Busy weekend, commuting, computing

With last week full of late nights at my paid work, and this next work week mostly without my colleague Shirley, so sure to be busy, I probably should not have spent so much time at my computer on Sunday. But things that I wanted to do pushed themselves to the forefront. I created an experimental WQIDC blog for the West Queens Independent Democratic Club. Perhaps I should have spent the time updating the website, but I wanted to create a useful blog for action and discussion. It is started and needs volunteers to assist -- and we have to see if my WQIDC friends loosen up and join the 21st century world of blogging. Time will tell. In the meantime, I learned stuff by building a new blog. (And I have more changes to make on Peace Hugs as time and energy allow.)

Saturday was our little peace vigil at Union Square. Betty Lou Hornick is under the weather [Healing, Betty Lou!] so it was Sam Oast, Marianne Landre Goldscheider and me. Sam relayed a message from Daniel Marshall who is urging a get-together. So, it is time to arrange a Fellowship of Reconciliation meeting, probably at Sam's, for sustenance and camaraderie -- to rebuild the spirit, in a world that needs spirit and energy. We should say a prayer for George W. Bush who just has no sense of the Asian mind and the need for respect. He didn't have the benefit of Sr. Francis DeSales, St. Joseph sister of Erie, PA, who used to quote, "You can catch more flies with a teaspoon of honey than you can with a barrel of vinegar." No, instead Bush is exacerbating nuclear proliferation and encouraging the North Koreans to build bombs all the while he claims to have been diplomatic. Heh? He has ignored and pummeled the North Koreans for months, indeed years. So now we have his biggest failure yet, further proof of his incompetence. So say a prayer for Bush and for all of us.

Following Saturday's peace vigil and our little post vigil repast, I ventured down to Tower Records on 4th and Broadway in NYC. I had seen a man sporting their Closing -- 30% off sign. Well, it wasn't all 30% off, mostly 15 and 20% at this point, but still good enough to pick up some stuff that will be harder to get later and also to say goodbye to Tower Records. I feel so badly, but times change. Still, it is the end of an era. (I happened to pick up another Nancy Lamott album -- not easy to get on iTunes -- another Eric Andersen after his great concert last Saturday at the People's Voice Cafe -- see my photos and commentary from the evening -- but why didn't I take a picture of Jaye, Marcia and Gloria?? Well, we had a great time. as Eric Andersen put on a terrific show, which our dear friend Amy Bobrow would have enjoyed. Plus I found two more folk CDs, one by the great Pete Seeger and another by the wonderful John McCutcheon -- and then I found this fascinating and very affordable DVD of sung Irish prayers. "mysic songs and ballads" entitled The Irish Prayers put out by Tranquil World and featuring St. Patrick Boys -- lovely and magical. And finally, also magically, I found a DVD in the wrong place [or maybe the right place] of the Dread Pirate [special] Editiion of The Princess Bride: waiting to see it with bated breath.) Where else can one find so much so easily as TOWER RECORDS? It will be missed.

So I was in Manhattan and then in Sunnyside picking up some magical Sarna Lotion, recommended by Bliss restaurant's Dorothy Morehead the other night when we were taking pictures of new food items at Bliss. (See my FlickR.com site -- the Bliss - Out and In set.) Long day. And Sunday I watched Thom Hartman speak about his book, SCREWED: The Undeclared War Against the Middle Class -- and what we can do about it on C-Span2 Book TV -- after first seeing it at Vox Pop in Brooklyn several weeks ago. (See still more pictures at the Vox Pop set.) Yes, I had other stuff I wanted to do, but creativity beckoned and I succumbed to my muse. That said, I better get some sleep and get cracking on my de-cluttering scheme. Thanksgiving is coming -- and so are my son and Gina. Much to do: save the world, do housework, get some sleep -- not necessarily in that order.

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

PS I also got a phone call from my dear girlhood friend, Judy Young Brannan -- a very full and gratifying weekend.