Virginia Tech Killings

The news has, of course, been horrid this week. The killing of the 33 people at Virginia Tech is a terrible, violent, and tragic event. Why is it, then, that it doesn't seem that people (myself included) are as shocked about this as we were eight years ago when the Columbine shootings occured? Have we as people and a society become so de-sensitized from all the killings everywhere, the war in Iraq...that this sort of massacre isn't shocking to us anymore? How terrible if so. It makes me sad for the state of our society.

Taking A Stand

I receive email updates from the United States Humane Society, and have recently received updates about the atrocities that happen in Canada this time of year, the slaughter of thousands of baby seal pups. I have and do donate to this organization, as well as a specific organization that is fighting this slaughter, http://www.ProtectSeals.org Go to their website and sign the petition that you are opposed to this horrific abuse and killing. Boycott Canadian fish products and seafood. Take a stand with me!

What I've Read Recently

Over the weekend (yes I read it almost non-stop, it was that good) I read the latest book by Cormac McCarthy called "The Road." I've been a fan of his since "All the Pretty Horses" back in the 1980's, but this is one of his best I say. It's a story about a man and the boy (father and son) who are survivors in a post-apocalyptic world. We aren't really told what exactly has done all the destruction of living trees, grass, wildlife and most of human life. Whether it be nuclear disaster or ultimately the devastation of the earth by global warming, we just know that all these things no longer exist. As the man and the boy (they don't have names, making this even more real like it could happen to me) fight starvation, cold and "the bad guys" (cannibalistic thugs) this is ultimately a story of a father's love for his son and what all we would do to keep him alive. This is a great read, a haunting novel about civilization's slow death after the lights go out.

Life imitates Art; or Art imitates Life?

It was a splendid weekend this past weekend. Spent some good time outside doing some clean up in the yard, taking long walks...Joe took this cute photo of Max and "a look alike" we have on our front porch. Max was feeling left out from the blog recently.

Sesame Street and Bird Flu Oh My!

This is very funny from MAD TV. Click here to view.

Snow No More!

We just got through two lovely snowstorms, the most recent on Thursday and Friday. I spent most of that time indoors unfortunately, with a bad sore throat and cold symptoms. Joe did a lot of shoveling and some guy with a snow blower helped out (our neighbor Gale enlisted his help), but here are a couple of good photos that Joe took from this last snowstorm. Max looks so tiny with all that whiteness around him, and the house is practically buried with all the snow! It's lovely, but it was sure messy. It's fun, though, to have a house and sidewalk and driveway of one's own to maintain.

Problems with Photos

So for some reason I haven't been able to change the "Cute Rachel Photo of the Week" but here is what I intended to put in that spot, this cute photo taken yesterday at Debbie and Jeremy's. Joe and I took some yummy homemade chili over for lunch, and brought Max so he could play with Daisy. Isn't the purple outfit just too cute?

R.I.P. Anna Nicole Smith

I have an Anna Nicole Smith bobblehead in my office (don't ask) that we made a little shrine with since her death yesterday, here's a photo.

Houston, Conference Day Four

This morning I am moderating a session on "Innovations in Direct Marketing and E-Mail Marketing." I'm sort of nervous about it, hence why I haven't told hardly anyone about it. Basically I am sort of just the emcee for the workshop, introductions of the panelists, keeping them on a timeline and running the Q & A session. I met one of the speakers yesterday by happenstance, she was at the table I sat at for lunch, and she was pretty cool and funny. So, just having some coffee to keep me alert and I hope my nerves stabilize. I don't much like talking "in public" not sure why I have that fear, but hey...gotta face it sometime I suppose. Wish me luck!

Houston Day Two

Today was "Venue Tour" day, we get to choose between different types of tours, like theater tour or sports venue tours. Hmmm...wonder which one I chose? Well, that would be Theater tour for me. First stop was the Alley Theater (click here) and the two photos here are from a current production in their smaller black box theater called "Subject to Fits: Reflections on Dostoevsky's "The Idiot." Of course I had to take a photo of the "body" on the side stage. They are the first regional theater of the country (or maybe second) founded in something like 1947. The theater shown in these photos was completely underwater during one of the past hurricanes, losing pretty much all their space, seating, etc. Next post will be about the Wortham Theater.

Houston, Texas - that's where I am!

I'm in Houston for a conference this week. The conference is downtown at the Hilton, that's where I'll be through Friday. The hotel is lovely, the rooms are lovely, but...the area around is um, boring and sort of scary. Took a little walk to explore and see what there is to see around this part of downtown, and well...not too much. Basically right across the street from the Toyota Center, home of the Houston Rockets, etc. To start, here's a photo of my room, and the 'lovely' view out of my room! Sighhh... I'll take photos this week, mostly of folks here at the conference, but maybe some tomorrow of our theater district tour. More later in the week!

Slowly but Surely...Winter has Arrived

It took awhile up north here for winter to arrive, but at last it has. We have snow and we have a cold snap. Here are a couple of photos I took from our back/side porch. The structure in the background is this old, historic water tower. Around this tower there are twelve (I think twelve) large "soldiers" with swords, whom are the "Guardians of the Bacteria" - they are there to protect the water from bad bacteria. Of course, there is no water in the tower any longer, it is now just a lovely piece of historical architecture. UPDATE: Joe did some research on this water tower, and apparently it IS in use. Who'd of thunk it?

New Baby Photos

Today I took lunch to Debbie and Jeremy's, Joe has a cold so stayed home today, didn't want to spread germs. Here are some new photos of baby Rachel, a day from her one week birthday tomorrow! :)

Photos of Rachel Part Trois

Here is a very proud uncle Ken with Rachel, and a photo from yesterday of Rachel getting her first shampoo! :)

More Rachel Photos!

We were at the hospital this morning, and baby and Mom and Dad are doing great. Here are three photos, Mom and Rachel, Joe and Rachel and the Fisher family - Natalie and Morris (Jeremy's parents) and the new family. Somewhere there is a photo of me and Rachel which I will post soon, so look for that. She is just a little angel, and it's so amazing to see how much her face has changed in a day. She's just a beauty.