Dona, When move will have to figure out how to put my own videos on youtube….then I can make short things and post them…that would be fun. That’s hard to lose longtime dentist/doctor. My dentist and I are kind of pals. I had an apt with him in June, his office called and said he had an emergency and had to cancel…I forgot about it. Then my brother died 7/23 and he called me about three weeks later in the evening to reset the appt. I told him what happened. His emergency was that his 22 year old brother had killed himself. We talked for an hour…he said that was the most helpful conversation he had since his brother died. “Now we’re kindred spirits.’ He’s a really nice man and his mother is a wreck, the whole family is. And I can hear how distrubed he is too. So hard to believe people do, very hard to understand.

Susan, All of what you say is so true….although I’ve worked very hard for 8 years…and really, I’ve done my part. Italy, lucky you…they love Obama in Europe. “Like a teenager, she still has potential to be the country she was born to be.” if she doesn’t commit suicide first.

Diana, I’ve done watercolors since childhood and then eventually in design school polished it up, My mother’s house is filled with them…and used to do books of calligraphy and watercolor illustrations as gifts for family and friends. Have always had projects. Your daughter is fortunate then because it is a very pleasurable thing to do. I love Valentino…very generous charming man. Designers are so interesting. I love creative people.

Beautiful, Gulliver. Thank you.

Oh Joan, you’re referring to Berry Berenson. She, Marisa, Bernard Berenson. What an outstanding family. And what a lifelong irreplaceable loss for her family and friends. A very painful day for you…so sorry.

Lynn, Re meditating…you reminded me that I bought The Most Love Poems of Jacqueline Kennedy by Caroline Kennedy. It’s a small beautifully done book. I was so upset that would take it and read it at the beach everyday, and bought about 20 copies for my Mother and friends. I need to go by that book again, now. I keep on giving away copies and it really helps to read. Perfect collection. http://www.amazon.com/Best-Loved-Poems-Jacqueline-Kennedy-Onassis/dp/140…

Frank- Read “A New Pearl Harbor” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Pearl_Harbor and watch this http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Loose+Change&emb=0&aq=f#

I remember reading that too and thanks for posting it to reread. She was a true American heroine, what she said was right on.

It was about 7:30 AM in San Francisco. I was drinking tea and about to go for a walk along the bay. I stood at the living room window looking out at the water. It very smooth and quiet, bright blue sky and sparkling water. I could see from the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito, Tiburon, Alcatraz, over to Berkeley and to the East Bay Bridge. Something was wrong. The phone rang. My friend Steve was sobbing. “Honey, my god, my god the people!! Turn on the TV! The World Trade Center just fell down! I can’t talk, I’ll call later.” He hung up. I clicked on the TV in the bedroom and as I did the picture of the building collapsing into its own footprint was playing, I sunk along with it into a chair and for the first time in my life felt my blood turn ice cold. I made a few phone calls and stood talking while looking at the water and then realized what was wrong, all traffic on the Bay had been stopped. Usually ferries are criss-crossing over to Marin and large oil and shipping tankers coming in. It is a very busy Bay and the stillness and beauty of it was in stark contrast to what was on TV, and the horror occuring 3,000 miles away. I decided to go for my walk. San Francisco was completely silent and empty. No ringing cable car bells, no one at Chrissy Field. I tried to get out of the car but my legs felt like cement. I drove to my favorite market to buy a few things. People were in shock, dazed, quiet. I went back and watched TV most of the day. Having managed $1B+ in major construction and knowing that no steel framed building in the history of the world ever fell down from fire, I doubted the story from the start. And still do for reasons that don’t matter because the truth will not be exposed in our lifetime even though many know it. I thought it looked like nuclear winter. I vividly remember the picture of a young, big handsome fireman with dark hair in all his gear; a mix of fear, duty and determination in his eyes as he began to trudge up those stairs. His was among the pictures I saw later of those who died. Every day for what seemed like months afterwards the NYT did several pages of thumbnail biographies and photos of the victims. I thought it was one of their finest hours. Every morning for as long as they ran them I bought the paper and a cup of coffee and read each one at the beach before my walk. I felt it was a duty to understand all that was lost and appreciate these people whose lives were tragically ended at their desks, working for their families and toward their dreams. When the NTY compiled the pictures in a large book I bought it…and wrote my first book [on social, political and environmental justice] on top of it. What was consistent about the thumbnails bios is revealing the essence of the person and what passion, value or belief drove their lives. It equalized the waiter and the CEO. What stays with me is 3,000 good and innocent people alive on a gorgeous day in the most exciting city in the world, all of them with hopes, loves and dreams and then murdered in broad daylight. And there has not been real justice, because there wasn’t a legitimate investigation.

Kelly…I know…my mother has always said if can’t say anything nice…and I’ve been bitchy off and on for 6 months…just so sick of these people….enough already. 8 years. i don’t feel tooo bad about dissing the war mongering, environmentally wrecking right. BTW Cindy and Katie Couric are about the same age. Cindy looks like Katie’s mother. Dynasty…that’ll be the style of the White House. I guess that’s a tad of an improvement over “North Fork”. ha.

Beth, I did read “740 Park Avenue” love Michael Gross and thought fascinating. And on Thanksgiving Weekend probably in about ‘95-96 we were walking by there going to a place around Lex and 73rd…looked up and Maurice Templesman was walking toward us…the sidewalk was a bit crowded as holiday weekend and he stood out because he looked haunted and alone…he did’t see anyone just whatever he was thinking of. I also read MWL’s “Big Life” when first came out and thought excellent. I remember that the apartment Jackie’s Grandfather Lee gave them at 740 barely had any furniture and that she and her sister used to roller skate indoors. Michael Gross has such presence. He is excellent in interviews.http://www.mgross.com/books/740-park/

Bonita, Your posts crack me up…very colorful, and right on!

Nice Elizabeth….As to shade of Chanel for the pig…I recommend Fire & Ice…..because I am hot as can be over this BS and it’ll be an icy day in Death Valley before I ever vote GOP.

BTW Lily of the Valley, Julia Reed’s husband is an oil and gas attorney…just a little full disclosure. Am sure a very nice man, but if he is an oil atty and a demo…..then he must be on the endangered list as party of of a precious few.

Eleanor, Even tho I wasn’t a fan of the Reagan WH, I did meet Nancy Reagan by chance in front of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco as she was standing alone waiting for the wedding of Geo Schultze and Charlotte to begin. I have to say she was very sweet and I really admire her true devotion to her husband. And like Ron Jr. a lot too.