yes, dr grandin has a great perspective. i’ve learned much from her books how to deal with my son with asperger’s syndrome. i really love her book ‘animals in translation’ can’t wait to read this new one listed above!

my little terrier mutt lucy would like to add, “do not fear the baldies with mange as you walk through a shelter. their coat may be a surprise later, but mange is usually highly treatable. so take a chance on the most pathetic looking one you see!” we’re so glad we looked past it when she adopted us at our local SPCA! believe me, it was she who adopted us - one look in those eyes….

amen sister! i’ve just watched my mil on her fixed income spend the last 2 days baking cookies for the troops overseas and local vets; shopping for 2 families - via a group she belongs to - for bath towels, sheets, and other necessities; and stuffing goody bags for a charitable holiday party. all of this for the local needy. don’t get me wrong, i definitely feel for the challenged across the world, too. i just am painfully aware of the local needs and how we don’t need to look far past our doorstep to help out, especially now. i think it’s far too easy for the rich to turn a blind eye when they feel we are all as fortunate as they here in america. well look around.

it wasn’t the best of my life, nor the worst. i think my favorite memories are hanging out with my 2 bestfriends and all the guys junior summer at a place we called The Meadows or at the beach. also one boyfriend in particular. we were talked into breaking up by our friends and i was off to college anyway. but he was sweet, funny, and beautiful. he’s the one i say, what ever happened to… i’ve only been to one reunion - 20th. interesting, but easy to see all the same old cliques doing thesame old things.

yep, days spent ‘by the river on mcain’s az ranch’ cramming. amen, ms dodd!

if she winked, and grinned that cheshire grin and said she and Todd represented my family one more time…oh the visual cartoon violence scenes that ran through my head! i love that biden brought up the general in afghanistan’s assessment, and then she called the general by the wrong name and biden had the good graces to NOT correct her. but he did grin…

i have a few dear friends who are transgendered. they get the the worst brunt of discrimination. my life before my current husband was filled with employment and social challenges as a single mother with a son who has autism. everywhere i went, people’s faces just shut down or backs were turned when i walked in.

i grew up in a town next to westport, and from early childhood, there was always a little paul newman influence in our lives from the westport country playhouse, to my older brother seeing nell in social circles and beach parties, to a few funny family stories like the time paul newman did a double take when he saw my father in athena diner for lunch one day about 25 years ago. most people said there was a close resemblance, but my dad’s eyes were green, and thankfully still are. it was funny that the source of the resemblance thought so, too. our deepest sympathies go to the whole newman family.

i hear ya, eve, but i must say as a confessed awards show junkie, that i enjoy the escape because i pay too much attention to the real issues in the election and am stupified by the inordinate attention paid to the nonessential stuff re: candidates in the media. i am personally stunned that anyone can take palin seriously. then again, i was stunned about bush, all three times, including the elder. and cheney is just a scary uncommunicative mf.

i hate to say it, but i’m an awards show junkie. i love it all: the moment before who is called, the obits of the year slide show, the dresses, the moments like mizrahi grabbing scarlett’s boob, the stupid or beautiful things people say, what’s susan saradon going to say this time? i like to watch the hosts go as far as they will and who goes the farthest from year to year. it sure takes my mind off of election season and who won or didn’t for a few hours on a few nights between now and the oscars. it’s my great escape, and god forbid my kids talk to me during it! the rest of the year i belong to virtually everyone else.

i finally learned to say f*** you when needed, and not to say it when it wasn’t. that is a very fine line.

jeez, just know who you’re marrying, why you’re marrying, and figure it out. i’ve done it twice, w/o pre-nup. there was no need cause there was nothing to fight over but a buttload of cds and books at the end of 1st marriage, and i ain’t gettin divorced again. i did it for love, baby! if you marry for love, and you’re smart about it (like don’t decide to get married just cause you had a few good orgasms), then pre-nup isn’t even on your minds.

i can’t believe ya’ll are getting yer knickers in a twist over this! it’s playing on her beauty queen past. i’ve stayed out of a lot of the discussion around s. p., because i get my knickers in a twist, and need to go pull them out! but on this i will say the only thing i can, even though i’ve said too much already…. hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! thank you, gina g! love ya! i have emailed this to friends and family already…..thanks, liz

now, with everything else on this website, why aren’t there more empassioned comments HERE? atrocious. and to susan, thank you, and most likely older men, and by the look of the countries, polygamist, too.

i promised my sons when they were young that i would never die. they are older now and maybe wiser to the possibility, but i still say i’ll live forever. why not? ain’t life grand?