IF (and yes, it’s a big IF) I actually find the time to sit down and watch TV the only "live" stuff I watch anymore are really LIVE - sporting events or news.  Otherwise I always use the DVR to watch any programs.  

I can watch them when I want to and with my nifty little remote for my satellite TV I have a great "30 second" button that lets me fly past the ads - - finally, worthwhile technology!!! LOL

This is an avenue I always recommend to others as it worked for me.  

My own business got off and running purely as a result of work I did as a volunteer - both for an Arts Council group and for a Historic Building Preservation group.  I volunteered my time and skills which included photography and graphic design.  

Within a year of becoming a volunteer I had more "paying" work than I could handle (at least for a while) working from home as freelance designer, photographer, writer and artist.  Now I’ve moved on to included restoration/retouching work to photographs and I have to give complete credit for getting me started to my volunteer efforts.

Not only did I feel GOOD about the work I was doing for such worthy non-profits, but the unexpected benefit was that I ended up running my own business.  Not a bad side perk.

Volunteering is not only a great way to market your skills, meet new people and hone your talents - but it’s also a great way to try out something new just to see if you like it and/or are good at it. 

So many worthy organizations out there can benefit from the various talents all of us have to offer - it’s one of the few true "win-win" situations and one anyone who has the time should go ahead and give a try.  I HIGHLY recommend this path.  

I agree.  

Annie is a great inspiration to me and my heart aches for what she has been through in recent years.  Now to see her being used to analyze the behavior of all creative types - irritates me to no end. As you mention, she could easily be suffering from some form of depression, not that it’s any of our business, but who wouldn’t in this situation?  Even the most analytical of us would suffer from it for at least a while with the events she has lived.  Can’t somebody give her a break….  

I just hate to see her situation used as an attack on a whole group of people - I can’t stand blanket statements or assumptions to begin with and to use one person’s situation as an excuse to issue forth such a blanket statement is reprehensible at best, and with the emotional events that have taken place it goes on to being just plain cruel.  People need to know when to back-off.  

Each of us can learn something from the suffering of others - that’s how life goes - but it doesn’t mean we have to inflict more pain on them with the lesson.

Wow - is this a really strong and seemingly opinionated statement.  As an artist and photographer myself I was so shocked that I was left gasping as I read this post.

Perhaps those who don’t see themselves as "completely creative" don’t understand what it takes to be such a person.  The need to be creative never leaves such a person - every waking moment of every day, and often even those moments in time when we are not awake, the creativity is there.  I can hardly pass by a person and not think whether or not I would like to photograph them and if so in what manner.  I notice textures of buildings, plants and the lighting of an area when I’m not even attempting to.  The process is always there and I am a bit of a slave to the thoughts - they control me, I do not control them.  To not express this creativity - whether for profit or pleasure - is not a choice, it is a necessity.  I could really care less whether you or any other person enjoys what I create - I create because I have no other choice.  It is as essential to my being as is breathing or communicating in any other form.

Because of this overwhelming part of my nature it can be "difficult" to focus on non-creative issues in life, but not impossible.  I would never avoid dealing with them intentionally, I have never thought nor known any other creative-type personality who thought that because we create art that the world "owed us something".  Each of us knows that if we are fortunate enough to earn a living off of our creativity we are indeed lucky and many of us fear nothing more than having to have what so many call "a real job" … we do not look down on others for having such things as "real jobs", but instead often harbor a fear that they are stronger than us as they are offering a worthwhile "skill" as many in society would judge.

To say that because one is creative means that the person feels entitled to not have to deal with mundane issues of life is a cruel statement.  I’ve never known any creative person to know such a thing.  Many struggle with the knowledge or ability to focus long enough to accomplish these mundane tasks, but don’t feel they are above them.  Indeed many fear that their inability to focus on them could be the downfall of their business or other areas of their life and end up hiring others to watch these matters for them because of this fear.

I myself end up focusing more on these mundane issues than I care to - double & triple checking invoices, daily logs of hours worked, balancing accounts, etc because I fear I will forget whether or not they’ve been dealt with because I’ve "zoned out" during a project and allowed myself to turn completely over to the creative side.

Your statement of thinking that a "completely creative" person feels themselves to "think they should be given a free pass as if they’ve given their art to the world and the world should be grateful and not bug them about the little things" smacks of envy.  It sounds to at least this creative type as a person who does not understand nor appreciate the work that goes into accomplishing a creative task and thinks these type of people are "getting off easy" as compared to the rest.  

Just because dealing with financial issues is easy and understandable to you, and others like you, does not mean it is the same for anyone else - creative or not.  This statement sounds as if you are demeaning a creative person because you finally found something you are better at then they are - it sounds desperate.

Personally, I know a few people who would jump at that kind of a ability - the ability to understand the complex world of finance and accounting.  And not all of them are creative types - just regular ordinary people who occasionally bounce a check or are in credit card debt up to their eyeballs.

My problem with this whole issue is the idea of "empathy" and the way it’s being  tossed around during this process.  

In "my mind" - the term "empathy", which would include taking into account the different experiences a latina would have over a white-male, should not come into play when interpreting the law - the law is the law - if you don’t like what it is you work to rewrite or change the law.  

Where "empathy", and in turn one’s life experiences, come into play should only be in the sentencing or punishment phase of any legal issue.  That’s why I hate the mandatory sentencing so many promote - yet I equally hate the idea of the law being flexed to define somebody’s empathetic view.  

Just because I’m hungry it doesn’t make it OK to steal a loaf of bread - and that’s what an empathetic judge could take into account when punishing me for the theft - not ignoring or excusing the crime, but understanding the issue when it comes time to punish me for the crime.  And one who has been hungry before would better understand the "why" a crime was committed than one who has never known hunger.  This is the only area I see a person’s background coming into play.

Congratulations Marlo!  

Hubby and I have been together 25 and and still going strong.  Our anniversary was Valentines Day (cheesy - I know!), so he has no excuse to forget the date :).  

Hopefully we’ll make it to our 29th in a few years time ….   Don’t you feel a bit "unusual" in this day an age with a marriage that has last this long?  I know we do.  One time we were at a friends wedding and they had all the couples out dancing and then made each couple sit down when the time they had been married was called - - it was so odd because at the end when they were getting near the 20th anniverary - it was just us and some really elderly couples.  So embarassing and yet exciting at the same time - people were shocked that at our age we had been together so long.

Congrats again - wishing you many, many more happy days together!!! 

My husband is employed in the Resort industry so we have been fortunate enough to not only travel to some unbelievably beautiful spots (mostly in this country) but to have enjoyed some of the best resorts at those locations - most often working at them and knowing how the "magic" is presented.  Some of my personal fav’s have been:  

Almost anywhere in Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine (Sand Beach is my personal fav - when it’s deserted)
Captiva Island - SW Florida
Amelia Island - NE Florida
Anywhere on Nantucket Island (Madequecham is my fav…)
Any remote area of the Hamptons or the North Fork of the East End.

But I truly have to say that for myself the most romantic place on earth is my own home … we strive to keep our home feeling like our own personal resort.  I always want this to be our place of refuge - no matter where "home" is located - the one place we can be ourselves, express our true feelings for one another and have no inhibitions.  Without that home is just "shelter" - and I can get that anywhere.  And with a successfull 25 year marriage - I think the concept of how we treat our home & ourselves has worked :).

I will say though - with hubby being part of this industry - it has been so rewarding to witness couples salvaging a "failing" relationship, beginning their lives together or just reconnecting away from the kids.  It’s reaffirming to witness others making it work and if some of these locations have helped in the process, well - that just makes them all the better to visit myself.

This event proves that everyday there are men and women working within the Government to keep us safe - whether the story makes the headlines or not.  

What I find very encouraging about this story, other than the fact that the plot was stopped and the participants don’t appear to be all that bright, is the fact that the FBI was "tipped off by a source from one of the men’s mosques" - this too proves that most Americans - regardless of choice of faith - want to work together to keep all of us safe.  I hope those that seem to be mistrusting of "mosques" will pay attention to this fact.

Hat’s off to the FBI for halting this potential disaster. 

I completely agree.  

Cell phones have become a bit of an evil necessity - but the problem is people’s definition of "necessity". For me - it’s the convenience and safety of having a means of quick communication during an emergency, or staying in touch with my family when we are all scattered everywhere with different schedules. (And I’m a heavy tech person in most normal circumstances).

I find it hard to believe that there is such an "necessity" that would warrant texting (or even talking for that matter) while driving or listening to a sermon!!  So many people have just forgotten (or no longer care) that there is a time and place for everything and I am SO not impressed that they have someone to talk to out in public.  

It’s all just kind of sad.

Regarding texting & accidents - just do a quick search on the keywords "car accident texting" - you’ll find more than you care to on the subject.  Sadly starting out with the recent trolley car accident in Boston.  *sigh* 

In our area we are fortunate that Liza will be christening the re-opening of Guild Hall in East Hampton, and I for one would have loved the opportunity to see this icon perform.  Even after all these years and all the difficulties she has endured - she is still one my (and my 20-something daughters) favorite live performers.  I’m genuinly thrilled to see a woman her age STILL beating the difficulties and able to find a way to get back on stage - face down her demons - and put on a classic performance.

I wish I had her talent and energy now, at my age - not to mention willpower & strength - in my 40’s, let alone in my 60s.  I’ve always admired her overcoming the difficulties - I do not expect perfection from any other human being (after all there is no way I can achieve such a thing myself) - but what I do expect, and admire, is the ability to get back up and move on - always trying to improve.  How can we honestly ask any more of that from anyone - celebrity or not. 

Maybe I’m old fashioned or just boring - my "phone" I use for connecting with other people.  The last thing I want to do is bring my "work" with me everywhere I go and since I work with a computer all day long - that’s what these advanced phones feel like to me - work.

If I’m heading out for a photo shoot in the woods or on the beach the last thing I’m worried about is most of the time-wasting stuff these apps offer.  If I need to call for a ride or text my family - great - that’s what my phone is for.

I guess I just don’t want all phases of my life computerized - I need some "down time" and my cell phone is simply for the use it was intended for.

I sometimes get the feeling that so much of our society has forgotton how to turn the gadgets off and just live - just simply enjoying what is right in front of our faces - or within reach of a hug.  I enjoy the human interaction of asking an attendant about the train schedule - much more so than the fight it seems to take to get a phone app to work to get me that same information.  I get much further with a smile and a simple request to another human being than I’ve ever gotten downloading data. 

This is so sad.  I was definitely a "muscle car" kind of girl.

My first car was a 1978 Firebird called a "Red Bird" .. and boy did I LOVE that car.  Drove a little too fast too often but managed to avoid major accidents and tickets.  The feeling of power that car had was amazing and I’ve seldom found it’s equal.  I hated to have to give it up but the gas mileage was atrocious and I was leaving home - no way could I afford to move with that type of mileage.  So I traded her in and bought a new Mustang.  Big dissapointment - those were the days of "fuel economical" mustangs - blah.  I cried for days after giving up my "baby" … she really held her value though - got exactly in trade in what I had purchased her for.  Muscle cars tend to not let you down if their cared for - there’s almost always someone else out there who wants one.

 In later years - after becoming a responsible wife & mother - I owned a Pontiac Bonneville.  In fact - I bought two of them, gave one to my mother and kept the other for our family.  The car carried my family from Maine to Florida and was solid, reliable, and powerful.  My husband even took a nasty hit from another vehicle traveling at about 50 mph - right into the rear quarter panel.  Minimum damage to the Bonneville - wiped out the front end of the mini-van that hit him.

Neither Pontiac ever let me down. 

I find it slightly ironic that Pontiac is getting killed off and Buick get’s to stick around.  The accident I mentioned before that my husband had in our Bonneville? - well our insurance company gave us some puny little Buick to drive around while we waited for repairs on our Bonneville to be completed.  I hated that Buick - I was SO relieved to get back in my Pontiac and to turn the keys in for the wimpy little tin can that the Buick felt like.

I am definitely going to miss the Pontiac brand.  Many sweet memories are associated with it and I’m so, so sad to see it being murdered in this way.  

I normally wouldn’t even comment on a topic such as this but I just had to express how much I agree with what Belinda Joy posted.  

*Standing Ovation*

As a teenager I removed myself from the competition of the stupid crown of "Homecoming Queen".  I’ve always hated these things and the whole concept even though some girls I totally loved and were my best friends were pariticipants in all types of these "pagents".  I just hated the thought of being paraded like livestock at auction and pitied the women who felt they should participate.  It was as if they thought they couldn’t get recognized for their talent, intelligence or convictions without "beauty" on top of it all.

By they way, how can these national pagents continue to be recognized as some type of legitimate competition in this day and age when at the same time a young man at a high school in N.J was suspended for setting up a "March Madness" type of voting on what girls in their high school were the hottest.  Isn’t that hypocricy?  Punishing one group for essentially doing the same thing as another group that is admired for their actions?  You can’t tell me it’s just the method they used to judge the girls - it’s all basically the same "method" - just one happens to be on a stage with big cash sponsors. What else would we expect from our young people when we glorify the same thing with these stupid pagents?