tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21737331877891286442024-02-19T07:18:20.443-08:00It's a wonder-filled lifeIt's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.comBlogger224125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-41597592642362551842021-08-23T13:00:00.000-07:002021-08-23T13:00:44.778-07:00Goodbye to the Red Dolly<p>I was finally ready to give away my well-used, well-loved, red, metal handcart a/k/a "the dolly." I bought it many years ago at Rolliers in Mount Lebanon with my father-in-law (who was also well-loved). It was a big purchase at that time.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihlwqQapvGiNwuzSvZfogepZEmDSxq3PiXpOCUONZRAq_sOdpl1UqMqjQb8SMhym02qMykDh0OnpkvrOi1cjOUssy2G6eoPQbRKB5uq7dD1j5waCiFXvmPsE8FLw19ve9pQUHtum9bD9qk/s2048/PXL_20210806_145549672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihlwqQapvGiNwuzSvZfogepZEmDSxq3PiXpOCUONZRAq_sOdpl1UqMqjQb8SMhym02qMykDh0OnpkvrOi1cjOUssy2G6eoPQbRKB5uq7dD1j5waCiFXvmPsE8FLw19ve9pQUHtum9bD9qk/s320/PXL_20210806_145549672.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Just to be sure to spell "dolly" correctly, I googled it, and a picture of Dolly Parton came up. She has definitely held up better. She's not bent or chipped, and her wheels aren't ready to come off in pieces.</p><p>Since Goodwill is overloaded with donations these days, I decided to give dolly and a few other things to VVA, the Vietnam Veterans of America. They pick up, and I'm grateful that they do that. </p><p>I marked everything VVA.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusZ25-LZT4A_33x_Wd1FjAcUkE3Tz43Q_iqRtbmeUbnNE57EDUEK4vRS3yPesTiIL_Z0wdPOAJ2YCXl1m-LvZA3wjiwC7hKFUdoaZH2gMntFLDVCs56IWcGJ8EoH9vL-Zzl2sX7cb4k8H/s2048/PXL_20210806_145529616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusZ25-LZT4A_33x_Wd1FjAcUkE3Tz43Q_iqRtbmeUbnNE57EDUEK4vRS3yPesTiIL_Z0wdPOAJ2YCXl1m-LvZA3wjiwC7hKFUdoaZH2gMntFLDVCs56IWcGJ8EoH9vL-Zzl2sX7cb4k8H/s320/PXL_20210806_145529616.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApHjNMQ5t_vCyoOzD5vxZcwj8LPrWiJWSdxyfD8_0lKd2to0Syec1cQaa9ywD-ngfTF408P4Ij-MK-83XejbqMNVdN0vZA-s6Tt4QbDGL1MVn1E9M1NKVCF5jGZBEwrhcz3SqtBdRTIro/s2048/PXL_20210806_114505005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApHjNMQ5t_vCyoOzD5vxZcwj8LPrWiJWSdxyfD8_0lKd2to0Syec1cQaa9ywD-ngfTF408P4Ij-MK-83XejbqMNVdN0vZA-s6Tt4QbDGL1MVn1E9M1NKVCF5jGZBEwrhcz3SqtBdRTIro/s320/PXL_20210806_114505005.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>I went to run errands, and when I returned, I could see that the pile of stuff was gone.</p><p>Except for dolly. </p><p>Even tagged for removal, she refused. She's back in her corner in the garage. I'll try again next time. Or maybe I won't.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-27467099252162565512021-07-29T10:03:00.000-07:002021-07-29T10:03:19.120-07:00Teenie Tiny Trophy<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0c2930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px;">I won a teenie tiny trophy in high school. It didn't have anything to do with sports.</span></p><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"I won a teenie tiny trophy in high school for reading out loud a short synopsis of THE PEARL, by John Steinbeck. "}" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0c2930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Kane High School was such a small school that we didn't usually compete in anything other than the basics, like football and basketball. But our theater arts teacher, Mrs. Harman (about 4 foot 9, seriously, with cat eye glasses, skinny, high energy) decided to sign up some of us theatre (!) students for a forensics competition. Speeches, poetry recitation, that sort of stuff. She just told us we were doing it. She gave me a piece of prose to read--about 1,200 words is my estimate now (I didn't keep it!). It was a small synopsis from a piece of John Steinbeck's THE PEARL. "...a tiny furtive movement..." is the only line I remember.</div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"I won a teenie tiny trophy in high school for reading out loud a short synopsis of THE PEARL, by John Steinbeck. "}" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0c2930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"I won a teenie tiny trophy in high school for reading out loud a short synopsis of THE PEARL, by John Steinbeck. "}" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0c2930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Anyway, we all went to Bradford (oooh, big place!) for this thing. We walked into an auditorium, and there were school teams, like sports teams, groups of kids who did this thing instead of football or basketball. We must have looked like the Beverly Hillbillies. Murmur murmur. Kane!! Kids from Kane!</div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"I won a teenie tiny trophy in high school for reading out loud a short synopsis of THE PEARL, by John Steinbeck. "}" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0c2930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"I won a teenie tiny trophy in high school for reading out loud a short synopsis of THE PEARL, by John Steinbeck. "}" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0c2930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Robin Hollingshead did a dramatic piece about Charles Dickens. And I did my Steinbeck reading. </div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"I won a teenie tiny trophy in high school for reading out loud a short synopsis of THE PEARL, by John Steinbeck. "}" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0c2930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"I won a teenie tiny trophy in high school for reading out loud a short synopsis of THE PEARL, by John Steinbeck. "}" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0c2930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Robin and I both won. The other teams were shocked. It was my senior year or I would have done it again and again. I got slightly marked down for things like "use a folder" and "don't have piece written on both sides of paper." But I beat 16 other kids who had done this type of thing before. </div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"I won a teenie tiny trophy in high school for reading out loud a short synopsis of THE PEARL, by John Steinbeck. "}" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0c2930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"I won a teenie tiny trophy in high school for reading out loud a short synopsis of THE PEARL, by John Steinbeck. "}" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0c2930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">I had always been the kid who read the introduction to parents for school plays, etc., starting in second grade, maybe even in first grade. They say (who the heck is "they" anyway), that the thing you love in first grade is often what you're meant to do, to be. I guess I'm doing some version of that, writing for children, doing school visits, running a children's book festival. </div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"I won a teenie tiny trophy in high school for reading out loud a short synopsis of THE PEARL, by John Steinbeck. "}" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0c2930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"I won a teenie tiny trophy in high school for reading out loud a short synopsis of THE PEARL, by John Steinbeck. "}" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0c2930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Thanks, Mrs. Harman. My favorite teacher.</div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"I won a teenie tiny trophy in high school for reading out loud a short synopsis of THE PEARL, by John Steinbeck. "}" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0c2930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"I won a teenie tiny trophy in high school for reading out loud a short synopsis of THE PEARL, by John Steinbeck. "}" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0c2930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Here's an interview with her from 2019: https://kanepa.com/2019/07/22/day-32-stories-from-the-early-days-of-kane-players/</div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"I won a teenie tiny trophy in high school for reading out loud a short synopsis of THE PEARL, by John Steinbeck. "}" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0c2930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"I won a teenie tiny trophy in high school for reading out loud a short synopsis of THE PEARL, by John Steinbeck. "}" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0c2930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvI7_1I-8g0YjAvPV_0WS6DlqkqPBTf5YS6-owxNXztqDAutR3IAaV1TzccYEbWrEgcPtfOSyMOjzBG-4rZ3bhmhjxbBhH-ZZfnxxBY5DllL4Tc8SQi0uVPPDOqGho_vGQsLOROncmazh/s4032/PXL_20210729_131528839.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvI7_1I-8g0YjAvPV_0WS6DlqkqPBTf5YS6-owxNXztqDAutR3IAaV1TzccYEbWrEgcPtfOSyMOjzBG-4rZ3bhmhjxbBhH-ZZfnxxBY5DllL4Tc8SQi0uVPPDOqGho_vGQsLOROncmazh/s320/PXL_20210729_131528839.MP.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"I won a teenie tiny trophy in high school for reading out loud a short synopsis of THE PEARL, by John Steinbeck. "}" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0c2930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAVGsLqOsKINRt995ZxF9yEBBM60BOkK6VBafC4f5NuvhlzHGEyQg_QBVBEWMPJ6ijNCfwFZm68yMBof4w4woIscr-sQ9ZDJh2ioas73pZTr9zZPfVEi81OMaAeDh_6p6_YlBXD6_Afru9/s4032/PXL_20210729_131605836.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAVGsLqOsKINRt995ZxF9yEBBM60BOkK6VBafC4f5NuvhlzHGEyQg_QBVBEWMPJ6ijNCfwFZm68yMBof4w4woIscr-sQ9ZDJh2ioas73pZTr9zZPfVEi81OMaAeDh_6p6_YlBXD6_Afru9/s320/PXL_20210729_131605836.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"I won a teenie tiny trophy in high school for reading out loud a short synopsis of THE PEARL, by John Steinbeck. "}" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0c2930; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></div>It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-88186004194751588802021-04-27T14:50:00.002-07:002021-04-27T14:50:26.037-07:00Finding Family<p>Through 23andMe, I have found a branch of my family tree that I didn't know existed. </p><p>My grandfather, Howard McConnell, is on the left, posing with his brother George in about 1904. I never knew if George had children, and it turns out that he did. He had two daughters. And now I am in touch with George's great grandson. </p><p>My mother was an only child. Howard died when she was twelve. By then he had an artificial leg having lost one in a train accident whose details were never shared. At one point, he owned a pool hall. How was it that he married my classically-trained-pianist grandmother Ruth? Proximity, to be sure. Their families lived around the corner from each other. But I wish I could go back in time and hear the conversations they had. And I wish I could hear what the brothers had to say to each other on the day of this photo.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZ1mQAoP3v7oef6jqrSCrk3siTyU58c7I7tJvPGlmpme8opDWPx1CSrJ0rIdzxpfTh4zf-RlmfzSQn-hRrim4aAbEVIXUgS_yOj3o7K39xxxouM0L4EBMU8uvpuna8zcyiGbQgK1_MW65/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="409" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZ1mQAoP3v7oef6jqrSCrk3siTyU58c7I7tJvPGlmpme8opDWPx1CSrJ0rIdzxpfTh4zf-RlmfzSQn-hRrim4aAbEVIXUgS_yOj3o7K39xxxouM0L4EBMU8uvpuna8zcyiGbQgK1_MW65/w307-h409/PXL_20210427_141827008.PORTRAIT.jpg" width="307" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>Mom adored her father. A daddy's girl, she undoubtedly became a different person after he died so suddenly. </p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTQNzfkFvTsw7DM0PHaUelEMNEZw7b91bjSZOAEknmF3YLVHahBMjCeZVVM2f7lSNGBGhsvfntUdEN4Bw-MSHcrcAY1LksHqoQCSt5X_7dVO_V13Dz0FnhPjwjXkc6GQf3-VIBsoIVJdg/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="401" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTQNzfkFvTsw7DM0PHaUelEMNEZw7b91bjSZOAEknmF3YLVHahBMjCeZVVM2f7lSNGBGhsvfntUdEN4Bw-MSHcrcAY1LksHqoQCSt5X_7dVO_V13Dz0FnhPjwjXkc6GQf3-VIBsoIVJdg/w301-h401/PXL_20210427_144841380.PORTRAIT.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-74483885147327539242021-02-05T07:28:00.004-08:002021-02-05T07:30:58.076-08:00A Little Bit Alexis, in Gold<p> <span> Schitt's Creek fans, you'll remember Alexis's dress from her Little Bit Alexis dance. I realized that I have the same dress, only in gold. I almost didn't buy it, and when I got it, I no longer needed it. Here's what happened:</span></p><p><span><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9FSr7sK9aDo2b_gYD32U0RCgz6y1eNZUKjo2u4bFeU3yLcYpYMSsY5fctAWFsgajy-ZVuK6_JZRTAMOCUyP72dd_qDXLpats9xAPe4yNrkoeQbkSxQo3-DUQo7dDdifhu6hORfBJJRfb/s2048/alexis+dress.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9FSr7sK9aDo2b_gYD32U0RCgz6y1eNZUKjo2u4bFeU3yLcYpYMSsY5fctAWFsgajy-ZVuK6_JZRTAMOCUyP72dd_qDXLpats9xAPe4yNrkoeQbkSxQo3-DUQo7dDdifhu6hORfBJJRfb/s320/alexis+dress.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span><p></p><p><span><span> I've been a member of SCBWI, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators for 14 years. I had never had a chance to go to one of the two annual national events until last year. Exactly a year ago, I flew to NYC to hang with hundreds of other children's writers, and I was psyched.</span></span></p><p><span><span><span> The conference has a "gold carpet" event where they announce winners of their prestigious awards. Everyone is encouraged to wear gold. Planning ahead, I found this beauty weeks before the conference and planned to wear it as a top as it's pretty short for somebody my age. They didn't have my size, so I ordered the right size and waited. It wasn't coming in. The local store (Free People) didn't know what was taking so long. It hadn't arrived two days before I was supposed to leave. Change of plan: they would ship it to the closest store in NYC where I could pick it up. </span></span><br /></span></p><p><span><span><span><span> Nope. That didn't happen. I got to NYC, and it didn't arrive. </span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span> It was waiting for me when I got back home. I've never worn it. And, of course, there aren't any glittery, gold carpet children's writing events at the moment. </span><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span> What did I wear?? Well, here's me with my bestie, children's author and candidate for best human ever, Donna Gephart:</span><br /></p><p><span><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCDgeTCNfYD_Cx4J7klElSFKlMWHzFdhnU4ortZfdidILhyphenhyphenkODeJlf-8kItadl17ZT_N8qp1slFLjVYviQe9W4m4wR7YIkH8CX1inG-j9eSJKAHI6tA7rS1VfYFiXJj2S0pgRKwDO0VVi3/s2048/donna+g+2019.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCDgeTCNfYD_Cx4J7klElSFKlMWHzFdhnU4ortZfdidILhyphenhyphenkODeJlf-8kItadl17ZT_N8qp1slFLjVYviQe9W4m4wR7YIkH8CX1inG-j9eSJKAHI6tA7rS1VfYFiXJj2S0pgRKwDO0VVi3/s320/donna+g+2019.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span><span> La-la la-la-la-la-la. </span><br /></span><p></p><p><span><span><br /></span></span></p>It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-84639035011255918782021-02-04T07:02:00.002-08:002021-02-04T07:02:43.929-08:00Smells in the Time of Covid<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In March of 2020, I lost my sense of taste. At my favorite Mexican restaurant, my tacos tasted like cardboard, and I couldn't smell anything. And why was I so tired that I wanted to crawl under the table and pass out? Those symptoms lasted only a couple of days, and at that time, it didn't occur to me that maybe I had the Covid thing. </span></span></p><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Maybe I did; maybe I didn't. It's too late to even check to see if I still have antibodies. I've been in great health since. But I have experienced a new unknown smell.</span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I just read that phantom smells are a real thing. For me, it started a month or two ago. A smell like sickly sweet cherries. Not exactly like cherry-coke (a drink when I was a kid). Not like cherry medicine or cough syrup. Not like Kool-aid. Something I had never smelled before. It was the middle of the night, and the smell actually woke me up. I wondered if it was the smell of Red Bull. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fourteen years ago, my friend Sam died at the age of 14. He drank a lot of Red Bull in his beautiful burst of a life. My first thought was that he was reaching out to say hey. So I, in turn, reached out to his parents, and we agreed that it was possible. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've gotten a few more whiffs at random times, but they are increasingly diminished. So I guess it was just a phantom, unexplainable smell. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I bet Sam had a good laugh.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div>It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-83219906918473476302021-01-26T10:30:00.000-08:002021-01-26T10:30:41.722-08:00Too Much of a Necessary Thing<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV8hqu9jlVU7hHNroIZCJy42ZM_JeWQ9un_nw8RaCxNS4u4ya40GfzRUomm_UkaKI4wOy4jROWFx7TqU0lEnHtfzMnmlz4kZah7liRpYahD5Ch0p2_xeZ7qAkyMc0IO8ppJY3V4HjdJgF1/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV8hqu9jlVU7hHNroIZCJy42ZM_JeWQ9un_nw8RaCxNS4u4ya40GfzRUomm_UkaKI4wOy4jROWFx7TqU0lEnHtfzMnmlz4kZah7liRpYahD5Ch0p2_xeZ7qAkyMc0IO8ppJY3V4HjdJgF1/" width="180" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFi-YHLLNlS5Vusp0CVPaDlV01QPUWmvu___FTqgzrulnQ5pSTFF-d1j2pHyxxwppLkwi55uMviYFTk4iGkRu1vfA1hqoYLko44IYJ0DCqU7GjiYoQXniS_WVTrdKQGr43huAvHgaYTn5f/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFi-YHLLNlS5Vusp0CVPaDlV01QPUWmvu___FTqgzrulnQ5pSTFF-d1j2pHyxxwppLkwi55uMviYFTk4iGkRu1vfA1hqoYLko44IYJ0DCqU7GjiYoQXniS_WVTrdKQGr43huAvHgaYTn5f/" width="180" /><br /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyq774SVzyGfix4nPYh9cP7QFzuPgvwANWnjIxYO1lsvQnwTfHoTLYfjfgdwV9Ew55RwpV4Es3DppUANayhFes2ZNnXTFOp6y_6gYGhbnxcFLFLFCXKjXn8qQ_T1ICQM6QGTtearklU0q4/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyq774SVzyGfix4nPYh9cP7QFzuPgvwANWnjIxYO1lsvQnwTfHoTLYfjfgdwV9Ew55RwpV4Es3DppUANayhFes2ZNnXTFOp6y_6gYGhbnxcFLFLFCXKjXn8qQ_T1ICQM6QGTtearklU0q4/" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM50rgMKzS2BO36KhZvjfRdNaszF9tGlNhag-bR-1Kv7TK1bSawmPwcYg-JMb74nvg40wE_4P4dSnn3KrFolAqkMr5k423-86piT-UG0twTAEYC8qfltvOsbwb_uttNdj0jdpU9aZfOfL5/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM50rgMKzS2BO36KhZvjfRdNaszF9tGlNhag-bR-1Kv7TK1bSawmPwcYg-JMb74nvg40wE_4P4dSnn3KrFolAqkMr5k423-86piT-UG0twTAEYC8qfltvOsbwb_uttNdj0jdpU9aZfOfL5/" width="180" /></a></div></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /> Goodbye, Cactus</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">As tall as me,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">nestled in your
pot,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">wheels underneath.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Remember when we <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">brought you to the
office?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Six caregivers<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">to keep watch over
you as we moved<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">like a parade of tortoises
in the desert,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">you wrapped in
paper,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">in human arms.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">You must have
liked<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">your home.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A cactus baby<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">emerged from your
roots.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Joy each morning
to say<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hello.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And then,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">you were alone.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ferns and violets transferred<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">from the
university to<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">home offices.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But you, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">you were too big,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and you liked the
light in the conference room,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and that baby
cactus,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">your sprout.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Almost no humans on campus<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and yet<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Too many people tried
to help you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Too many people
tried to save you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Too many people offered
you<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">a drink of water,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">just in case.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Too much water.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Did you develop a cough?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Were your lungs
tight?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Did you have a
fever<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">dream that you
were<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">living outside<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">in a rain forest?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I have missed you<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">these many months
apart.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">With time, though, it's gotten easier.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">But death,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">even from a
distance,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">is still death. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I won’t see you
again,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">but I will remember
that day,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">when you took a stroll
around<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">your new home.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">You loved it,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and we loved you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-10820340455851336392020-11-12T06:45:00.002-08:002020-11-12T06:45:50.587-08:00My Poem THE POINT(E)? on the website Writing in a Woman's Voice<p>Based on what I saw in Pittsburgh near Centre Avenue and South Negley Avenue in maybe 1986. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> https://writinginawomansvoice.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-pointe-by-leah-pileggi-plastic.html?spref=fb&fbclid=IwAR0lS9juXk8AqbPEBpxQMYH_Ij23gHHHCStdWP8qSJNYMBXOBRtT-We9oe8</p><p><br /></p>It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-13218252508999830282020-10-15T13:19:00.002-07:002020-10-15T13:21:05.532-07:00Oh, Sneakers, a (sort of) Sonnet<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHZJNCqkrW58TOMD34tGtgjcL4Poy3eMFPNyCbOrRj7grUVZ0QXgM5nAKAbxaqfcG5eajPummrjRJGeOHpaOXlIipq7stiuPf2rmi5l0_HOXF4PaSthsJ4hj8VeIPQQJ19f5Pm-U_8EP4/s2048/dead+sneakers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHZJNCqkrW58TOMD34tGtgjcL4Poy3eMFPNyCbOrRj7grUVZ0QXgM5nAKAbxaqfcG5eajPummrjRJGeOHpaOXlIipq7stiuPf2rmi5l0_HOXF4PaSthsJ4hj8VeIPQQJ19f5Pm-U_8EP4/s320/dead+sneakers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><br /></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span class="long-line"><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span class="long-line"><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;">Shall I compare
thee to a flattened tire?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span class="long-line"><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;">Thou art as
lovely and temperamental.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span class="long-line"><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;">Rough winds,
roads, and gravel did shake your soles,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span class="long-line"><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;">This summer,
the dog, his leash hath dragged me.</span></span><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span class="long-line"><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;">Sometimes
too hot paved alleys melted you,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span class="long-line"><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;">And often
was my complexion undimmed;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span class="long-line"><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;">And every fair
street when weather declined,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span class="long-line"><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;">By chance or
dog’s changing course, his hair untrimmed;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span class="long-line"><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;">Oh, the
eternal summer has faded you,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span class="long-line"><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;">Such that
you’ve lost possession of that fair thou ow’st,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span class="long-line"><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;">And shall bring
death and rebirth in recycling,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span class="long-line"><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;">When in
eternal lines to new products thou grow’st.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;">So long as men can breathe, or eyes
can see,<span class="long-line"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span class="long-line"><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;">No longer
live these stinky, filthy sneakers that gave life to me <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span class="long-line"><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;">(because walking
my grand-dog wearing these sneakers was my only form of aerobic exercise for
the last six months).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in;"><span class="long-line"><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="long-line"><span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 15pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-1081892956756441282020-09-22T07:01:00.000-07:002020-09-22T07:01:09.723-07:00Time Lapse Tree circa 1975<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My version of time lapse photography. My next door neighbors' tree, 1975.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="1342" data-original-width="1056" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1w7ASUtxtPc1cfZABkPhBeEitoOzyS_SZYMBeQ3xi-hcIJfVCkmxNRrwxpmQSvTbblPKzYwx7Lt3COs2hlH7L-cviRDt97NF69aljUJqivfR6FQ_hZl9800EpfK9-iGCkI9M-9FQldir/w250-h320/tree+3.jpg" style="text-align: left;" width="250" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdOecPsGgPcew758f7RLifOdHKvGyyaWjD-LtV1JOrQVtkqTXJ7lB51krYJylkYgvlGIWMAPeJQWORqXjVXNpVeGLkXDiFButedq2uv8MAclANHMMCnvAUa5Pmv6R_qdGYIPD-4JNOHUG/s1600/tree+7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1338" data-original-width="1058" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdOecPsGgPcew758f7RLifOdHKvGyyaWjD-LtV1JOrQVtkqTXJ7lB51krYJylkYgvlGIWMAPeJQWORqXjVXNpVeGLkXDiFButedq2uv8MAclANHMMCnvAUa5Pmv6R_qdGYIPD-4JNOHUG/w253-h320/tree+7.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzVoBD9ldOBSBBW5wAPhO4tjQKcImtQvR_Q4eDQ_bc-I2DDpGAe_diXPIqvkNcZScqYMU_QaCjhYFsf2BJqEeNJTqKUZiCE09G5UdOiTzYxQKDz_8XBN67xcfLYXTjeQKHn5d7wLPSELf/s1600/tree+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="1056" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzVoBD9ldOBSBBW5wAPhO4tjQKcImtQvR_Q4eDQ_bc-I2DDpGAe_diXPIqvkNcZScqYMU_QaCjhYFsf2BJqEeNJTqKUZiCE09G5UdOiTzYxQKDz_8XBN67xcfLYXTjeQKHn5d7wLPSELf/w252-h320/tree+2.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGYgPrrH4VTmEPQF949hldlq7EIBAAbEtmKokxSOTOHNtBXOOJiXdnXAfWvQP8mEcypJsv0va576R3pAMswTaAdtPTJNSnu5eteMfI_zSnvCYnTyra-BXsHQxPZNA7m1WolwjM5suuT-5P/s1600/tree+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1332" data-original-width="1060" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGYgPrrH4VTmEPQF949hldlq7EIBAAbEtmKokxSOTOHNtBXOOJiXdnXAfWvQP8mEcypJsv0va576R3pAMswTaAdtPTJNSnu5eteMfI_zSnvCYnTyra-BXsHQxPZNA7m1WolwjM5suuT-5P/w254-h320/tree+1.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMN6QDwHxDO7EupHkb-picfG8GAXR6NHErb31PS24H1Odm-IcPqdhxNTP92lSyoVb_ZIV-XVKOIQCv8DD3kKpVt3a9vTOU0raU0RMCP_2xlXJ9kWYYyWLpwUnwhyphenhyphen-f2KcTsKf-G8y1kJt/s1600/tree+pix+with+finger+tip.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1376" data-original-width="1064" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMN6QDwHxDO7EupHkb-picfG8GAXR6NHErb31PS24H1Odm-IcPqdhxNTP92lSyoVb_ZIV-XVKOIQCv8DD3kKpVt3a9vTOU0raU0RMCP_2xlXJ9kWYYyWLpwUnwhyphenhyphen-f2KcTsKf-G8y1kJt/w246-h320/tree+pix+with+finger+tip.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5LJjeaetOwuloncvPb3X97s5v0H1jfVMvkRKetWBlj4eP3aW2_f5zGVeKNHNh5fK6JzIcBANbHe977aQKdKwMcEqiD817fpeYhyphenhyphen_HFBmMpwM7CiJc_l1DFn7azxUO8J33MXtx_RVChDx/s1600/tree+6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1332" data-original-width="1062" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5LJjeaetOwuloncvPb3X97s5v0H1jfVMvkRKetWBlj4eP3aW2_f5zGVeKNHNh5fK6JzIcBANbHe977aQKdKwMcEqiD817fpeYhyphenhyphen_HFBmMpwM7CiJc_l1DFn7azxUO8J33MXtx_RVChDx/w254-h320/tree+6.jpg" width="254" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHH4T2ZDBtwYAkdLKKFwILv5EpVo9jSFH-NxNagF0KLvaMfSxVHGAatJoK2lBTckpK3z-8bjghNFjbUkJ6gwntQ4I0Vcm-goTpvsWIfhtCahXTG5FLU_LNFqsTiomMH2Fm9_1_kI2yuCu3/s1600/tree+5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1318" data-original-width="1060" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHH4T2ZDBtwYAkdLKKFwILv5EpVo9jSFH-NxNagF0KLvaMfSxVHGAatJoK2lBTckpK3z-8bjghNFjbUkJ6gwntQ4I0Vcm-goTpvsWIfhtCahXTG5FLU_LNFqsTiomMH2Fm9_1_kI2yuCu3/w257-h320/tree+5.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbCzGEgAEMrlFKwwv_jvtn9q_-xVuW2U0EF0R14OOJY-ydp_ImfFYI1sbM43r6VDl2wYROkHCKVjNsaMXlZve2rfydutieF0UHPy8FxuRjpgxTIuEdimTviBfs5MO_sAbabd1Fi6wKeIv/s1600/tree+4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1342" data-original-width="1058" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbCzGEgAEMrlFKwwv_jvtn9q_-xVuW2U0EF0R14OOJY-ydp_ImfFYI1sbM43r6VDl2wYROkHCKVjNsaMXlZve2rfydutieF0UHPy8FxuRjpgxTIuEdimTviBfs5MO_sAbabd1Fi6wKeIv/w252-h320/tree+4.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-77612682559239992852020-09-22T06:49:00.001-07:002020-10-11T13:36:23.513-07:00Little Things That Bring Me Joy #1<p> #1 Cocofloss</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhza6pdajGC0fH5MiQhDiJ3YWXkfKevWz1hj5x18G_iFvLU-LEGRYVuiOkauhyphenhyphen4-bDxPdLzh1g26oe_2LigJYw9WS0lo8LCyliBPaFd3KA7Pkt_Oy1dpxzyM0Nud27R-FqqgW1WFsDCbZjM/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhza6pdajGC0fH5MiQhDiJ3YWXkfKevWz1hj5x18G_iFvLU-LEGRYVuiOkauhyphenhyphen4-bDxPdLzh1g26oe_2LigJYw9WS0lo8LCyliBPaFd3KA7Pkt_Oy1dpxzyM0Nud27R-FqqgW1WFsDCbZjM/" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>I'm one of those people who floss every day. I enjoy it, especially when the dentist says, "Your gums are really healthy!" I can't go to sleep at night if I don't floss.</p><p>If you don't floss, maybe try a different type of floss that's softer than the traditional stuff. It's expensive but worth it. I've only used the cara cara orange flavor, but it's mild and yummy. </p><p>I don't usually endorse ANYTHING, but this has been a nice change for me these days when any little change can be great.</p><p>https://cocofloss.com/collections/frontpage</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-69964676441025414012020-08-18T08:35:00.001-07:002020-08-18T08:35:33.388-07:00Billy Collins Told Me<p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif; font-size: small;">that it’s nice
to include</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">a cat<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">in a poem.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cats and kittens <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">filled my house,
my yard, my neighborhood<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">when I was a kid<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cats don’t belong </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">to
anyone </span></span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif; font-size: small;">except themselves,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">but they’re fuzzy, </span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;">when they want to be</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cats have adopted
people in<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">record numbers <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">now that we’re all </span></span><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif; font-size: small;">shut-ins</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What about <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">my nonexistent cat
should slink into this poem?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I’ll ask it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It didn’t like the
question.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It hissed its answer
then<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">cut with its claw<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">the only security
blanket I own,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">my ratty robe, and now<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">it pooped in<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">the suitcase I forgot I
owned<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I wish I could be comforted
by<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">my nonexistent cat.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><o:p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I should have explained<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">why a poem with a cat
in it wouldn’t work,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">but did Billy Collins
ever listen to me?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Abadi, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSxAkkdHu9pD2w9cT8uqMCOJB5QNHQjqtasTpGFOA7QoRiT-3PuTzaxialqXHJSZyVMB-CSC8zSZKVbCifzld2kRAwfzSWgdThtE2WfqjsUCZKzpPwhM90ohnw1vlrT7AgCePMQov3XT1w/s1270/00000079.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="1270" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSxAkkdHu9pD2w9cT8uqMCOJB5QNHQjqtasTpGFOA7QoRiT-3PuTzaxialqXHJSZyVMB-CSC8zSZKVbCifzld2kRAwfzSWgdThtE2WfqjsUCZKzpPwhM90ohnw1vlrT7AgCePMQov3XT1w/w400-h318/00000079.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: "Abadi",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><p></p>It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-60941280056177026082020-04-21T10:33:00.002-07:002020-04-21T10:45:26.874-07:00Safe in the Forest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqrx3SkmdLfP1PbTUIG9m_LeLoo_zBV5nZewfZzSKXqBuufZs0nbVngQJahuI_TARCmrzF8oOVTJggVNxc-Df5mtmF-acF56ifu5TlPMV6ps2TKj9kqS3ORZH70eT-l4ju6bNYcFnq3ifL/s1600/twin+lakes+1960s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1472" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqrx3SkmdLfP1PbTUIG9m_LeLoo_zBV5nZewfZzSKXqBuufZs0nbVngQJahuI_TARCmrzF8oOVTJggVNxc-Df5mtmF-acF56ifu5TlPMV6ps2TKj9kqS3ORZH70eT-l4ju6bNYcFnq3ifL/s320/twin+lakes+1960s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There’s a lot of space for social
distancing in a forest. I haven’t been in a forest lately, but I spent loads of
time as a child in the middle of the Allegheny National Forest, in
north-central Pennsylvania, at a place called Twin Lakes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) created
the Twin Lakes Recreation Area in 1936. Some of the budget was diverted to another
project, so Twin Lakes only ever had one lake. The irony never occurred to me;
I just knew that it was a great place to be a kid in the summer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxKt6qlXukZbK1qHqs_fRC1prTwtpO-Be2-_sI17xQhYBevddHIxdFpukWaqw6IrN0xEnNSU3f_GuVR2sWiZPUvJFit_5Yh-7yugPmPTM1igo0Bx5sQrEJxQMBNaGpMnK1-o-I0ZBKeWi/s1600/twin+lakes+1960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1078" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxKt6qlXukZbK1qHqs_fRC1prTwtpO-Be2-_sI17xQhYBevddHIxdFpukWaqw6IrN0xEnNSU3f_GuVR2sWiZPUvJFit_5Yh-7yugPmPTM1igo0Bx5sQrEJxQMBNaGpMnK1-o-I0ZBKeWi/s320/twin+lakes+1960.jpg" width="317" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">My family camped at Twin Lakes every year
of my childhood. We even had a vehicle that was used only for camping. My parents’
green and white Volkswagen—"the bus”—was already old in the early 1960s
when I was a kid. My dad, a civil engineer, built a wooden cupboard that lived
in the bus. It housed a frying pan, a coffee pot, a bucket, tin coffee cups,
plates, and silverware. Mom would add staples like cans of beans, loaves of
bread, jars of peanut butter, and coffee. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We always started our two-week stay on a
weekday because there were empty camp sites during the week. On summer
weekends, every campsite was filled, and sometimes the Johnsons—the family who
managed the place for the Forest Service back then—would even allow people to
camp in an overflow area above the parking lot. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">While Dad was at work, Mom drove my sister
and me, our camp shelf, our tent, lawn chairs, and beach towels, to Twin Lakes
to pick out our campsite. The bus broke down more than once on the nine-mile drive
from Kane, but we just waited, and eventually Dad would come along after his
workday at the papermill in Johnsonburg. (On some of our camping days, Dad had to
go to work, putting on his necktie before driving away from the morning
campfire.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We headed to the upper camping loop that had
large, private campsites, barely distinguishable from the forest except for a
fire pit, a flattened spot from a previous tent and a picnic table that blended
in with the trees around it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A large, square tarp over the picnic table
didn’t just keep leaves off the table, it kept us dry, because it always rained
at some point when we camped. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">We pitched the tent, green canvas, fading
more each year. Dad had a tent heater, like a squat version of a Coleman
lantern. He’d light it inside the tent before bedtime, and we’d be toasty when
we all first crawled into our sleeping bags. But the mornings were cold, even
in August. Nothing like shivering on the way to the bathhouse at dawn, being
greeted by a couple of fat frogs just hanging out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv48isGEme9ZEztu3k3Gc053glp2Le58P_gRwLUrmQUsqKvySFEaWaoHkZzYq72nAse6PJq6A7j2Cgp1LxpP4HGDMTtw3pa72HpcV5ByOAxoox6oqiJRv8pYunumAhiT86AjjoripS4eNs/s1600/twin+lakes+1969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1041" data-original-width="1023" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv48isGEme9ZEztu3k3Gc053glp2Le58P_gRwLUrmQUsqKvySFEaWaoHkZzYq72nAse6PJq6A7j2Cgp1LxpP4HGDMTtw3pa72HpcV5ByOAxoox6oqiJRv8pYunumAhiT86AjjoripS4eNs/s320/twin+lakes+1969.jpg" width="314" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I loved listening to raindrops on the
tent. I loved our beach towels hanging on a rope tied between trees, flapping
in a breeze. I loved pollywogs. (Were those fat frogs really once that tiny?) Also
called tadpoles, they were easiest to catch in the shallow part of the lake
where the little kids played. In a cup, they looked like wiggling commas. I
loved the campfire, lighting it, stirring it, staring into it. I loved Little
Debbie oatmeal pies, Mom’s special treat. But mostly, I loved making mountain
pies: toasted sandwiches in a metal contraption with long handles. Set a piece
of bread on each metal circle, fill with pb&j (or cherry or blueberry pie
filling), squash it closed, then set it in the embers. Best toasted pb&j
ever.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Over the years, Mom brought some unlikely
things camping. One summer, she brought an easel, stretched canvases, and oil
paints. The only time I ever painted with oil paints was while sitting in the
middle of the forest. I imagine my painting was a bunch of green blobs, maybe
with a slash of reddish-purple or white like the trilliums growing with abandon
nearby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Another unlikely choice for camping was one
of our cats. Mom brought the cat because it was the only one that ever came
running when she stood at our backdoor and tapped on its bowl with a spoon
signaling dinner time. Her signaling device didn’t work in the forest. Neither
my sister nor I can remember the cat’s name, but there was no cat after the
first day, maybe even after the first hour. I imagine it went on to live a
happy life, married a bobcat, and its progeny visit Twin Lakes every summer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Our dog, Cindy, came with us one summer. She didn't run away. She was too lazy to run anywhere.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">For all the years that we camped, the caretakers
of Twin Lakes were Phyllis and Vern Johnson, our neighbors in Kane. They had
four kids, and the kids worked along with their parents. They collected the
garbage. They helped serve food in the pavilion, including the world’s thinnest
hamburgers. They played cards and games with camper families who converged in
the pavilion in the evenings to sit by the blazing stone fireplace at picnic
tables made of whole logs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">If the mornings at Twin Lakes were cold,
the lake water was colder. Suck-in-your-breath cold. I learned how to swim in
that frigid water. I was maybe nine or ten when it was time to prove that I
could swim by making it out to the wooden dock anchored in the middle of the
lake and then swimming back. No boats were allowed on the lake, but there was a
rowboat for emergencies and, apparently, for swimming tests. Bill “Moose”
Johnson, a few years older than I, was given the task of rowing beside me. I
made it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sometimes we would see the same family a
couple of years in a row. One family from Georgia had a red-headed daughter my
age. Her name was Melanie Mink. We were pen pals for a couple of years. I
wonder where she is social distancing at this moment and if she ever thinks
about those off-the-grid summers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8KVnyORjX79iBSNgsAYDEbONhFSzdmcf0Wcu1UEhuHKPlM2VvoDSLcDqv3lP0Aqfaop3B_l0PcvEeIZ8RXZya1z_49vwmHnY1sQkzuYADpUHE7YfvhupVn0Sz6qyzO2YduC3oWgo67E-/s1600/twin+lakes+bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1472" data-original-width="1058" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8KVnyORjX79iBSNgsAYDEbONhFSzdmcf0Wcu1UEhuHKPlM2VvoDSLcDqv3lP0Aqfaop3B_l0PcvEeIZ8RXZya1z_49vwmHnY1sQkzuYADpUHE7YfvhupVn0Sz6qyzO2YduC3oWgo67E-/s320/twin+lakes+bridge.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I haven’t been to Twin Lakes for decades.
My husband is a city guy, and he uses a wheelchair. In the photos I’ve seen
lately on Facebook, the lake and the grounds look amazingly the same, but I’ve
learned that it’s taken a lot of work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">After the CCC building frenzy in the 1930s,
places like Twin Lakes became liabilities for the National Parks Service. Although
Twin Lakes remained open throughout the years under the authority of a site
management company, in 2018 it was no longer open for overnight camping, due at
least in part to a water issue--precipitated by a 1970s sewage system--deemed too
expensive to repair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">That’s when a (truly) grass roots group of
folks formed Friends of Twin Lakes ANF to “improve, beautify, sustain and
preserve Twin Lakes Recreation Area for current and future generations.” Boy
Scouts from Kane, Johnsonburg, and Ridgeway helped out by clearing brush and repairing
steps, picnic tables, and benches. The nonprofit has received grants and
donations, and one of many projects in the works will make the path around the
lake accessible to folks who use wheelchairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">With the exception of possibly running
into a bear and her cubs, Twin Lakes might be one of the safest places to be
right now. But when the national forests are fully open again and life is back to normal, large numbers of folks will go
fishing at Twin Lakes (the lake is stocked with trout), and there are plans for
live music, story times, even yoga. The campsites will be full. It will be time
again to get up close to nature and to one another. Or time for a walk in the
forest, not because we have to keep our distance but just because we want to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-77335609246213944012020-01-29T18:06:00.000-08:002020-01-29T18:06:05.009-08:00Check out my children's science poem, ARE YOU AN OLOGIST? On the website SmartyPantsMagazineForKids.com.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://smartypantsmagazineforkids.com/2020/01/29/are-you-an-ologist/?fbclid=IwAR0VyF5U-n9zA95xw4PtRjObTSnfFbX0O4c0GCLRtMAhn4W_1BS4gU72sjY">https://smartypantsmagazineforkids.com/2020/01/29/are-you-an-ologist/?fbclid=IwAR0VyF5U-n9zA95xw4PtRjObTSnfFbX0O4c0GCLRtMAhn4W_1BS4gU72sjY</a>It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-9959472086672153812019-07-05T11:03:00.000-07:002019-07-05T11:03:02.232-07:00On to Day 2 for Larry at the Main Event!LAS VEGAS -- Larry bagged 32,500 chips, forty big blinds, for Day 2 (tomorrow, July 6) at the end of a crazy day.<br />
<br />
After an earthquake during brunch, Larry started his day at the poker table with a group that included alcoholic-falling-down-drunk guy. DG wasn't just drunk but pickled. He wouldn't shut up, didn't know what was going on most of the time. By the end of the night (he bagged around 20k chips!) he had sat out a total of 4 rounds--an amount that nobody at the table had ever witnessed--and was on the cusp of being thrown out. For a while, he went all-in hand after hand. Nobody bit, until.... well, the guy in Seat 1 went for it after DG showed (tossed across the table) 2-5 offsuit. Seat 1 had 9-10 offsuit. You know what's going to happen. DG found three 2s. What a way to bust out. Sorry Seat 1!<br />
<br />
When DG didn't show after the dinner break, rumor was that he had been arrested near the Mexican restaurant. But he eventually came staggering back, literally being held up by a friend. He said that he had been detained by security guards but talked them into letting him play.<br />
<br />
We're going to shift away from poker today and take in some NBA Summer League.<br />
<br />
Last night, we got to our hotel room just before 2:00 a.m. and watched a little Jeopardy to wind down. I was killing it. Here's to hoping Larry kills it on Day 2.<br />
<br />
<br />It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-46505237813895213512019-07-04T15:29:00.000-07:002019-07-04T15:29:00.334-07:00An Earthquake, the Fourth of July, and the WSOP Main EventLAS VEGAS -- During brunch, we felt an earthquake. It rocked our table and the light fixtures in the restaurant swayed, but the giant mirror on the wall behind Hannah stayed put. It was a 6.4 quake centered about 220 miles from Las Vegas.<br />
<br />
Onto the Main Event.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtx0ZoITmKGhY5weuqT-eAJ7uuXxLJsXGat50I3aSN0olCX6ZzEY5L0strwyLazEpYYBOd9RSo5hZJ_zPD4bGptn849lU-cD2WuTZ36O2D2a1O5afWQ4ffUqOvlJonN_Arh67Dmj3uqAeA/s1600/IMG_20190704_111552003_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtx0ZoITmKGhY5weuqT-eAJ7uuXxLJsXGat50I3aSN0olCX6ZzEY5L0strwyLazEpYYBOd9RSo5hZJ_zPD4bGptn849lU-cD2WuTZ36O2D2a1O5afWQ4ffUqOvlJonN_Arh67Dmj3uqAeA/s320/IMG_20190704_111552003_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFO5i-Q5aa2nl8hogkYzOY4JdraoHYJehqz8WYu366rxVF8HNsjAk3mCa6upMmMu6Ig3eNtamicsNmFU1gFx9QlzebnSo1ay9lT2vWlwob8yNnxq0w8quwN_SphdtqhBj8PlayEs286PIA/s1600/IMG_20190704_111658521.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFO5i-Q5aa2nl8hogkYzOY4JdraoHYJehqz8WYu366rxVF8HNsjAk3mCa6upMmMu6Ig3eNtamicsNmFU1gFx9QlzebnSo1ay9lT2vWlwob8yNnxq0w8quwN_SphdtqhBj8PlayEs286PIA/s320/IMG_20190704_111658521.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
Ryan + Hannah + Larry = Team Pileggi<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Wr2e9x8KI7XfStiZPQiSd7D-jon0TPRDBeuFTOrc22B9hoJ-OkeANUu3NVsFGbrC7JyFZ0widJ_WAuZBWHorgyDadDgasROGrMmZLrJUrSzrRazrgkqzVvX5XbxOGSeTAQSD0s6Jw1hz/s1600/IMG_20190704_115049104.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Wr2e9x8KI7XfStiZPQiSd7D-jon0TPRDBeuFTOrc22B9hoJ-OkeANUu3NVsFGbrC7JyFZ0widJ_WAuZBWHorgyDadDgasROGrMmZLrJUrSzrRazrgkqzVvX5XbxOGSeTAQSD0s6Jw1hz/s320/IMG_20190704_115049104.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8R7-kKznJwpJjJ-0d44m2Sbe82LYs9B6QSHytFxpZ8Jil5tX-3xZTRTEAyMSs1yYsrHQ1oJ5VmVCrcdqB19Rj-nqSZkr6Yk2V4u-pJwC5gi5zLI4jgaiZacH1S7Wl3nfCH_QNYaIkTphe/s1600/IMG_20190704_115344482.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8R7-kKznJwpJjJ-0d44m2Sbe82LYs9B6QSHytFxpZ8Jil5tX-3xZTRTEAyMSs1yYsrHQ1oJ5VmVCrcdqB19Rj-nqSZkr6Yk2V4u-pJwC5gi5zLI4jgaiZacH1S7Wl3nfCH_QNYaIkTphe/s320/IMG_20190704_115344482.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
Daniel Negreanu told the players to not play dumb, and then it was time to shuffle up and deal.<br />
<br />
Follow the action at <a href="https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/updates/?aid=2&grid=1622&tid=17298&dayof=7650&rr=5">https://www.wsop.com/tournaments/updates/?aid=2&grid=1622&tid=17298&dayof=7650&rr=5</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitn1BBqr8rqzFGFttkslCi69v4d7eAwR3nQZkxfwwr-LfuLvKAaF3HS_Nbe_ekMQpaLV5dPZ3cvIJzgGR_PrtD7dQvQeJyQESDkC6WWXYlGba1wOrCJiOE5CWFqkJ8di_ZmQkI2xxD6p3c/s1600/IMG_20190704_115101211_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitn1BBqr8rqzFGFttkslCi69v4d7eAwR3nQZkxfwwr-LfuLvKAaF3HS_Nbe_ekMQpaLV5dPZ3cvIJzgGR_PrtD7dQvQeJyQESDkC6WWXYlGba1wOrCJiOE5CWFqkJ8di_ZmQkI2xxD6p3c/s320/IMG_20190704_115101211_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDpnILaHmxhfDUGAS0doFSWOCAnP2xFzy1qaDUIbjnvEeLD5uiIKqi4JbLmS63BMuSi94So-j6s0yt1qobhaSn9zEcrkb3ymhE2RG-CVZu5RB_BwPvIyhWBPs-hAXZBJ8wAC6BttTEFKy/s1600/IMG_20190704_115109498.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDpnILaHmxhfDUGAS0doFSWOCAnP2xFzy1qaDUIbjnvEeLD5uiIKqi4JbLmS63BMuSi94So-j6s0yt1qobhaSn9zEcrkb3ymhE2RG-CVZu5RB_BwPvIyhWBPs-hAXZBJ8wAC6BttTEFKy/s320/IMG_20190704_115109498.jpg" width="320" /></a>It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-7190558459010777232019-07-03T10:36:00.000-07:002019-07-03T16:36:24.535-07:00A Traveling Show, and TellsLAS VEGAS -- It's WSOP (World Series of Poker) Main Event time again! Even in the crowd of thousands, I see familiar faces. Larry has played in lots of cities, and a lot of tournament poker players follow the circuit, shifting as tournaments pop up at casinos around the country. But the biggest of the big events is here in Las Vegas.<br />
<br />
The World Series of Poker in the U.S. (there are foreign WSOP events) is made up of eight-nine events, orchestrated by Caesers Entertainment Company, that annually fill every inch of the Rio Convention Center between May and July. Pot-Limit Omaha, Seven Card Stud, something called Razz, a Ladies Tournament.<br />
<br />
But the bomb is the Main Event--No-Limit Hold'em with a $10,000 buy-in and no rebuys. One shot at the big prize that includes a coveted winner's bracelet and a huge payout. Last year that big prize was $8.8 million. Out of almost 9,000 players, Larry came in 311th.<br />
<br />
This happened on Monday:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwnBaZrGJ5BMNGcfCs0sMKE_hFCVFYbPf4GcjlxGhbNiOc8R6I8cV8kEe7BwQXghprXvu_HaXk8omYYraJq5g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
It was a Mini Main Event (buy in $1,000) that drew 5,521 folks. This was during the bathroom break. I estimate that 1/10 players are women, but probably fewer than that, so ladies, your bathroom situation is fine. But for the guys? I'd hate to see what the bathrooms look like after the break.<br />
<br />
Because there will be so many players, the Main Event has three Day Ones. Larry will start play tomorrow, but the whole craziness started today. Here's the link:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wsop.com/tournaments/updates/?aid=2&grid=1622&tid=17422&dayof=7646&rr=5">http://www.wsop.com/tournaments/updates/?aid=2&grid=1622&tid=17422&dayof=7646&rr=5</a><br />
<br />
Stay tuned.<br />
<br />
<br />It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-72404212549137538112016-12-04T09:14:00.000-08:002016-12-04T09:14:19.677-08:00A Meditation on Meditation<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">All I have to do is sit still. So why is meditation
so difficult? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">This is how it usually goes for me: Sitting still, doing nothing. Okay,
breathing, but nothing else. Okay, filtering out any thoughts that don’t have
to do with breathing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In, out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In, out. Slowly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Or not slowly. Just watching the breath.
Or maybe repeating a phrase in my mind, a two-syllable phrase that matches in,
out. One syllable for In. One syllable for Out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">People who practice a type of yoga called
Kundalini might use the syllables “Sat Nam.” (Their meaning has to do with
truth.) Sat. Nam. Sat. Nam. In. Out. Just breathe. I try it, and it seems to be
working. But then, Sat Nam becomes Sat Nam don’t forget to send that email and
why are car horns honking. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Is it possible to fail at meditation? Is
it failing or is it just part of the journey? And why am I doing this anyway?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I would like to be more focused. I would
like to be more productive. That’s why I want to meditate. The times that I’ve been
able to block out random thoughts, I have understood what meditation can do for
me. It’s spring cleaning for my brain. Bags of worn and outdated thoughts handed
over to Goodwill and the cobwebs in my brain closets swept away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Meditating gives me energy. I can get all
of those little annoying projects done, the ones that paw at the back of my
consciousness like yappy little dogs. The thought of doing all those little
projects overwhelms me when I can’t focus, but when I can, I wonder why I let
them get to me in the first place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I’ve heard about the good things that
meditation can do for veterans with PTSD, even the ones whose bodies are whole.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">When meditation is working for me, in my
mind I sometimes see colors that represent the amount of heat I am carrying in
my body. Yellow equals calm, and that’s my normal self. I always see at least
some yellow. If I’m having an intense day, I’ll see heat as bright orange or
red. If the intensity has passed, the orange and red turn to dark red and then
to black. Those colors dislodge and move along the river of yellow calm until
they disappear. Do I really see those colors? Since colors exist only in our
minds (not in our eyes), I’m going to say that yes, I do see those colors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I wonder what would happen if everyone in
the world would meditate at the same time for ten minutes. All of the billions
of us just sitting quietly for ten minutes, eyes closed. (We’d have to make
sure that for those ten minutes, nobody was sky diving, frying food or attempting
to recite all of the digits of Pi.) Fighting everywhere would stop for ten
minutes. Some peoples’ physical or emotional pain might be relieved for ten
minutes. Maybe we’d all focus a little bit better after that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Until recently, I had never meditated for
a full ten minutes. Now I’ve even done it for twenty minutes a couple of times.
I will try to do it more often. I’ll sit and not think about it. I’ll work
harder at doing nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-32647451876101015222015-08-14T14:14:00.002-07:002015-08-14T16:29:18.393-07:00If You Build a Literature Festival in Rural America, They Will Come<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="false"
DefSemiHidden="false" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="371">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:8.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:107%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">IN MY STUDY -- Children's writers write so kids will read. Kids find our
books with the help of librarians, parents, teachers and even other kids. As
often as possible, we meet our kid readers at school visits and author events
and library story times. </span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">But what about kids who live in places so
rural that they don’t have a library in their town or even in their school?
They can buy books through school book clubs, or maybe their parents visit
bookstores when they travel to the city. Or they can buy books online. Kind of
like the old days. Think Sears or Montgomery Ward deliveries of new school
clothes in the 1960s (ripping open the brown paper bag to discover… my new
plaid, pleated skirt, with a giant gold safety pin!) or how about the Wells
Fargo wagon delivering bathtubs (or was that just a song?). Anyway, kids in
rural America can get their hands on books if they want to. But what about
meeting authors? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">That’s where Karen Drevo, the heroine of
my story, steps forward (with hands over her face because she would insist that
NONE of this is about her). Karen, a youth services librarian, and her sidekick
Marci, assistant youth services librarian, have run the Norfolk Nebraska Literature
Festival for 21 years, bringing kids from rural Nebraska to meet authors whose
books are included on Nebraska’s Golden Sower Award list. This year, I was
privileged to be one of those authors.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">On our 2 ½ hour drive from the Omaha
airport, I got to talk children’s books and writing with Karen (who had already
driven 2 ½ hours to pick us up) and two of the three authors who were part of
this year’s event. Riding shotgun was Pat Zietlow Miller, 2014 Golden Kite
winner for her lovely picture book, SOPHIE’S SQUASH. Sitting next to me was
Liesl Shurtliff, author of RUMP and its companion books JACK and RED, magically
reworked fairy tales. We would meet up with Lisa Bullard, author of an
adventure/quest/mystery tale called TURN LEFT AT THE COW. She was driving (past
cows) from Minnesota. My book, PRISONER 88, filled the historical fiction
category, a genre that is sometimes hard to sell to kids who think history is just
a list of dead people.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">First thing the next morning, we authors
hosted individual writing workshops. Among my participants was a group of four
kids from a class of approximately 14 (some discrepancies there about kids
leaving and kids moving in). They had hit the road before 7 a.m. On a Saturday.
In July. With their teacher. To talk to authors. (Some other kids came from as
far as 2 ½ hours away!) One girl, a soon-to-be seventh grader named Taylor, a
ginger with a smile as wide as Nebraska, told me that she loved to write everything,
even presentations for school. She volunteered to read for each exercise we
practiced. Her enthusiasm gave me the burst of energy I needed after the
previous day’s two flights and long car trip. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">By late afternoon, after all of our author
presentations (wow, did I learn a lot about how to capture an audience’s
attention), we signed books, took selfies (“us”ies?), hugged young kids and old
kids, too. And then we packed all of our overflowing bags (yes, we all bought
books) into the car and headed back to Omaha.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">To me, a first-time published author at
the age of 55, the whole experience was a dream come true. Based on the great
questions I got after my talk, I think there are now some kids in Nebraska who
will try more historical fiction. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Karen and Marci and all of the staff and
volunteers from the Norfolk Public Library did a Herculean job herding authors
and readers through a day filled with books. Or maybe it’s more appropriately American
to say that they did a Paul Bunyonesque job. Marci’s latest round of chemo had
left her unsure the night before whether she could attend. (She was there. All
day.) Everyone sweated out a shipment of books that finally arrived the morning
of the festival. Karen drove a total of ten hours in just over a day. Ask her
about it and she’ll tell you it was no big deal.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij0sswP4FVXd1MVLGrKX7yzoS4O5NBKm5Gy9bg8UB1uDm6i_vbtiXDpzft19VdfeDotDoebJMH2WMUYECUZLWLnoRuBqxiXJrtiagsHkYoh32JcB1EY12mOrL45HiMxY-UlLKCWnjU4EcG/s1600/corn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij0sswP4FVXd1MVLGrKX7yzoS4O5NBKm5Gy9bg8UB1uDm6i_vbtiXDpzft19VdfeDotDoebJMH2WMUYECUZLWLnoRuBqxiXJrtiagsHkYoh32JcB1EY12mOrL45HiMxY-UlLKCWnjU4EcG/s320/corn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-39684855974654474432015-06-04T16:03:00.000-07:002015-06-04T16:03:05.804-07:00Larry's out in 151st placeBACK AT THE HOTEL -- Larry moneyed, but he ran into a nasty hand and went out in 151st place. He paired a Jack, the other guy did runner runner for a straight. Bummer. But Larry moneyed in 2 out of 3 events he played in.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1UXcQVvNn8CB_YeZg0vt_6BQWImTKST1kzprm_sbOC-AttBkRoFLOjhrLSmT-9msz_um7wAKAXE6TNTMDIutqsvjZ_kWGhvJH7YLBN-blTYr8XHku8xSp8VAxgKMrXfRVvwdmRu1sn87g/s1600/20150604_125825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1UXcQVvNn8CB_YeZg0vt_6BQWImTKST1kzprm_sbOC-AttBkRoFLOjhrLSmT-9msz_um7wAKAXE6TNTMDIutqsvjZ_kWGhvJH7YLBN-blTYr8XHku8xSp8VAxgKMrXfRVvwdmRu1sn87g/s400/20150604_125825.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Today's table</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmY2jJHUk_DMjBu2rydvc9Oi_K_6o7KxpS2irsRee82XpzHCx-r8hPPBHwOuNUw-gVyvbu5fSNiiASOgnOGz4bg-DCW5htrvV-9sAApTHtK5VGeDJe-ZJADxLwK3zmryguieMJliuO_l7/s1600/20150604_135413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmY2jJHUk_DMjBu2rydvc9Oi_K_6o7KxpS2irsRee82XpzHCx-r8hPPBHwOuNUw-gVyvbu5fSNiiASOgnOGz4bg-DCW5htrvV-9sAApTHtK5VGeDJe-ZJADxLwK3zmryguieMJliuO_l7/s400/20150604_135413.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I didn't see ANY women in the money at this tournament, but this is Maria Ho, and she might have been in it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvw-lEsKJ0jzkgQHr5sqKQ-KV6_J8uDWLigu0GAYwrxrN4wWjgOLbWTrrTrkbBjaMTaULEwGdNdiSCrE4WprVsNmzQCpy1aRyyGSQ7Pew2e5ItOGOVBoy8zyQRm1A2XZY83SbsuFiE_WjB/s1600/20150604_150655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvw-lEsKJ0jzkgQHr5sqKQ-KV6_J8uDWLigu0GAYwrxrN4wWjgOLbWTrrTrkbBjaMTaULEwGdNdiSCrE4WprVsNmzQCpy1aRyyGSQ7Pew2e5ItOGOVBoy8zyQRm1A2XZY83SbsuFiE_WjB/s400/20150604_150655.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-29934555603190149052015-06-04T10:35:00.002-07:002015-06-04T10:35:50.063-07:00Day Two of 6-Handed TournamentAT OUR HOTEL -- Day Two of the 6-handed tournament restarts at 1 p.m. We got back to the room around 2:30 a.m. and got to sleep maybe around 3 a.m.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9SYOmZTLxIFJ54Rm9zNBC6F0GY2d8wsI6Lpk3g9nyMYCACyms21a3p3VIc7AR-kn9C0UNKd6mCgb8yg31LrsUOfCJ1RzTjugu5rsrM510OO5T422j720T1gOhGBE1RDeuaDKfumZqQqj/s1600/20150603_204629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9SYOmZTLxIFJ54Rm9zNBC6F0GY2d8wsI6Lpk3g9nyMYCACyms21a3p3VIc7AR-kn9C0UNKd6mCgb8yg31LrsUOfCJ1RzTjugu5rsrM510OO5T422j720T1gOhGBE1RDeuaDKfumZqQqj/s640/20150603_204629.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Some numbers:<br />
<br />
1,651 entrants. 206 left after Day One. Paying 180. Larry is in 95th place with 52,700 chips. First place is $457,000. The chip leader, with 213,000 chips, will be at Larry's table.<br />
<br />
I helped him stack chips as people busted out and the chip stacks got pretty high.<br />
<br />
We're ready for today.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AJ1Et5wdSf14YZCnZR7-33vgq27wT2yWps4q5UftMuK0WGsTZvqBaWH5o3LvBgmYZbLxuwdQChp2F6O-c6SVKwaoufjJjbwfQyftgWNh-TZmJDwae64SctA9jsutGmTHyZoj5_6umvfE/s1600/6+hand+board.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AJ1Et5wdSf14YZCnZR7-33vgq27wT2yWps4q5UftMuK0WGsTZvqBaWH5o3LvBgmYZbLxuwdQChp2F6O-c6SVKwaoufjJjbwfQyftgWNh-TZmJDwae64SctA9jsutGmTHyZoj5_6umvfE/s640/6+hand+board.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At dinner break</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fbs1wLrpX5P974vbKgdY6XWOF533ksoqSfJuhExMrO7HIVj-R4gGAbz17KZbbL_ziuiYD5DxPVzoLYQ5l2GpNMhlc-YjGiej8h1HEoOLdRhM1ZGFaHJb_Nfatu9o47DcdKxfm7RF_300/s1600/heading+back+to+play.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fbs1wLrpX5P974vbKgdY6XWOF533ksoqSfJuhExMrO7HIVj-R4gGAbz17KZbbL_ziuiYD5DxPVzoLYQ5l2GpNMhlc-YjGiej8h1HEoOLdRhM1ZGFaHJb_Nfatu9o47DcdKxfm7RF_300/s400/heading+back+to+play.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading back after a break. The weather is perfect, not nearly as hot as usual.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQ5w3RFVTV2owY50kbrxpFtqlK-x1EWz905Fge_o3tb7brQgjbDgp804O-LnVvj6aLQJ_FuGcYZH_VCGmUcrpsF0F6u-dVv5BrKUNFd_uDfzk8ZBFM-_7GDKPjZI4aJLI1yAI-0hdIayH/s1600/moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQ5w3RFVTV2owY50kbrxpFtqlK-x1EWz905Fge_o3tb7brQgjbDgp804O-LnVvj6aLQJ_FuGcYZH_VCGmUcrpsF0F6u-dVv5BrKUNFd_uDfzk8ZBFM-_7GDKPjZI4aJLI1yAI-0hdIayH/s640/moon.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One light is a streetlight, the other is the moon. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIF50cxbzKkc_O7gH7nAPtyl0Uh47c1byJ2fd9t-EKHKlP0Bxt2U09qDUNhyy-wRS-ZmLNmMhhLuPDgx_7O6Td2v-7sZombvPuhjMkVzWj5Blnxs0tDKfQxD13x0cw_sfJmIPEGpepySZl/s1600/esfandiari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIF50cxbzKkc_O7gH7nAPtyl0Uh47c1byJ2fd9t-EKHKlP0Bxt2U09qDUNhyy-wRS-ZmLNmMhhLuPDgx_7O6Td2v-7sZombvPuhjMkVzWj5Blnxs0tDKfQxD13x0cw_sfJmIPEGpepySZl/s640/esfandiari.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antonio Esfandiari in glasses. He's still in, has about the same size chip stack as Larry for Day Two.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PsQ-_-I5uvo959qBDV1H6RU6Q49SdYKCbt8P5veJBp4bOGic-q07Mpw3LFyA4B-f-f0ral6GPzPb-1_iSp2b9tu_0pyHE1PB1H5HqUkrtagjtb1eREuoWB9fcEHmAy8gwA_PujpFX4IH/s1600/nugreaunu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PsQ-_-I5uvo959qBDV1H6RU6Q49SdYKCbt8P5veJBp4bOGic-q07Mpw3LFyA4B-f-f0ral6GPzPb-1_iSp2b9tu_0pyHE1PB1H5HqUkrtagjtb1eREuoWB9fcEHmAy8gwA_PujpFX4IH/s640/nugreaunu.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daniel Negreanu before he busted out early on.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-35262961099667717892015-06-03T19:23:00.002-07:002015-06-03T19:23:25.416-07:00Doing Well in 6-Hand EventPOKER KITCHEN -- 7:22 p.m. We're eating dinner. The dinner break is 90 minutes meaning that if Larry is in it at the end of today's play, that will be sometime after 2 a.m. He's got about 18,000 chips right now. They started with 7,500. He's playing well.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKp2I33iVk4QzApPgLDIaz3EEY1a1WDdxZjlaXQsvIvqdhE4hovCeyKSjc3oA9cGKPnJQ4Qpnx9wAuWlchYucuCvxxxgPgP8Bv4l1B76YuTn8RiPpOO3EUgtYQ4yz8r_BqpoZnUbfQb-_/s1600/20150603_115038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKp2I33iVk4QzApPgLDIaz3EEY1a1WDdxZjlaXQsvIvqdhE4hovCeyKSjc3oA9cGKPnJQ4Qpnx9wAuWlchYucuCvxxxgPgP8Bv4l1B76YuTn8RiPpOO3EUgtYQ4yz8r_BqpoZnUbfQb-_/s400/20150603_115038.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His chair outside the ropes is where I've been hanging out.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbdvyS8C7YWge7Cd_E29AFuHLKEnYm2hADlDw_ZRbr9-f8W51ANXeZpjcaOQgJw7vG8hUsurXj_j87fvR4bwK1lUMx8HmyVVBcwNchBcS2xyr414mSCxh9nyaezIgQ3HrO055knWn1a8QZ/s1600/6-hand+clock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbdvyS8C7YWge7Cd_E29AFuHLKEnYm2hADlDw_ZRbr9-f8W51ANXeZpjcaOQgJw7vG8hUsurXj_j87fvR4bwK1lUMx8HmyVVBcwNchBcS2xyr414mSCxh9nyaezIgQ3HrO055knWn1a8QZ/s640/6-hand+clock.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-12532696799113065452015-06-02T21:39:00.002-07:002015-06-02T21:39:52.913-07:00WSOP continuedIN HOTEL ROOM -- Tomorrow (Wednesday), Larry will play in a 6-Handed No-Limit Hold 'em tournament that starts at noon. If Larry's table is close to where spectators can stand, that will be great. It's easier for me to see what's going on when there are only six players at a table.<br />
<br />
We checked out the Mob Museum today. It's located in an actual old courthouse where some mob trials were held.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjky7nv38t77hHSH8xF1AzJjIwu-AArj6ZgYdjdog8MJdD1n2CM23Yg0tKjzLY4j1W-oJUSgABFh-MU_g5MktfkFBzzCycr74wcnfwaEyUOUT81vOYm8vUriczKgxIV78oH3pQDfopDpKQj/s1600/mob+museum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjky7nv38t77hHSH8xF1AzJjIwu-AArj6ZgYdjdog8MJdD1n2CM23Yg0tKjzLY4j1W-oJUSgABFh-MU_g5MktfkFBzzCycr74wcnfwaEyUOUT81vOYm8vUriczKgxIV78oH3pQDfopDpKQj/s400/mob+museum.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJWCZm6_nJoMDhS8AzBRN5Cun19H19q-Lv9ampUbRveSTK0uTJnMmybD47ivoMxR-PhLVychDkqLg1Z-hlBTV1l-QVCEpGufbUIyyx-XcuyQmIqN-Fixcbnn_vB3vTZ8VErY-KMbV0sy7/s1600/20150602_150324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJWCZm6_nJoMDhS8AzBRN5Cun19H19q-Lv9ampUbRveSTK0uTJnMmybD47ivoMxR-PhLVychDkqLg1Z-hlBTV1l-QVCEpGufbUIyyx-XcuyQmIqN-Fixcbnn_vB3vTZ8VErY-KMbV0sy7/s400/20150602_150324.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjqhdL3kNQrjUWVZNZhIcg5XJYDdmYTWrWQyxlNDGVkNXCHz4SvGoTG2dOPc-NQgLPAriTm4r2kuhHANNtfcLe6zXPAtdRFLGm7eKFstdLwBiRqE8ZGHTX041SfiScjzdMWRh_fsUa3rIL/s1600/20150602_140103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjqhdL3kNQrjUWVZNZhIcg5XJYDdmYTWrWQyxlNDGVkNXCHz4SvGoTG2dOPc-NQgLPAriTm4r2kuhHANNtfcLe6zXPAtdRFLGm7eKFstdLwBiRqE8ZGHTX041SfiScjzdMWRh_fsUa3rIL/s640/20150602_140103.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglk3yFvMeNN8GGPjQy9DAEpYXr9PpP4kl0da_UFJEpAXODxNr-o56rdZbfOqtQVdhlOBBL6pxjV621uPT6zUkD0cEo0-NtvxOyUFVc2K_L9V_GZ8qQUgkSeAajORf9nSk6wpx2QWuXuylJ/s1600/20150602_132442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglk3yFvMeNN8GGPjQy9DAEpYXr9PpP4kl0da_UFJEpAXODxNr-o56rdZbfOqtQVdhlOBBL6pxjV621uPT6zUkD0cEo0-NtvxOyUFVc2K_L9V_GZ8qQUgkSeAajORf9nSk6wpx2QWuXuylJ/s400/20150602_132442.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mail box slots left over from when the building was a courthouse.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The other night, we had a terrific meal at El Dorado, a Mexican restaurant that is located in a rather strange place.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGj5GRoK6jeGdN6_Pbd11g1EvIth7OhTkgYLx7e7qe3tXvRRvN1r2-oJVvNH5xdOUHkoa9_Oa35RPSvHVXh8ejUsfXeUNZvgV2SYRaMzefHdr3xAbcSTSEWSPCG_rc7ZrGoPwEuZvbLIM/s1600/mens+club.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGj5GRoK6jeGdN6_Pbd11g1EvIth7OhTkgYLx7e7qe3tXvRRvN1r2-oJVvNH5xdOUHkoa9_Oa35RPSvHVXh8ejUsfXeUNZvgV2SYRaMzefHdr3xAbcSTSEWSPCG_rc7ZrGoPwEuZvbLIM/s640/mens+club.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The two businesses have nothing to do with each other, although I'm sure there are some patrons that have visited both.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQetr8-nPSGry-DMHkTm4LOnBpfgB-ad4BP8NFay2KnVkkxLA9UXeQP4csw1OycCLpYQO23ht-Q9iQrCDGnKn-k7ZlmiAvCzG-ykSbyI8Ud6Vqs7PhI6no-G0ppG7EpLHHwhkrgU9UYc9/s1600/20150601_193857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQetr8-nPSGry-DMHkTm4LOnBpfgB-ad4BP8NFay2KnVkkxLA9UXeQP4csw1OycCLpYQO23ht-Q9iQrCDGnKn-k7ZlmiAvCzG-ykSbyI8Ud6Vqs7PhI6no-G0ppG7EpLHHwhkrgU9UYc9/s400/20150601_193857.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excellent empanadas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
The Riviera is no more. It has closed its doors, and it will be imploded like so many other Las Vegas casinos long past their prime.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytCwv09OhtyBVyqIh7rPGlj3kNRhDAo_t3afJURMmxnoUZum3T9YYTs2m4cWqLoOufN_eU_E7bsfo1wkvnJCFGeD7vpD1rOG3IckyDgDNf36NgrU5cfPGAvf638GEd0vcj0zcRrFZmp5-/s1600/riviera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytCwv09OhtyBVyqIh7rPGlj3kNRhDAo_t3afJURMmxnoUZum3T9YYTs2m4cWqLoOufN_eU_E7bsfo1wkvnJCFGeD7vpD1rOG3IckyDgDNf36NgrU5cfPGAvf638GEd0vcj0zcRrFZmp5-/s640/riviera.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-18745965444029551552015-06-01T17:29:00.003-07:002015-06-01T17:29:51.886-07:00Table 7 Wasn't LuckyBACK AT THE HOTEL -- Larry busted out at about 5:30. He had pocket Kings. He got all the chips in the middle pre-flop against pocket Jacks and the third Jack arrived on the river. Boo.<br />
<br />
Antonio Esfandiari is in that tournament. We also saw Michael Mizrachi and Vanessa Russo.<br />
<br />
Larry will play in a six-handed tournament starting on Wednesday. Maybe third time's a charm.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-18303509747589791562015-06-01T12:28:00.000-07:002015-06-01T12:28:11.249-07:00Pot Limit Hold 'em TournamentPOKER KITCHEN -- Larry is playing in a pot-limit hold 'em tournament. There won't be any All Ins, but it will be interesting to see if there are other ways that this type of tournament is different than no-limit.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBccSHyu8_ZrcEuNKHnlHsymjx4MqGQHAqO1XY3yM2FnE2kj5SGhHR5J1JrJkjC8lZXgKbN7yf_jhom18IB0WSYO6AHIS60iipRdrrF4GmWom8fYFlj1ctO71XHAtLIRXYStolUZMj7vf/s1600/20150601_115209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBccSHyu8_ZrcEuNKHnlHsymjx4MqGQHAqO1XY3yM2FnE2kj5SGhHR5J1JrJkjC8lZXgKbN7yf_jhom18IB0WSYO6AHIS60iipRdrrF4GmWom8fYFlj1ctO71XHAtLIRXYStolUZMj7vf/s400/20150601_115209.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for start of today's tournament</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfinh1FzpD3sQJTjDjZ02ZZnvZTMfGH6S5oAEWLiQjhJKHuY3RuhH5dgITiZQCh2fgdzsdPmf_Yq9k0l83Xaf4mTgzsZq1Y3l7_NHTS7YX7mH17QN4riWzRqwfityZBAjgh7GRsXoPep7b/s1600/20150601_120233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfinh1FzpD3sQJTjDjZ02ZZnvZTMfGH6S5oAEWLiQjhJKHuY3RuhH5dgITiZQCh2fgdzsdPmf_Yq9k0l83Xaf4mTgzsZq1Y3l7_NHTS7YX7mH17QN4riWzRqwfityZBAjgh7GRsXoPep7b/s400/20150601_120233.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brasilia Room</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
What a different atmosphere in the WSOP poker rooms today. It's so quiet. The only action is in the Brasilia Room, the tournament that Larry's playing in.<br />
It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173733187789128644.post-27939834836794763332015-05-31T22:22:00.004-07:002015-05-31T22:22:58.267-07:00On to the Next EventLAS VEGAS -- Larry busted out in 1,483rd place. Out of more than 22,000 players, that's pretty good. He moneyed, and he played well. It was a crazy but fun day. The remaining players will play until probably close to 3 a.m.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow starting at noon, Larry will play in a Pot Limit Hold 'Em tournament. That one will go three days. I hope he goes the distance.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Oqqgl3Oq9qFk8O2s2vOWLRL1IzwNOFgrwHpZ4H4cZ1chOoZTpWoSUjqTMZkhTzXg55c5M9TV6q0TNd7iy2dWrIHRyNgQUoFdYuIsBR_hErEN7gy0dR2Aclj2n_zkTHPLQyl5cW3I1tbY/s1600/day+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Oqqgl3Oq9qFk8O2s2vOWLRL1IzwNOFgrwHpZ4H4cZ1chOoZTpWoSUjqTMZkhTzXg55c5M9TV6q0TNd7iy2dWrIHRyNgQUoFdYuIsBR_hErEN7gy0dR2Aclj2n_zkTHPLQyl5cW3I1tbY/s400/day+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Larry waiting to play on Day 2</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx05ODTYg_XBZ1JaqnuSnrsSFDOo0SH1zgi5CAH1HB5lLXarRP0IZtKNku5HR7HHhBc61oD1ZaFfQf0i06gQUQ7P7mcYHAeX1auCgYIHaGan9TDOm_Zqz4KZm7QBlHrezGKXu0kYBPqHPO/s1600/dealers+day+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx05ODTYg_XBZ1JaqnuSnrsSFDOo0SH1zgi5CAH1HB5lLXarRP0IZtKNku5HR7HHhBc61oD1ZaFfQf0i06gQUQ7P7mcYHAeX1auCgYIHaGan9TDOm_Zqz4KZm7QBlHrezGKXu0kYBPqHPO/s400/dealers+day+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54HBhifz6qu5_oUXFdlEHHEyHo9_AiBtDESJ1-iJRw7XK0-eCFSVQnthTMZeG8qU2XXLkTU7qPUZtsRDqQsvctbQ7h-G775O9Q5pwDdqcvfEfjxxgHlWYsJIuySl3JNcEFx046TnqYFfL/s1600/waiting+for+day+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54HBhifz6qu5_oUXFdlEHHEyHo9_AiBtDESJ1-iJRw7XK0-eCFSVQnthTMZeG8qU2XXLkTU7qPUZtsRDqQsvctbQ7h-G775O9Q5pwDdqcvfEfjxxgHlWYsJIuySl3JNcEFx046TnqYFfL/s400/waiting+for+day+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeAtcMLDLd1FF1OOEoXjwqpYFboNg_hm_g3YB00p8ILwSzsdtVzAUIBcy1vBw641VJkaPUJfZH8Scvgsb7Rcs42jfXS9ZDvArlbvsR5jHe3Ky3pbZSFtH6l33Xkrrc_2AnqUaQUjPT1VBk/s1600/waiting+to+play.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeAtcMLDLd1FF1OOEoXjwqpYFboNg_hm_g3YB00p8ILwSzsdtVzAUIBcy1vBw641VJkaPUJfZH8Scvgsb7Rcs42jfXS9ZDvArlbvsR5jHe3Ky3pbZSFtH6l33Xkrrc_2AnqUaQUjPT1VBk/s400/waiting+to+play.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />It's a Wonder-Filled Worldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09588139877301812649noreply@blogger.com0