2011 - 78 Wonderful Books and 27,706 Mesmerizing Pages

Books Read In 2011

Title - Series & # - Author - # of Pages

1 - Death Perception - Psychic Eye #8 - Victoria Laurie - 336
2 - Revelation - Matthew Shardlake #4 - C.J. sansom - 560
3 - Anarchy and Old Dogs - Dr. Siri Paiboun #4 - Colin Cotterill - 288
4 - Royal Blood - Royal Spyness #4 - Rhys Bowen - 320
5 - Murder in the Rue de Paradis - Aimee Leduc #8 - Cara Black - 304
6 - Cleopatra's Daughter - - Michelle Moran - 464
7 - My Fair Lazy: One Reality Television Addict's Attempt to Discover If Not Being a Dumb Ass is the New Black, or a Culture-Up Manifesto - - Jen Lancaster - 400
8 - The Immotral Life of Henrietta Lacks - - Rebecca Skloot - 400
9 - Knit Two - Friday Night Knitting Club #2 - Kate Jacobs - 336
10 - Curse of the Pogo Stick - Dr. Siri Paiboun #5 - Colin Cotterill - 256
11 - Notes From the Underwire: Adventures from My Awkward and Lovely Life - - Quinn Cummings - 272
12 - Four Queens: The Four Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe - - Nancy Goldstone - 368
13 - Wolf Hall - - Hilary Mantel - 560
14 - The Misunderstood God - - Darin Hufford - 224
15 - The Secret Bride in the Court of Henry VIII - - Diane Haeger - 416
16 - Shot Through Velvet - Crime of Fashion #7 - Ellen Byerrum - 336
17 - Duchess - - Susan Holloway Scott - 384
18 - The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn - #1 - Robin Maxwell - 281
19 - Mommywood - - Tori Spelling - 243
20 - Honeymoon in Purdah - - Alison Wearing - 336
21 - Wicked Appetite - - Janet Evanovich - 320
22 - The Queen's Bastard - #2 - Robin Maxwell - 436
23 - Birds of a Feather - Maisie Dobbs #2 - Jaqueline Winspear - 336
24 - Half-Price Homicide - Dead End Jobs #9 - Elaine Viets - 272
25 - Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life - - Queen Noor - 496
26 - Love Wins - - Rob Bell - 224
27 - Terra Incognita - Ruso #2 - Ruth Downie - 400
28 - O, Juliet - - Robin Maxwell - 352
29 - Digging James Dean - Nina Zero #4 - Robert Eversz - 288
30 - Murder in the Latin Quarter - Aimee Leduc #9 - Cara Black - 336
31 - Hunted - House of Night #5 - P.C. and Kristin Cast - 336
32 - Dead Reckoning - Sookie Stackhouse #11 - Charlaine Harris - 325
33 - The Case of the Murdered Muckraker - Daisy Dalrymple #10 - Carola Dunn - 251
34 - The Art of Racing in the Rain - - Garth Stein - 321
35 - The Merry Misogynist - Dr. Siri Paiboun #6 - Colin Cotterill - 274
36 - A Discovery of Wtches - - Deborah Harkness - 579
37 - Royal Harlot - - Susan Holloway Scott - 380
38 - The Help - - Kathryn Stockett - 451
39 - Sex and the Queen - - Eleanor Herman - 295
40 - Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine - - Alison Weir - 475
41 - Smokin' Seventeen - Stephanie Plum - Janet Evanovich - 308
42 - Heresy: An Historical Thriller - Giordano Bruno #1 - S.J. Parris - 435
43 - Sticky Fingers - Roxy Abruzzo #2 - Nancy Martin - 294
44 - When Heaven & Earth Changed Places: A Vietmanese Woman's Journey from War to Peace - - Le Ly Hayslip - 368
45 - Air Time - Charlotte McNally #3 - Hank Phillippi Ryan - 288
46 - Drive Time - Charlotte McNally #4 - Hank Phillippi Ryan - 506
47 - The Tudor Secret - Elizabeth I Spymater Chronicles - C.W Gortner - 327
48 - In the Bleak Midwinter - Clare Fergusson #1 - Julia Spencer-Fleming - 371
49 - The Perfect Royal Mistress - - Diane Haeger - 403
50 - Mistletoe and Murder - Daisy Dalrymple #11 - Carola Dunn - 239
51 - Murder in the Palais Royal - Aimee Leduc #10 - Cara Black - 291
52 - Zero to the Bone - Nina Zero #5 - Robert Eversz - 271
53 - Die Laughing - Daisy Dalrymple #12 - Carola Dunn - 299
54 - A Mourning Wedding - Daisy Dalrymple #13 - Carola Dunn - 280
55 - A Glimpse of Evil - Psychic Eye #8 - Victoria Laurie - 326
56 - Mademoiselle Boleyn - - Robin Maxwell - 355
57 - Black Magic Sanction - The Hollows #8 - Kim Harrison - 487
58 - It Looked Better on the Model: Epic Tales of Impending Shame and Infamy - - Laurie Notaro - 218
59 - Uncle Tom's Cabin - - Harriett Beecher Stowe - 485
60 - I, Elizabeth - - Rosalind Miles - 630
61 - Myself My Enemy: Henrietta Maria, Queen of Charles I - Queens of England #1 - Jean Plaidy - 379
62 - Unplugging from Religion…Connecting with God - - Greg Albrecht - 153
63 - The Satanic Verses - - Salman Rushdie - 547
64 - Bones of a Feather - Sarah Booth Delaney #11 - Carolyn Haines - 340
65 - Naughty in Nice - Royal Spyness #5 - Rhys Bowen - 329
66 - Prophesy: An Historical Thriller - Giordano Bruno #2 - S.J. Parris - 375
67 - Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith - - Anne Lamott - 275
68 - Dark Road to Darjeeling - Lady Julia Grey #4 - Deanna Raybourne - 388
69 - A is for Alibi - Kinsey Millhone #1 - Sue Grafton - 215
70 - Queen of this Realm: The Story of Elizabeth I - Queens of England #2 - Jean Plaidy - 568
71 - The Pirate King - Mary Russell #11 - Laurie R King - 320
72 - The Hunger Games - The Hunger Games #1 - Suzanne Collins - 384
73 - Catching Fire - The Hunger Games #2 - Suzanne Collins - 391
74 - Mockingjay - The Hunger Games #3 - Suzanne Collins - 400
75 - Fall of a Philanderer - Daisy Dalrymple #14 - Carola Dunn - 352
76 - Gunpowder Plot - Daisy Dalrymple #15 - Carola Dunn - 319
77 - Flash and Bones - Temperence Brennan #14 - Kathy Reichs - 271
78 - The Queen of Subleties: A Novel of Anne Boleyn - - Suzannah Dunn - 288

A Very Grim (not Grimm) Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, a Princess was born. Her family was so grateful she was born, they named her Thank You. Imagine that! All she had done was to simply enter the world, and people expressed their gratefulness.

Unfortunately, everyone was so caught up in the general feeling of happiness and thankfulness, that no one noticed the Evil Apparition that cast a spell upon the poor hapless Princess. A spell that was so mean, it would eventually suck every ounce of thankful feeling from Thank You's very life.

"Because not one soul has ever been grateful for me," the Evil Apparition cackled, "this Princess will slowly be drained of the joy that the thankful acknowledgement others have given her, until she is as nameless as I!"

Unsuspecting of her future, Thank You skipped and danced through the world, smelling flowers, singing with woodland creatures, and generally spreading sweetness and light wherever she went.

The Princess grew up, and gradually learned how to cook, drive, do laundry, clean, and have a career. She also married and had two children. Her new family gave her a new name, one that she thought was beautiful; M.O.M. She happily left her old name, Thank You, behind...never suspecting that the Evil Apparition had actually whispered the name "M.O.M." into her family's ears...for, M.O.M. was not the entirety of the Princess' name, but an evil acronym designed to hide the insidious drain of thankfulness that had begun...

Over time, M.O.M. forgot that her name had ever been Thank You. She stopped skipping because she was too tired, and the woodland creatures no longer sang. The flowers even stopped blooming, because M.O.M never found the time to care for them, and nobody else ever would. "After all, M.O.M. is the only one who cares about flowers," her family reasoned, "so if she wants them, she should grow them!"

M.O.M. stopped hoping she would have money in her wallet, for her family needed it more. M.O.M. went to work every day, then cooked, cleaned, did laundry, and drove everyone wherever they wanted to go. She worked constantly to improve her referee skills. If she asked for help, her family grew angry because she was unable to meet her commitments.

She did her very best to meet everyone's schedules, for the things her family needed were So. Much. More. Important. than anything she might enjoy. Like sleep. Or going to the beach. Or having a meal prepared for her. Or buying something she wanted (it never, in her wildest dreams, occured to her to wish that her family would buy her something she wanted...An actual gift? That's crazy talk!). Also, if she messed up someone else's schedule, they would be mad at her. And, that's not fun.

One day, in desperation, M.O.M. collapsed in a heap as she found yet another note addressed to her outlining yet more chores her family expected her to complete. "Why, oh why," she cried, "doesn't someone help me...or at least say Thank You? If I do something correctly, there is no comment...but, if I fail to meet expectations my family is angry!"

As M.O.M. lay there, pondering the futility that had become her existence while crumpling and uncrumpling her to-do list, she began to remember that her name had once been Thank You. As she gazed at the tear-stained note, she realized that her new name appeared to be an acronym. "What," she screamed in an agonized voice, "has happened? What does this acronym, M.O.M., mean???"

Suddenly, M.O.M. heard an evil cackle. She looked up, and an Evil Apparition appeared before her tearstained face. "Who," she cried, "are you?"

The Evil Apparition laughed, "I am no-one. I am all. I have no name, and nor do you!"

"But-but, I do have a name!" she said, haltingly, huddled on the ground, "It is M.O.M.!"

"A name?" the Evil Apparition cackled, "M.O.M. is not a name! It is simply an acronym, which stands for Most Obvious Maid!"

Suddenly, the Truth became clear. Her name had been stolen. She was no-one. Just an unpaid maid.

As the Evil Apparition watched and cackled with glee, the girl who had once been told Thank You every time someone spoke her name - the one who had loved flowers, and sang with woodland creatures, rose up from the cold, wet ground. Thunder rumbled, and lightning flashed. An eathquake shook the ground, so violently that the ground cracked, as M.O.M. screamed into the sudden raging storm, "As God is my witness, I shall never be called M.O.M. again!"

The crack in the earth moved in a circle around her, and broke off from the rest of the world. As the one-time Princess floated away on her own little island, she smiled. She would never need any name again. She lay down in the warm sand and went to sleep. Also, she lived happily ever after.

The End

And, now he is 17.

On this, the first day of the last year of my precious son’s childhood, I am awash with memories…

Giving him a bath with the bathroom sink as his tub…staring into his huge periwinkle blue eyes as I fed him…the way he smelled wearing his terry-cloth footie pajamas...how he would “talk” to the handle of his Graco swing, as he rocked for hours…how he sang to “his baby Emi Kat”…this time he proudly told me that he had finally mastered the scissors all by himself, displaying the clouds he had cut out from his bed sheet...

Westley, age 4: “Mommy, you are so MEAN! You’re like a – a – Wicked WITCH!!”
Me: “Well, maybe you should pour a glass of water on me, and I might melt away.”
Westley: “You’re too mean to melt!”

The green toy plastic rake he carried everywhere…the little plastic Pegasus with the chewed up horn in his pocket (that I still have in my jewelry box)…the time he brought a chicken bone in his pocket from last night’s dinner for Show and Tell…the year he WAS Batman. I mean it – For. An. Entire. Year. I was so terrified he’d try to scale the side of the house and slide down….

Preschool teacher: “Westley, what do you want to be when you grow up?”
Westley: “Well, maybe a paleontologist or a fireman. But, I have to stay with my Mommy, or she will be sad. So, I can’t live at the firehouse. So, probably a paleontologist. But, with a dog.”

In elementary school, he had a homework envelope to turn in every Monday. He got a prize ticket if his parent had signed the envelope. One week, I received a note in the envelope from the teacher, telling me that she thought he might have forgotten to get my signature the previous Monday. When I looked at the list of dates and signatures on the front of the oversized envelope, I saw what she had meant. My son had forged my name. I knew this, because there in big, bold, D'Nealian Script, I saw my name: MOM.

Westley, age 13: “Mom, would I get into trouble if I got into a fight at school because I had to protect someone?”
Me: “There is zero tolerance for violence at school, so I hope you can find another way to help your friend. I know I have always told you to stand up for people who need help, but if you get suspended or expelled, I won’t be able to do anything about it – and, that’s your future at stake.”

Westley: “I know. I was just checking to see if you would be mad if I had to punch someone or something.”

Forcing him to go to one awards assembly, the last one of middle school…and beaming with pride as he received his Honor Roll and Promotion certificates. Laughing when he told me to enjoy it, because he was never going to another one of “these stupid things again.”
I asked, “What about high school graduation?”
“We’ll see,” he replied.

He wears shorts everyday of his life. “Mom, can you iron my funeral clothes? I have to give a presentation at school.” He meant his sole pair of khaki pants and a shirt with a collar.

Westley, a sophomore: “Mom, can you sign this stuff? I want to take a class at American River College.”

We enjoy political, moral, theological, philosophical, historical, and other esoteric conversations for hours. Our weekly Real Time with Bill Maher viewings. He is the smartest kid I know – more thoughtful and intelligent than many adults, in fact. But, he flies under the radar, moving along quietly, knowing who he is – but uninterested in impressing anyone or conforming to anything.

This kid is now 17, and I am more amazed by him every day. My heart wells with so much love and pride, I feel I might burst. He has taught me at least as much as I have taught him.
And, now he is 17.

25 Random Thoughts...

I love quoteable quotes. And, I love non-quoteable quotes even more. You know, the ones that allows people to say something they couldn't possibly say themselves...under the cover of someone else's name...

Anyway, this week I thought I would share some random quotes from my collection with you. Enjoy!

1. “To be successful you have to be dumb enough to think you can change the world and smart enough to know how.” – Clint Borgen.

2. "Character, in great and little things, means carrying through what you feel able to do.” - Goethe, 1749-1832

3. "Everyone should have an evil secret plan..." - Denis Leary

4. “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” - Charles Darwin

5. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

6. "Anyone can become angry-that is easy, but to become angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way-that is not easy." - Aristotle

7. "More fun than a barrel of monkeys." Has anyone ever stopped to think how cranky, if not downright vicious, a barrelful of monkeys would be, especially once released from the barrel?” - Tom Shales

8. “I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity.” – Gilda Radner

9. “No one dances sober, unless he is insane.” - Cicero

10. “You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what’s a life, anyway? We’re born, we live a little while, we die. A spider’s life can’t help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone’s life can stand a little of that.” - Charlotte, Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

11. "I believe in a reasonable amount of "right to bear arms". But private citizens of the United States are not allowed to own nuclear weapons. I always wanted a nuclear weapon, if I could have gotten one. I'm every other kind of power, but I'm not a nuclear power." – Ted Turner

12. "I'm actually pale blue. It takes me a week of sunbathing to turn white." - Billy Connolly

13. “I wish I could think of a positive point to leave you with. Will you take two negative points?” - Woody Allen

14. “Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” - Sir Winston Churchill

15. “I don't intend to offend; I just offend with my intent.” - Anthrax, Sound of White Noise

16. “Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

17. “I don't even butter my bread; I consider that cooking.” - Katherine Cebrian

18. “If a kid asks where rain comes from, I think a cute thing to tell him is ‘God is crying.’ And if he asks why God is crying, another cute thing to tell him is ‘Probably because of something you did.’" – Jack Handey

19. “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square hole. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” — Apple Computer Inc.

20. "We've done a terrible thing."
"Yes, if only there was some magical liquid that could erase bad memories..."
- Alan and Charlie, in the bar, "Two and a Half Men"

21. “If you are completely buried in an avalanche, dig a small hole around you and spit in it. The saliva will fall down, giving you an idea of which direction is up. Dig up.” - A survival tip from the "Worst Case Scenario" calendar

22. "May you come to the attention of the authorities." - Ancient Chinese curse

23. "Laughter is the music of life.” - Sir William Osler

24. "My religion is very simple, my religion is kindness." - Dalai Lama

25. Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur (anything said in Latin sounds profound).

I've Never Been More Proud

The Angst-less Generation

My children are of the Gen Y, or Millennial, Generation. This past week has been full of proof.

The Millennials tend to exhibit great familiarity and comfort with digital technology, media, and communications. They are also beginning to exhibit, on the whole, a marked increase in a neoliberal view of the world - including social issues, politics, and the economy. Basically, that means they believe the world is small and connected, that people should make as much money as they can, and that they should believe in whatever they want - as long as their actions are responsible, fair, respectful, and green. And they can do it all right from their keyboard, remote control, or cell phone.

On Monday and Tuesday combined, I spent about 6 or 7 hours trying to set up Webcam chat capability so we would be able to 'be there' in Morocco with my husband's family.

Now, I consider myself to be pretty computer savvy...I can restore a computer's system to a previous date, I am comfortable with most Office programs to the degree that many people as me for assistance when they are 'stuck,' I can selectively delete cookies, and I have even completely reformatted a hard drive or two. I was frustrated and utterly dismayed that I was unable to set up the chat. Every piece of advice I received online or from friends instructed me to click on links I couldn't even find. Bizarre.

My daughter happened to walk in the room as I was about to use the computer's cord as a noose, and I jokingly suggested she fix the problem. She shrugged, and said, "Ok." She walked over, tappety-tapped on the keyboard for about 20 seconds - and the screen filled with a working Webcam chat screen, and the speakers echoed me squawking, "How did you do that???!"

"It's not rocket science," she replied. Indeed.

My son and I have been conversing off and on all week on the topic of his generation and the fact that they have seemingly developed no discernable 'style' of their own. We all know what the styles of the 50's, 60's, and 70's looked, sounded, and even smelled like. The 80's absolutely had a style, a sound, and a feeling recognizeable on sight. What other decade has produced a definable genre lable like "The 80's Movies?"

The almost-seventeen-year-old wants to know what his generation will be remembered for. Dress styles are a mish-mash of previous decades. The best music is old music - or new music 'in the style of' the past. He said, "Are we really going to use something from Britney or Justin Bieber as our generation's anthem? Really?" This came up last night as we were settled in front of the TV, having enjoyed the season premier of Real Time with Bill Maher (a standing weekly "date" we share during the show's season), and were now watching Nirvana: Live at Reading on DVD.

We were doing the usual music-video conversation stuff; you know, the "Oh, that song is one of my favorites," comments, foot-tapping, and belting out the odd lyric. I mentioned that I couldn't even imagine sitting down and thoroughly enjoying a concert with my parents, and that I'm pretty sure they wouldn't enjoy sharing their music with someone from my grandparent's generation, either.

Thus, the discussion regarding Gen Y's lack of artistic distinction. Exploring the subject, I asked him what the theme of Nirvana, U2 and other alternative-grunge-ska-rock-punk greats from the 80's and 90's was. What makes us respond to them, feel with them, and call them the Real Thing? And, conversely, what are Bieber and his ilk missing?

In a word, Angst.

Gen X was the latch-key kid; Gen Y is driven door-to-door everywhere they go. I don't remember having Game Night with my parents....but it is a common happening in our house now. Broken homes for the Gen X'er meant you never saw the 'other' parent...Gen Y spends equal time with both parents. Millennials were born into child-proofed environments, have 24/7 entertainment, and have been encouraged to think for themselves and speak up. Kids from Generation X learned not to touch the hot stove by getting burnt the first time...

My son said, "See?! It's our parent's fault we have no soul....You made our lives too easy! People like Kurt Cobain baecame who they were because of their struggles!" So, it is always the parent's fault, isn't it? Oh, my....

So, I make an open apology to the new generation: "I am sorry we made you feel safe. I am sorry you weren't left alone. I apologize that we worked so hard to not punish you for our mistakes, that we sucked up our own feelings and made sure your self-image wasn't damaged when we fell out of love with your other parent. But, you don't really want to end up like Kurt, Hendrix, or MJ, do you?

"You see, I disagree that we took your soul. We have allowed you to find a new voice; one that doesn't require sex, drugs, and rock and roll to express. One that sees the world as a smaller place. One that sees all people as equal; with equal rights and responsibilities. You do have an opportunity to make a mark on history. You have a unique perspective of a new millennium, a century that you can shape any way you choose. It needn't be defined by how wide or narrow your jeans legs are, how straight or curly your hair is, or by the pain in your music lyrics.

"Gen Y can define the world by making the previous generation's dreams come true...Equality. Tolerance. Justice. Responsibility. Health. Peace. You understand the importance of these things; perhaps more clearly than any previous generation.

"You can end hunger and war. You can open dialog that will enhance cultural understanding and respect. You can save the environment. You can find balance in the economy.

"And you can do all of it with just a few tappity-taps of your keyboard. This is true art, and nobility of soul."

After all, it's not rocket science.

Books, the BBC, and Other Things I Have Loved in 2010

You will have to excuse me...I haven't been writing lately. Also, I failed to meet my 100-book goal for 2010. Why, you ask?

No, it isn't because of school. I completed my MBA in September, and up until that point I was on track with 77 pleasure-books read and posting in my blog more-or-less regularly. Work travel? Nope, I have been in my office, working just 8 hour days since the spring.

So, why have I become so neglectful of my commitments? Because I have become distracted by new lovers. There, I said it. It can happen to anyone, and it happened to me...and here I will confess the sordid tale of my 3 new paramours:

1. Purging and Organizing and Generally Retaking Control of My Queendom. My freedom from school and work travel has allowed me to finally notice the MESS my home has become over the last few years. The Villagers in my domain are messy, hoarding souls with no sense of organization. Our nutrition during their rule has consisted mainly of that which can be brought home already prepared in a paper bag. My education and work constraints required me to avert my eyes from the disaster as it formed. Once I refocused, I have needed to repair the chaos, including an 8 hour battle to find the floor of my garage. This war is still a work in process, as the Villagers resist the changes, but I remain convinced I will ultimately prevail.
2. Becoming a Free Believer. I am undergoing a personal transformation. I have spent the last 20 years painfully unlearning and trying to let go of the first 20 years of my life. It left me at a bit of a loss, and I began to fill that place with aggressively trying to convert others to see things my way. However, as I discovered, those actions did not bring me peace. I found myself railing, "Hello, there. I am trying to see things from your point of view. So, tell me...just how did you get your head stuck up there?" This method, most surprisingly, was unbeneficial to me trying to be open, accepting of all beliefs, and loving - as much as it hindered others from opening their eyes to seeing the Truths that I can now see. You see, I was ironically becoming what I had worked so hard to remove myself from. In the midst of my recognizing that I needed change, and with Thanks to a dear life-long friend, I discovered The Free Believers Network. I am now at the beginning of a new life-cycle in discovering the love and peace of God. I still see Truth as proven facts, and eschew dogma, laws, and lies designed to move the masses to assist the elite...but I am finding a new way to live personally within it. I am not a Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, or Jew - and yet I am all these things. I am learning the spirit of Namaste. Therefore, a reason I have not written in a long time is because I am learning a new, gentler voice. And a large reason my for-pure-pleasure-reading has dropped off is due to study of this new way of living and being.
3. NetFlix, Wii, and the BBC. Ohmigod. Obsession times a trillion. I have never been a gamer or a TV watcher. Perhaps because I never learned the habits in my childhood, or perhaps because it all has seemed such drivel compared to the joys of reading. No matter; it has changed with the advent of Wii and NetFlix! Super Mario Brothers has given me thumb-blisters. I exercise until my hair is soaked with perspiration on WiiFit. And NetFlix streaming into my TV via the Wii????! Where I can choose my poison? I am lost....80's movies with my daughter (isn't it grand she loves them as much as I do?); real horror movies with both kids, such as The Shining, It, and The (original) Exorcist; Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra; period movies and subtitled movies like Breakfast at Tiffany's, Dangerous Beauty and Jodhaa Akbar; Michael Moore, History Channel, and National Geographic documentaries....and the pièce de résistance? The BBC. Oh, how I love the BBC mini series! Jane Eyre, Middlemarch, Sissi, A Man for all Seasons, and so many more! Can I count the movies based on classic books as books read? No, I suppose not.

So, you see why I have been lax. But, I have read some wonderful books! Below is the list of the Books I Have Loved in 2010. Check them out - all 96 books are all well worth the read.

1. Anonymous, Primary Colors
2. Tate Halloway, Dead if I Do (Garnet Lacy, #4)
3. Terry Garey, A Match Made in Hell (Nikki Styx, #2)
4. Kathy Reichs, 206 Bones (Tempe Brennan, #12)
5. Anya Seton, Katherine
6. Thomas Perry, Runner (Jane Whitfield, #6)
7. Carola Dunn, The Winter Garden Mystery (Daisy Dalrymple, #2)
8. Deanna Raybourn, Silent in the Sanctuary (Lady Julia Grey, #2)
9. Julie Kramer, Stalking Susan
10. Barbara Seranella, Unfinished Business (Munch Mancini, #4)
11. Robert Everz, Burning Garbo (Nina Zero, #3)
12. Gregory Maguire, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
13. C.J. Sansom, Dissolution: A Novel of Tudor England (Matthew Shardlake, #1)
14. Michael Byrnes, The Sacred Bones
15. Elaine Viets, The Fashion Hound Murders (Josie Marcus, #5)
16. Elaine Viets, Killer Cuts (Dead End Jobs, #8)
17. Josephine Tey, Brat Farrar
18. Michelle Moran, Nefertiti
19. Kimberly Raye, Your Coffin or Mine? (Dead End Dating, #3)
20. Carola Dunn, Requiem for a Mezzo (Daisy Dalrymple, #3)
21. Gregory Maguire, Mirror, Mirror
22. Julie Powell, Julie & Julia
23. Stephanie Bond, Body Movers
24. C.J. Sansom, Dark Fire (Matthew Shardlake, #2)
25. Jane Austin & Seth Graham-Smith, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
26. Don Winslow, California Fire and Life
27. Barak Obama, The Audacity of Hope
28. C.J. Sansom, Sovereign (Matthew Shardlake, #3)
29. Barbara Seranella, No Man Standing (Munch Mancini, #5)
30. Barbara Seranella, Unpaid Dues (Munch Mancini, #6)
31. Yann Martel, The Life of Pi
32. Nancy Martin, Our Lady of Immaculate Deception (Roxy Abruzzo, #1)
33. Carola Dunn, Murder on the Flying Scotsman (Daisy Dalrymple, #4)
34. Laurie Notaro, Spooky Little Girl
35. John Faunce, Lucrezia Borgia
36. Colin Cotterill, Disco for the Departed (Dr. Siri, #3)
37. Alison Weir, Mary, Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley
38. Sandra Gulland, The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. (Josephine Bonaparte Trilogy, #1)
39. Stephen Evens, The Marriage of True Minds
40. Candace Bushnell, Sex and the City
41. Alison Weir, Eleanor of Aquitaine
42. Mary Janice Davidson, Undead and Unwelcome (Queen Betsy, #8)
43. Anthology, My Little Red Book
44. Harley Jane Kozak, A Date You Can’t Refuse (Wollie Shelley, #4)
45. Fatima Mernissi, Islam and Democracy: Fear of the Modern World
46. Sandra Gulland, Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe (Josephine B. Trilogy, #2)
47. Sandra Gulland, The Last Great Dance on Earth (Josephine B. Trilogy, #3)
48. Carola Dunn, Damsel in Distress (Daisy Dalrymple, #5)
49. Michelle Moran, The Heretic Queen
50. Charlaine Harris, Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse, #10)
51. Jeanne Kalogridis, The Borgia Bride
52. Barbara Seranella, Unwilling Accomplice (Munch Mancini, #7)
53. Zoe Ferraris, Finding Nouf
54. Alison Weir, The Children of Henry VIII
55. Gregory Maguire, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
56. Cara Black, Murder in Monmarte (Aimee Leduc, #6)
57. Carola Dunn, Dead in the Water (Daisy Dalrymple, #6)
58. Michael Byrnes, The Sacred Blood (Charlotte Hennessy, #2)
59. Barack Obama, Dreams from My Father
60. Terri Garey, You’re the One That I Haunt (Nikki Styx, #3)
61. Barbara Seranella, An Unacceptable Death (Munch Mancini, #8)
62. Diana Joseph, I’m Sorry You Feel that Way: The Astonishing but True Story of a Daughter, Sister, Slut, Wife, Mother and Friend to Man and Dog
63. Diane Johnson, Lulu in Marrakech
64. Sophie Littlefield, A Bad Day for Sorry (Stella Hardesty, #1)
65. Kate Jacobs, The Friday Night Knitting Club (Knitting Club, #1)
66. Janet Evanovich, Sizzling Sixteen (Stephanie Plum)
67. Carola Dunn, Styx and Stones (Daisy Dalrymple, #7)
68. Frank Philippi Ryan, Prime Time (Charlotte McNally, #1)
69. Sandra Gulland, Mistress of the Sun
70. Cara Black, Murder on the Ill Saint-Louis (Aimee Leduc, #7)
71. Maureen Johnson, 13 Little Blue Envelopes
72. Justin Halpern, Sh*t My Dad Says
73. Antonia Frasier, Marie Antoinette
74. Carola Dunn, Rattle His Bones (Daisy Dalrymple, #8)
75. Laurie R. King, The God of the Hive (Mary Russell, #10)
76. Frank Philippi Ryan, Face Time (Charlotte McNally, #2)
77. Ruth Downie, Medicus
78. Carolyn Haines, Bone Appetite (Sarah Booth Delaney, #10)
79. Lisa Lutz, The Spellmans Strike Again (Spellman Files, #4)
80. William Gladstone, The Twelve
81. Kathy Reichs, Spider Bones (Temperance Brennan, #13)
82. Deanna Raybourn, Silent in the Moor (Lady Julia Grey, #3)
83. Kyra Davis, Vows,Vendettas, and a Little Black Dress (Sophie Katz, #5)
84. Phillipa Gregory, The Red Queen (Cousin’s War, #2)
85. Alison Weir, The Princes in the Tower
86. P.C Cast and Kristin Cast, Marked (House of Night, #1)
87. P.C Cast and Kristin Cast, Betrayed (House of Night, #2)
88. Nicholas Fraser, et al., Aristotle Onassis
89. Chelsea Handler, Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea
90. Elizabeth Gilbert, eat, pray, love
91. Ken Follett, World Without End
92. P.C Cast and Kristin Cast, Chosen (House of Night, #3)
93. P.C Cast and Kristin Cast, Untamed (House of Night, #4)
94. Candace Bushnell, The Carrie Diaries
95. Carola Dunn, To Davy Jones Below (Daisy Dalrymple, #9)
96. Meg Cabot, Size 12 is Not Fat (Heather Wells, #1)

The World's Easiest Homemade Lentil Soup

Last week I made up a recipe using stuff from my cupboard. Not an uncommon occurrence, to be sure - but this one was actually GOOD! I know it was good because every last bite was eaten, and one of my co-workers copied my recipe and she liked it too! :::beam:::

So, I shall share with you my recipe for The World's Easiest Homemade Lentil Soup (whatta' mouthful, huh?)

Pour the following into a large crock pot:

1 bag dry lentil beans (yes, you should rinse them and pick out the icky ones first-duh!)

2 cans Cajun Stewed Tomatoes (fyi...my friend couldn't find them at her store, so she used Mexican-style stewed tomatoes and said they were delicious.)

4 cans of water (What measurement is that, you ask? The empty stewed tomato can will do quite nicely.)


Spicy sausage, sliced (so cool - other than picking out shrivelled beans and opening cans, slicing the sausage is the only prep required!)


Put the lid on the pot, set it on high, and let it cook all day!

That's it - no salt or any spices needs to be added because the spicy sausage and stewed tomatoes provide all the flavor you need.

You are amazed. Admit it. You know you are....

Where Has Our Respect Gone?

The following was emailed to me as one of those ubiquitous chain fowards. I have no idea who the author is, but I think the message bears repeating...and thinking about. I have often wondered with annoyance why people don't refer to him as President Obama, as the author describes in pargraph 4.

Arrogance of being President while being Black

I don't think anyone was under some real illusion that the election of Barack Obama actually means the end of racism in America . I'm pretty sure that the president-elect knew it better than anyone. After all, he saw it every day, from the moment he announced his candidacy. To some degree, he saw it within his own party during the primaries. And he saw it in all ugliness during the general election. For half of this country, he was "That One". No matter how big and clear his victory was. No matter how smart he is. No matter how decent he is. No matter what a true patriot he is. No matter how optimistic and positive his vision for America was. All that didn't matter. Because at the end of the day, he was still black.

I'm quite old. I remember, vaguely, where my parents were on November 22, 1963. I've seen so many presidents. Some were feared, some were hated, some were adored, some popular and some not. But all of them, without exception, were treated with the highest respect deserving the office of the president of the United States.

That is until a black man won the right to occupy this office. It's been 13 months now, and in the eyes of so many, Barack Obama is still that one. He is being disrespected and at the same time being held to the highest standard of any president I've ever seen – and not just by the Republican side! He has to perform three times better than any president in history, and even that may not be enough.

For the media, he is many more times just "Obama" than "President Obama". They create scandals out of nothing issues. It took them at least 6 years to start giving Bush a small part of the shit he deserved. It took them 6 months to begin crap all over Obama because he's yet to fix the catastrophe that was left for him.

They use condescending tones when they talk about him, and only mildly less condescending when they talk TO him. With anyone else, CNN wouldn't dare go to commercials every time the president speaks, like they did during that summit on Thursday. They wouldn't dare be counting how many minutes George Bush or Bill Clinton were talking. Chris Mathews wouldn't dare make an issue out of Ronald Regan calling members of congress by their first name, like he is not actually the president. They fully cooperate with the Right-Wing smear machine when it comes to president Obama's national security performance – even if almost every independent and military expert actually thinks that he's a terrific Commander-in-Chief. You'll never see them on TV, and virtually no one from the Left, in congress and outside, defend the president on this matter.

I don't care about the Far-Right. They're just crazy ignorant Neanderthals. It's the way the beltway and the mainstream treats this president that is shocking. On Thursday, almost every Republican had no trouble interrupting him in the middle of a sentence. They looked like they're going to vomit every time they had to say "Mr. President". They all had this Eric-Cantor-Smirk whenever he spoke. Then they went out and started to spit their stupid talking points, to the delight of the media. Sarah Palin, a woman who can hardly read, thinks that he was "arrogant" towards John McCain, and somehow this is an important news. Because you see, "Obama's Arrogance" is the talking point of the day.

Oh, those talking points. He is arrogant (because he knows the facts better than all of them combined). He is an elitist (because he uses big words that they don't understand). He is weak on national security (because he actually thinks about the consequences). He divides the country (well, he did that the day he had the audacity to win the election). Worst of all, he actually thinks that he's the President. He even dared to say so on Thursday. How arrogant of him. You'd think that previous presidents didn't have any ego. Somehow it turned out that the one president who treats even his biggest opponents with the utmost respect – is the arrogant one. I wonder why?

I expected that his winning the Presidency would bring out some ugliness, but it's been far worse than I imagined. The racism coming from the Right is obviously clear and shameless, but there's also some hidden and maybe subconscious and disturbing underline tone behind some of the things that I read here and throughout the Left blogosphere, even before the end of Obama's first year - 'He's weak, he's spineless, he's got no balls, primary him in 2012'. It'll be dishonest to deny that.

The fact is that for millions in America , Barack Obama is this uppity black man (Not even a "real" black), who received good education only due to affirmative action, and has no right to litter the sacred Oval Office with his skin color. They just can't accept the fact that the president is a black man, who unlike his predecessor, was actually legally elected. But what's really sad is that it's not just the fringe, its deep deep in mainstream America.

Barack Obama's ability to remain above all this slob, to keep his optimism and his strange and mostly unjustified faith in people, while continuing to gracefully deal with an endless shitstorm – is one of the most inspiring displays of human quality I have ever seen. And I can only hope that the Cosmos is on his side because God is and He never makes a mistake.

-Author Unknown - but speaks for me

Just wondering...

...why are the bigoted people who rant about being morally right usually grammatically so wrong? Does that mean that the lack of education equals moral superiority?

...why do people call themselves the "tea party?" The original club was about taxation without representation. You are represented.

...why do those same people "want their country back?" Who took it? I bet Ireland, England, or wherever else their ancestors are really from is still there....Why don't they just go back?

...why do people complain about taxes when the US already pays less than other industrialized nations? Do we want equality with third world countries?

...why is the connotation of the word "liberal" so bad? Wasn't a driving force of the emergence of our country the mottos "Don't Tread on Me," and "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death?" Liberty: Good. Oppression: Bad. Right?

...why do the same people who want to take no social responsibility for those with less privileges also want to control the (marriage, childbirth, religious...insert your issue here) rights of others? If they don't care about the less fortunate, can't they just leave them alone??? I swear, gay marriage, abortion, and Islam aren't contagious....really.

...also, continuing on the above thought - why are the people who want control over the rights of others also the ones who want the freedom to own as many guns as they choose? Last I checked, the presence of guns do affect other people; whereas, gay marriage does not.

Things that make me go hmmm.....

Expendable Me

Stolen Shoes!

What???!!!! They were on the floor of my dining room this morning!

I say that makes them Fair Game!

Minimum Wage Shoes

I am making Federal Minimum Wage today, courtesy of my ever-lovin' Governator. By my calculations, I owe the State about 12 minutes an hour worth of Auditing work based upon the $7.25 an hour wage.

I was thinking I could maybe E-bay off some of my shoes to delay the time my family might end up homeless on the street at that wage.

Then, I thought, "No...if I must be a bag lady, gosh-darn-it, I am at least going to be one with cute shoes!!"

Hmmm....I wonder if I have a pair to accessorize a shopping cart?

Podos-Fantastique!

I admit it...I am a bad blogger. I don't always find the time to write what occurs to me, and if I have the time I have no ideas. The time issue should be solved in about, oh 3 months from tomorrow (good-bye school forever!). A friend suggested something for those times when I have no ideas....I am now pleased and excited to announce my new periodic series, The Shoes of the Day!

Yes, dear Reader, I will now post a photo and perhaps an observation about what shoes I am wearing each day! Let me start with yesterday's shoe (above-and with apologies to those who already saw them on my FaceBook page) and today's (right) podos-fantastique (podos being from the Greek, meaning "foot") choice.

The House in Marrakesh: The Beach at Diabat

The House in Marrakesh: The Beach at Diabat

I am feeling the urge to fly back to Africa...

I have been reading blogs about Morocco, craving Moroccan food, even dreaming I am there. Sigh....

The Spring Feet Pledge

It is time, once again, for my yearly PSA....So, my sisters, won't you please join me by raising your big toes and repeating after me:

As a member of the Cute Girl Sisterhood, I pledge to follow The Rules when wearing sandals and other open-toed shoes:

• I promise to always wear sandals that fit. My toes will not hang over and touch the ground, nor will my heels spill over the backs. And the sides and tops of my feet will not bulge out between the straps.


• I will go polish-free or vow to keep the polish fresh, intact, and chip-free. I will not cheat and just touch up my big toe.


• I will sand down any mounds of skin before they turn hard and yellow.


• I will shave the hairs off my big toe.


• I will not wear panty hose, even if my poor, misinformed girlfriend, coworker, mother, or sister tells me the toe seam really will stay under my toes if I tuck it there.


• If a strap breaks, I will not duct-tape, pin, glue, or tuck it back into place, hoping it will stay put. I will get my shoe fixed or I will toss it.


• I will not live in corn denial; rather, I will lean on my good friend, Dr. Scholl's, if my feet need him.


• I will resist the urge to buy jellie shoes at Payless for the low, low price of $4.99, even if my feet are small enough to fit the kid's sizes. This decision is made out of concern for the safety of myself and others; as no one can walk properly while standing in a pool of sweat, and I would despise myself if I took someone else down with me as I fall and break my ankle.


• I will take my toe ring off toward the end of the day if my toe begins to swell into something that resembles a Vienna sausage.


• I will be brutally honest with my girlfriend/sister/coworker when she asks me if her feet are too ugly to wear sandals. Someone has to tell her that her toes are as long as my fingers, and no sandal can make creepy feet look good.


• I will promise, that if I wear flip-flops, that I will ensure my shoes actually flip and flop, making the correct sounds, while walking, and I will SWEAR not to slide or drag my feet while wearing them.


• I will promise to go to my local nail salon at least once per season and have a real pedicure (they cost about $25, and are worth EVERY penny).


• I will promise to throw away any white or off-white sandals that show signs of wear...nothing is tackier than dirty white sandals.

In conclusion, many of these rules should be observed by men, as well. Especially the pedicure and hairy toe thing. And socks with sandals??? That might be tackier than dirty white sandals.

(Also, if anyone knows who deserves the credit for first writing this pledge, I would love to acknowledge that wise individual. I have been re-posting it every spring for years, but do not know who the original author might be. She is my Hero.)

Ideas...

My Statistics professor asked us to elaborate on Albert Einstein's statement, “The formulation of a problem is far more often essential than its solution, which may be merely a matter of mathematical or experimental skill. To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle requires creative imagination and marks real advance in science.”

Here is my reply....

Perhaps one of the most frustrating responses a person can receive when trying to implement a new idea or process is, “But, that’s the way we’ve always done it!” My gut reaction to that is always, (Insert sarcastic tone here :) “And, how has that been working out for you so far?” Because, quite obviously, if the old way really worked so very well, chances are we wouldn’t be having the conversation in the first place.

Of course, I wouldn’t actually say that (not in the professional arena …all bets are off at home, though! ), but I think the take-away from Einstein’s quote is that if we want to affect real change on our environment and somehow move past old problems with a new and viable solutions, we need to step away from the problem from our old viewpoint and find a new and innovative way to approach it. We have to open our minds, listen to new ideas, and try new paths for sparks of true innovation to ignite.

In today’s technologically-advanced business environment, we have the option to gather vast amounts of research and ideas more quickly and efficiently than ever before. We can better understand and relate to others on a globalized level; discourse, research, and data from all corners of the world can inspire scientists and business-people alike to view old problems from new perspectives.

Many times the innovative idea most feared is the one most misunderstood. By taking advantage of the plethora of research available today, people are able to educate themselves, rather than just listening to the strongest voice in the room and accepting that one viewpoint as the be-all-and-end-all authority. At that point, creative thought can expand and lead to innovative ideas.

Ok, obviously a hot-button issue for me ::::climbing down off my soap box:::::

But....think about it.

Sources, Sources...

I am not always popular in my online classroom environment (I know, you are shocked, right?). Right now, I am reallllllllly not popular. My professor and classmates are castigating large non-profit organizations, and they all agree they are evil. Everyone but me.

Thay are quoting sources stating that CEOs are being paid these huge salaries, and that fundraisers are being given incentives. They all seem to believe that the employees should work for free, and ignore that even school-children are given incentives for fundraising. The following is my reply, and feedback is welcomed:


Re: WK 6 DQ 1

Professor and Class,

What is a non-profit organization? Usually it is an organization that has sought, and been granted, tax-exemption status by proving to be legally able to meet the set requirements. It is "an incorporated organization which exists for educational or charitable reasons, and from which its shareholders or trustees do not benefit financially. Any money earned must be retained by the organization, and used for its own expenses, operations, and programs (Investor Words, n.d.)."

Now, in reading the posts in this thread, it sounds as though some of these organizations may be guilty of adhering to the letter, but not the spirit, of the law. Although, having benefited personally in the past as a military wife from the Red Cross and as a Girl Scout leader from the United Way, I am not so sure that the ends do not justify the means. This is a hard world to gather charity from, and competition is the ruling force in a capitalistic society...

At any rate, it seems the major concern here seems to be with the salaries made by the organization's CEOs. I was surprised by the salary quoted by a previous student: "the CEO of the Red Cross pulled down a $651,957 salary in the fiscal year 2003. $450,000 is listed as the base salary."

I read the financial statements for 2008, where $1,394,034 was listed as the total salaries paid in 2008 by the Red Cross (2009). If the CEO's salary is truly that high, how are the other 34,000 employees paid?

If I subtract $651,957 from $1,384,034, I am left with $742,077. For 34,000 people? Some of whom must actually receive a living wage….so the others get, what? $12,000 per year? Doubtful. My family struggles on a much higher amount of income.

So, I looked up the reported Red Cross CEO’s salary for 2008 on the Better Business Bureau’s Web site (n.d.), and found the following information:

Chief Executive : Gail J. McGovern, President and CEO
Compensation*:
$47,005

Staff Size: 34,000

I think that salary is more than reasonable; in fact, I am certain $47,005 is much lower than Ms. McGovern could receive in the for-profit sector. At some point, even a non-profit has to realize that they get what they pay for; and if salaries for their employees do not reasonably compensate, they will not attract the best and brightest to lead their cause.

Maybe sources are the problem? I am inclined to trust the organization's audited financial statements and the Better Business Bureau.

Comments are welcome.

Sincerely,

Meircee Boulahroud
MBA Student
Sacramento, CA (PST)


References:

American Red Cross. (2009). American Red Cross FY09 financial results. Retrieved February 13, 2010 from http://www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents/pdf/corppubs/FY09FinancialStatement.pdf

Better Business Bureau. (n.d.). Charity reports index. Retrieved February 19, 2010, from http://www.bbb.org/charity-reviews/national/human-services/american-red-cross-in-washington-dc-679

Investor Words. (n.d.). Online dictionary. Retrieved February 19, 2010, from http://www.investorwords.com/3331/non_profit_organization.html

Safety First!

According to the Sacramento News and Review, those yellow bumpy things at the street corners downtown are intended to assist the blind by acting as a sort of braille for the feet; indicating to the visually impaired that one is now standing on a street corner, and should therefore use caution when proceeding across the street.

I submit to you, fair reader, that the bumpy box on the ground is actually a safety hazard, and the very opposite of a display of sensitivity toward the challenged amongst us. I know this fact from experience. Think about it....you are walking along on the level concrete, rushing to work in the early morning fog. You come to the downward sloping corner, which has been overlaid with raised, yellow, plastic bumps of approximately 1" in diameter each, sloping downward. You are wearing flats, and the plastic patch of bumps is wet from the fog.

If you are me, you probably slip, your legs flaying into very painful splits. You might even fall. Wearing light gray dress pants. In front of a cute guy on a cuter motorcycle. He might get off his bike to help you gather all of your stuff....like your rolling laptop bag that rolled into the street, your now-broken travel mug that had moments ago contained your life-infusing morning coffee, and the contents of your purse, which have spead out north, south, east, and west. The very definition of humiliation.

It could happen.

A Visit to the Dentist in Morocco

A while before this trip, I lost a filling in one of my molars. I know, I know...I should have gone right away to get it fixed, but it wasn't bothering me (much), and I was so busy with trying to get my school work and work work under control before my vacation, I just didn't make the time.

A few days ago, this molar started to reallllly hurt. I was soaking cotton in Oragel and packing the hole and consuming tylenol like candy to just tolerate the pain. What to do? I am in a foreign country, after all....no Delta Dental here!

The pain was so bad this morning that my ear was even throbbing...so I finally mentioned the pain to Samir. Well, I really mentioned it because his mom kept asking why I was so pale and quiet.

His parents insisted Samir take me to the dentist right away. I resisted, not knowing the cost without insurance. I also confess I was worried about the quality of the care I would receive, and my inability to express what I needed in Arabic or French. Samir promised to stay with me, so I finally gave in and we went.

Unfortunately, we (shouldn't Samir have known this??) forgot that the city essentially closes down between noon and 3 pm, in order for families to have their large meal of the day together. When we went to the office at 12:30, it was closed. Back home we went, where I took a nap with some pharmeceutical assistance.

We returned to the office at 3, and rang the doorbell (yes, you ring a bell to get into most offices here). A girl with a sweet smile answered the door and welcomed us inside like it was her home. Samir explained my dilemma, and she ushered me into the Doctor's office. RIGHT AWAY!

Samir again axplained to the dentist, and he led me to the exam chair. The nice girl was also the assistant, and she began to drape me with the paper bibs. No X-rays....the dentist used his eyes and a mirror to see the problem.

May I impress upon you the feeling of terror I felt at this moment? Samir, the assistant, and the dentist were conversing away in Arabic. Some familiar dental procedures are occurring...but some are not. Some of the office equipment looks like stuff I recognize...but other things seem to be absent. I still didn't know how much this was going to cost, either.

Samir kept explaining to me in monosyllables what was going on, but not near enough to suit me or to soothe my haywire nerves. Samir seemed comfortable, and was nodding understanding at the dentist.....so, I just lay back in the chair and opened my mouth. Talk about Trust with a capital "T!" Well, that and desperation to have the pain just end.

So...The Dentist suddenly had that big Novocaine needle in his hand. Ummm...isn't he supposed to numb my mouth with some topical analgesic first??? Ack! Nope, apparently not. My whole body tensed, as I am well aware that huge needle hurts like mad, even with the topical numbing agents applied by U.S. dentists.

But...No? No pain? At all???? He inserted the needle over and over. I could feel pressure just like always, so I knew he was hitting all the same spots. However, without even one twinge of pain! Amazing....

Then, the assistant had me rinse out my mouth (none of those hoses forcing water and sucking air from my mouth, here). I was completely numb. Ahhhhh....sweet relief!

The Dentist then started drilling, and I rinsed and spit once in a while. No. Pain. At. All.

He drained a small abcess (He told Samir that if he'd known there was an abcess, he wouldn't have begun the procedure. However, he would finish now that he'd begun.), packed it with medicine, and put a temporary filling in. I am to return Saturday morning for the permanent filling.

The assistant then went out to the reception area for us to pay. The cost was about 274 Moroccan dirhams---which is $35 U.S.!!! And that is it. No more money is due on Saturday! Can you believe that???

I was there in the office for about a half hour, and my pain is gone. Completely. I don't even have those after-twinges of pain I always have at home. Amazing.

Score one for THIS country's Government-Sponsored Health Care program! So glad they even treat foreigners....