Monday, January 29, 2007

Virgo Words to Live By

I've added horoscopes to my Google Homepage. No comments, please.

They're pretty good. Not Eric/Brian Francis brilliant, but still pretty dead-on.

Today: this little gem --

You might feel like friends and associates are keeping you from your true purpose or perhaps you have a social obligation that you want to skip. Unfortunately, your resentment can quickly backfire if you don't tell others what you need. You can't hold them responsible for your satisfaction if they don't even know what would make you happy.


This after I spent the entire weekend hiding out and nesting. Oh! The stars see all...

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Volver (for the women)

Maggie says:
Pedro Almodóvar's films make me want to simultaneously cry and smile and hug all the women I love: family and the women who've become family. He's absolutely amazing, and must have the biggest heart of any filmmaker alive. His smallest moments are so full of beauty I can't look away from them, even though they're often so full of pain you almost can't bear to watch.

Volver is beyond good, and for a great take on it, read Gene's write-up from December after the Santa Fe Film Festival screening. (The line "I honestly think I learned something about the gender" is classic Gene.)

It was especially poignant to leave the theater last night and step into yet another snowstorm, as if the sky was matching my internal unleashing with its own. Downtown Albuquerque was beautiful in the fury of midnight snow, full of couples running hand in hand to their cars under one of those eerily bright snow-skies that turns everything pink.

Winter weather is perfect for Almodóvar (better for everything to seep in, I think), so go and rent an armful and settle in under a blanket to smile and laugh and cry. Red wine is recommended. It will do you good, I promise. (And do not, under any circumstances, forget to include All About My Mother.)

PS: While I'm talking movies, Gene and I are still reeling from our Little Children viewing a few weeks ago. What a writer's movie! Another must-see, trust me.

Friday, January 19, 2007

Long shot, but ... Missing this dog??? -- UPDATE -- Found but still needs a home!!!

Mikaela says:
UPDATE: Dog's most recent owner was found, thanks to the City's use of Petharbor.com! A great service, and this was a success story for sure.

Unfortunately, this most recent owner had rescued the dog as a stray and was looking for a permanent home for her.


If this sweet, happy, smart female dog looks like someone who could be a new friend for you, please let me know. She was initially not thrilled with the other dogs, but she's now best friends with my overly friendly pup. She's probably just around a year old -- still highly trainable & with plenty of love and loyalty to share with you.


This dog was found at 4th & Montano on 1/17/2007.


Anyone missing her or know who might be?

Stray dogs make me so sad. This one was almost killed in traffic, and now my poor puppy is terrorizing her at my house, trying to get her to play.

If you're looking for a sweet, smart female companion -- on the young side -- good with people & kids, not so sure of other dogs... let me know!

As a community, we've got to do a better job of watching out for our doggy friends.

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Wednesday, January 10, 2007

January stars... late, but finally here!

Maggie says:
Well the wait nearly killed us, but it's over - Planet Waves January horoscopes are finally posted!

Go here for yours!

ARIES (Mar 21 - Apr 20)
This may not be the year you make your big career breakthrough. But at the very least, it will be the year you get ready, in terms of figuring out what you want, and then taking the additional step of wanting it with every cell in your body.
You will, if you choose, gather your strength, determination and resolve, and begin to feel the undeniable onrush of the future coming at you. While the planets clearly reveal that you will work for everything you earn, and that feeling good will be the result of discipline and not luck or accident, there is no shortage of adventure or opportunity. Indeed, what the experts are calling 2007 promises to offer an authentic balance of labor and rewards for your labor; of grounded, serious thinking, and freewheeling exploration. But the key to success is indeed balance of these elements.
Part of you will want to do everything at once, while at other times you'll be keeping your foot over the brake, lest you miss a detail, fail in a commitment, or to guard against the movie going too fast. No, this is not typical of your life, but you are changing, and developing sensitivity for the value of commitments and the delicateness of relationships.


CANCER (Jun 23 - Jul 23)
There will come a moment when you question everything, and that is the moment when you will find your power. It's coming sooner than you think, and I suggest you be glad of it.
Life is a matter of the circumstances in which you partake participating meaningfully with you. Notice what energy comes back to you, and what does not; who or what pays you, and who or what does not; who or what spontaneously offers what you need, and who or what does not even notice.
For you, the question 'What gives?' is not a rhetorical one; rather, it is a factual one, in two halves. If we start the process with you, it would be productive to notice where you find yourself giving with no decision or effort, and where you find yourself stressing and straining.
Part two is who or what is reaching back to you, specifically with what you want or need? You're going to find some extraordinary examples of commitment in your life, and some that you will easily be able to do without. In short, you don't need it all, and it all does not need you. When you find the meeting points, you will know because a sense of ease and flow replaces the tension.


VIRGO (Aug 24 - Sep 23)
Many years of focus, faith and effort have gone into burrowing your spiritual roots deep into existence. With no other reason to feel safe, you have been able to put your heart and soul into honoring the cosmic forces that are so often, and so easily, denied by those who have come to visit this Earth for a short while.
Often the outer appearance of a life conceals the depth of contact with underlying reality, even to the person who is doing the living. This is most likely the case with you, particularly because you are so annoyed by pretension, and have no desire to go around proving yourself. Imagine, though, that those deep roots are now being soaked with nourishing water. It may come in the form of a sense of mission, a new relationship, a choice about where in the world you want to be -- or all of the above.
Imagine that these rugged old roots begin to push up their branches, leaves and flowers into the light of day. This is a significant change and also a big chance, because what was so long concealed in the dark will become a flourishing part of the world -- and experience many more vulnerabilities than before. But it is only through this experience that your life can bear the fruit you have been so patiently awaiting for so long.

Friday, January 05, 2007

Not funny, Eric Francis

Okay Mr. Eric Francis, so we were calling you Brian for a long time... we corrected that. And no, none of us subscribe to your weekly horoscopes (we can get them for free in iQ!), and we haven't purchased any of your special astrology reports, either, but...

We're obsessed! We're hooked! And now it's the late date of January 5 and we have no idea what this month will bring! Please publish your January horoscopes. Please! I know you're finishing your other project first, but what's a girl to do without you?!

Dying here, floundering aimlessly under the overcast 'is it really going to snow again?' sky...

Maggie

Monday, January 01, 2007

Texas Photos: East and West

marjorie says...

I went to East Texas for almost two weeks for the holiday this year, and because I had so much time I decided to drive. This year I hit bad weather both coming and going, as many people trying to travel cross country found out. Here are a few pictures I took that I especially like. I have droves of family and Christmas shots but these are mainly landscapes of the road trip and of East Texas (you're welcome).

As everyone knows, big trucks are a big part of any roadtrip, especially in inclement weather. You better hang on tight when one of these bad boys cruises past.




Ever since I moved to Albuquerque and regularly drive home, I've been amazed by the beauty of the Texas panhandle. The starkness appeals to me, and the farm economy contributes some very interesting elements to the landscape.




The contrast between the panhandle and East Texas is profound. Whereas one is stark, flat and wide open, the other is lush with rolling hills. But both are farm country. FYI, the sunsets in East Texas are every bit as lovely as those in New Mexico...you just see less of them.


I'm sparing you all the family photos, except for these two of my three youngest nieces. The first is Zoe, the youngest. She had a bad case of static electricity on the trampoline and wasn't too happy that no one would jump with her. The second picture shows Camryn and Mylah running. I like to take pictures of people from behind...its just a thing. With these two that's never a problem because they always seem to be running somewhere.


These next pictures are classic East Texas...farm country, ramshackle stores in railroad hamlets on the verge of extinction, little ponds. The particular pond shown here was dug out by my grandfather, and its where I first learned how to fish for catfish. It's located right around the corner from the tar road intersection in the next picture.



The drive back to New Mexico was brutal. There was an enormous snowstorm after Christmas which closed the very few major roads leading into the state. My return home was delayed by a day, but I feel fortunate that I made it through when I did make the attempt...many others had to stay somewhere on the road yesterday, including my brother. I drove through a sea of whiteness, and at times blowing snow.



When I finally arrived home in the evening on New Year's Eve, I was greeted by a good friend who had made dinner. I thought you all would be amused by the state of our backyard. As you can see the snow is not even ankle deep for cleo and honey. Weird given that the front yard was at least a foot deep if not more, huh? Yep...they had a good time out there. I don't know if kiki joined in the fun...given his height, i can imagine that snow piled higher than he is wasn't his cup of tea really. Since I don't want to leave him out...here he is in the kitchen...




So, if any of you are dying to see the family and christmas pics, just let me know. And if any of you want to hit the slopes at some point this year...let me know that also. It's going to be a great season!