For 7 years, I have watched as my baby brother Daniel fought for life. Last night he died, held by his parents and surrounded by nearly fifty people who love him dearly. I was there with these wonderful people, astonished and grateful for the amazing love and support they gave unstintingly. My brother touched all of them in his very special way ( Read more... )

I've been combating sickness this weekend (AGAIN!! I can't believe it) and today was nice for cooking. I made chocolate chip cookies, dark chocolate fudge, and roast chicken. Yesterday I made matzo ball soup; it was delicious and possibly the best version of that soup I've ever made. I boiled the carcasses of two chickens to get a really thick ( Read more... )

"For any country to enact a blasphemy law is to invite the depredations of the medieval world to reach its benighted claw out and score the modern body politic. If we have learned anything about religion in the thousands of years of its operation, it is that religion does its best work away from the governmental wheel. Secular courts are not the ( Read more... )

( Pics and story of the Great Annual Kazoo Carol Extravaganza 2009 )

Yes, it's been forever. BUT I'M STILL HERE. More later; I will devote time to putting up pics from the Annual Kazoo Carol Extravaganza 2009 tonight. I promise.

Miss you guys.

So, at the beginning of the summer, I weighed 226. I am now 205. I have reached my goal of losing 21 pounds, and I feel awesome. I am setting another goal: 21 pounds again, 3 months again. I am shooting for 184 by the end of November ( Read more... )

So, I went to an awesome vocal technique class this past week as the choir season is about to begin. Good times with breathing and standing exercises, and GREAT explanations on where to place vowel sounds in our mouths when we sing. Afterward I stopped in at the church itself for a quick prayer at the tabernacle. Now, anyone who knows Catholic ( Read more... )

MY LIFE ACCORDING TO SIMON AND GARFUNKELUsing only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think ( Read more... )

MY LIFE ACCORDING TO STABBING WESTWARDUsing only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think ( Read more... )

I will not say that I "have a case of the Mondays." I will not say it. I will merely say that I have set my brain to a Soundgarden soundtrack, with a little Stabbing Westward for company, and when I get home tonight I am digging out all my CD's with growly, grainy voices from my teen years and I am going to listen to them all. I need my Walkman ( Read more... )