Mt. Monadnock, NH

Just came back from an adventurous & fun weekend camping out at Mt. Monadnock State Park, in Jaffrey, NH. On Friday night I arrived after getting a bit lost, to find my friends (Kathy & Beth, Chris & Kerri, & Ben) already set up and just coming back from a hike. I joined them at their campsite, after setting up my tent, and ate dinner. I tried my new, one-grill propane stove! It worked like a charm. Following this I was treated to a cherry/chocolate birthday mountain pie! It was delicious!

On Saturday morning we all got up and started up Mt. Monadnock (elevation-3,165 ft). Apparently, this mountain is the most hiked mountain in the world, other than Mt. Fuji. The White Dot trail is the route most folks take, so we decided to go elsewhere to avoid the crowds. We started up the Parker trail, then connected to the Cliff Walk trail. It was a beautiful hike, with lots of varied vegetation and panoramic views. The weather was cloudy at times but mostly sunny with a fair temperature. The trail was not as well marked, however, so we veered off course a few times.

The hike turned out to be longer than expected, as is usually the case with mountains. After the Cliff Rock trail we ended up at Bald Rock, a huge open rocky area, which was a great view, but not the summit. Despite injuries and fatigue in our party, we continued on to the top of Mt. Monadnock, since we had gone so far. (Chris & Kerri decided to turn back)

The summit was crowded with people, and very windy. I thought it was interesting to read all the carved initials in the rocks. I found B.M.V., 1816, and W.W., 1901, and R.H. & B.T., July 4, 1975. The views from Mt. Monadnock apparently span 100 miles in all directions. On a clear day (it was fairly clear) lore has it that you can see all the New England states. Of course it's difficult to know exactly what you're looking at. A G.P.S. system might have been helpful.

After our summit we headed down. We foolishly took the White Cross trail, which turned out to be a nightmarish descent. Kathy's knee was bothering her, and she had to go slow. The White Cross trail is a river of rocks, going down very steeply. It's also a long trail. Finally, we connected with the White Dot trail after about two hours, and quickly made our way back to camp.

We were all tired, but felt like a satisfying adventure was under our belt! Today I feel a little sore but quite refreshed!

Count Your Blessings, Baron

Once again, I'm writing as a matter of sanity and survival. I will now count my blessings, which are many. It's good for me to take stock and not focus on the negative.
Blessings
1. I have an intelligent, healthy nephew named Zack, who's 8.
2. I have an intelligent, healthy niece named Natalie, who's 5.
3. I have an intelligent, healthy, and very funny nephew named Gavin, who's 6.
4. Both of my parents are in their 70's, and are together and healthy.
5. I have two wonderful sisters Janet and Jen.
6. I have two great brother-in-laws, Marty and Dave.
7. I own a condo.
8. I have a stable and satisfying job, where I help others.
9. I've been on the same fantastic softball team for 7 years.
10. I am able bodied.
11. I can read and write.
12. I had two great grandmothers.
13. I have friends that love me, or at least like me alright.
14. I have a very wide-ranging sense of humor.
15. I'm fairly intelligent.
16. I look ten years younger than my age.
17. I have 3 aunts and one uncle.
18. I have two kitties and lots of birdies outside my window.
19. I have a scooter I love to ride.
20. I have had the opportunity to do some traveling.
21. I have not abused alcohol for almost one year now.

As Near As To Heaven As By Sea

My sister Jennifer and her husband Dave scurried off to St. John's this past week. Though off season there (big bugs & humidity), they couldn't have picked a better week. Who would guess what a dull nightmare June has turned out to be in Boston? Supposedly, we'll get some relief this weekend.

Anyway, she went scuba diving everyday, & saw enough lizards to open up her own pet store. Iguanas, geckos, and anoles, I guess. The good thing is, the lizards eat the bugs. (Except iguanas eat leaves). I say eat away, reptiles! I would have freaked to see a gigantic millipede or cockroach.

Under the sea she saw an old sea turtle, a stingray, a puffer fish, a parrot fish, a tarpon, & a needlefish. Cool.

Can you see me now? A needlefish & a six foot tarpon.
By the way, Happy Birthday J.A.T.!

Congratulations M. Kulig!

Yesterday my good friend Melissa Kulig graduated from the Art Institute of Boston, with a M.A. in Art. What a triumph. Not only did she graduate with a fantastic display of work, but she also got special recognition from the faculty as the student most improved throughout the program (a small scholarship).

Melissa's family was present (Mom, Dad, Brother Chris, Aunt Elizabeth, Great Uncle Larry), as was her faithful friends the Baron (me) and Jonathan (a.k.a. Johnnie Darko). I do not have a camera these days, so I have no live pictures. (Lame, I know) But included is a postcard of one of her major works (and my favorite). To check out Melissa's work further, go to her blog: http://www.mixedmediamaven.blogspot.com/

The King of Pop

The recent death of Michael Jackson was shocking to me, & I'm more upset than I imagined I'd be. Even though I always thought something tragic would happen to him eventually, I still find myself sad. Just last week I thought: "Haven't heard much about him lately. He's probably not going to make it much longer."

I've never really been a fan of 'pop' anything. I never owned a Michael Jackson album, glittery glove, or had a poster in my room. But I'm still very saddened, because I realize that Michael Jackson's music has been there my whole life. From his 'ABC' 'I'll Be There' Jackson 5 days, through the 80's and 90's, his music paralleled the milestones and 'eras' of my own life. From the late 60's through the early 90's, those were my growing up years too. It makes me nostalgic.

I didn't like all Michael Jackson's music, but there are a few songs that stand out in concert with events in my life. I remember "Rock With You" at a junior high school dance, and "Beat it" and "Billie Jean" in my second year of college. The 'Thriller" video was my favorite of his, (it's hard to imagine it was made in 1983) & I recall watching it on MTV with my sister. Here's Michael Jackson at his best. One of my favorite songs is "Human Nature."

Michael Jackson - Thriller | Music Videos | SPIKE.com

Michael with Diana Ross

Cleaning Out the Rafters

I helped my friend Steph in her attic yesterday. I painted while she went through boxes and purged. I don't know if I was much help when I kept saying, every 10 minutes, "Oh, you've got to keep that." Two of the items for keeping included the following, a Cordomatic Clothesline Reel from the 50's, 60's, and a Sheffield cigar/flask holder.

We weren't quite sure what the cigar holder was at first. It's clearly marked, "Sheffield, England," and it has a nifty Celtic design on the outer shell. After some research, I determined it's probably made of pewter, and the flask is made for a nip of brandy. In the other compartment you put your jumbo cigar. In comparison to others I saw on EBay and other auction sites, my friend's cigar holder might be worth about 165.00. Many of the cigar holders featured did not have the flask, or the Celtic design.

The Cordomatic Clothesline is certainly something Steph will use everyday, as she will the cigar holder.

Seriously, what I loved about the clothesline was its pristine condition, and its quality. It is made of very solid materials, something you'd never see for a similar item today. It's also this retro turquoise, very 50's.

Mozart's Seranade For Winds

I'm turning to classical music, these days, as a matter of sanity and survival.

I've Heard the Mermaids Singing, Each to Each

What would life be without opera and classical music? At least that's what I think. Classical music is the experience that I need to ground myself. It makes me feel there's continuity to life, that the past is present, and that all sentient beings are connected. It makes me feel that I'm not alone in my dreaminess, and that there's something bigger than me that I'm part of. Classical music nears or is perfection. It gives me hope that art can transcend the mundane. Here's "The Flower Duet," from "Lakme," by Delibes. It's a love song between two women.

Couch to 5K

I'm going to attempt to begin running again. Though I am a bit worried about my knees and shin splints, I'm going to try anyway. Here's one of the many plans suggested.

Phase I Walk/Run Month 1 Mostly Walking (Times in minutes per day)
Week	M	T	W	TH	F	S	S	TOTAL
1	Off	25/0	Off	30/0	Off	Off	30/0	85/0
2	Off	27/3	Off	27/3	Off	Off	27/3	81/9
3	Off	24/6	Off	24/6	Off	Off	24/6	72/18
4	Off	27/3	Off	24/6	Off	Off	24/6	75/15
Grand total: 313/42

Phase - II Walk/Run Month 2 Mostly Walking (Times in minutes per day)
Week	M	T	W	TH	F	S	S	TOTAL
1	Off	21/9	Off	21/9	Off	Off	21/9	63/27
2	Off	18/12	Off	18/12	Off	Off	18/12	54/36
3	Off	15/15	Off	15/15	Off	Off	15/15	45/45
4	Off	18/12	Off	15/15	Off	Off	15/15	48/42
Grand Total: 210/150

Phase - III Walk/Run Month 3 Mostly Running (Times in minutes per day)
Week	M	T	W	TH	F	S	S	TOTAL
1	Off	12/18	Off	12/18	Off	Off	12/18	36/54
2	Off	9/21	Off	9/21	Off	Off	9/21	27/63
3	Off	6/24	Off	6/24	Off	Off	6/24	18/72
4	Off	9/21	Off	6/24	Off	Off	6/24	21/69
Grand Total: 102/258

Phase - IV Run Month 4 All Running (Times in minutes per day)
Week	M	T	W	TH	F	S	S	TOTAL
1	Off	15	Off	15	Off	Off	20	50
2	Off	20	Off	20	Off	Off	20	60
3	Off	20	Off	25	Off	Off	25	70
4	Off	25	Off	25	Off	Off	30	80
Grand Total: 260

The Wilds of Stoneham, Ma

I installed a bird feeder on my back porch yesterday. At first no birds were visiting. This morning, however, much to the my delight ( & my cats'), a tufted titmouse and a wren of some kind landed to feed. A squirrel also came along, but was unable to get up on the bird feeder. Supposedly, my bird feeder is squirrel-proof. We'll see.



Some later visitors included a male & female Northern Cardinal.....
Also, a Common Grackle....

My 50 Things

My 50 Things is a fun website, where you list goals and achievements in your lifetime. Here are some of my 'to do' goals, and below is a list of what I achieved. I don't exactly have 50 things altogether, but I'd rather list things I think I realistically will achieve. Seeing the Great Wall of China? I'd love to, but going to China right now seems out of reach. I don't know why.

To see the Grand Canyon
Visit Greenland, Iceland
Own a hybrid or electric car
To visit Western Canada
To hike the Long Trail in Vermont
To do a civil war reenactment in a large venue
take course in Norwegian
read Walden Pond
Teach an adult to read
Run the Boston Marathon
Try dog sledding
Shoot a gun on a shooting range
take a backpacking class
Exercise at least twice a week
Spend one evening a week without watching TV or using a PC
Visit Stonehenge

Do a parachute jump Completed
Plant a tree Completed
Wear a tux Completed
Complete a bookmaking/scrapbooking project Completed
Take a fiddle class or lessons Completed
Buy a condo or townhouse Completed
Visit Kripalu Completed
To complete a second cartoon zine Completed
To go square or contra dancing Completed
To meditate everyday for 21 days Completed
To try Tai Chi Completed
To take a fencing class Completed
Play golf one time Completed
Send mother flowers Completed
get a motorcycle license Completed
put some potted plants on porch Completed

My Five Favorite Natural Places in New England

My Five Favorite Natural Places in New England
Of course there are many other choices for natural places in New England. There are also many places I haven't been. Still, here are my consistent favorites, and some of the places I've visited many times.
1. The White Mountains, NH
(atop Mt. Carter with my sisters & brother-in-law)

2. Walden Pond, Concord, MA


3. Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, Topsfield, MA

4. Baxter State Park, ME


5. Crane's Beach, Ipswich, MA

Distortion Contortion

Had a bit of fun in a 'fun' mirror. Who says adults can't play? My friend Asia took these pictures of me.

Come up and see me sometime.......

My grandmother, not surprisingly, loved Mae West. (She enjoyed that crass, bawdy humor). In honor of this great woman, I've compiled some of Mae West's amusing well known and not so well known quotes. My grandmother often quoted them to me.

"The curve is more powerful than the sword."

"A girl in a convertible is worth 5 in the phone book."

"Give a man a free hand, and he'll run it all over you."

"Any time you've got nothing to do, and lots of time to do it, come on up."

"When I'm good I'm very, very good, but when I'm bad, I'm better."

"Why don't you come up sometime, and see me?"

"A dame that knows the ropes isn't likely to get tied up."

"To err is human, but it feels divine."

"A man in the house is worth two in the street."

"I believe it's better to be looked over than overlooked."

"I used to be Snow White, but I drifted."

"It's not the men in my life that count, but the life in my men."

"Ten men waiting at the door? Send one home. I'm tired."

"Is that a pistol in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"

"When women go wrong, men go right after them."

Bessie Smith

I saw a short movie the other night at a film festival, featuring Bessie Smith. I've heard of Bessie Smith, but never really listened to any of her music. (Shame!) We're going back a long time when we speak of Bessie Smith. She was popular during the 1920's and early 1930's.

Bessie Smith, "The Empress of the Blues,"was born circa 1894 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She had several older siblings. One of her older brothers, in 1912, managed to use his influence to allow Bessie to join the Stokes Troupe. Ma Rainey, another blues singer, was featured in this troupe. Originally, Bessie joined as a dancer (similar to Ella Fitzgerald's story), and later was discovered as a singer.

Some of Bessie's well known hits included "Downhearted Blues," and "St. Louis Blues." Pretty much all the songs are about broken hearts and lost love.

Lore has it that Bessie Smith was bisexual, having affairs with both men and women throughout her life. Unfortunately, she lived a short life. In 1937, she was in a serious car accident, and died a few days later.

Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out (1923)
http://www.africanafrican.com/negroartist/mp3/bessie%20smith/448470830.mp3

Little League

Here are a couple of clips of my nephew playing baseball. I went up to Windham, ME yesterday to watch him play. The first clip is long, but I think it captures the day. I never realized how devoted an auntie you must be to watch little league. Needless to say, not much by way of hitting or fielding occurs throughout most of the game. These are little boys, indeed, attempting to play a rather complex game.

They are darling, though. Many funny events occurred, like the boy who yelled to his teammate: "Well, don't swing at everything!" Another boy was wearing a cup so large it looked like he had a Roman shield in his pants. A boy at third simply screamed when a pop up fly came towards him.

Watch my nephew Zack on first base showing off for his aunties. My sister and I offer much amusing banter in the background peanut gallery as we are watching. As you can tell, my sister is rather down on baseball, though she's willing to watch her nephew. Later, in the second video, Zack hits a single.

The Good, the Bad, and the Marty

My friend Melissa Tomey participated in making a movie this past weekend, as part of the 48 hour Boston Film Race. She's the corporate lady in this clip. I've participated in the past on the 12 hour and 24 hour film races. It's a lot of fun. The requirements this year were:
Character: Marty or Mary Quinzani, Second-in-Command
Prop: a magnet
Line of Dialogue: "Yes! I mean, I hope so."

I Could Have Told You Vincent

I've always had a soft spot and fascination with Vincent Van Vogh. Still to this day, I cannot believe that I was in Amsterdam during the time The Van Gogh Museum was being renovated (closed to the public). I never got to see inside a whole museum devoted to one of my artistic heroes! Alas.

I think I like Vincent because he seemed an extremely sensitive person, like me. This sensitivity allowed him to capture beauty, yet at the same time see the grotesque in life. Vincent soaked in and felt emotions deeply. And yet though I can censor myself, and 'control' my emotions, Vincent let his passions fly. The acuteness of his passions went to extremes, both ultimate joy to the depths of utter despair.

Given all of what we know of his character, it's never been surprising that Vincent Van Gogh sliced off his own ear in a fit of passion. He certainly was capable of other forms of self-abuse, heavy drinking, and eventual suicide at the age of 37.

However, two German art historians have a new explanation for what happened to Van Gogh's ear. Hans Kaufmann and Rita Wildegans, in their book "Van Gogh's Ear: Paul Gauguin and the Pact of Silence," contend that Paul Gauguin (an able fencer) cut off Van Gogh's ear during a disagreement. For years, the two men had experienced a passionate love/ hate relationship. Van Gogh had invited Gauguin to stay with him in Arles. The two authors postulate that since Van Gogh revered Gauguin, he concocted his self-mutilation story to spare Gauguin from prosecution.

I'm not sure I buy the theory, but since it's a crime mystery of sorts, I'd like to read the book.

Van Gogh's last recorded words to Gauguin were: "You are quiet; I will be, too."

How G.W.B. Spends His Time

Here's a graph I created on the I Can Has Cheezburger website. Fun Stuff.


moar funny pictures

More on Selma, Alabama

My friend Jackie Taylor has written a bit more about her experiences growing up in Selma, Alabama. Earlier I posted some of the pictures of her family.

In 1965, when she was 8 years old, she was present during Martin Luther King's Selma to Montgomery march for voting rights. She remembers seeing Dr. Martin Luther King standing in front of the Brown Chapel. She also witnessed some violence, and had to flee the crowds with her mother and brother.

On that day in 1965, about 600 civil rights protesters were attacked by police with tear gas and billy clubs. Five months later, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Here are Jackie's words, and a few pictures.

"In March of 1965, I was 8 years old when Dr. Martin Luther King came to Selma, Alabama the small Southern town where I grew up. My mother, being a poet and bohemian character in the town, took my brother, Tony, and me to the Edmund Pettus Bridge to see, as she described it to us, "history in the making." One of the law enforcement officers came over to us, and told my mother she better get her kids and herself out of there. I can't remember my mother's exact words, but she "smart-mouthed" back to the officer.
When the marchers got to the other side of the bridge, we could hear yelling starting, and folks starting to run back over the bridge. Then there was tear gas, and police going through with billy clubs. My mother, holding us both by the hands, ran. I remember running, my brother, my mother and me, and hearing people yelling. The civil rights marchers on the other side of the bridge had been forced back by law enforcement, and the day would become known as, "Bloody Sunday."

One of the sayings I live my life by is, don't judge someone by the color of their skin ( or other prejudices ), but instead by the content of their character."

"This is my vivid memory of the march. Dr. King walking right past me." -J.T.

Dalai Lama

This morning I went to see the Dalai Lama speak at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. I admit, it was a bit odd to view his holiness at a football stadium. (The Budweiser ads looked a bit out of place, or he did) The Dalai Lama was wrapped in an orange robe and sitting on a temple-like structure that looked like a pagoda. The stadium smelled like incense.

Unfortunately, I missed the few several minutes of his lecture. He spoke about the existence of God, the illusion of the self, mind and what it is, and the four noble truths. He also talked about suffering, and what causes it: karma, and the illusions of the mind.

The Dalai Lama also compared various religions and made some funny comments about Christianity. He said, "Majority go up to heaven. Minority go down to hell. You don't want to look down." He also said that all religions or traditions deserve mutual respect. He talked about the old Buddhist masters, and it's clear that he's read a lot of texts. Sometimes, he was above my head, or blowing my mind when he talked about cause and effect and conditional existence. For example, every thing has a cause. Therefore, it's illogical that a God created us because something had to create God. At the same time, how can we explain this beginningless beginning?

At least the good news is that the Buddhist belief is that part of our mind, not the sensory part but the consciousness or soul, is permanent. This is also difficult to understand, since in everyday life we see that everything eventually passes.

Cheddar Cheese Is the Local Favorite!

Here are my nephews Gavin and Zach, their cousin Connor, friend Glen, and my niece on the trampoline. I can't imagine anything more fun for kids than a trampoline. They were bouncing up and down, with small breaks, for literally hours. For some reason, my nephew Zach yelled out: "Cheddar cheese is the local favorite!" There were other equally odd comments.
Perhaps being all bouncy bouncy loosens the brain cells and the funny bones.... I went on the trampoline too, but I'll spare you that footage....

The Gay Storm

Apparently there's a hilarious ad out about same-sex marriage, created by N.O.M. (The National Organization for Marriage (Heterosexual, that is). I don't think N.O.M. intended for their ad to be so hilarious, but many a parody has 'come out' in reaction to the ad. Below is the N.O.M. ad, and Stephen Colbert's commentary and parody ad on 'The Colbert Report".....

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The Colbert Coalition's Anti-Gay Marriage Ad
colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Gay Marriage Commercial