Katrina

One problem with giving hurricanes names. Katrina will forever be associated with death and destruction, especially for those that were in its path. If you'd like to help, you can contribute to the Red Cross here. Or you can call 1-800-HELP-NOW. Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida were all affected by this massive hurricane, that's mind boggling to me. In addition to power outages and higher gas prices, 120 Wal Marts (among other stores) are closed as well as some casinos. And the Superdome is filled with people who can't go back to their homes until maybe next week. Imagine the fear these people felt as the flood waters rose. And their apprehension about what they will find when they go back. But they must consider themselves lucky, after all they're alive.

Look up!

Been kinda busy and neglecting the blog. Anyway, if you're in the Lincoln vicinity this weekend, you'll undoubtedly see some hot air balloons in the sky as part of the Lincoln Art and Balloon Festival. A few years ago, I was going to try a "tethered" balloon ride, but it was too windy. To tell the truth, I was a little relieved! Imagine looking over the side and seeing the ground waaaaay below. Reminds me of Wizard of Oz when the balloon took off without Dorothy.
Speaking of, have you heard of "Dark Side of the Rainbow?" It's Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon set to the Wizard of Oz. We're bringing it to the Warehouse on Sept 22. Should be a good time. Details here. Have a great weekend!

Hollywood News

I thought I'd inform you, as if you hadn't heard already, that Brad and Jennifer signed the divorce papers today. How long did it last...5 years? That's quite a lot in Hollywood terms. Wonder if Angelina will get a "Brad" tattoo?
In other showbiz news, Russell Crowe's visit to an Australian rugby team is credited with starting them on a winning streak. Could he have threatened to throw a phone at them if they lose? BTW, Crowe settled with that hotel clerk for $11 million. If I ever see Russell, I'm going to try to tick him off, I could use the money!
Are you a Desperate Housewives fan? In Touch mag says friends are worried about Teri Hatcher. Supposedly she's lost a bunch of weight, she never was overweight to begin with, but admits to having insecurities.
And Olivia Newton John's longtime boyfriend is missing. LA Police and the Coast Guard are looking.
Tha-tha-tha-that's all folks!

One more corn dog

Final weekend for the Illinois State Fair. If you're tired of corn dogs (did you know they have foot longs and even 18 inchers...that's a lot of corn dog!) there's always the Pork Patio pork chop dinners, complete with baked potato. Or maybe something tasty from the Ethnic Village. Of course, a lemon shake up to wash it all down. If the fair isn't your thing, the movie Red Eye opens and has been getting good reviews. Hope you have a great weekend, whatever you do and catch me filling in for Deb on the jazz brunch Sunday morning! See ya.

Vacation 2

A few more pix from the Oregon coast. We visited various towns on the coast and saw some beautiful scenery. It sure was cool compared to the temp in Portland that day. Some die-hards went in the water in spite of this. The lighthouse was cool, but we couldn't get inside as it closed 5 minutes before we got there!
Gasoline was about the same price there, but a lot of stations were full serve (well, they pump the gas for you...no one did the windows or checked the oil.)
I enjoyed the trip, especially since my friends Mike and Maggie were with me. Only complaint, of course, is that it was too short. Hope you had a good summer vacation too!

Vacation

Here's a few of the vacation pix. The waterfall is one of many at the Columbia Gorge in Oregon, a very beautiful place to take a hike. The other picture is from the top of the Space Needle in Seattle. It costs something like $15 to go up there, but the view is certainly worth it.

March of the Penguins

Still waiting for my vacation photos to be processed (I have a 35mm, not a digital.) So, enjoy these penguins instead.
Having a cinematic choice between Jessica Simpson in her Daisy Dukes and a bunch of freezing penguins, I chose the penguins... maybe something's wrong with me! Seriously, I recommend March of the Penguins to anyone who loves animals or wants to learn more about them. The movie is similar to Winged Migration, in that it follows the penguins of the South Pole as they travel on foot and on their bellies to an area they go to yearly to mate. Don't worry, mom and dad, nothing explicit here, it's a G movie. The only thing that may be upsetting to some younger kids is that some of the penguins die along the way, victim to either the extreme cold (80 below at times) or to predators. Even the scene where a seal eats a penguin is handled tastefully, no pun intended.
Morgan Freeman is the narrator and although I'm sure he was in a warm studio, the camera operators weren't that lucky. I can't wait to see the behind the scenes stuff which I'm sure will be on the dvd, to see how they got the footage of this amazing ritual. Maybe the ritual is more instinct than love, although the film is publicized as a love story. Either way, it's one I recommend seeing.

Wait til next year

Hello! Back from a relaxing vacation in the Pacific Northwest! I loved the Oregon coast (much cooler, had to wear a long sleeve) the Columbia River Gorge and Seattle too. Watch for pix soon.
My friends and I took in a Mariners game and it occured to me while watching these cellar-dwellers that Cubs fans haven't had to feel that type of hopelessness for the last several seasons. But realistically, the Cubs season is over. They can't get it together. And many in Chicago are blaming Dusty. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think he's a baseball genius by a long stretch. But have you watched these games lately? What can he do when his players can't even hit a cut off man or execute a sacrifice? This team needs a good center fielder, lead off man, more consistent pitching and players who pay more attention to what they're doing and less attention to who the fans are booing at the moment. Maybe once they have these problems fixed, they can take a look at the manager.