I imagine Tim Russert’s death has caused his colleagues to feel unsettled. Heart attacks are scary. I hve never had one, but have aortic valve, plastic, plus a bunch of other stuff. I was born with defective valve. I take it a day at a time, and most people don’t know that i’m strung together with baling (sp) wire and hay! You have to just embrace life! If you embrace life, you’re not afraid of death.

that was fun and wonderful; you looked beautiful. I thought the award ceremony was great-couldn’t watch it all, but thanks for the photos, the video. I normally don’t do plays because of cost and other stuff; but i’m impressed; total wow of talent! incredible; my hat is off to all connected with the theatre!!!

I love Robert Hayden; he was a member of our Faith Community, and now young poets go to writing camps because f a scholarship; I was equally shocked and saddened by Russert’s passing. More particularly, my thoughts flew to his wife and son. This is hard. I hope they find strength, and I’ll make that, I am sure they will because many many people will pray for them. Someone wrote something snide about Chris Matthews trying to edge his way into Tim Russert’s job, and I thought, how awful. Matthews was grief stricken. His colleagues were truly berift, a lot of huanity behind the political scrabble dabble. The shock too of his being young. My mom died of cerebral hemhorrage at 50; it takes a while. I think we are young until we are 75, 80. Blessings and strength to all who grieve.

Mugsy, why is that; what about Trader Joe’s chocolate?

Chicken, the way chickens are raised treated: brutally. Any food where chemicals or hormones could be put in. I’m not afraid, but I am cautious. I don’t eat a lot of beef. You just have to exercise common sense. Living in Russia helped train us.

Just be herself. It is difficult to utter any kind of statement or opinion as the press jumps over it. Don’t take anything personally, and know that many, many people love you and your husband. You are terrific. You are the future.

I have to admit I was searching for a Pug, or even a French Bulldog; the Spider was great; looked like a huge nightlight; wonderful animals. When I can, I pugsit, that helps! Fun pictures, wonderful.

I’ve read that more and more; ingenuity and the human spirit will get around more situations! Marjane Satrapi’s third book, Threads, I believe deals with that. She’s wonderful. More power to these women! I also realize that for some women their lives are at stake. This procedure saves them!

Just checking in with admiration for such a lovely lady and huge wishes for a wonderful future!

Hi, Techy question - how do you put an image or picture next to your name or comment?

I saw this early this morning, but knew I had to wait until late evening to read because of such a devastating condition. Others have written too. Never stop Keening Ashley-we must all do whatever we can; As to those who think of suffering everywhere, yes - it exists, but we must speak up for all of it. We are all connected. It is horrifically overwhelming, with love and gratitude to all who serve within the trembling frame of humanity’s house.

I would tell her to rest. I would also tell her speech last Saturday was wonderful, healing and mature, also very real and very human. I would tell her look to the wisdom in all matters, that even though we can’t understand a shut door, metaphorically speaking, someday the wisdom of this time will be understood by her. She is a remarkable woman, and she may contribute in a better way in some other capacity. I would tell her to look at her life in the abstract, and let go. I would thank her for her speech Saturday, and I would wish her butterflies, wisdom, solace, and loved ones arounds her.

I’m with you Musy. I started at 15. At 21 gave it up for year. Went back. In and out. Gave it up, went back. At 25 or 26, I was up to 3 packs a day; lost my circulation in my arm, had a yellow line like lip liner on my upper lip; couldn’t breathe deeply. I quit by leaving Salem’s package open on my bookcase. Had done that before. Third day, i was in bed at 5 in the afternoon sobbing and sobbing as I felt giant infections drain out of my sinuses (sorry). Each day the time between got longer. It’s been close to 40 years. Sometimes I dream I smoke and give it up; always stop in my dreams. That’s a signal that I’m eating too much or something. Interesting the body’s mechanism. The first time I gave it up, I lived i Boston, and was having lunch in the Boston Gardens when a Wall Street Reporter was giving random interviews, probably about happiness. It had been a year without nicotine, and I think I remember telling him the world, my world, was very flat. I did all this before support groups were in action. Later I gave up drinking, and of course there is that wide valley I skip and tromp through called FUD. Oh my. I guess I have to view it as a process. Giving it up is hard, but it gets better, and some day you won’t want a cigarette!

Wow, great responses. Thank you Frank, your Annie sounded wonderful! Thank you one and all. I was Catholic, from Boston, Irish, (Lace Curtain my mom used to say), and it was a town then in the 50s of tremendous racial and class prejudice. I left Boston right after the Cuban Crisis, came out on my own, and worked in a law firm. I married in the Catholic Church after banging my fist on a bar and telling my non-Methodist, non anything husband, “We have to raise the children Catholic.” A year later, I drove down to Manhattan Beach and walked along the ocean and pier with a friend who had been atheist and was agnostic. I told her I had sat in church the previous Sunday and uttered the words, “I believe in the physical resurrection of the body,” and realized I didn’t. Her name was Peg, and she said to me, “Honey, if I were anything, I’d be a Baha’i.” To my what’s that, she replied, “A Baha’i is a follower of Baha’u’llah (which means Glory of God), and the Baha’i Faith is a world religion whose purpose is to unite all the races and peoples into one common Faith, one universal Cause. Baha’is believe Baha’u’llah is the Promised One of all Ages.” Well I thought back to reading about all the other religions, and the core truths they all have, and she said “Think of the traditions of most of the world’s great religions, the native prophecies, and there is to be a time when in the future peace and harmony will be established on earth and humankind will live in propsperity. Baha’is believe that promised time has come and the Teachings will enable humanity to build a new world. She sort of went on to explain that while God is an Unknowable Essence, the Prophets, Messengers, Avatars, Divine Luminaries, come and reveal spiritual truths which are eternal in the past, eternal in the future, and social teachings which vary age to age as mankind evolves. At any rate, long story short, Peg said, “You have to investigate this for yourself - they believe in independent investigation of truth.” So I did, and I found out they believe in our oneness; humanity is a family, and that as far as religious truth, we are all going up a Mountain, but there are many paths. Then I went back to her house and opened a book All Things Made New, and found out that according to this Faith; science and religion agree; men and women are like two wings of the bird; both must have strength to fly, there is an essential unity between all of the religions, and if religion is the cause of discord, better not to have one. I have put what is an ocean of my understanding into a small paragraph. Check out if interested www.Bahai.org. I also love Pema Chodron and have studied Hinduism, and Islam to an extent. We believe all of these Manifestations/Messengers have a dual station-one of abstract unity, and the other an individual mission. I read everything, about Buddhism, Islam, you name it. I was very narrow before I became a Baha’i, and have been one for 42 years.

Phyllis, that film went straight to my heart’s core! My sister who was a year older was sent away to a home to have her baby. I was allowed to visit her; it’s a long story; she kept the baby, but she really had a life of tragedy. She was wonderful though. When I saw the distaste of a father looking at his daughter, it struck a chord; i am of Irish heritage, and I believe I felt some of that distaste; who knows. but of course now, I’ve gone on to better things! thank you for mentioning film!