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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in
ode_to_joy's InsaneJournal:
| Thursday, August 20th, 2009 | |
| 5:16 pm | Dearest Rahalia I hope your birthday is as lovely as this flower. Here's an Old English Rose for a Young English Flower. Happy Birthday.  |
| Friday, July 24th, 2009 | |
| 5:52 pm | Happy Birthday, dear Sue Delivery especially for ![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} sue_chose_this. I hope you have a day as wonderful and special as you are. |
| Saturday, May 16th, 2009 | |
| 3:25 am | Ewan's US promo appearances for Angels & Demons I'm letting you know right now that I won't get around to doing any editing or copying until the middle of June, but if you'd like this week's national television appearances of The McGregor on Good Morning America, Ellen DeGeneres, Jay Leno, Regis/Kelly and Craig Ferguson, I'll be glad to copy it for you. Usual terms apply: you reimburse me for minor dvd cost and shipping and handling. Or, for those of you I have made dvds before, you could always send that dvd back to me and I will add to it. Whichever works best for you. |
| 3:24 am | Summer is in the air I was driving home from work tonight and had the car windows rolled down. I was on the interstate, doing about 65 mph, and above the odious feed of fuel emissions I could smell honeysuckle. Honeysuckle. One of the greatest pleasures known to children - whether it be for the fragrance or the taste. The fragrance brought me right back to elementary school age and the days of recess and my pencil-drawn calendars on the school desk, marking the days until summer vacation. Sweet smell and lovely memories. Just watch out for the bees. |
| Monday, May 4th, 2009 | |
| 5:20 am | How Many Journals Can One Person Have? Absolute Silliness I don't even post in this, my original journal, and yet I now have a DreamWidth account. I'm not even sure I'm calling the site by the correct name, but I certainly appreciate sue_chose_this giving me a code. I've simply done the "Eddie Izzard" thing ("Do You Have A Flag?") and marked my territory over there. Just in case you all should abandon me here. Speaking of abandonment - has anyone heard from letters4pattyd? She's been much on my mind (like so many other wonderful folk who have come and gone from lj)and I'm hoping she's okay. ~As for an update on me The Good - It's springtime, my absolute favorite time of year. My niece will become a college graduate this coming Saturday. I'm taking both my niece and nephew (for they are the keepers of my heart)to London at the end of May. Come autumn, I will be making a road trip to New England to see the colorful foliage and to eat as many fried clams as I possibly can. And at the beginning of this past April, my best travel friend and I visited Charleston, SC during Garden Week. Fantabulous! The Bad - There is at least one moment within each day that I become totally overwhelmed due to the responsibility of taking care of my elderly parents and working full-time. Too often I feel as though I am not-quite-dead-road kill and the vultures are taking bits of me in different directions. The Ugly - My parents have two sons who are complete assholes. They, the assholes, only come to visit as a way of checking out the assets of my parents net worth. Talk about your vultures! I get through my days by remembering that it is my friends who are my 'true' family. I've also learned that when brief respites of happiness and humor come along, I focus in and absorb the moment as best I can. The moments are fleeting, but they are treasured jewels. I shall add to those illustrious moments by taking my niece and nephew to see 'Peter Pan' performed on a special panoramic stage within Kensington Gardens (here's the cool website http://www.visitlondon.com/peterpan/). If any of you have any suggestions in regards to "must see and do" while I have these two young adults in London, I would sincerely appreciate hearing from you. Somehow I don't think they'll be as content to make repeated trips to the National Portrait Gallery,the British Library and St. Martin In The Field as I am wont to do. So yeah, any 'young person' suggestions would be great. ~ I do my best to 'read' you all as often as I can (and to "oh and ah" over your exquisite photography), but know that I always keep you in my heart and mind. |
| Friday, February 20th, 2009 | |
| 4:28 am | I found this to be disconcerting Who knew the dictionary police could be so capricious with their deletions of words. From yesterday's edition of my newspaper's editorial page: NO BLACKBERRIES, PLEASE, WE’RE BRITISH THE TOWHEE has gone Wii. The duchess has been sent directly to voicemail. And — ladies and gentlemen — the vicar has left the chatroom. In recent months, British newspapers have been abuzz with news that the venerable Oxford University Press deleted numerous words related to the monarchy, church and nature from the latest edition of its children’s dictionary. To the consternation of many, the compendium of 10,000-plus words no longer includes “abbey,” “bishop,” “vicar” and other basic words associated with Christianity. The deletions are so extensive that the Oxford Junior Dictionary goes forth and “sins” no more. Even the “devil” himself has been ousted. According to The Telegraph of London, royalty also received less than royal treatment from editors. Gone are “coronation,” “duke” and “duchess,” among others. And the sun has set at last on the British “empire.” Many words from nature were not deemed fit for survival either. “Magpie” is out, as are “dandelion,” “minnow” and “porcupine.” The “crocus,” sadly, has croaked. Vineeta Gupta, the chief of children’s dictionaries at Oxford University Press, explained to The Telegraph that the book can be only so big. After all, she said, “little hands must be able to handle it.” To accommodate words and terms that today’s children may encounter more, some words simply have to go. But not everyone is happy with the words chosen to fill the void left by “violet” and other vanquished entries. Among the additions: “blog,” “chatroom,” “voicemail” and “mp3 player” — words for a wired generation, in other words. “Blackberry” is out. But “Black-Berry” is in. It is disheartening, as one Canadian conservationist noted, to see revisions that will further “alienate children from their wild neighbours.” But if there’s anything encouraging about the changes, it’s this: At least people are still arguing about words in a dictionary. |
| Wednesday, February 18th, 2009 | |
| 3:00 am | For Rose (and Splix) in regards to Rose's Bono post, I share with you one of my favs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj6nhpC5 The man has one helluva strut, does he not? I'm old enough to remember listening repeatedly to my brother's 45 rpm record - the original performed by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood. This tops any version from my childhood. Enjoy. |
| Sunday, January 25th, 2009 | |
| 9:24 pm | Random songs that make me all kinds of happy (1) Somebody come dance with me! https://download.yousendit.com/bVlDQk0z |
| Wednesday, December 31st, 2008 | |
| 6:17 pm | New Year's Eve 2008 I've worked 12 hour days since Monday at 0600 (end of the month/year financials, don't you know) and am too tired to await the midnight celebrations. While I am still awake and coherent, please let me take this opportunity to wish each of you a healthy and joyous New Year. 2009 will mean fresh beginnings and new opportunities, but it will also mean that I am gladly taking my " auld acquaintances" with me as I begin this new journey. You all are very dear to my heart and I'm glad you are in my life. God bless you and those you love with good health and happiness throughout 2009. Love, Laurie |
| Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008 | |
| 5:05 pm | The official Christmas card & letter to my dear flist Hello to everyone and Merry Christmas! The following are true statements: ~ By sending an e-card for my holiday greetings, I am reducing waste in your local landfill ~ The money I would have spent on actual cards and mailing postage has been donated to the organization known as "Wounded Warriors" (http://www.woundedwarriorsfamilysuppor ~ You are being spared the tribulation of trying to read my non-readable handwriting ~ And the ultimate truth: If I actually had to write out cards and mail them, you would not have received my wishes for a wonderful holiday within a timely manner! Here you will find the link (perfectly safe and does not contain your email address) to my Christmas card for you: http://www.hallmark.com/ECardWeb/ECV.js Christmas 2008 finds me wondering where the heck the entire year went. But it also finds me in good health, loving my job and the people I work with, and very thankful for wonderful friends. In December, I added another "f-word" to my little-used vocabulary of expletives - that word being FIFTY. As in turning the age of the big 5-0. Yikes. Highlights that occurred within this year include: A January trip to London; a February celebration of my wonderful Dad's 80th birthday; my favorite nephew's high school graduation with honors and his subsequent acceptance and attendance to the University of Virgina; a trip to Broadway with my favorite niece (celebrating her 21st birthday) to see Disney's Little Mermaid; a surprise birthday trip to see my beloved Red Sox (you do know they won the World Series in both 2004 & 2007, right?) play the Baltimore Orioles; an August road trip to Ohio with my parents to see and participate in a wonderful Ukrainian wedding celebration; two trips with my dear friend to NYC (one of which was just last weekend for the holiday experience that only NYC can provide). I am extremely fortunate to be able to say that my dear parents are in relatively good health and have had a good year (count that as number 56 in married years). God bless my Helen as she is near total physical incapacitation because of severe spine problems and diabetic complications. Despite the terrible pain she is in, her loving personality and good spirit remain unharmed. I lovingly and jokingly refer to my parents as my 'elder toddlers,' but not a day goes by that I do not thank God for blessing me with such wonderful parents and for the privilege of helping to take care of them. What will 2009 bring? Personally: My favorite niece's college graduation from Longwood University. A trip to London (in May or June) with both my niece and nephew. Nationally: January will bring the inauguration of our new president. He is not the candidate I voted for, but I pray that he and his family will be protected from any and all harm. God help our Secret Service teams and the formidable job ahead of them. George W. Bush will always have my enduring gratitude for being our president during 9-11, and for pursuing the multitude of terrorist sects within Afghanistan and surrounding regions. Did anyone else find it ironic that the recent "shoe-throwing" incident would never have occurred if Sadam Hussein had not been ousted and President Bush not have set the wheels in motion for a democratic Iraq? Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the -oft obnoxious- Press...maybe democracy is taking hold in Iraq. In hindsight, God bless our president for having the strength and courage to pursue what the United Nations failed to do in stopping Sadam Hussein's reign of terror, and then liberating Iraq. On a very positive note: my cousin's two sons (one in the USN and the other USAF) and a dear friend (USN) all returned safely from their military assignments in Iraq and Afghanistan. I hope this extended blathering finds you and your loved ones in good health and happiness. May Peace, Joy and Love be ever present within your heart and day-to-day living. God bless you. Love, Laurie P.S. One of my wishes for 2009 is that Neo_Nym, LettersforPattyD, Rahalia and Ewan_Pics will return to LiveJournal posting. You all are dearly missed. |
| Monday, October 27th, 2008 | |
| 12:33 am | Othello with Ewan McGregor as Iago My mind, emotional soul and life in general is filled with too much gloom and doom to make a posting worthwhile of writing or of your reading. That's just the way it is and has been for an extended period of time. On a brighter note: before I return the local library's 2 cd recording of the recent Donmar production of "Othello," the same production that enabled me to meet Ms. Clara Swift, is anyone interested in an actual 2 cd copy or an upload of the windows media file? Post here if you are interested and I'll do my best to comply with your request. Focusing on the positive: I'll be a newbie election official for the upcoming election. I'm both excited and scared. Since I'll be working a precinct different from the one I normally would vote at, I've had to vote early. Even though I cast my vote at my local DMV, I was just as moved as if I had been with the regular voters and poll workers that I have become acquainted with over the years since I have been able to exercise this incredible privilege. My ancestry purely reflects the want and accomplishment of the American Dream; I am the product of two patriots who are of "The Greatest Generation" and I am damn proud of it all. God bless America. I hope each of you on my flist is doing well and that you have the required dosage/daily requirement of good health and happiness within some part of your every day life. Ciao. |
| Saturday, September 27th, 2008 | |
| 1:01 pm | Mr. Newman While I was in second grade and learning the art of cursive writing, my mother had me "practice" the task by writing her various notes and messages - some real, mostly pretend. One such note informed her that I needed her to babysit my dolls while I went out to lunch with Paul Newman and Robert Vaughan. My spelling of the last names for these two handsome actors must have been a sight to see, but my intrepid mother was able to decipher exactly which Paul and Robert (maybe I opted to call him "Bob"?) I was speaking about. If the military housing located in Rantoul, Illinois still existed today, there might be a chance that a ring box, with a Woolworths (I am referring to the cheap "Five and Dime" store) diamond ring in it, could be found hidden on the top shelf of what used to be my bedroom closet. I think I wrapped the box in a handkerchief, but I definitely know I wrote and attached a note that read: Love, Paul hieroglyphicNewman What better time to dream big than when you are six years old? God bless you Mr. Newman for not only sharing your incredible talents, but mostly for your invaluable philanthropic work. I hope your son was the first to embrace you once you crossed over. |
| Thursday, September 4th, 2008 | |
| 2:50 am | Thanks for the wonderful memories The animator of the early "Peanuts" tv shows has died. He was also the "voice" of Snoopy. http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx/?n |
| Friday, July 4th, 2008 | |
| 10:31 pm | Independence Forever~John Adams July,1826 Happy Independence Day to all my fellow Americans. I have forgotten my photobucket password and so I am unable to include a lovely photo of fireworks exploding over the Jefferson Memorial and the Tidal Basin. Use your lovely imagination,okay? I have dessert wine from the vineyards surrounding Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's magnificent home. I thank him, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and all the other men and women who did indeed pledge and risk their lives, fortune and sacred honor. I shall also offer a prayer of thanks for: the Chadwicks who fought at Bunker Hill and at Gettysburg; my Dad who served in WWII,the Korean,and Vietnam wars; and the present generation of Johnsons who are now on deployment in Iraq. God be with them, one and all. We are Free because of the Brave. eta: the last line is not of my own, but from a recent political email. |
| Tuesday, May 27th, 2008 | |
| 12:08 am | Such a creative and artistic loss Sydney Pollack, the gifted director and producer, has died at the age of 73. He was responsible for some of the films closest to my heart. I hope it was his son that was the first to greet him as he transcended this world. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/2483201 |
| Sunday, May 11th, 2008 | |
| 9:05 pm | Historical post: Anniversary of the Nazi book burnings "Where they have burned books, they will end in burning humans." - German Poet Heinrich Heine, 1820 ( Bruce's History Lessons: The Nazi Book Burnings ) |
| 5:51 am | Happy Mother's Day  I have but one word for all of you who are mothers, for those of us still fortunate to have our mothers, and to those of you whose mothers are no longer of this earth, but remain within your heart: |
| Thursday, April 17th, 2008 | |
| 3:44 pm | Hello to my international flisters. If I copy the current Ewan interviews to a DVD-RW, would it be viewable/suitable (if you are interested) for you all? Let me know if you want a copy, and I'll only ask for postage cost in return. |
| Monday, April 7th, 2008 | |
| 5:01 am | 2 Ewan items I just found out the independent art film house in Norfolk will be showing Cassandra's Dream. I guess if I spent $8 on one of Michael Bay's lame excuses for a film, I'll do the same for Secondly, if you hadn't seen this bit of good news (my thanks to KerrSmith for posting about it) from amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Othello-William-S I'll probably ask my local library to purchase it and give it a test run. Having something like this made available on cd (with a behind the scene dvd) just reiterates how much of a screw-up there was in not doing the same for "Guys and Dolls." That will always remain a blatant mistake. Have a good Monday to each of you. |
| Tuesday, March 4th, 2008 | |
| 2:45 am | Happiest of Birthday Wishes to Clara Swift Anyways: Here's to the Birthday Girl! A true rose of England! Love,Laurie  |