Pick of the Week

So here is my favorite free thing everyone should be doing. Go into Starbucks every week and pick of the free song of the week itunes download.
It is usually something in the worldbeat arena that you've never heard of, but it is A) free and 2) fun when it surprises you when you're in shuffle mode. I love it.

RED (velvet) WHITE and BLUE

I played booce ball in Balboa Park and watched fireworks from a Banker's Hill 10th floor rooftop. What did you do?

I miss you all so much...on the 4th more than any other holiday.

Yipee

Well,
It has been a roller coaster of a week. I went from finding out at 4pm on Monday that I was getting laid-off...to by 4pm on Friday having restructured my position and staying on the job with a company and in an industry I really love.
Thank you all for your encouragement, good energy and prayers.

love,
Jennifer

Do you remember this Seinfeld episode?

George, drinking tea in his apartment with his girlfriend: "I-I've given this a lot of thought. I'm sorry, but we, uh, we have to break up."
Maura: "No."
George, after hesitating: "What's that?"
Maura: "We're not breaking up."
George, after hesitating: "We're not?"
Maura: "No."
George, after hesitating even longer: "All right."

I'm using this approach to try to keep my job - wish me luck. I should know something on Friday.

Can you still find these?

Back awhile ago, Liz was talking about the famous pink mints that Jack and Doris always had handy when we were growing up - she was telling me that they have disappeared! I was sure she was nuts...I don't buy them often but there has never been a time I couldn't find them in any candy aisle. Much to my dismay Liz is right! Since she brought it up I've been looking and they are nowhere to be found!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Arrrgh

I just re-worked my budget because I'm going in the hole every month. I had to bump-up my gas line item to $600 per month. That's just to get to work and run errands - nothing extra.

The gay thing

Hey all,
I was talking to mom the other day and the conversation made me think of this documentary I saw last year that was just excellent and I want to share it with the family. It is a struggle for me sometimes to live where laws and culture combine to treat me as less that a full citizen in this society. It can bear negatively on my self image, my personal safety and can just get plain tiring to fight for common civil rights that should be available to all. So, I want to express how gratified and blessed I am to have always been treated just perfect by each of you (and all your spouses). I have never had a single moment with any of my siblings where I was ever left feeling anything weird and I just wanted to tell how that I appreciate you all so much.

Anyway, why I want to share this film is because although you all treat me great I think that this really gives a voice to why you do. It gives a vocabulary and context that maybe as your kids get older, or you are in a position to counsel others - might serve to help to explain the important step beyond the "love the sinner hate the sin" mentality that is just not really good enough. Thank you all for always seeing me as more than that.
love,
Jenny
I'll be sending out DVD's in the next few weeks.

"Anyone and Everyone" tells the stories of families from Utah to North Carolina and Wyoming to New York, all connected by a common thread — a gay child. This poignant and often heartbreaking documentary by first-time filmmaker Susan Polis Schutz (also the parent of a gay son) reveals a family’s struggle and desire to accept a child’s sexual orientation.
The film features parents from a wide range of religions, ethnicities, and political leanings, all of whom discuss their initial reactions to their child's coming out. While some showed unconditional support, others struggled with their child’s sexual orientation, fearing alienation from their extended family, their church, or their community. Some simply did not understand the universal nature of homosexuality, and that it can affect anyone and everyone.
Whether Japanese, Cherokee, Mormon, Catholic, or Hindu, these families all share a deep love for their children, along with a struggle for acceptance, both in their own home and within society as a whole.

My Work

Here's some picture that are the end result of what I do every day. This our latest completed project in Woodland Hills.

I flat ironed my hair

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Runaway Egg

So this morning I'm heading off to work and on my way out the door I grab a hard-boiled egg and stuck it in the pocket of my jacket. I picked up my keys, bag and walked out the door. The pocket is open at the top but I've never had an issue of anything falling out.
Halfway to work I noticed that the egg is gone. It is not rolling around on the car floor and once I got the the office I searched the car --- no egg!

Spring

I did a little planter box for my front porch.

Challenge

I think that I will spread a virus
We won’t be sure what fell upon us
We’ll write in rhyme both day and night
Until ours heads aren’t screwed on tight

Through the family this could spread
Up hill, down dale where will it end
There’ll be no winner, no points to tally
Just prove you can you rhyme like Grandma Sally

Ruminate

I woke today without rest
I start the day a bit pre-stressed

I must, I can’t, I could, I should
I ponder, reflect - this can’t be good.

I brood, I fret, I second-guess
Chew-on, mull over - I’m such a mess

And then I slow the rumination
I shift into deliberation

Absorb, digest, assimilate
Whatever life brings will be just great

Then I breathe both long and deep
Tonight perhaps I’ll get some sleep.

pumpkin fun

5 people you'd have to dinner.

Bill Clinton
Annie Leibovitz
Queen Latifah
Jane Austen
Dorothy Parker

Please share yours.

My Fall Pick for favorite musical artist

http://www.brandicarlile.com/

From Amazon.com
Brandi Carlile has a rare voice, consistently spilling over with honesty, purity, and passion. Her dynamic and tonal range is truly exceptional and on par with the likes of k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, and Patsy Cline--at times soft, swooping, and clear as a bell ("Turpentine," "Josephine," "Cannonball"), and then ferocious to the point of breaking ("The Story," "My Song"). A voice like Carlile's when paired with the right material is a winning combination, and The Story's country-meets-Radiohead ballads and rockers do not disappoint. While the songs on are not as consistently stellar as those on her self-titled debut album, they are more often than not solid, and show off her talents and confidence as both an artist and performer, which have fully bloomed since her debut. This, coupled with T Bone Burnett's light, live production style, creates an album that is ultimately more rewarding than her first. The high points on The Story have raised the bar considerably for Carlile, and they are frequent. Her choice to record the album in a live setting inside the studio lends it a raw intimacy and authenticity noticeably absent from most studio recordings, and leaves us with not only an album, but a work of art. Carlile is a career artist still defining her sound, but her maturity as a vocalist cannot be questioned--this is an immensely talented singer laying herself bare before us, and one of the strongest releases of 2007. --Alan Wiley

Summer Fun

Stacey decided to mix it up and have some hair color fun.

The Perfect Pair of Jeans

http://www.zafu.com/start.do?method=BROWSER_CHECK&partnerId=1

This website asks you a quick series of questions about your body and how jeans typically fit you and then they generate a list of jeans that correct your usual problems and should be perfect for you. It's fun and one of the suggestion generated was a pair I actually own and do fit me correctly - check it out.

Alien Lettuce

I helped my fantastic friend Jennifer Blanck plant her garden; tomatoes, peppers, herbs and what I hope will emerge as crop circles of salad greens

Birthday

I had the most wonderful birthday this year. Of course it started with a phone call from mom and dad and their wonderful 2 part harmonizing. Later I met dad for lunch at el indio. while waiting to order I got Sally's birthday call and also birthday wishes from Max. When I was back home I proceeded to slice up a flat of strawberries for the shortcake I would have later-all the while receiving calls from chris, liz, karen and jack. I relaxed a bit and then got ready to go out. My friend Jenn picked me up and we went to Theresa and Suzie's house for a cinco de mayo gathering; it was fun to meet some of their family and neighbors and kickoff festivities. Later Jenn and I headed to PF Chang's to met up with Terry, Barb, Stacey, Jody and Susanne. I was (and still am) struck by the special friends I am blessed to have in my life. Besides dinner and their excellent company I received gifts each more perfect than the next. Perfect in the yippee I love present sense (I really scored); but, what touched me truly was the way that my friends clearly know me and pay attention to my life. Every gift was spot on what I desire, appreciate or reflected some aspect of me. I'm overwhelmed by their thoughtfulness and caring for me. The night ended with calls from richard and sue and back to my house for cake. It was was so good I had shortcake for every meal on sunday too!
Lucky for me I also got gifted the best ever note cards for my birthday this year...I really need to be writing some thank you cards
Finally, a friend picked out these birthday flowers for me based on her view of me...what do you think they say?