Georgie O'Keefe Newark Museum Showing

Abstraction IX, 1916. This is one of my favorite O'Keefe pieces. The other favorite is everyone's fav and instantly recognizable, White Trumpet Flower (1932).  The Newark Museum is showing a collection that includes O'Keefe and Alfred Stieglitz. This is definately on my 'must see' list. My guess is we won't see anything like this again in this area for a long while. This treasure of a museum still amazes me. http://www.newarkmuseum.org/intheamericangrain/itag.html

Going to the Theater in a Changing World

     I hope that I am going to enjoy Steel Magnolias. I loved the movie--I think that's where I first saw Julia Roberts. Olympia Dukakis was in the movie also. I was going through my "I still can't believe that Olympia closed The Whole Theater" phase. I believe that she spoiled every local theater-goer around with her "Hi, it's Olympia" telephone calls urging you to come out and see the show. In this play Delta Burke has the starring role as Truvy the owner of the beauty where the action takes place. Frances Sternhagen and Marsha Mason also star.

Things have changed so much since 9-11. I received security instructions along with my theater ticket. No packages, luggage, backpacks, etc...Such packages are subject to search...a nominal charge for each checked package. Well if nothing else works having to pay to have a stranger go through you personal belongings will certainly make theater goers stop and think. I can remember that I used to do a little shopping before Wednesday matinees. It's a new day.     

Consulting and Online Presence

     I never would thought of myself as a consultant, but here I am. It seems that what I think of as tracking and sharing information puts me in the consultant arena. The two projects that I am working on are interesting and mind-opening. I am almost back to working 9 to 5 but at least my office can be anywhere I want it to be. These days at the library are just lovely. It's ironic to know that I once turned down a job doing exactly what I am doing now.  I must say that I am enjoying it. Between this and secret shopping (cool), I realize that you can make money and have fun at the same time.   Who says an online presence does not work? Received a large for-fee request and thought it was SPAM or a slap and tickle sleaze e-mail, turns out the person is real and the offer was legit. Had to say no though; the subject matter was not my cup of tea. Mass layoffs and nudity.  Can't imagine why I was asked. I suspect my requestor did not realize that I would search the Internet and check out the story for myself, rather than be swayed by the money.  Singer M.C. Hammer used to have a song titled "Can't touch that"   Speaking of mass layoffs, I saw on TV the Bank of America Corp. is acquiring MBNA Corp. and that 6,000 jobs will be cut. Wow!

Pottery Class Who Me??

     I have had my second wheel-throwing pottery class. I am sure to have a lot of odd jars and dishes to bring home.  I keep forgetting to cut my nails. It has never mattered that they grow like weeds, but this last time they kept digging into my almost perfectly good pots. The instructor is a throw-back to the 70's. He is artsy, talented and a WBGO fan. This immediately makes me like him. He says he likes working with older people because he can play his jazz station, and that younger folks want to know "what in the world are you listening to?"  I am enjoying the class and the people I have met there. This is money well spent.

Saying Goodbye to a Friend

     It's been a while since I last visited the journal. A couple of weeks ago I said goodbye to a friend. We started sort of rocky, through no fault of ours, but we ended up very good friends. She was one of those people who always had a positive word for you, even when she was down in the dumps. I had been thinking about her a lot lately, but did not call. I wanted to let her know how much her "Oh, so you are back to being Van" observation meant to me. It put so much in the right perspective. I do regret that I did not pick the telephone to make that call.  When leaving the house to attend her funeral, I returned to my house to change shirts--I wore red just for her. She loved red and would have gotten a kick out of that.

It's A Sistah Thing

     Just received an e-mail. Happy to see that my request for distribution of  the It's  A  Sistah Thing  http://journals.aol.com/vryanes/vw/entries/332  page has been forwarded to PWC members and others.  I am crossing my fingers for a good response.

Writing Site is Down

     I can't believe the Bella site is still down.  I have so much to do this morning. It is already after 10 a.m., I can't do my stats or work on my site calendars. whine!! I recently received Nice Girls Don't Get Rich-75 Avoidable Mistakes Women Make with Money by Lois P. Frankel, PhD, for review. I will start to read this today for a June publish date.

I like Lois Frankel. When I reviewed Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office I was surprised how many times I said 'Oh my gosh, I do that." You don't have to be bucking for a corner office to get some good advice. http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art17317.asp  I can't wait to see what she has to say in Nice Girls Don't Get Rich.   

Received Stephen Wiley's book of poetry for review also. Anxious to read this for so many reasons--his Shucked Corn, just blew me away. I will try Bella one more time and back away from my laptop.

Oooops!

     I finally 'talked' to my ex co-workers. This has been so hard for me to do, but I feel better now that I have. I still have more reaching out to do. Now that I have started, I will continue. I just realized that I may have left my journal link on every e-mail I sent. I usually don't do that. Oh well.

I do miss everyone, but am happy that I made the move to retire. I think that employees sometimes stay too long. They lose their usefulness and effectiveness.  I remember reading The Peter Principle for a course I took (who remembers which course). Although I was not a higher level person, and I don't believe that my usefulness and effectiveness were ever in question, my role had changed so much it was no longer a comfortable fit for me.  

The Tony Awards

     I was pleased to see that Mike Nichols won a Tony as Best Director for Monty Python's Spamalot. I like Nichols. As much a I like Nichols I just can't imagine going to see Spamalot. I remember the brilliant comedy of Mike and Elaine May.  Funny, I always forget that he is married to one of my favorite news people Diane Sawyer of ABC News. Sawyer never brings her glamour life or rich and famous lifestyle to the news desk. She is so friendly and likable, sort of like an approachable Barbara Walters.

I saw that actress Phylicia Rashad was nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actrees in a Play for her performance in Gem Of the Ocean. Cherry Jones in Doubt was the Tony winner.

I can't recall if Steel Magnolia's  was a winner but it will be good get into the City again for  a show and dinner next month. A lovely cast--very excited.

Field Day

     Yesterday I saw youngsters playing on school grounds. They all wore blue shirts--it turns out that this was their annual 'field day'. I was surprised because it looked so ordinary. When I was in grade school field day was festive and special; hot dogs, soft drinks, relay races and ring toss. While waiting I noticed that pizzas were delivered, opened and shared. I heard laughter and saw happy faces. Maybe this field day is not so different from mine so many years ago.