fit into our traveling budget.
We headed back to our hotel, deciding to board the "jet ship" that would take us all the way through the canyon to London Bridge, let us play for 2 hours, then bring us back to the hotel. It was half the cost. We walked down to the boarding area near our hotel only to find a sign saying the tour took off at 10:30am-only one tour-no tour at all on Sundays. What a hoot. We were so disappointed again!
We still wanted to see London Bridge, so we hopped in the car and drove. It was about a 45 minute ride...not bad....but it got hot! We arrived at there and could immediately tell the difference in temperature. The bridge is located at a small harbor with lots of shops and restaurants..totally commercialized. It was full of boats and loud music and wall to wall people everywhere-kind of disheartening to find so much smushed into one area! Again, we had to remember, it was a holiday weekend on top of everything else. We took photos and left asap.
(London Bridge)
In a way, we were a bit relieved we didn't spend the extra money to take the jetboat, too. True, it would have been nice to ride through the canyon, and Doug wanted to show me Topok-a place where he had gone "guy" camping and floated in kayaks, but that will be for another trip....we'll rent a boat and go on our own; that way, we won't be surrounded by tons of strangers and stuck on a tour schedule. It's all good. Even though we were disappointed at first, it turned out to be a godsend that we "missed the boat". 
Then, we decide to head over to Lake Mead and check out the Davis Dam and the lake. That was beautiful. We went to the water's edge, and even though we had to be content just watching the boaters and jet skiers.....it was still a nice place to relax...
(davis dam)We headed back to the hotel because we were hungry and looking forward to another buffet! This one would be at our own hotel. It turned out to be small in comparison to the previous night's, but it was still very good. We decided we liked the pulled pork bbq better than the short ribs at the other place. But the other place had the best mashed taters and way out did our hotel's buffet in desserts. It was all good, though. We went for a walk away from the river for a while, then headed back to one of the near-by casinos to listen to a live band who played classic rock. By this time, it was almost 10:30pm, so we went back to the room and I crashed! The next day, we decided to go to Oatman, Az, another small, old mining town, before heading home. It reminded me of Calico ghost town, but smaller and not quite as commercialized. We got old western style photos taken for our wooden western/cowboy frame, and I bought a soy candle. There was a stand that had fresh kettle corn, so of course, I had to get some. of that, too. We also got to see the famous Oatman Hotel where Clark Gable and Carole Lombard stayed for their honeymoon. Legend has it that their ghosts still roam there. The place is old and run down-not in use at all. It's just there for show. Unfortunately, I forgot to snap a photo of it. We got a kick (don't mind the pun) out of the donkeys roaming freely in the town streets. They are well known by the locals and even have names. We were introduced to "Belle" as we purchased kettle corn. 
(Oatman,Az)
(far end of town,Oatman)
(Oatman,Az)
(far end of town,Oatman)
(roaming donkeys in town)The afternoon drolls on, the heat and wind are starting to annoy. We've purchased our old time western photos, and we're ready to go. Doug gets a cold soda and I get a cold water, and we head out for the highway. We choose a different route to get back to Hwy 95 and the Interstate 40, and into California. This route will take us on county highways, hopefully less traveled. For the most part, it works. We wind our way through endless acres of desert and old abandoned houses and buildings, and in California, we start seeing Joshua Trees and know that we're in the vicinity of Joshua Tree National Park. Around Twenty Nine Palms, we start seeing "art" along the highway: people have formed their names in decorated or natual colored rocks. Doug has seen it before, having already been through the area, but it was all new to me, and I had to take a couple photos.
(rock art)
We finally make it to Twenty Nine Palms, and stop for gas. We're relieved to find it as low as $2.80ish, and even though it was even cheaper in Arizona, it's still cheaper than our Riverside neighborhood. Before leaving Riverside, I had filled up with gas and thought I was getting a good deal at $2.93. Actually, that IS pretty good! But it never hurts to get it even cheaper, right?!
(murals on buildings)At last, we're on our final stretch - homeward bound. Soon, we're seeing all the familar surroundings, and we're growing anxious to get home.
Later, at home, we lug our stuff back in the house and kick off our shoes and ... chill...until Doug decides he wants to go to the grocery store. I'm hungry, so I order us pizza for dinner which should be ready by the time he gets back. I end the night falling asleep on the couch.......all in all, we had a really, really, good time!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
So today.....i'm thinking of my daughter, the Bear, off to Los Angeles, completing a training course that her place of employment is putting her through. It's been a looong road that began in January and will be completed in six more weeks. I'm so proud of her for hanging in there; when the going got tough, she got going!
And then there's my eldest, the Bell, who has worked her way through her bachelor's, and continues to work her way through a master's. She recently moved to Orange County, by the Angel's baseball stadium. I warned her not to even think about becoming an Angel's fan. Dodger's rule!!
Go, girls! Did you ever know that you're my heroes? Love you, Mom.
And then there's my eldest, the Bell, who has worked her way through her bachelor's, and continues to work her way through a master's. She recently moved to Orange County, by the Angel's baseball stadium. I warned her not to even think about becoming an Angel's fan. Dodger's rule!!
Go, girls! Did you ever know that you're my heroes? Love you, Mom.
Monday, May 24, 2010
First day of vacation....
Ok, so I feel a liiittle guilty...I should be in the kitchen, cleaning from the weekend. Doug, my husband, barbecued our favorite baby back ribs. As much as I love being pampered as he bbq's our meal, the other part unfortunately includes the cleaning up part, which I lazily neglected to do afterwards. I rationalize that it's the weekend, and I don't feel like cleaning (knowing I will be on my first day of vacation, I figure why not wait til then?).
So, here I sit, hands transfixed on the computer keyboard, playing on my blog. I have just begun blogging. It's a whole new world. I'm enjoying clicking on my profile links such as "lighthouses" and then finding scores of others who like lighthouses, too. Or "hiking", and lo and behold, up comes scores of people who like hiking, or camping - and the list goes on.
What do I feel about blogging vs. Facebook? Gosh, there's a world of difference. FB is good for keeping in touch...finding long lost friends and relatives...things of that nature..sharing photos...so forth, so on...but....there is one thing I'm finding odd. It's how people write sentences like: "Stayed up late last night...now I'm sleeeeepy" or "Taking out the trash"....I read this and wonder, um, really? Is this what you want people to know? Don't get me wrong...it's not that I don't care... they're just not the most enlightening pieces of info, that's all.
I choose not to spend time on the virtual games, and anyway, when I did try to help out people by "sending something back", it would take me to a "virtual place" to click around in and then weird stuff started happening, or I would get pop-ups and would accidentally click on them and then would get taken to some site that wanted to sell me something.
I do find the cute virtual flowers, hugs,candies, cakes, smiles, angels, and things like that, cute. I've sent my share! Also, I like joining (or now it's called 'liking') people or organizations and 'following' them to find out the latest and greatest.
Then there's Twitter, which I joined after I started FB, but I never, ever use it. The only thing I know about it is my name, FireFly. Maybe one day I'll "go there".
This thing called blogging is something else, though. I thoroughly enjoy it. It's like a photo album mixed with journaling...
Having said that, I recognize that it's almost noon. I need to go. I have a kitchen to clean, and some things to do that are mostly for fun that I don't seem to get to when I work and commute everyday. I loove vacation.
Doug and I are going to Laughlin for the first time ever this weekend. I have gone online to check out the local attractions and found that there is an old western syle town called Oatman-actually right across the state line into Arizona. It's said that Clarke Gable and his beloved Carole Lombard spent their wedding night at the Oatman Hotel, and years later, after both of their passing, their ghosts still reside there. Online info says that mules roam freely in the streets.
A day trip to the 'western' Grand Canyon to the Skywalk is also planned. WooHoo!
It's been nice chattin'.
Ok, so I feel a liiittle guilty...I should be in the kitchen, cleaning from the weekend. Doug, my husband, barbecued our favorite baby back ribs. As much as I love being pampered as he bbq's our meal, the other part unfortunately includes the cleaning up part, which I lazily neglected to do afterwards. I rationalize that it's the weekend, and I don't feel like cleaning (knowing I will be on my first day of vacation, I figure why not wait til then?).
So, here I sit, hands transfixed on the computer keyboard, playing on my blog. I have just begun blogging. It's a whole new world. I'm enjoying clicking on my profile links such as "lighthouses" and then finding scores of others who like lighthouses, too. Or "hiking", and lo and behold, up comes scores of people who like hiking, or camping - and the list goes on.
What do I feel about blogging vs. Facebook? Gosh, there's a world of difference. FB is good for keeping in touch...finding long lost friends and relatives...things of that nature..sharing photos...so forth, so on...but....there is one thing I'm finding odd. It's how people write sentences like: "Stayed up late last night...now I'm sleeeeepy" or "Taking out the trash"....I read this and wonder, um, really? Is this what you want people to know? Don't get me wrong...it's not that I don't care... they're just not the most enlightening pieces of info, that's all.
I choose not to spend time on the virtual games, and anyway, when I did try to help out people by "sending something back", it would take me to a "virtual place" to click around in and then weird stuff started happening, or I would get pop-ups and would accidentally click on them and then would get taken to some site that wanted to sell me something.
I do find the cute virtual flowers, hugs,candies, cakes, smiles, angels, and things like that, cute. I've sent my share! Also, I like joining (or now it's called 'liking') people or organizations and 'following' them to find out the latest and greatest.
Then there's Twitter, which I joined after I started FB, but I never, ever use it. The only thing I know about it is my name, FireFly. Maybe one day I'll "go there".
This thing called blogging is something else, though. I thoroughly enjoy it. It's like a photo album mixed with journaling...
Having said that, I recognize that it's almost noon. I need to go. I have a kitchen to clean, and some things to do that are mostly for fun that I don't seem to get to when I work and commute everyday. I loove vacation.
Doug and I are going to Laughlin for the first time ever this weekend. I have gone online to check out the local attractions and found that there is an old western syle town called Oatman-actually right across the state line into Arizona. It's said that Clarke Gable and his beloved Carole Lombard spent their wedding night at the Oatman Hotel, and years later, after both of their passing, their ghosts still reside there. Online info says that mules roam freely in the streets.
A day trip to the 'western' Grand Canyon to the Skywalk is also planned. WooHoo!
It's been nice chattin'.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Floyd Landis flip flops like a fish in the water.....
Seriously, does he really think anything he says has any credibility? Does his conscience tell him anything about how he enticed people to stand behind him....to believe in his gut-wrenching, heartaching version of how the world of cycling has done him wrong...
Let's see who he did wrong: His family? The cycling rules? Cycling team-mates? All those who contributed money to prove his 'innocence'? Lance Armstrong and the other cyclists whom he tried to throw under the bus....?
I was one who tried to give the benefit of the doubt. I bought his book, and thought that there was a chance that he was unfairly accused-----but------oh geez. No matter how much I try to care, I just don't anymore.
Also, to any critics who think that Lance is guilty....the bottom line: innocent until PROVEN guilty. NOT assumed guilty...NOT "I don't believe anyone could do what he's done without drugs" attitude, or ... rumors...or "He just hasn't gotten caught" ... the proof is in the pudding. Show me the evidence that says otherwise.
Lance has been through countless, unrelentless drug testing...even on-the-spot-no-notice testing...and has passed every test. He has fought the odds and welcomed challenges...and gives back to help others.
So, I say, and I say it proudly, ride on, Lance. Livestrong & Staystrong!
Seriously, does he really think anything he says has any credibility? Does his conscience tell him anything about how he enticed people to stand behind him....to believe in his gut-wrenching, heartaching version of how the world of cycling has done him wrong...
Let's see who he did wrong: His family? The cycling rules? Cycling team-mates? All those who contributed money to prove his 'innocence'? Lance Armstrong and the other cyclists whom he tried to throw under the bus....?
I was one who tried to give the benefit of the doubt. I bought his book, and thought that there was a chance that he was unfairly accused-----but------oh geez. No matter how much I try to care, I just don't anymore.
Also, to any critics who think that Lance is guilty....the bottom line: innocent until PROVEN guilty. NOT assumed guilty...NOT "I don't believe anyone could do what he's done without drugs" attitude, or ... rumors...or "He just hasn't gotten caught" ... the proof is in the pudding. Show me the evidence that says otherwise.
Lance has been through countless, unrelentless drug testing...even on-the-spot-no-notice testing...and has passed every test. He has fought the odds and welcomed challenges...and gives back to help others.
So, I say, and I say it proudly, ride on, Lance. Livestrong & Staystrong!
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