This is a snowflake

This is a snowflake.

There are lots and lots of snowflakes flying around outside right now.

Flying because gail force winds began huffing and puffing before the dawn.

(yep. I was up that early. lol!)

It's not so bad.

I see they're mostly swirling about.

Bad is when they all head one direction: sideways.

I'm gonna heat up some herbal teas, snuggle down, and work out some art.

If you'd like to see some groovy pictures of snowflakes and ice crystals just click the link: SnowCrystals . com

The Snowflake Man
"Under the microscope, I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty; and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others. Every crystal was a masterpiece of design and no one design was ever repeated. When a snowflake melted, that design was forever lost. Just that much beauty was gone, without leaving any record behind."
Wilson A "Snowflake" Bentley 1925

(ahem) Try not to think too deeply about the lowly snowflake...

Have a great weekend everyone!

=) D.~

Artist Philosophy...

I am building & on the edge of expressing my personal Artistic Philosophy for portfolio.

In terms of all things ART I can so identify with this:

I need no warrant for being, and no word of sanction upon my being. I am the warrant and the sanction.
— Ayn Rand, Anthem

So...
A nod to - Ayn Rand (Feb 2, 1905 - Mar 6, 1982) today!

Paperwork...

Reminder to self: Get it done!!!

Ah... the Eternities...

We sang this Hymn Sunday.
It's one of my favorites and if I was to pass away tomorrow I'd want it sung at my grave side service - becasue it speaks of the mysteries of God and lists the things that have no end...
...and it just gives you an awesome vibe, when you stand and sing it with a friend...

It's called:

"If you Could Hie to Kolob "

.

1. If you could hie to Kolob

In the twinkling of an eye,

And then continue onward

With that same speed to fly,

Do you think that you could ever,

Through all eternity,

Find out the generation

Where Gods began to be?

.

2. Or see the grand beginning,

Where space did not extend?

Or view the last creation,

Where Gods and matter end?

Methinks the Spirit whispers,

"No man has found 'pure space,'

Nor seen the outside curtains,

Where nothing has a place."

.

3. The works of God continue,

And worlds and lives abound;

Improvement and progression

Have one eternal round.

There is no end to matter;

There is no end to space;

There is no end to spirit;

There is no end to race.

.
4. There is no end to virtue;

There is no end to might;

There is no end to wisdom;

There is no end to light.

There is no end to union;

There is no end to youth;

There is no end to priesthood;

There is no end to truth.

.
5. There is no end to glory;

There is no end to love;

There is no end to being;

There is no death above.

There is no end to glory;

There is no end to love;

There is no end to being;

There is no death above.

.
Text: William W. Phelps, 1792-1872

A Surprise, a Special DVD

Big smiles and hugs - some more - to Alekx and Burfica for sending that special DVD to me.
I was excitedly surprised.
I cried.
I laughed.
I cried (again).
I played it.
I paused it.
I rewound it for the "who was that?" factor... =)
and I'm fixin on playin' it again.
Maybe tonight.
Brought back so many memories.
Brought up a regret or 2...
But mostly brought up how very, very special your Mother was to me, right along with the 2 of YOU!
Thank you so very much - for all!
Love you,
all ways and always
D.~

Ball & jacks

Yep.
Changed the profile pix again!
lol
didja ever noticed the background...?
(whispers -> this scene was set in "the little freak's room")

Identity packages

We are building our identity packages in portfolio:
the letter head, business card, envelope design, resume... and yes... more.
.
Our choices of basic design elements telling just as much, if not more about 'the symbolic self', as what any content of text ever could.
.
At the same time Ethics and Moral Development are the topics in our on-line leadership classes.
... practically speaking, the 3 most important influences on character formation are:
.
• Associations. Family, friends, and role models help shape our future lives. The example & encouragement of some people may improve us, while that of others may pull us down.
.
• Books. The printed page and other media can poison us with wrong accounts and harmful thoughts, or can enlighten and lift up our lives with reason and spirit fundamental to a healthy person.
.
• Self Concept. We do what we do to be consistent with who we think we are. Our primary motivation is not self-preservation, but preservation of the symbolic self. Whosoever considers him- or herself to be honest, brave, and worthy is likely to be so, s our oute lives are first decided in our inner hearts.
.
1. Associations - Who in your life has influenced your character development?
2. Books - What books, films, and other media have helped you become a better person?
3. Self-Concept - What image of yourself has shaped your values and guided your life?

Ah.
Homework.
Happy weekend everyone!
=)

Love is...

Outside the scriptures this is the best quote I've ever seen on LOVE:

“Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained”
C.S. Lewis quotes (British Scholar and Novelist. 1898-1963)

Happy Valentine's Day to all who pass this way...

Love and love some more!
D.~

Valentine recipe

Several people have asked me for this recipe.

Once upon a time ago - it was one of my Dad's favorites & since his birthday is the day before Valentine's Day I have a tendency to associate it with the holiday...

It is fairly cheap, fast & easy and has a big "yum" factor to it too...

Cherry Nut Bars

2 egg whites - slightly beaten
2 T Maraschino cherry juice
6 T Water
4 T Oil
1 Pkg. white cake mix
1/2 C sparsly chopped walnuts
1/2 C drained chopped Maraschino cherries

Combine ingredients in order listed.
Makes a thick batter
Spread in a 9x13 pan
Bake 350 15-20 minutes - until set

Frosting 1 -
butter
chopped cherries
cherry juice
powdered sugar
heavy whipping cream


Frosting 2 -
softened cream cheese
powdered sugar
cherry juice
whipped topping

(Sorry about the no measurements on the frosting choices, my family just does this by feel & to taste)

Baptizing a Miracle...

I felt the Holy Spirit very strongly in church today.
Yesterday, the elders baptized a Miracle.
=)
That was the boy’s family name. … but really… aren’t we all miracles?
He looked so very handsome dressed all in white.
I had the pleasure and the privilege of speaking at his service.
Today, he was confirmed a member where upon the brethren conferred upon him a blessing and the gift of the Holy Ghost.
We were also privileged to be witness to the blessing of a baby – so sweet.

It’s long been rumored among the faithful that when over come by emotion in the singing of a sacred hymn,

(…that heartfelt swelling of the breast that bares testimony of the Holy spirit drawing most near – that which sometimes renders humankind tearful & speechless…)

…it’s said that in those moments the angelic host can and does carry your part forward…

I thought I heard them singing with the congregation today – and this is the hymn:

Redeemer of Israel

Redeemer of Israel, Our only delight, On whom for a blessing we call,
Our shadow by day And our Pillar by night, Our King, our Deliverer, our all!

We know he is coming To gather his sheep And lead them to Zion in love,
For why in the valley Of death should they weep Or in the lone wilderness rove?

How long we have wandered As strangers in sin And cried in the dessert for thee!
Our foes have rejoiced When our sorrows they’ve seen, But Israel will shortly be free.

As children of Zion, Good tidings for us. The tokens already appear.
Fear not, and be just, For the kingdom is ours. The hour of redemption is near.

Restore, my dear Savior, The light of thy face; Thy soul-cheering comfort impart;
And let the sweet longing For thy holy place Bring hope to my desolate heart.

He looks! And ten thousands Of angels rejoice, And myriads wait for his word;
He speaks! And eternity, Filled with his voice, Re-echoes the praise of the Lord.

A very short story

Blame it on my little e-mail friends...


A Very Short Story



Man driving down road
Woman driving up same road
They pass each other.
The woman yells out the window, PIG!
Man yells out window, B * T C H!
Man rounds next curve.
Crashes into a HUGE PIG in middle of road and dies.

Thought For the Day: If only men would listen

Why I Need the Birds

I grabbed up the rare luxury of sleeping in this morning - hushing over the harpy voice in my head with its endless "to do" listings...
and I was blessed with this little treasure.
A poem by Lisel Mueller which was featured on today's Writer's Almanac, and given deep favor by Garrison Keillor's bartone reading.... you could listen to it here: The Writer's Almanac or just read it through, below...

Why I Need the Birds

When I hear them call
in the morning, before
I am quite awake,
my bed is already traveling
the daily rainbow,
the arc toward evening;
and the birds, leading
their own discreet lives
of hunger and watchfulness,
are with me all the way,
always a little ahead of me
in the long-practiced manner
of unobtrusive guides.

By the time I arrive at evening,
they have just settled down to rest;
already invisible, they are turning
into the dreamwork of trees;
and all of us together —
myself and the purple finches,
the rusty blackbirds,
the ruby cardinals,
and the white-throated sparrows
with their liquid voices —
ride the dark curve of the earth
toward daylight, which they announce
from their high lookouts
before dawn has quite broken for me.

Shapeshifter Burfica!

I was visiting Burfica's site this morning and saw this:
"...I pick teams I like the way girls do. If it's an animal I'll always cheer for it. If it's two animals I pick the cuter one. hehehehehee"
... and I wondered...
So, if Burfica was to magically become a shapeshifter... what animals would be her favorite ones to switch off to?
.
.
.
You tell me yours I'll tell you mine!

QUOTATION:	A man’s character is his fate.
ATTRIBUTION:	Heraclitus (c. 535–c. 475 BC), Greek philosopher. . .On The Universe

- Oscar Wilde -

Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.
.
.
.
"The Great and Wonderful Love"
.
.
.
;-)

From The Little Prince...

The Dean of Business and Community Education turned me on to a well loved children's book, (I'd been invited to her house to help her bake cake)
I took this book along with me the last time I'd gone on vacation.
(There were going to be some very, very, very long layovers in the travel plan)
Here's a bit of wisdom from it:

The Fox: It's only with the heart that one can see clearly. What's essential, is invisible to the eye. – from The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Weird thing #1 about me - I LOVE children's
literature and still read it, from time to time - I hope to never out grow it.

Weird thing #2 about me - A long time ago (& in what seems to be another life-time) I began to refer to the bathroom as, "The little freak's room". There's a multitude of reasons why. People, including yourself/myself do things in that room that they'd do no other place... Even people you scarcely know – may have occasion to come to your home and ask to privily use this room. Imagine: Strangers - securing themselves into this private and yet somehow public space. . . and they “do” things in there they’d never do if you were watching them. I’m not just talking about hygienic things… ;-) I’m also talking about snoopy things, like looking into your medicine cabinet, or poking through your vanity drawers – peeking into your linen closet. . . Never a good idea to stow “treasure” away in a bathroom, unless it’s truly a private, private bath…. (my sister lost a "friend" & a special Jade&Sliver ring once to this type of thievery friend asked to use the bathroom just before she ended her visit at the house and we never saw either one ever again! Queen of Panic was none too "happy" & I took note on what not to do with my special jewelery!)
Burfica may remember her sister and I hanging a Bull Whip over the door to the
bathroom in the apartment we shared. It made a handy reference for anyone in
need of answering to nature’s call… “Bathroom? Oh! You mean the little freak’s
room! It’s up the stairs and straight on, it’s the one with the whip over the
door.” Lol! (good times)

Weird thing #3 about
me – I am generally calm, collected and able to do whatever needs to be
done in a trama/drama situation. Drop to my knees, check vitals and begin CPR
til help arrives…, pull the broken bits of sewing needle out of the finger (that
the Singer just ran over) & then administer the first aid…, break loose from
my date and intervene, in a fight-scene-turned criminal assault… but, after the
fact, I’ll seek solace in solitude – I’ll honor the need to ‘defib’ a bit –
curl-up into that proverbial “fetal ball” and process the residuals….

I had to leave this yesterday with something lame like, "um, I gotta go to work!" I'm Fishin' up the rest of the list of 6 now.... which needs to be revised, because the Opie ... never mind!
Weird thing #4 about me - I'm not a big fan of finger pickin' noses, mine or anyone elses! :P I can Soooo identify with Burfica's not wanting anything icky on her hands. If I think it's gotta be picked (not just in need of a clean blow) it's off to the little freak's room we go... where I get down to business with a cotton swab. They do a much better job than any finger could ever do in nose duggery!

Weird thing #5 about me - I'm, I'm a crazy magnate? I am beginning to have this fear... Crazy people seek me out. Really. Some flippy characters have sought my acquaintance over the years and it seems to have gotten worse.... If there's someone in a crowd, who's a fry or 2 short of a full happy meal... they'll find me. I've actually entertained the thought of getting a degree in clinical psychology, figuring if the crazies are gonna keep dropping on by I might as well get the proper skill-sets to DEAL with 'em (as effectively as I positively can). Maybe some nice art theropy...? ***disclaimer! This weird thing is in NO WAY a commentary on anyone in the bloggosphere!!! So if you are reading this, #5!? -> IS NOT ABOUT YOU!!! LOL! ***

Weird thing #6 about me - thinking,,,thinking,,,, ok. okokok. I'm an 'organizer' - in a good way (no this has nothing to do with adult entertainment) My MOM is a pack-rat, terrible bad. I can hardly stand to visit her at her place for more than a few minutes because, well my mind starts to bend over the crap she's got piled every where. My place has gotten messy inbetween semesters because of the time factor -but that was the first thing I tackled at break. I like everything in handy sensible reach, logical storage, for where ever what ever I do in that room. Kitchen I can stand in one spot practically and reach, pull out, put away - neatly everything I have and need there etc.... all over the house. I have a well thought out system that makes sense to me...(& I mean I really think about these things - I don't suppose most people go through the steps I do to put 'abc' here because of this or that bla-bla reason. It's all about flow & usabilty! Like the Entertainment center needs to be close to an "exit" traffic lane from the house so I can easily shut it down on my way out. I try NOT to put the TV opposite windows because of daytime glare sometimes you can't help what you've got to work with in an apt. layout... I'm the dishwasher & right-handed so Glasses, plates, bowls need to be in an upper right-hand cabinet from the Kitchen sink... bla, bla, bla...

Bonus "#7"- I've said a "good-night" prayer every night of my life for as far back as I can remember... they've evolved over the years. I've also said a "good-morning" prayer every morning for the past 10 years - solid. (this one is always a 'gratitude' prayer - rarely asking anything, here, only listing things, places, people, situations, lessons, blessings... that I've especially noticed and that I'm especially grateful for.)

Cheerios 2 all of YOU!

D.~

The Lemonade Game

I just came from Entrepreneur class.
The fist 15-20 minutes of class were spent here: The Lemonade Game
Yes, yes! -> Playing the lemonade game.
This was both great fun & a hands on learning experience for the class.
Try it yourself and see how well you do!

I'll have to have another go at it myself. ... my 'notebook' computer I was using in class 'folded' up on me (unexpectedly shut down) so my first whack at this was lost. Not before a learned a couple tricks at scoring in the lemonade biz, though! (Ice melts , EVERYtime... so not good to stock up on that!)

Sunday night studies and up dates:
from one of my online classes...

The Art of Leadership

art (noun) 1. skill acquired by experience or study. 2. a system of rules to facilitate performance; the use of skill and imagination in applying such rules (the art of building, the art of persuasion). 3. endeavor requiring special knowledge and ability (fine arts, practical arts). 4. the product or result of artisitc faculty (body of work).

leadership (noun) 1. showing the way or direction; the course of action. 2. indluencing or causing to follow by words and deeds. 3. guiding the behaviour of others through ideas, strength, or heroic feats. 4. the position or function of one who leads (the king led his people). 5. the ability to lead (she displayed leadership skill).

I think I'm gonna dig this study. Second page into the text has this question:

What is Leadership? - the answer is social influence. It means leaving a mark. It is initiating and guiding and the result is change. The product is a new character or direction that otherwise would never be... by their ideas and deeds, leaders show the way and influence the behavior of others.
Then, to show the importance of ideas, we are asked to consider the legend of King Arthur, who led the Knights of the Round Table with his vision of chivalry:

My teacher Merlyn, who always remembered things that haven't happened better
than things that have, told me once that a few hundred years from now it will be
discovered that the world is round - round like the table at which we sat with
such high hope and noble purpose. If you do what I ask, perhaps people will remember how we of Camelot went questing for right and honor and justice. Perhaps one day men will sit around this world as we did once at our table, and go questing once more... for right... honor... and justice.

Ok. That's like, page 2. (lol) and I'm lovin it - looking forward to more interesting toss-ins as we go merrily along our way! =)

Better get back "tuit"... wanna keep the grades up. I fished a letter out of the mailbox, yesterday, nominating me for something called the National Dean's List. No cost to send in a Biography and it automatically gives you some leveragible perks. ... (i.e.: scholarship info, etc...)

May you, yes, YOU!!! have a blessed week!

=) Cheerios,

D.~

Sillies from e-mail land...

Ok. I finally posted the answers to that news quiz - I'll post the links to that one later... right now I've Web Design II to attend to! =) yes. happy, happy, joy, joy... I am digging this! As part of "Portfolio" class we'll be creating our own web page to post our Art - cool beans, huh?
This means I'd better quit typing here and start paying attention to the lecture. hehehee

As You Slide Down the Banister of Life, Remember:

1. Jim Baker and Jimmy Swaggert have written an impressive new book.
It's called "Ministers Do More Than Lay People."

2. Transvestite: A guy who likes to eat, drink and be Mary.

3. The difference between the Pope and your boss...
the Pope only expects you to kiss his ring.

4. My mind works like lightning. One brilliant flash and it is gone.

5. The only time the world beats a path to your door is if you're in the bathroom.

6. I hate sex in the movies. Tried it once. The seat folded up, the drink spilled and that ice, well, it really chilled the mood.

7. It used to be only death and taxes were inevitable. Now, of course, there's shipping and handling, too.

8. A husband is someone who, after taking the trash out, gives the impression that he just cleaned the whole house.

9. My next house will have no kitchen - just vending machines and a large trash can.

10. A blonde said, "I was worried that my mechanic might try to rip me off. I was relieved when he told me all I needed was turn signal fluid."

11. I'm so depressed. My doctor refused to write me a prescription for Viagra. He said it would be like putting a new flagpole on a condemned building.

12. My neighbor was bitten by a stray rabid dog. I went to see how he was and found him writing frantically on a piece of paper. I told him rabies could be treated, and he didn't have to worry about a Will. He said, "Will? What Will? I'm making a list of the people I want to bite."

13. Definition of a teenager? God's punishment for enjoying sex.

14. As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point the wrong way.

Cheerios 2 all of YOU!!!

=)

D.~

Who's Who News Review

Sooo...
As promissed here's the quiz we used for "table topics" at our Holiday party for the Gazette gang. See if you can work through it without cheating and googling the answers. It's ok to make up answers if you just don't know, matter of fact that was a BIG part of the fun, we had with this thing!!! (No pressure - this is more about fun than facts!)
=)
I'll post the real answers, along with the site I got them from, in a couple days:

Working at a newspaper, we work in an information industry, during a time that's been labeled the 'information age' - how much do we really absorb / pay attention to?

Here are some personalities that may not have been universally famous before the year 2006, but which, nonetheless, became famous by making national and international headlines last year. (For an example: Barbaro - The 2006 Kentucky Derby winner who broke his leg in the Preakness)

Here are the names - what was the story?

1. Claude Allen: President Bush's fromer top domestic adviser, arrested in March - charged with stealing around $5000 worth of merchandise, (ranging from $2.50 items up to home-theater systems) from stores & then returning the products. Plead guilty (in August to a plea agreement) to a misdemeanor count of theft. Allen is to pay $500 fine and $850 restitution to Target.

2. Michelle Bachelet: Chilean doctor and public official, was elected president January 06, becoming Chile's first woman leader. She is a survivor of the Pinochet dictatorship, which was responsible for her father's death & subjected her to prison, torture, and exile.

3. Jill Carroll: Freelance reporter for the Christian Science Monitor, was kidnapped at gun point in January in Baghdad, held for 82 days by a group demanding the United States release all Iraqi women prisoners. She was freed in late March.

4. Sacha Baron Cohen: Actor/Comedian - Best known as Comical fake TV interviewer "Borat". As Borat he starred in the movie Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006).

5. Isabelle Dinoire: Frenchwoman who received the world's first place transplant, appeared at a news conference in February; answering questions about her injuries, explaining that after passing out from taking drugs, her dog chewed her lips, nose, and chin...

6. Taylor Hicks: Singer/Talent Show Contestant Best known as the "Soul Patrol" winner of American Idol 2006.

7. Rev. Ted Haggard: Evangelical minister from Colorado, resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals in November, after Michael Jones, a gay escort, said he had a 3 year affair with him and gave him drugs. Haggard, who has been a liaison to the White House, initally denied the allegations, but later said he had hired Jones ot give him a massage. He also said he bought methamphetamine from Jones, but never used the drug.

8. John Mark Karr: Schoolteacher, was arrested in Bangkok in August in connection with the 1996 murder of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey. The case against Karr was dismissed 2 weeks later when test results revealed that his DNA did not match the sample taken from Ramsey.

9. Princess Kiko: Wife of the younger son of Japan's emperor, gave birth to a boy in September; sparing Japan a controversial debate over whether women should be allowed to ascend to the throne. The child is 3rd in line to become emperor.

10. Alexander Litvinenko: Former KGB spy, died in London in November after being contaminated with the radioactive isotope polonium 210.

11. Kaavya Viswanathan: College student, admitted in April that she copied several passages from 2 books by Megan McCafferty for her own novel, How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life. The Harvard sophomore received wide attention when she was paid $500,000 in a 2-book deal with publisher Little, Brown. Her star dimmed quickly as Little,Brown recalled all copies of the book. Viswanathan, said the plagiarism was "unitentional and unconscious."

12. Harry Whittington: Texas Lawyer, was accidentally shot by Vice President Dick Cheney in February during a hunting trip. His face, neck, and torso were sprayed with dozens of pellets. Cheney - and the entire Bush administration - faced resounding criticism for not publicizing the incidnet for nearly 24 hours, for placing the blame on Whittington rather than Cheney, and for joking about the accident. (after which time the rest of the nation, it seems, went on to joke about the incident as well!)

Bonus: Zinedine Zidane: Kicked out of Soccor's World Cup, for loosing his cool with 'the headbutt heard 'round the world'

Schooling again...

Classes stated up for the Spring semester this past Monday.
It's all coming together pretty darn fast now.
I've got to keep reminding myself about what is and what is not good for time management!!!
I love the blog-o-sphere so, I'll not abandon things here for too long...
Matter of fact I've started up several other blogs for specific things, few of which are or will be connected to this.

I put a beautiful quick post together earlier today - about catching up on movies while I was snowbound and off on Holiday break... and... and... dang. Blogger ATE it! : (

sooooo... here's m'list again... almost all of these are from the older, cheap isles, the keep 'em for 7 days rentals - because I don't frequent the video rental store like I used to. I don't know why. I LOVE a good movie and I'd never seen any of these before I picked up movies for each week I was on 'vacation':

Round 1:
Billy Elliot
Cinderella Man
Freda
Finding Neverland
The Garden State

Round 2:
X Men
The Matrix (which I still ahven't seen! It quit playing 1/4 to 1/2 into the movie. So I returned it. I found out it was the only copy the rental place had and it was scratched up... so I replaced it with...)
Bad Santa
Miracle
Spiderman
Diary of a Mad Black Woman

Round 3:
Prairie Home Companion
Nanny McPhee
Little Miss Sunshine (so disfunctional that I had to go to the 'sceens' selections just to get the thing to play! lol!)
The Break-up
Pink Panther

Round 4:
Devil Wares Prada
Leagally Blonde
The Work and The Glory
The Lord of the Rings:
•The Fellowship of the Rings
•The Two Towers
•Return of the King

I was impressed with the Lord of the Rings movies, I believe Peter Jackson got it as right as could be done. I had an extra appreciation for them after taking the multimedia class last semester - (we worked with Final Cut Pro... which is what movie makers are using now to edit film / sound) I had a bit of trouble with the sound on my rinky dinky tv some of the dialog was getting lost in the musical score & I noticed you could select sound opitons at the menu portion of the DVD. I settled on English subtitles and that smoothed everthing out plus, gave me some of the whisperings sprinkled here and there that I would have missed otherwise.
I remember I was encouraged to read those books (about 30 years ago) by a friend who looked and sometimes acted rather Hobbit-like, Scott Lorentz. (God rest his soul)

I got that 2006 news quiz with me but I think I'll make another post out of it for tomorrow.

Have a great weekend!
=)
D.~