I'm setting myself up here....

A friend of mine just completed this exercise. It seemed rather interesting and since I'm off from work for a bit, I thought there was some infantestimally small chance I might complete it. Daily. Then, again. I do reserve the right to make some changes - at this moment I'm thinking the Day 15 Bible verse will become favorite poem, for example. As this is March first - if I start tomorrow, 30 days will complete the month.... there is no way I think I'll make it through. Lets see how far we get.

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts
Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name
Day 3-Your first love
Day 4-Your parents
Day 5-Your favorite recipes
Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 7-Favorite movies
Day 8-A place you've traveled to
Day 9-A picture of your friends
Day 10-Something you're afraid of
Day 11-Favorite TV shows
Day 12-What you believe
Day 13-Goals
Day 14-A picture you love
Day 15-Bible verse
Day 16-Dream house
Day 17-Something you're looking forward to
Day 18-Something you regret
Day 19-Something you miss
Day 20-Nicknames
Day 21-Picture of yourself
Day 22-What's in your makeup bag
Day 23-Favorite vacation
Day 24-Something you've learned
Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs
Day 26-Picture of your family
Day 27-Pets
Day 28-Something that stresses you out
Day 29-3 Wishes
Day 30-a picture

A is for Apple

I am embarking on a major Zelda project. Usually at this time of year I am making a new Zelda calendar... and maybe I'll do that next. (I have my theme determined - a set of "Most Wanted" posters featuring the Z-girl.) This year, in honor of Zuperfliegen we're doing an alphabet book and maybe a counting book... though Zelda and I have only figured out how to count to 5.

A must be for Apple. Right?

However, Zelda finds this assignment to be very, very difficult because I do not want her to EAT the apple. As far as I know she's never eaten an apple before, but it took very little time to work out that apples are tasty and the mechanics of apple eating. (It is easiest if Ann will hold the apple for you.) So, I've taken 2 or 3 dozen apple photos and haven't got quite the one I like. Our problem is primarily with camera focus. There's just too much movement in an apple camera shoot.

Here are my top choices. (I feel like I have to move on or we won't finish in time.)


Please feel free to weigh in with your opinion.

B is for Bear, up next. I anticipate we'll have many of the same problems.

Seeking understanding - knowledge of Italian may be helpful

This morning needing to find a photo online of my father to post with my most recent "Lost and Found" post, I went to my little visited photobucket account. Because I'm intrigued by such things, I looked at the stats for that account. As I often find, my photo of Zelda in quarantine was one of my most viewed photos. (In today's case, it was THE most viewed photo - with 156 views in the last week. The next most viewed - 6 views.) But, what's odd is that all these views were not generated by people trolling on photobucket or being referred by blogger, but they came from an Italian blog. This blog is covered with the "hammer and sickle", often bloody, symbol of communism as well as skulls, and Holocaust victims and the like. (Kevin helped me with Google Translate so I'm relieved to know this political page is at least anti-totalitarian rather than pro.)

But, why Zelda? I flipped through every page of the blog without seeing her sweet little face. At this time my only reasonable guess - because while she might learn Italian and how to type, she could never reach the keyboard- we're careful about keeping chairs pushed in around here - so the guess - it must have something to do with the title I'd given that photo: "Gulag Girl". (I've changed that now.)

Let it be known I meant no disrespect for any person who has been incarcerated, tortured, or killed. The photo was taken while she was "jailed" in quarantine in Sydney. She had shelter and food and was well cared for there. But, a concrete run is pretty bleak and does not match what I want for her, for dogs, for people - warmth and love and freedom with their family and friends. I hope the many people looking at her photo - however that is happening - recognize that she's a much loved pet and her sad face stirs something warm and loving deep within them.

Lost, Found, Lost...

This was actually the event that inspired my first Lost and Found post. Like so much else recently, that thought got lost - then found. I considered just amending the first post...but ultimately I've elected not to. (I know this comes as no surprise to you.)

Two weeks ago at our biweekly doctor's visit I was speaking with the receptionist and confirming that we would be attending class on Friday/Saturday and trying to tease out whether and what they'd be feeding me at 5 PM. (Nothing til after 6 - and then just nibblies. Huh? Who do they think they're working with?? Not impressed with the gap between theory and practice in Australian medical dietetics.) Anyway, the conversation went something like this....

"Oh, yes, Ann. I was trying to reach you yesterday. I called several times. I spoke with your father."

"What? Wait. I don't think so."

"Maybe there's another Ann," as she shuffled through her notes.

"My father's been dead for several years. I'd be really interested if you've been speaking with him."

Well, damn. There WAS another Ann and once again, I'd lost my father.

Lost, Found...

From Singles 2011

Recently, I've been finding lost things. Not everything I've lost, mind you. My waist is still missing and my feet - though I can tip over to see them and I can attest to their continued support - they're still mostly gone. But, I've found both my sunglasses - missing for a month or more in my desk drawer and, last night, Kevin found my reading glasses - missing for 2 or 3 novels - in HIS office. What sort of kinky things do you think he's getting up to at 1 AM??? Something that goes with purple-y frames, OBVIOUSLY.

Some things, I've learned you don't know are lost until they are found. That would be Monday's "finding" of my #2 algae eater - perfectly formed and perfectly dried and perfectly stuck to the kitchen floor. It is easy to miss these guys - but I never considered them lost - just lip sucking something deep and dark in the aquarium. But this... was it suicide? How, exactly, does a fish that seems to have minimal propulsive abilities but strong adhesive ones fling himself from an aquarium? That leaves the more probable explanation to be....murder. Have my sweet molly babies somehow found a way to fling a fish who was as big as their combined weights through the air, over the inward facing lip of the tank, and onto the floor? And, if not them, then the guilty party must be ME. I cleaned the tank thoroughly the day before pulling out a few plants and the filters. Perhaps, dear sucker was attached to something and plunged without my awareness to the ground? But, if this happened, why did it take me almost 24 hours to see him? And, why didn't Zelda, ahem, eat him before this??

Happy Valentine's Day!

From Singles 2011

Rare Exports

I'm finally updating my movies, TV, books for 2011. Finally. And, this triggers me to share the above short film. While we enjoyed "Rare Exports", both Kevin and I preferred the short films that were made preceding it. Here's one. The second one... if you need help finding it let me know. I'm guessing it is on YouTube, also. So, while it is a little late for Christmas - after all even I have sent out my cards! - it is never too late or too early to have a really, really, really good time. Keeping in mind, of course, that Santa is watching and you really don't want to be naughty.

Comfort to the Enemy

From Singles 2011

"No, tell them I've been thinking about a mass escape," Jurgen said, "on the Fuhrer's birthday next April. Three-hundred and sixty thousand German prisoners of war, in all the camps in America, all walk out at the same time."

Otto waited, looking at Jurgen. "And do what?"

"Nothing," Jurgen said and moved his shoulders, rubbing his back against the wall. "Or they steal cars and drive around wherever they are, honking the horns."

"To what purpose?"

"You need a purpose? All right, first to show that we can do it," Jurgen said. "And second, to let them know we have a sense of humor. Americans don't think we do."