Dear ones:
you know why grandma letty is celebrating the congress and president? Because they got something done.
With the present government set-up, that's nearly impossible. And when I say "something" got done that is accurate. It's something, but it isn't a lot.
But they got it right.
They asked for a Ferrari and finally in the face of total opposition they got a Buick.
Getting a Buick is no small feat, under the circumstances.
The health care bill that it looks like everyone is settling for is no Ferrari. By the time the conference committee is done with it, it may even not be a Buick. Or a new Buick. Maybe a used Buick.
But the lesson was not lost on me.
My husband and I are totally out of money. We now get the bulk of our groceries from Catholic Charities. His medicine costs $400; mine $800, and we decimated our retirement, not on our high living, but on the economy's high living.
So I wasn't going to ask for a Christmas present. Then the Health Bill. And I told John (husband) I wanted a diamond pendant for a gift. I did that, knowing I won't get one. But I'll betcha he springs for a zircon or something to hang around my neck. I won't get a Ferrari. But my money is bet on a used Buick.
Merry Christmas to all . We are all very blessed. And it looks good for all our children who don't have health coverage: 6 in all.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Just read David Plouffe; changed my TV
In the last week I've read "The Audacity to Win" and Dan Baltz and Haynes Johnson's new book about the 2008 campaign and I am resolved, as we used to say in college debates: I will never listen to cable news again.
That may mean saying goodbye to Rachel Madow, whom I adore, but I'll be firm.
Plouffe, my hero, says the cable people rarely got the campaign strategy right, even when it was laid out for them in press conferences in black and white. For weeks, i have been hearing the ins and outs of the health care battle. I was so disgusted with Joe Liberman and his opposition in the face of all Barak had done for him that I paid $15 for his supposed email address and wrote a blistering letter, calling him dumb as dirt and kowtowwing to Haddasa's $1 million from the Health Insurance Industry.
Here's what changed my life: Plouffe writes that the cable input was so wrong that they watched ESPN on the campaign bus. Voilla. I'll get movies.
I may even watch football. Anything but cable news. The 24/7 cycle has polluted the atmosphere for me. Except for Jon Stewart. I'll watch him.
And a great big shout out for David Plouffe.
That may mean saying goodbye to Rachel Madow, whom I adore, but I'll be firm.
Plouffe, my hero, says the cable people rarely got the campaign strategy right, even when it was laid out for them in press conferences in black and white. For weeks, i have been hearing the ins and outs of the health care battle. I was so disgusted with Joe Liberman and his opposition in the face of all Barak had done for him that I paid $15 for his supposed email address and wrote a blistering letter, calling him dumb as dirt and kowtowwing to Haddasa's $1 million from the Health Insurance Industry.
Here's what changed my life: Plouffe writes that the cable input was so wrong that they watched ESPN on the campaign bus. Voilla. I'll get movies.
I may even watch football. Anything but cable news. The 24/7 cycle has polluted the atmosphere for me. Except for Jon Stewart. I'll watch him.
And a great big shout out for David Plouffe.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
photo shopping the commercials
May there ever be an adman.
I can't even tell you what the sponsor for this silliness is, for sure. I think it's Comfort Inn.
The ad features an obvious Circ'd'soleil performer swinging on a drapery, for heaven's sake.
When the ad first aired, there was a problem: the performer stripped down to her underwear to do her swinging, and she was wearing a simply awful bra.
Enter photoshop. A year or so later, she is clad sensuously, except in the last frame. There, the mutli-strap old bra is evident. Go figure.
In the second Comfort Inn pitch, we are expected to believe that an exotically clad and made up woman is on a business trip. Sure. She's another circus performer.
Actually, the ads are pretty clever. They just defy reality. And neither one (nor the guy spinning dinner plates) have anything to do with me, my business travel, nor my life.
And as for photoshopping, give me the Geico gekko every time.
I can't even tell you what the sponsor for this silliness is, for sure. I think it's Comfort Inn.
The ad features an obvious Circ'd'soleil performer swinging on a drapery, for heaven's sake.
When the ad first aired, there was a problem: the performer stripped down to her underwear to do her swinging, and she was wearing a simply awful bra.
Enter photoshop. A year or so later, she is clad sensuously, except in the last frame. There, the mutli-strap old bra is evident. Go figure.
In the second Comfort Inn pitch, we are expected to believe that an exotically clad and made up woman is on a business trip. Sure. She's another circus performer.
Actually, the ads are pretty clever. They just defy reality. And neither one (nor the guy spinning dinner plates) have anything to do with me, my business travel, nor my life.
And as for photoshopping, give me the Geico gekko every time.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
A Nobel! A Nobel!
Well, really. The curmudgeons are having a field day. At our senior citizens park the other day, the reaction was "Why?"
Fortunately, the cable chatter featured an expert or two who elaborated. One said that although our president, unaware of his candidacy, was nominated six days after he won; that was the closing date for names. But the voting took place AFTER he had led the atomic energy meeting of six (seven?) U. N. Security council nations who had reached a tentative agreement about disarmament. That had clinched the deal, the expert said.
Another factor had been his speech in Cairo which re-formatted the American approach to the Muslim world. Another had been his groundbreaking analysis of race during the campaign. And lastly came his work on climate change, another reformatting.
Let's face it: So far, it's primarily what he said. But people who characterize him as just a smooth talker overlook two fundamental changes he represents: He is capable of analysis, a trait long missing in this country. He is, furthermore, capable of eloquence. Kids, eloquence stirrs. That's why your grandma signed on lo these three years ago. I would even guess that was a major factor in his unbelieveably groundbreaking victory.
Don't forget, the very fact he put himself out there in a country with very little history of race tolerance was amazing. Don't tell me, the Nobel committee didn't cotton to that, too.
I'm so pround. I knew he was a winner in Iowa.
Fortunately, the cable chatter featured an expert or two who elaborated. One said that although our president, unaware of his candidacy, was nominated six days after he won; that was the closing date for names. But the voting took place AFTER he had led the atomic energy meeting of six (seven?) U. N. Security council nations who had reached a tentative agreement about disarmament. That had clinched the deal, the expert said.
Another factor had been his speech in Cairo which re-formatted the American approach to the Muslim world. Another had been his groundbreaking analysis of race during the campaign. And lastly came his work on climate change, another reformatting.
Let's face it: So far, it's primarily what he said. But people who characterize him as just a smooth talker overlook two fundamental changes he represents: He is capable of analysis, a trait long missing in this country. He is, furthermore, capable of eloquence. Kids, eloquence stirrs. That's why your grandma signed on lo these three years ago. I would even guess that was a major factor in his unbelieveably groundbreaking victory.
Don't forget, the very fact he put himself out there in a country with very little history of race tolerance was amazing. Don't tell me, the Nobel committee didn't cotton to that, too.
I'm so pround. I knew he was a winner in Iowa.
Monday, October 5, 2009
MSMBC Has Cornered the Market on Bright Women
It finally occured to the management at MSMBC that if a woman was attractive and smart and had proved herself either on the radio (Rachel Maddow) or NBC assignements (Andrea Mitchell) or as a medical reporter (Nancy Snyderman), maybe she could get her own show! What a boon to intelligent viewers.
All three of these babes are simply great. Rachel is such a rising star that she is chosen for the Flagship: Meet the Press. There, she slaughters Dick Army and is the internet show with host David Gregory. She goes on to rip on David Brooks and spar with some grumpy conservative whose name escapes me. (Neverless, he looked like a luminary.)
But best of all, she is a real muckraker. Unlike the majority of talking heads, she knows how to look things up and find things out. What a hoot to watch her show and learn things nobody else knows. And Kent Jones, her comic relief? He is as original as she is. What a pair.
I don't know how on earth NBC could have harbored Nancy Snyderman for years, knowing her ability to ace medical school, and still kept her hidden. It took that showman Dr.Oz to show networks that medical stuff sells. Here's a solid reporter in the field who is limited to three minute spots on the nightly news, and the network executives don't have a clue what she can do. Voilla. Give her an hour a day and she shines like the sun.
Now, take Andrea Mitchell. Also given an hour, coincidentally right after Nancy. She's NBC's answer to Farred Zakaria, she knows so many of the powerful people and can quiz them on air. Years of newshenery on NBC have set her up to create a really interesting show. She owes her shine to the network; again, they were awfully slow to showcase her.
Anyhow, a belated hats off to the News Department at NBC MSNBC, and even CNBC, although the latter is enamored of Maria Bartelomo who doesn't hold a candle to the MSNBC ladies.
I have thought often of how hard it is to have a national sensibility here in California. If I want to watch Morning Joe, (which I do), i have to get up at 3 in the morning. To see Howie Kurtz's Reliable Sources, which is usually really fine, I have to wake up at 7 a.m.on Sunday here in San Diego. The cretinous network guys don't have the sense to feed it from here, hence the lack of sleep for us current affairs junkies. Pooh to em all. They catch on way too slow. At least they got the gals right.
All three of these babes are simply great. Rachel is such a rising star that she is chosen for the Flagship: Meet the Press. There, she slaughters Dick Army and is the internet show with host David Gregory. She goes on to rip on David Brooks and spar with some grumpy conservative whose name escapes me. (Neverless, he looked like a luminary.)
But best of all, she is a real muckraker. Unlike the majority of talking heads, she knows how to look things up and find things out. What a hoot to watch her show and learn things nobody else knows. And Kent Jones, her comic relief? He is as original as she is. What a pair.
I don't know how on earth NBC could have harbored Nancy Snyderman for years, knowing her ability to ace medical school, and still kept her hidden. It took that showman Dr.Oz to show networks that medical stuff sells. Here's a solid reporter in the field who is limited to three minute spots on the nightly news, and the network executives don't have a clue what she can do. Voilla. Give her an hour a day and she shines like the sun.
Now, take Andrea Mitchell. Also given an hour, coincidentally right after Nancy. She's NBC's answer to Farred Zakaria, she knows so many of the powerful people and can quiz them on air. Years of newshenery on NBC have set her up to create a really interesting show. She owes her shine to the network; again, they were awfully slow to showcase her.
Anyhow, a belated hats off to the News Department at NBC MSNBC, and even CNBC, although the latter is enamored of Maria Bartelomo who doesn't hold a candle to the MSNBC ladies.
I have thought often of how hard it is to have a national sensibility here in California. If I want to watch Morning Joe, (which I do), i have to get up at 3 in the morning. To see Howie Kurtz's Reliable Sources, which is usually really fine, I have to wake up at 7 a.m.on Sunday here in San Diego. The cretinous network guys don't have the sense to feed it from here, hence the lack of sleep for us current affairs junkies. Pooh to em all. They catch on way too slow. At least they got the gals right.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Hard-Won Perspective
Because I am 76 years old and have been paying attention for most of that time, I can tell you what's going on with health legislation in Washington.
The old farts in the Senate are clashing with the young Turks in the White House. The former believe in deliberation, practice, and understanding. The latter think it is possible to be be too deliberate, and to understand too much. They are result-fixated; rather like throwing spaghetti against the wall to see if it sticks.
We faced this in our Church Workday, when the young Turks were in charge. We got prodigious amounts of work done, some of it awful. For example, an amateur crew refinished cabinets, and the result was shameful. They didn't think they had to learn to do it.
We old farts believe in experience, because we've had a lot of it. When the Chuck Grassley's of the world boast they've held up Obamacare, they think it's a good thing. And if Diana Finestein is right and they've funded it in the Finance Committee (Grassley's bailiwick) then it is a good thing, indeed.
Makes you believe in the Senate as a deliberative body. But for heaven's sake, let's get this thing done.
The old farts in the Senate are clashing with the young Turks in the White House. The former believe in deliberation, practice, and understanding. The latter think it is possible to be be too deliberate, and to understand too much. They are result-fixated; rather like throwing spaghetti against the wall to see if it sticks.
We faced this in our Church Workday, when the young Turks were in charge. We got prodigious amounts of work done, some of it awful. For example, an amateur crew refinished cabinets, and the result was shameful. They didn't think they had to learn to do it.
We old farts believe in experience, because we've had a lot of it. When the Chuck Grassley's of the world boast they've held up Obamacare, they think it's a good thing. And if Diana Finestein is right and they've funded it in the Finance Committee (Grassley's bailiwick) then it is a good thing, indeed.
Makes you believe in the Senate as a deliberative body. But for heaven's sake, let's get this thing done.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Something all of you should know
I'm afraid this bit of history will be lost if I don't record it here. When Grandma Letty was born, lo these many, many years ago, her birth announcement was a Blue Eagle/NRA (National Recovery Administration, not in a million years National Rifle Association). This group was a Roosevelt Brain Trust which your very smart great-grandpa Robert Lemon was a part of; On Grandma Letty's birth announcement was the NRA motto which was, appropriately, "We Do Our Part." Pretty funny, if you ask me.
In fact, great-grandpa Lemon ran for Governor of Kansas when I was five years ago, lost, but put himself in line to realize his ambition, which was to be a federal judge. When Jack Kennedy campaiged in Kansas, it was great-grandpa and great-grandma who introduced him to the Democrat establishment. Naively, Kennedy told them my parents they would be Republicans if they lived in Massachusetts.He was clearly confused by upper-class Democrats. Many years later when I went to graduate school in that state, I met lots of upper-class Democrats; we all voted for a strange man called George McGovern and we were one of two states in the Union who did, but that's another story.
Anyhow, I was always very proud of my papa who died in 1990; he lived long enough to enjoy taking Carole and her pretty Theta sorority sisters to lunch in fancy places to show them off. They all loved him.
In fact, great-grandpa Lemon ran for Governor of Kansas when I was five years ago, lost, but put himself in line to realize his ambition, which was to be a federal judge. When Jack Kennedy campaiged in Kansas, it was great-grandpa and great-grandma who introduced him to the Democrat establishment. Naively, Kennedy told them my parents they would be Republicans if they lived in Massachusetts.He was clearly confused by upper-class Democrats. Many years later when I went to graduate school in that state, I met lots of upper-class Democrats; we all voted for a strange man called George McGovern and we were one of two states in the Union who did, but that's another story.
Anyhow, I was always very proud of my papa who died in 1990; he lived long enough to enjoy taking Carole and her pretty Theta sorority sisters to lunch in fancy places to show them off. They all loved him.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Well Doggone, We Did It
Russia was wonderful. The food was wonderful---it was a Swiss riverboat. The room was ok. The facilities elsewhere (dining halls, bars, libraries, etc) were fine. We had to climb lots and lots of stairs: A small drawback in light of the many plusses.
Grandma Letty got to the Hermitage, something she had wanted to do for years and years. Ditto the Amber Room at Catherine's Palace in Pushkin. For a look, go on YouTube and search Amber Room. Almost as good as the real thing.
My feet, now in their mid-seventies, gave out a few times but I missed only a little; John was even more energetic than I with his new heart valve (put in a year ago) and his new SAS shoes. He could go for hours. I have not been similarly brought up to date. Mores the pity.
We have tons of pictures. We used up a photo card holding 100 shots, and printed most of them. We had many really pleasant experiences with Russians and Swiss; most of the waiters and waitresses on the boat were from Siberia which seems to sport a first-class Language Institute.
I was glad to know it had something to recommend it other than Gulags.
Our bus guide spoke great English and was the best and most informative of a crew of 5. All in all, we lucked out..
John gave two lectures on the ship on Russian Opera, a subject he is writing a book about. They were well received. I was very proud.
We even met a few couples who had read our newspaper column and extolled it. Very gratifying.
Now we want to go to Egypt, despite still jet-lagging from a 17 hour crowded flilght. Are we crazy? Don'tanswer.
Grandma Letty got to the Hermitage, something she had wanted to do for years and years. Ditto the Amber Room at Catherine's Palace in Pushkin. For a look, go on YouTube and search Amber Room. Almost as good as the real thing.
My feet, now in their mid-seventies, gave out a few times but I missed only a little; John was even more energetic than I with his new heart valve (put in a year ago) and his new SAS shoes. He could go for hours. I have not been similarly brought up to date. Mores the pity.
We have tons of pictures. We used up a photo card holding 100 shots, and printed most of them. We had many really pleasant experiences with Russians and Swiss; most of the waiters and waitresses on the boat were from Siberia which seems to sport a first-class Language Institute.
I was glad to know it had something to recommend it other than Gulags.
Our bus guide spoke great English and was the best and most informative of a crew of 5. All in all, we lucked out..
John gave two lectures on the ship on Russian Opera, a subject he is writing a book about. They were well received. I was very proud.
We even met a few couples who had read our newspaper column and extolled it. Very gratifying.
Now we want to go to Egypt, despite still jet-lagging from a 17 hour crowded flilght. Are we crazy? Don'tanswer.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Riverboat Trip on the Volga is a month away
Dear Ones:
Your grandma and her (relatively new) husband fly to St. Petersburg next month, hop on a riverboat, and cruise down the Volga (by way of a few lakes) to Moscow. You know what? I won't believe it until I'm on that ship.
Because I have long been a predictor of things, I believe that the Russkies won't let us off the plane (or later, the boat) because of the Swine Flu. Look how the Chinese quarantined an American group, and the Russians could do it, too. I also think I could meet my maker, via a heart attack or an auto accident, before I ever leave California. That wouldn't be a really bad thing,but I would prefer to see the Amber Room in the Summer Palace first.
Since travel inducements are everywhere, we got a twofer on the trip. So we're dipping into our meagre capital. So what!
I am perusing catalogs for packable items and planning, planning, just like I thought I was going to be there. But I don't. It's too exciting. It will never happen.Your grandma just isn't going to be this lucky.
I know. I was similarly doubtful before I took myself to Malta. Ditto, Rome. The fact that I actually got to those places should strengthen my belief.
If I do, I'll take pictures. And eat borscht. And cabbage. And,God willing, caviar.
Your grandma and her (relatively new) husband fly to St. Petersburg next month, hop on a riverboat, and cruise down the Volga (by way of a few lakes) to Moscow. You know what? I won't believe it until I'm on that ship.
Because I have long been a predictor of things, I believe that the Russkies won't let us off the plane (or later, the boat) because of the Swine Flu. Look how the Chinese quarantined an American group, and the Russians could do it, too. I also think I could meet my maker, via a heart attack or an auto accident, before I ever leave California. That wouldn't be a really bad thing,but I would prefer to see the Amber Room in the Summer Palace first.
Since travel inducements are everywhere, we got a twofer on the trip. So we're dipping into our meagre capital. So what!
I am perusing catalogs for packable items and planning, planning, just like I thought I was going to be there. But I don't. It's too exciting. It will never happen.Your grandma just isn't going to be this lucky.
I know. I was similarly doubtful before I took myself to Malta. Ditto, Rome. The fact that I actually got to those places should strengthen my belief.
If I do, I'll take pictures. And eat borscht. And cabbage. And,God willing, caviar.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
My Heroine, Tina Brown, Advised:
For those dears who don't follow news (and these days, probably none of you do) Tina Brown is the creator/editor of a wildly successful on line paper called The Daily Beast. As of today, I expect all of you to google it. It's a reasonable and newsier Drudge Report, which your uncle Carl swears by.
Today I did what I've wanted to do for the year or two the beast has been in business. I wrote the editor, a snappy blond almost as pretty as I. Because she appears frequently on a MSNBC morning show (don't rush to conclusions; it's pretty moderate Republican) hosted by the last surviving republican moderate, Joe Scarborough, and because the GOP is up against it with attractive candidates, and because the party always seems to do best with show business types, and because Joe is a former member of the House of Representatives, he would be spiffy.
Because of his TVand radio stints, he is also better informed and seemingly intelligent that most of the Luddites in his party. I might even break a long-standing liberal tradition and vote for him.
Anyhow, the point of all this is I Fed the Beast, a department for, sure enough, feeding data to the Daily Beast.
Since I've been right for a few years about politics, and since your Grandfather was honorary secretary of the 1940 Democratic Convention (who supported Wallace instead of Truman and therebye robbed himself of a coveted Federal Judgeship.) and my birth announcement was a National Recovery Administration Blue Eagle with the legend, "We do our part" (papa was one of those, too) I do think my pick is good. Keep this in mind for four years hence.
Today I did what I've wanted to do for the year or two the beast has been in business. I wrote the editor, a snappy blond almost as pretty as I. Because she appears frequently on a MSNBC morning show (don't rush to conclusions; it's pretty moderate Republican) hosted by the last surviving republican moderate, Joe Scarborough, and because the GOP is up against it with attractive candidates, and because the party always seems to do best with show business types, and because Joe is a former member of the House of Representatives, he would be spiffy.
Because of his TVand radio stints, he is also better informed and seemingly intelligent that most of the Luddites in his party. I might even break a long-standing liberal tradition and vote for him.
Anyhow, the point of all this is I Fed the Beast, a department for, sure enough, feeding data to the Daily Beast.
Since I've been right for a few years about politics, and since your Grandfather was honorary secretary of the 1940 Democratic Convention (who supported Wallace instead of Truman and therebye robbed himself of a coveted Federal Judgeship.) and my birth announcement was a National Recovery Administration Blue Eagle with the legend, "We do our part" (papa was one of those, too) I do think my pick is good. Keep this in mind for four years hence.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Dears:
As a wise man once wrote, "to everything there is a season." Well, I've got mine.
Let me explain: one of my dear friends was fixated on Princess Diana. The stupidest Diana story would prompt her to plunk down $5 for a stupid magazine. She travelled to London just to see the Princess in a parade. She was hooked. My conclusion was: she is really batty.
Enter the baby wooley mammoth. Bursting on the world stage, frozen stiff as a board, the dear little creature was simply found by a reindeer herder! (Who knew there was such a thing as a reindeer herder!).
Of course,the baby wound up on the cover of National Geographic which I rushed out to plunk down $5 to acquire.
Well, my hat is off to them. I honestly think they could write a boring story about the end of the world. They have the touch. This was the most boring study of a fascinating subject that I can conceive of. Where do they recruit writers for National Geo? At Boring U?
I'm gonna tell you, if I'm ever that boring I want you all to embalm me; I won't deserve to keep going.
But I'm still fascinated by the baby mammoth. Sooooo cute.
As a wise man once wrote, "to everything there is a season." Well, I've got mine.
Let me explain: one of my dear friends was fixated on Princess Diana. The stupidest Diana story would prompt her to plunk down $5 for a stupid magazine. She travelled to London just to see the Princess in a parade. She was hooked. My conclusion was: she is really batty.
Enter the baby wooley mammoth. Bursting on the world stage, frozen stiff as a board, the dear little creature was simply found by a reindeer herder! (Who knew there was such a thing as a reindeer herder!).
Of course,the baby wound up on the cover of National Geographic which I rushed out to plunk down $5 to acquire.
Well, my hat is off to them. I honestly think they could write a boring story about the end of the world. They have the touch. This was the most boring study of a fascinating subject that I can conceive of. Where do they recruit writers for National Geo? At Boring U?
I'm gonna tell you, if I'm ever that boring I want you all to embalm me; I won't deserve to keep going.
But I'm still fascinated by the baby mammoth. Sooooo cute.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Too busy writing to write....
Dear ones:
I am, at last, making a living (sort of) doing what I love to do. I'm bidding on projects on Guru.com and getting about one hit in 15. Since there seem to be 8,000 unemployed journalists, of whom one is I, then I consider myself lucky.
But sentimental old GL, when she finds a project that is really rewarding, bids low. For example, my next-to-last deal was with a sober alcoholic in Wisconsin who wanted an editor for his book.
Now, a book editor fee is usually in the thousands. To make sure she got it, guess what your softy of a grandma bid? $75.
Dears, I will never send all 24 of you to college at this rate, and I regret that deeply, but I will do something I believe in. Besides, two of you have already graduated from a 4-year college, with loans and scholarships.
The rest of you: Take heed. Obama is passing out college money. Remind him, when you apply, that your grandma was a supporter before Ohio. And that he reproduced my blog on his website. That should be worth something.
I am, at last, making a living (sort of) doing what I love to do. I'm bidding on projects on Guru.com and getting about one hit in 15. Since there seem to be 8,000 unemployed journalists, of whom one is I, then I consider myself lucky.
But sentimental old GL, when she finds a project that is really rewarding, bids low. For example, my next-to-last deal was with a sober alcoholic in Wisconsin who wanted an editor for his book.
Now, a book editor fee is usually in the thousands. To make sure she got it, guess what your softy of a grandma bid? $75.
Dears, I will never send all 24 of you to college at this rate, and I regret that deeply, but I will do something I believe in. Besides, two of you have already graduated from a 4-year college, with loans and scholarships.
The rest of you: Take heed. Obama is passing out college money. Remind him, when you apply, that your grandma was a supporter before Ohio. And that he reproduced my blog on his website. That should be worth something.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
He Thinks He's Wolf Blitzer
We're in a free motel room in Old Town San Diego and Barack is on the TV again. He monopolized the networks night before last, then appeared this morning to hype the outline (!) of his budget. At this rate, he'll be fulfilling my prognostication that he have his own network. Except he's gone one better: He has them all.
Why a free motel room you ask? My dear husband has amassed 32,100 Reward Points after a lifetime spent in Best Western motels. This room ate up 32,000. So much for 50 years of effort.
Does it really go by all in a wink? Lesson learned.
Anyhow, I digress. Only Wolf Blitzer used up this much air time. Now, John King does Sunday but Wolf owns TV weekdays. In eight years, he should run for President.
Why a free motel room you ask? My dear husband has amassed 32,100 Reward Points after a lifetime spent in Best Western motels. This room ate up 32,000. So much for 50 years of effort.
Does it really go by all in a wink? Lesson learned.
Anyhow, I digress. Only Wolf Blitzer used up this much air time. Now, John King does Sunday but Wolf owns TV weekdays. In eight years, he should run for President.
Friday, January 23, 2009
It Was Just a Matter of Time
Kids:
Grandma Letty has just finished her first e-book. Not for herself, but for hire. She got the assignment from a site for freelancers and since there are currently 9000 unemployed newspaper people, she stood little chance of working. But fortune smiled---sort of. Her rate in the old, prosperous days was 25 cents a word. After all, she is a pro. You know what she worked for on this project? A penny a word. The depression is really here.
I guess I'm lucky to work at home and get pennies for my efforts but it was a lot of fun to sit in a city room and trade repostes (look it up) with other people.
Grandma Letty has just finished her first e-book. Not for herself, but for hire. She got the assignment from a site for freelancers and since there are currently 9000 unemployed newspaper people, she stood little chance of working. But fortune smiled---sort of. Her rate in the old, prosperous days was 25 cents a word. After all, she is a pro. You know what she worked for on this project? A penny a word. The depression is really here.
I guess I'm lucky to work at home and get pennies for my efforts but it was a lot of fun to sit in a city room and trade repostes (look it up) with other people.
Here's the awful part: the job site had so many rules and regulations and submissions and just annoying stuff that I spent more time learning how to use it than I did writing a 15,000-word book in three days. I'll bet a whole day went for mastering the regulations. So much for the artiste, doncha know.
Despite my site ineptness, I got a great letter of recommendation and a promise to hire me many times again for this kind of thing. That's encouraging. Besides, I liked everything about it but the administration.
Here's the funny part: it was an e-book on dog training! A hefty batch of research and recalls about Gideon, our last dog, and Alpha, my first presented color. At least I thought so.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
What a New Year
Dears:
Your probably weren't aware that newspapers are in trouble; venerable ones are in bankrupsy and others are shrinking their content and laying off editorial staff, which, translated, means "writers." I am one of them. My paper didn't publish this week or won't next for lack of funds.
Therefore, this week I applied for 5 new jobs for pennies on the dollar of what I'm worth, and the competition was so intense that more than hundreds of talented and capable writers applied, too, for the pittance that was offered.
I won't know for several days if I got any assignments. Meanwhile, I have a good New Years Eve story.
Since John and I live with many, many old people, we all gathered at our clubhouse, turned on CNN (which is three hours ahead in time on satellite), kissed each other and blew horns ( I provided) at 9p.m, because it was midnight in New York and the crystal ball had dropped. Then we went home and went to bed. Good show for old people.
To celebrate a small but vital quarterly payment, we went to our favorite restaurant, ordered the most expensive things on the menu, tipped the piano player $5, and toasted the new year with decaf coffee.
We also charged a trip to Russia. By June, we may have it almost paid off.
We also sent some slippers to Carole because she had coveted Tim's, and you know that's a sin.
I love you all. We're walking around the corner to pork steak and baked beans courtesy of one of our social residents and I'll just wish any soul who reads this a very happy New Year.
Your probably weren't aware that newspapers are in trouble; venerable ones are in bankrupsy and others are shrinking their content and laying off editorial staff, which, translated, means "writers." I am one of them. My paper didn't publish this week or won't next for lack of funds.
Therefore, this week I applied for 5 new jobs for pennies on the dollar of what I'm worth, and the competition was so intense that more than hundreds of talented and capable writers applied, too, for the pittance that was offered.
I won't know for several days if I got any assignments. Meanwhile, I have a good New Years Eve story.
Since John and I live with many, many old people, we all gathered at our clubhouse, turned on CNN (which is three hours ahead in time on satellite), kissed each other and blew horns ( I provided) at 9p.m, because it was midnight in New York and the crystal ball had dropped. Then we went home and went to bed. Good show for old people.
To celebrate a small but vital quarterly payment, we went to our favorite restaurant, ordered the most expensive things on the menu, tipped the piano player $5, and toasted the new year with decaf coffee.
We also charged a trip to Russia. By June, we may have it almost paid off.
We also sent some slippers to Carole because she had coveted Tim's, and you know that's a sin.
I love you all. We're walking around the corner to pork steak and baked beans courtesy of one of our social residents and I'll just wish any soul who reads this a very happy New Year.
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