Babies

It's raining babies in my world right now. One of my daughter's best friends had a baby girl this week. Cutie. My sis is due any day now. Gender is still under wraps. How fun. And then there's KK, who's threatening to name her child some unpronounceable Greek name.

S has suggested that we throw a baby shower in Vegas, complete with strippers in pink and blue diapers. K has suggested a cocktail party to name the little tyke.

Both sound like worthy endeavors. Of course, we'll have to schedule the Vegas bash earlier than normal because most airlines won't risk KK going into labor en route. With this group, tradition just doesn't seem to fit. So a shower in Vegas definitely has merit. So how about KK? Vegas?

I wonder if they'll strip to a certain Hall and Oates song...?

Weekend "Round-up"

The weekend seems so long ago now,(I'll explain that in a little while) but it was fun.

Saturday -- Blogger Round-up. So, the hotel was not exactly up to par, but the sessions were great and it was FUN meeting people whose blogs I read and who read mine.

Redneck Diva and her sis, Tater, are beautiful, nice, funny women. It was great to see them interact -- you can tell they genuninely like one another.

Melessa from I digress -- another beautiful, talented, wonderfully witty person was there as was Babs from Conversation Station.

And, truthfully, there were some "interesting" other people who are not necessarily someone that I would befriend, but it was still interesting to see the common thread that all this diverse group of people have in common.

Sunday -- Bonnie Raitt! Amazing. Terrific. Fun. The evening at the Bonnie Raitt concert with opening act, Keb Mo was perfect.

Today -- Rough day. We came home yesterday to find my daughter's little dog Titus, a golden pom, was sick. We called the vet, who suggested some things and said bring him in today. He was already scheduled to go in for another booster this week.

Unfortunately, it was too late. The little guy had parvo. He died today. The virus moves fast, and the vet assured us that even if he had already had he booster he still could have gotten sick because nothing is foolproof, especially for puppies.

So I tried to make my daughter feel better. She blames herself for being a couple of weeks late on the booster. The vet was kind and said Titus likely was infected before then, and he still would have gotten sick.

Our cat, Marley, who had a contentious relationship with Titus, has been crying most of the afternoon. Rough day.

Ode to my friends

I'll admit that I don't always get around to reading everyone's blog,(on my list) but I try to at least once a week. I was just exploring a friend's site and I realized that I know such wonderfully talented and unique people, so I've decided to introduce everyone else who might read this to my friends.

First one up -- Christian We had our ups and downs as friends, and we're not exactly close, but we're connected through other friends and shared experiences.

Even through the not so great times, I've always respected the talent that Christian had as an artist, as a journalist and now as a musician. His characters are still my "favorite comic strip of all time."

So take some time and explore his blog. Listen to his music, check out his art. Not only because of his talent, but because of his dedication, his passion and his humor, he's a very cool person.

Getting no sleep has its merits

Last night I didn't sleep much. But I managed to accomplish much of what was on my "to do" list for work. And, I wrote another chapter in my book -- the one closest to completion.

And, today I go to Blogger Round-up. I'll probably fall asleep during the workshop I really want to attend.

My favorite part is going to be seeing people's faces when they get to the hotel. It's dubbed as "Bricktown Central" Bricktown is the premier, trendy etc. entertainment district here. This hotel is ...shall we say...not. Should be interesting.

Tell ya'll about the gathering tomorrow.

Speed Blog

Now that we've already ascertained that I have no time for anything fun since I'm working my way down the "to do" or "I will" list, I'll speed blog on topics on my mind:

1. Dang. Get over it Sooner fans. It was a blown call. We, Missouri fans, have had to live with the fifth down for a long time now. Replay might have made a difference, maybe not. But Oklahoma has a lot more pressing issues like ranking 46th in the country in healthcare, and just as low in some aspects of our public education. There are more important things in life than a football game. Really.

2. That said, I'm more than just a little bugged about the "Friday Night Lights" preview. Looks like t.v. is taking an edgy novel that dealt with the nuances of a city divided by economic and racial factors as well as football loyalties and turning it into another "teen" show. I lived in the Odessa the book describes. For better or worse, it was real. Read the book, skip the t.v. show.

3. Ernest Istook's new campaign jingle is nothing more than a racist's attempt at humor. Gov. Henry's going to kill him in the upcoming election and the former journalist turned politician (James Istook for those of you who remember) is going to be out of Washington and out of politics. Good riddance.

4. Tomorrow is the Okie Blogger Round-up. I plan to be there to learn all about how to make my blog prettier etc. And find Diva and Tater and all the other regulars for Margaritas at Pearl's. Ah, yes. Nerds unite :)

Art, novels, sewing, conferences, scripts, work and police work

What do all those things have in common? I'm in need of finishing SOMETHING. Right now I feel like I'm floundering, so I've started functioning with "to-do" lists. Must finish painting/project for wall art in my office. Must finish quilts, projects started for new grandchild arriving in November. Must finish at least one of the books I have started before the end of the year -- I know they are all best sellers. Must get organized for this upcoming NAHJ regional conference in March. Must finish projects at work. Must finish songs, skits to submit before Oct. 8 meeting of the Gridiron Club for the 2007 script, and must finish sending out news releases, sending photos out, talking to witnesses at store about robbery suspect -- the police aren't trying.

Whew. I'm tired. Think I'll go take a nap before I finish anything... Hey, at least I blogged today.

Sept. 11

All week, I've gone back and forth about whether to write about 9/11. For some reason, this year was particularly hard. The horror is still so real.

Living in Oklahoma City has taught me that the horror of a terrorist act, domestic or foreign, never goes away. Oklahomans have not forgotten. New Yorkers won't forget. But as my friend Gina points out in her post, the heartbeat of life goes on. We all go on.

Sometimes, though it's good to remember. Cry.

I was starting my commute from Jefferson City, Missouri to Columbia a little later that day. When I pulled out on the highway, I turned the radio station to KMOX out of St. Louis. My colleague, Nan Wyatt, was going to do a live interview with Gov. Bob Holden, who had been having a heck of a time since he'd taken office.

At first, I thought that I had the wrong station on. Nan wasn't on. It was a reporter from CBS in New York, she was talking about a plane hitting the World Trade Center. I shook my head, "Dumb student pilots."

It took me a minute to realize that the reporter was screaming. Screaming. She said something about another plane hitting the second tower. I kept driving, feeling detached somehow. Was I dreaming? This was a bad dream.

The station cut away, and then another report came in about a plane hitting the Pentagon. My husband was by then, a retired Air Force man. My brother was still in the Navy. My brother-in-law in the army -- stationed at the Pentagon. I found the nearest opportunity and turned around and went back home. I knew I had to reach my mother-in-law in Kansas before she heard the news.

I was shaken. New York was bad enough. But to someone from a military family, the Pentagon represented safety and our country's defense. It was incomprehensible.

By the time I got home, our message machine was full. Family members, friends. I called my husband at work. I called my mother-in-law. She was confused. "He's ok. His new office isn't finished yet, so he's still working at Grand Central Station."

I let her think that. I didn't tell her that my brother's in laws office was one of the few where renovations had been completed, and he was likely working at the Pentagon again.It would be hours before we learned that he had been called away only minutes before to go to Andrews Air Force Base. So thankfully, he had already left the building.

I couldn't take my eyes off the television. "This can't be happening." Then thinking of all our friends in New York and panicking. The next few days are a blur. We finally learned that all friends and family were ok. We, like most Americans watched until we couldn't watch anymore. We cried. We gave blood. We did what we could. We still feel it wasn't enough.

The events of that day still haunt all of us. Things would never be the same again. I would never see Nan again after that week. She went back to St. Louis without her interview. A few months later, she also had died at the hands of her husband. Another shock -- too much to comprehend.

But we're resilient. We'll wipe away the tears and go on, hopefully stronger. And, maybe most of us are a little kinder, a little more grateful for each day.

The last best Governor Texas ever had

I was covering the presidential campaign in early 2004 before the Oklahoma primary. The crowd of Democratic presidential hopefuls were running into the state at every chance. On one particular day, I had to drive to Tulsa to cover yet another round of speeches.

Ann Richards was among the speakers, stumping for one of the candidates. We were in the curtained off area behind the stage. She comes over and I conduct my interview, then I did something that was totally out of character for me. I asked my photographer to take a photo of me with Governor Richards. Of all the politicians and other "famous" people I've ever interviewed, I'd never done that. I'd never stepped out of my professional persona to ask for a photo. But I did this time, and I'm glad. The photo of myself with Ann Richards is one I'm proud of. (I'll get it scanned and post.) She's always been my hero.

I think we're going to wait a long time before Texas has as colorful and as geniunely dedicated a governor as Ann Richards, unless Friedman actually gets elected.

She's probably up in heaven, riding her Harley and putting the good ol' boys in their place. She's been missed in Texas for some time. This just leaves a bigger hole.

I'll be flying my Texas flag in front of my Oklahoma house in her honor today.

The world has gone mad

1. Jerry Springer on a (sur)reality television show? Well...at least it's more "real" than his other show.

2. Monday Night Football on ESPN. That just plain blows. What happens if I don't want to subscribe to ESPN? Or what about the millions of fans who can't afford cable? I'll watch it, but I'll gripe the whole time. It just isn't right.

3. ER versus Grey's Anatomy -- those Network execs suck. You know one of these shows with a great cast and great writers is going to flounder. Thank Goodness for TiVO.

4. I was shopping the other day and spied a "cute" shirt that I thought would work well at the gym. As I reached for it, I realized it had a Sooners logo. I pulled my hand back as if it were a rattlesnake ready to strike. Omigod. I'm not a Sooner fan. I'm not a Sooner fan. It's time to move.

Random thoughts at 2 a.m.

Sleep has managed to elude me again this night. It's too noisy to sleep -- not in my house. The house is quiet. Even the dog and cat tired after a full day of chasing one another are asleep.

My thoughts are making the noise that's keeping me awake.

It's been a week since I last blogged. In the interim I've dealt with catching up on the job and meetings. Meetings with police, meetings with the YMCA officials and bank fraud investigators and finally a police detective assigned to the case. The thiefs managed to take more than $46,000 from the five of us they robbed that evening. The police released video taken from a store that was much better than the one I posted earlier to the media today. Only one station ran the photo. They blurred out the wrong face in the photo. So much for anyone recognizing the woman.

This week though, I've found that it's been such stress and I keep telling myself how lucky I am really and this is just a financial setback. We both are professinals and have good jobs, our money will be back in the accounts soon. It's not something serious that I can't handle. At first I was angry. Now, I find myself going out of my way to be nice to people, because well...maybe they are going through a rough week too. I NEVER give beggers money. Yesterday, I gave one who asked for 80-cents a whole $4 -- all the cash I had on me at the time. He took the money, and looked at it for a minute and then looked back at me. "Thanks, sister," he put it in his pocket and put his hand over the pocket. "It's all I had," I said, and walked away.
I was thinking about that man tonight. He was older, probably closer to 70 than 60. His clothes were old and torn. He walked with a slight limp and his scuffed shoes looked as if they were held together only by the shoelaces tied in a tight knot. One eye was clouded over with what was probably cataracts. He had an old car -- brown -- and as scuffed as his shoes parked at a meter. He would take change people gave him and feed the meter periodically. Maybe I should have given him change?
I don't know how or why that man came to be where he is, but I hope that he finds some comfort in his life. I hope that he has a warm bed somewhere.

Meme - a diversion

From the Diva. I need a diversion. As you can see from the time, it's still hard to sleep after the week's events.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT WHERE YOU LIVE?

Well, last week I would have said I feel safe. I'm sure that I will again. Oklahoma City has picked itself up after the bombing and moved toward the future full steam. Everywhere, you see signs of progress and growth. I like that Oklahoma has a Democratic governor who CARES about Oklahoma and is positive, even if it is a little Pollyanna-ish.(It still pains me greatly that my home state of Texas has succombed to the evilness that is Rick Perry. Vote Kinky.)

Low cost of living, traffic I can live with, friendly folks.

IS THERE ANYTHING STRANGE ABOUT WHERE YOU LIVE?

Sooner fans. This state can survive the dust bowl and its "Okie" depiction in the "Grapes of Wrath" (that damn book hurt this state.) This state can survive tornadoes. A bombing. Yet, the demise of the OU Sooners star quarterback in a scandal a few weeks before the start of football season has people wringing their hands in confusion and agony. Then there's the Sooner "look" on game day, and the Friday before game day.

We have a guy name "E.Z. Million" running for Lt. Gov. I've actually talked to him, he makes sense and I just might vote for him, depending on how ugly the Hiett/Askins match up gets.

WHAT'S ONE OF YOUR ALL-TIME FAVORITE MUSIC ALBUMS AND WHY?

Funny, you should use the word "album." Because this is actually on vinyl in my collection -- Melissa Manchester's Best Of... -- love it, know all the lyrics, still sing them in the shower. Second favorite: The Forest Gump Soundtrack. It's the music of my life. Current favorite: Susan Tedeschi's "Hope and Desire." Watermelon Slim's "Up Close and Personal" -- you can close your eyes and get lost in the sound.

DID YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR SOMETHING AS A KID THAT YOU STILL HAVE NOW?

Reading. Learning. I grew up in a family with lots of kids, so I used to put pillows in the back of the walk-in closet that my sisters and I shared and I would read. I can still read one book a day, if it's short and good. I also used to love to read the World Book Encyclopedias that my parents had been talked into buying by some door-to-door salesman.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT HAVING A BLOG?

I suppose it's the annonymity of it to a point. Though some of my friends read my blog, others don't know my real name. It's also cheaper than therapy. Maybe not as effective, but cheaper.

So I have a question for all of you bloggers: We're having a Blogger Round-Up in OKC. Would you attend one, and lose that annonymity? Share experiences, please.