Even though Indy didn’t tag me specifically, I felt like doing this tag, the moment I read it.

I’ve been wanting to talk to my younger self for sometime now and I am satisfying those desires by talking to my daughter. She nods her head, listens sometimes and other times, she puts a stop to my banter by gently hugging me and telling me “Mom, relax, dont take things so seriously, life’s to enjoy…Relax Mom”.

So, here’s a letter to myself.

Dear Sweet-16,

Hi, I am a little older than you !!!!  I’ve never changed in that aspect – never tell the real age and keep them guessing !! !!

I’ve been wanting to write to you, for years, to tell you that certain things which you despise at this age, are those things which you’ll fall in love with, when you are my age.

You’ll start liking veggies like pumpkin, brinjal, palak….  :|

And you’ll also realise that the sour ones like goose berries, raw tamarind, raw mango will start hurting your teeth and you may not be able to eat it with relish in later years. So, come on, eat how much you want to, dont worry about consequences, now.

And Ah !!!! Please take care of your toe nails properly, otherwise you’ll live to read the trauma tales by your own nail, later in ur blog pages.

All your food habits will go for a big toss, when you become pregnant. You’ve to pinch yourself to see whether its you – as I’ve done so many times.

You’ve always wanted a love marriage, right ??????   You wanted to go around with the man of your heart, in a speeding bike, with the hair flying and you holding on to him, so dearly, isn’t it ????

Let me a break a secret to you, at this time. You will not choose that wonderful man, but your Dad will. That’s the only difference.

The three months between engagement and marriage will be the golden time in your life, where you’ll live life to the fullest with all those speeding bike dreams will come true.  You’ll cherish each and every moment with that Man of yours !!!!

You’ve always felt that you are so stuck in Chennai, right ???? Never been out of the city, due to various reasons.  Here comes the man, with the ticket in hand always and asking you to get ready to go somewhere.  You’ll visit places of your dream, the snow filled Manali, the chilly Kulu, the hot and colourful Delhi (you’ll go to Delhi on the day of Holi), the puja famous Kolkatta, Ooty, Kodaikanal, Yercaud, Blore and many more.  You just have to ask for a holiday and he’ll be ready to give it you.

Why only holidays ????? He’ll drag you out of Chennai to live in other cities too, which you just love it.  Of all the places, your best stay will be in Hyderabad for 7 golden years.  Hyderabad will become so much a part of you, that you’ll start thinking that its your birth place.

Do you remember what you told patti ?????? “I want my husband to take equal share in doing household work also. If he cuts onion, I’ll do the sambar. If he peels the potato, I’ll fry them.”

I am so sorry to disappoint you, but you’ll do no such thing, in ur life.  The love you have for your husband, will make sure that you do the sambar from the tadka till the end, to see that satisfying smile on ur husband’s face.  Yeah, thats a major change, waiting to happen in your life.

Even though, you are so career oriented and will love your working period of six years, you’ll dump your wonderful career to take care of the lovely daughter, who is worth more than all the jobs in the world put together can offer you.  And, to break the suspense, it’s not only one daughter, but two lovely little girls, to remind you of the time, you had with your own sister.

Your dream of joining the Microsoft may not come true, but you’ll feel elated when your close cousin joins Microsoft at Seattle. You’ll feel as though your own dream has come true.

More than dreams, you’ll see a new YOU, as time proceeds.

The absolute careless attitude towards others will change and you’ll become more sensitive to others’ needs.

You’ll realise that there are greater things in life, than having a career.  And those great moments are brought to you by the beautiful two angels, who are responsible for the happiness quotient in your life.

You’ll learn to be more patient with the old ppl, which you think is impossible for you, now.

Your mother-in-law will be your great friend and both of you will share a great rapport – which you currently think is not possible.

All the chores and lessons which your mom made you learn against strong opposition from you, is helping me in reaps, now. So, you’ll  sincerely try to pass on the wisdom to your girls.

You’ll go on to become a great cook, a super baker and much greater blogger. You have all these qualities in you, which only time will make you realise.

Hardwork has no substitute – your realisation of this and your constant endeavour to pass it on to your girls, will be favourite pass time.

So, be prepared to welcome the new YOU – the changes will be so gradual that you’ll not even realise that you’ve changed.  Only when you read Indy’s tag and start writing a letter like this, will you understand the extent of changes in YOU.

And do take care of your health, as you might face some health issues, too. Be strong. Enjoy life.

Be a HAPPY YOU !!!!

With lots of love,

Your soul mate from the future.

Photographed by citron_smurf

Behind Joe Patti’s in Pensacola, FL

– License

Hey Diving Fans:
Diving at Mercer Island Country Club times have changed to 6:30-8:00pm on Tuesday and Thursday (Advanced) and Sundays, 5:45-7:00 (Beginning) and 6:45-8:15 (Intermediate and Advanced).
Hope this helps. We are looking to add another high school class on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00-9:00pm if anyone is interested. Email me at: pattisoutherland@hotmail.com

The Trap Door was a fantastic piece televisual genius that we are lucky enough to own a toy from: Rog.

Rog is glorious and we have built up a sort of cult around him and his mythological comrades who dwell in a land known to us as Momponia.

All rogs hatch from eggs and have a high place to sleep (tree or mountain). Rog (or Big Rog, as is his correct title) has a Tootchie Rog, a Baby Rog and an Uber Rog. His mischievous friend is Schneur, a ball of multicoloured fluff who gets into more trouble than one might imagine. Schneur has babies of an indeterminate number, he often forgets about them for long periods of time: they are known to include Shneeze, Shnooze, Shmile and Shnore. Discarded schneur fluff is an excellent commodity in Momponia, used for bedding, cuddles and mysterious disguises.

Schneur was born from the multicoloured fluff of the Uber Rog’s belly button. The Uber Rog has many schneurs who frolic around him, but Schneur is the only adventurous one who journeyed to Momponia with Big Rog (the Uber Rog’s baby).

The Rols are underwater rogs who live in bubbles, so as not to become soggy and end up in the clasp of The Munchers (water-dwelling beasts who eat everything they see). The Rol hierarchy mirrors that of the rogs.

Today, Momponia houses many creatures joyfully, including my friend Patti.

This site is starting to look pretty freaking good!

È in arrivo una nuova opportunità per lo sviluppo e la diffusione degli impianti di produzione energetica alternativa da fonte solare. Nei giorni scorsi il Consorzio intercomunale Tindari- Nebrodi ha diffuso un bando pubblico con cui si dà il via al progetto di installazione di 300 impianti fotovoltaici da 3kwp all’interno del territorio di competenza dell’ente consortile. Destinatari di questa iniziativa sono tutti i residenti dei comuni di Patti, Librizzi, Montagnareale, S. Piero Patti, Montalbano Elicona, Basicò, Oliveri, Falcone, Mazzarrà Sant’Andrea, Gioiosa Marea, S. Angelo di Brolo, Raccuja, Ucria, Sinagra e Floresta. Ai proprietari di abitazioni e terreni viene offerta la possibilità di ottenere l’installazione di un impianto fotovoltaico della potenza teorica massima di 3kw munito di tutti i dispositivi utili alla produzione di energia elettrica. L’installazione dell’impianto curata da una società di servizi energetici ha un costo abbastanza significativo, si parla di circa 22mila euro, che però potrà essere ammortizzato grazie agli incentivi statali del “conto energia”. Questa procedura consiste, infatti, nell’assegnazione di somme da parte dello Stato come incentivo all’effettiva produzione di energia in un impianto collegato alla rete di distribuzione. Il contributo viene versato in modo continuativo nell’arco temporale di venti anni e garantisce al proprietario dell’impianto un risparmio grazie anche al meccanismo dello “scambio sul posto”. Quest’ultimo prevede la compensazione economica tra l’energia prodotta dal proprio impianto e immessa nelle rete e l’energia prelevata dalla rete per il fabbisogno domestico in un periodo in cui non è possibile o sufficiente la produzione autonoma. Il servizio viene erogato e regolato dal Gestore dei Servizi Elettrici, una società controllata dallo Stato. In questo modo il possessore dell’impianto dovrebbe assicurarsi un notevole risparmio nel costo per l’approvvigionamento energetico della propria abitazione. Il progetto promosso dal Consorzio Tindari-Nebrodi insieme all’Ente nazionale per le energie rinnovabili (ENER) prevede l’installazione di 300 impianti. Per essere ammessi alla graduatoria dei richiedenti bisogna redigere la domanda formale completa di documentazione specifica e inviarla alla sede dell’ente consortile entro il 10 gennaio 2010.

Salvatore Pantano

Saturday night usually finds Wood and I at Border’s, wandering the aisles in pursuit of the perfect read — or two.

This Saturday was Halloween.  The parking lot was full of parents dragging their costume-clad kids between parked cars to trick-or-treat at the stores in the strip mall. How different things are from when I was a kid.  Or even since my oldest kid was trick-or-treating.  I raced from house to house with my friends.  Ringing doorbells at breakneck speed, taking candy and shouting a thank you over my shoulder as we made our way to the next house.  Usually in the wind/rain/sleet.  Today, we don’t know our neighbors.  So we resort to the safety of the mall.  After all, Border’s wouldn’t give out tainted candy. But did we forget that Border’s doesn’t even know us by name?

How come we don’t know our neighbors anymore?  In the name of busy, we have isolated ourselves from the people that share the same trash service, the same mailman, the same paper boy.

I do know my neighbors.  Ann and Chace, Alice and Price, Sara and Tom, Nancy and Allan.  All people I could call on for the proverbial cup of sugar.  And in the event of something catastrophic, Sara would be up here with homemade soup.  And Nancy would come with bagels as she did the day our big old hackberry fell over in a windstorm and smushed our antique Volvo station wagon in the driveway.  And she just knew — knew that the car wasn’t the saddest part, that the loss of that “Halloween” tree, with its gnarled branches, that once held a family of raccoons and one summer housed an enormous hive of bees was.  Yup.  She knew.

Wood has unearthed a bunch 0f old photos from the basement of our house. These are pictures that he has taken beginning in high school. He did a trememdous amount of photography in college, turning his apartment kitchen into a full-time darkroom. He opted to just avail himself of the numerous restaurants in the Fort Worth area to meet most of his nutritional needs!!!

He is “reworking” these photos. One is a black and white photo of me, face only, shot from straight ahead (as opposed to a profile sort of picture). It was taken in Galveston, Texas, when we were in high school. I am wearing a ball cap, a white t-shirt and an oversized denim workshirt, presumably to protect myself from a full afternoon of baking, in the days of dermatologist-wincing baby oil tans.

Wow. I have seen countless old pictures of myself over the years. Some of those experiences have been humbling. Giving birth to five babies has certainly taken its toll, as has gravity. Oddly, this picture, maybe because it’s just of my face, didn’t elicit that “Oh, Lord. Has time done some damage.”

Instead, I am intrigued by that face. It’s still the same face. And maybe because it’s black and white, it shows the crinkles and wrinkles in a humane way. Yet…..there is a decided lack of wisdom on this face in the photo. That face lacks the wear of someone who hasn’t yet reached for many stars, or felt the miracle of holding new straight-from-the-womb life. Or receiving new life from an adoptive mom who is trusting me with her newest and maybe best, possession. These are eyes that haven’t cried many tears or seen much of real life. Who hasn’t walked a mile in any shoes but her own. Who hasn’t learned, or had much experience with the shades-of-gray parts of life. Yup, life is pretty much black or white in your late teens. This is the face of a young woman who hasn’t lived even 20% of her life, if the projected 78 year lifespan holds for her. And now….well now I have likely lived two-thirds of my life. And my face wears proudly the badges of a life well-lived. Eye and mouth crinkles that document that I have laughed much, and a few forehead crinkles to confirm that I have had some frowning moments.

Time, in her generosity, really, has just given me an honest face.

Take a look by clicking: HERE.

It takes a lot to ruffle my feathers. But once they’re ruffled, I am never complacent.

Yesterday I got a bill from our Homes Association. In addition to the regular itemized dues and trash pickup, there was a $35.43 charge for “leaf removal”. Huh? No way to opt out. Complacency out the window.

I made a call to the “Treasurer” whose name was on the top of the bill. I explained that I wasn’t interested in leaf removal for several reasons: We have almost an acre of land, and if we were to rake all those leaves to the curb, we should have started a month ago. Besides, I explained, we mowed/mulched in one easy step. That decaying leaves are good for the lawn. And furthermore, I like fall. I like the colors of the leaves, I like scuffing through them as I walk to the end of the driveway to get the paper. I have fond memories of my kids in the front yard, bundled up in the chill of the autumn air scooping them up in their jacketed arms and throwing them up in the air and falling around them. And most importantly, in this economy, I thought it was fiscally irresponsible charging 137 families $35.43 apiece. (I work at a Free Clinic where $35.43 would buy a handful of meals) Undaunted, I went on to say that I considered a pristine leafless yard a luxury. Fluff. I told her that I thought that perhaps an online survey was in order, to poll the folks who were funding this insanity and get their thoughts.

Jeanne explained it to me this way. The Association thought it would be nice to have all the lawns clean. “After all,” she explained, “It just makes the whole neighborhood look nice.” (I wonder what the Homes Association thinks when our teenagers’ friends tp the front yard???) She chastised me for not attending the Homes Association Meeting where I could have voiced my concerns. (That particular meeting fell on a night where Wood was out of town and I was at a volleyball game with Meghan) I did ask how many families attended the meeting and she told me that it was about 25. My math says that that was 18% representation. (Don’t they have to have a quorum to spend 72% of peoples’ money????)

It was clear that Jeanne was not hearing me. Oh, she got quiet in all the right places. As our conversation wound up, she told me that she was brand new at the Treasurer’s job, and that she “was already sorry that she’d taken it on”. I am sure that I am one of the reasons! She suggested that I write to the President of the Homes Association, as well. I did that, and will let you know what happens.

Here’s a wonderful story of redemption.

Kathleen is living in Chicago, interning at her second theatre gig, The Eclipse. She recently found a job at The North Face Store. Her Outward Bound experiences and her love for the outdoors landed her the job (and maybe the look of desperation on her face helped!!!). On Thursday, a “regular” came in. This is a homeless woman who the store sees on a regular basis. She has some mental deficiencies. No comprehension of basic addition or concept of money. She comes in and tries on clothes. She doesn’t try on shoes/boots, though. Her feet are bloody from blisters and wet from the elements. While she was going through her try-on routine, another customer asked Anthony, one of the North Face employees about the woman. The customer listened and said he wanted to buy her a pair of shoes. Anthony said, “You know that these shoes are $150+ right?” He knew. So Kathleen and Anthony worked for the next half hour finding this homeless woman the perfect pair of shoes. North Face threw in a 25% discount and several pairs of nice warm socks. And the customer spent more on this stranger than he did on himself.

The woman left the store, stopping people as she walked toward the door to her life on the street, showing everyone her new shoes.

This story needs no conclusion or editorializing. No, this one stands on its own.

Source

“

• One chariot, one elephant, five foot-soldiers, and three horses form one Patti;
• three pattis make one Sena-mukha;
• three sena-mukhas are called a Gulma;
• three gulmas, a Gana;
• three ganas, a Vahini;
• three vahinis together are called a Pritana;
• three pritanas form a Chamu;
• three chamus, one Anikini;
• and an anikini taken ten times forms, as it is styled by those who know, an Akshauhini.
• O ye best of Brahmanas, arithmeticians have calculated that the number of chariots in an Akshauhini is twenty-one thousand eight hundred and seventy. The measure of elephants must be fixed at the same number.
• O ye pure, you must know that the number of foot-soldiers is one hundred and nine thousand, three hundred and fifty, the number of horse is sixty-five thousand, six hundred and ten.
• These, O Brahmanas, as fully explained by me, are the numbers of an Akshauhini as said by those acquainted with the principles of numbers.
• O best of Brahmanas, according to this calculation were composed the eighteen Akshauhinis of the Kaurava and the Pandava army.
• Time, whose acts are wonderful assembled them on that spot and having made the Kauravas the cause, destroyed them all. Bhishma acquainted with choice of weapons, fought for ten days. Drona protected the Kaurava Vahinis for five days. Karna the desolator of hostile armies fought for two days; and Salya for half a day. After that lasted for half a day the encounter with clubs between Duryodhana and Bhima. At the close of that day, Aswatthaman and Kripa destroyed the army of Yudishthira in the night while sleeping without suspicion of danger.”

Authorship and Copyright Notice : All Rights Reserved : Satya Sarada Kandula

The Blagojevichs need to earn a living (don’t you feel bad for them?), and as we all know, the best way to do that is by appearing on an assortment of reality television shows.

Sorry Chicago: Blago isn’t going away. 

I’m sure you’re well aware Patti Blagojevich appeared on “I’m a Celebrity: Get Me Out of Here!” a few months ago alongside Heidi and Spencer Pratt. 

Who could forget?  Orignially, Rod himself was meant for the part–Patti only took the role after he was barred from leaving the country because of his pending corruption charges.

I will say this: Patti was likeable on the show, and perhaps, it did Rod some good to step into the shadows.

…But he won’t be there for long.

Rod Blagojevich is rumored to be a part of the new Celebrity Apprentice with Host, Donald Trump.  Last season celebrities included Dennis Rodman, Tom Green, and winner Joan Rivers.  The Chicago Tribune posted an article about the details here.

The contestants for the NBC show won’t be announced for a few more months, so nothing is for sure… yet.  Well, except for one thing: Donald Trump has to be a little intimidated to share the screen with another famous head of hair.