"Cheers, Queers!"

I headed over to the Gay Pride Parade with my friend, her daughter and her mom. It was interesting watching the festivities with an 11-year-old in tow. She was instructed by her mother to cover her eyes and/or ears as needed. Of course that would have meant missing 99 percent of the action. Some of my favorites? A guy wore a t-shirt that read "I love my undocumented boyfriend". And there was a straightforward sign on one float that read "Take off your pants". No frills, no games. Then there was the group of rowdy but fun guys next to us. One of them decided to make a toast. "Cheers, Queers!" he began then launched into a very colorful, very expletive-filled toast about Fing here, there and everywhere. The fun’s not always G-rated, but it is always memorable.

Eldest are smartest?

Everyone's buzzing about a new study showing eldest children are smartest. Apparently the higher IQ owes to "family dynamics" and not biology. Of course I love this study! But truth be told I'm quite sure I'm not the smartest of my sibs and very sure I'm not the most mature. Luckily for me I have my stunning good looks to get me by.

On the topic of sistas one of mine did me wrong yesterday, as we were on our way to Alhambra for dindin. (It's huge, but the bathrooms are disappointing. Sad b/c everyone knows that's the best way to gauge a place.) Not sure where we were, we asked two cops, who politely offered to drive us there. My sister put the kabbosh on that and then lectured me for being "reckless". Baby sisters… what are you going to do?!

Age, beauty & alcohol

At what age do women think they're most beautiful? 34. That's according to Cosmo, as reported to me by my LP pal LK. It got me thinking: How old were the voters? 34? Or maybe 64? And that’s not all: If the voters were 64, did they think they were beautiful when they were 34? My .02 is… no. How many times have you looked at a picture and thought you looked better then? Of course ‘then’ you had a million complaints about yourself. Why do we only appreciate now… later?

On the topic of age I was distraught at Binnys last week when they didn't card me. I calmed myself down and told myself that clearly it was a mistake. I went again this week and – horror of horrors – it happened again. I wanted to scream out, "What?! Why? Why me?!” But I chose instead to walk out without making a scene, figuring the sooner I got home the sooner I could start drinking.

On Father's Day

On Father's Day, like so many days, I think of my father and things he taught me, not with words but with actions. Things like humility, curiosity, empathy. Often too I think of his laugh. It was jovial, loud and best of all frequent. His eyes would crinkle, and his laugh would fill the room. The sound of it in my mind has grown fainter with time, but the feelings it evokes could never wane. Today, like so many days, I remember the laugh – and especially the dad – with affection, respect and love.

This year... jasmine yes, obstacles no

My jasmine plant makes my list of memorable birthday presents. Earlier this week on my birthday, my aunt and grandmother made a surprise visit bearing gifts – the aforementioned jasmine plant and a little Ganesh to "remove obstacles". Ganesh sits on my TV, and the plant has pride of place in the middle of my living room soaking up sun. (My aunt stressed it needs lots of light.) I didn’t realize I wanted my new jasmine plant, but now I wonder how I ever did without it. On the topic of gifts I got my favorite one ever on my 9th birthday. I remember how my dad stood in the driveway with it – this glorious, yellow 12-speed bike.

Hillary haters & kickass 60-somethings

This week’s issue of Newsweek has an article on Hillary Clinton. It talks about renewed “dirt-digging efforts” aimed at getting the DL on the first female prez candidate who actually has a shot. The article got me thinking about whether people do hate Hillary and, if so, how many people, why and who? Just Rush Limbaugh? (Maybe that’s what the painkillers were for?) I’ve read other articles too by pundits pontificating about whether independents will vote for Hill, whether women will. What do you think? I’d be interested to hear your comments, so post them! (NDK, at the very least I expect one from you.)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19140629/site/newsweek/

My yoga teacher, who seems like the simplest, nicest woman, says this at least once in every class: “I am not this thought, I am not that thought, I am not thought.” Powerful, no?

On this blog soon I hope you’ll see an interview with the youngest-looking, most active 60-year-old I've ever met. (Thx for the content suggestion, DN.) She’s in my tennis class, and I guessed she was 45... tops. She runs five miles, lifts weights and takes tennis lessons -- and that's just in one day. She says all the 60-somethings she knows are pretty kickass too. What’s that saying about the life in your years and not the years in your life?

I have a problem

I have "an unhealthy obsession with celebrities". (I think that's how Sarah Jessica Parker put it.) In fact I suspect it may be an undiagnosed medical condition (like ADD and restless leg syndrome a generation ago). I'm on tmz.com, perezhilton.com and gawker.com far more than cnn.com -- and often into the wee hours of the night. Compounding my condition is the fact that my passion for celeb nonsense transcends geographical boundaries. I'm not content to google American celebs; no, I feel compelled to also google Indian (what's Rahul Gandhi up to?) and international celebs (will Prince William and Holly Branson hook up?). It strikes me sometimes that I should focus on my own family, friends, career and love life (what's that?) not to mention significant world issues (poverty, AIDS, depression among the elderly, 'honor' killings, Darfur, New Orleans). But then I'm overtaken by the urge to read Anna Nicole's diary entries. Sad, I know. But in my own (weak) defense, watching serious news is downright depressing. Watch CNN for a whole week. I dare you. It's not easy without popping Prozac. So there you have it... my confession. Prognosis? Tips?

Somewhere over the rainbow

One of the best sights from my weekend I captured in this picture. I've taken pictures from my window in all seasons, various phases of the moon and random weather. Even of a rainbow but not one as lovely as this one. The picture doesn't do it justice. If you look above the rainbow and to the left, you can see a second rainbow.

This weekend was also about fun summer drinks -- had a peach sangria, mango margarita and a mango-guava martini; the last was conjured up by a friend usually far more passionate about margaritas.

So is everyone up on 2008 campaigning? Any idea who you'll vote for? Any chance you'll help with a campaign? I need to learn more...

Is my blog "trivial"?

This morning my sister said I'm writing about "trivial" things. I plan to change that with help from my new CD 'Gentle Healing: A beautiful blend of guitar and ocean waves'. I suspect the sound of ocean waves in my living room will make me a deeper person. If I'm right you can expect future postings to be musings on philosophy, anthropology, numismatology and maybe oncology.