You guys are so awesome. I can't believe how many forum members have offered to help me with my school work. I really appreciate it...and probably will take advantage of everyone's knowledge.

I forgot earlier, and I'm still cooling my heels waiting for that call, so I thought I'd mention that we got snow last night. Its a light dusting down here in the South Truckee Meadows, but the Sierra Nevada are gorgeous! And while here, and with Anoree's comment about Dilbert right there, I did have a title that might come in handy--Adj. Prof of History, so when you get to history, anthro or psych and if you have a question, or two, or two hundred you want to ask, ask away. I never use the title, to tell the truth, since while I was in the pool of adj profs I wasn't offered a class until after stuff happened. C'est la vie, que sera sera (there's some Francais for you). Have a beautiful day, and don;t sweat the small stuff, Ms D!

No worries, Ms D. You know I am a big supporter of yours, of Lia's and of Rob's. I imagine you have to have been incredibly busy the past week and more, too, since you got back from TX, getting ready for the site to go big time really soon now, shooting as much content as you can, and I remember that you said that you're starting college again this winter, and its almost winter so I figure you have to be getting ready to hit the books on top of the holiday, you're sister's impending move & giving birth and everything else, so with that in mind, I think the best I can go is once more say "break a leg," and go get 'em! !!!

Thanks for the kind words and I hope your weekend gets better than this week.

Hi ya--

I just did something I haven't done for a long time--I went for a nice, long, hard walk by myself. I was on my way to the store, but looked up at the sky and said to myself, "hmmmm," meaning, maybe its a good evening for a sunset. I know I've missed a number just from glancing out my window, and I have felt very constrained for a long while now (made all the more real when right after the clock got set back I was up before the sun and saw several very sweet sunrises). Anyway, I turned around and went back home, grabbed my camera and set off for the neighborhood park which is just a few blocks away and has a nice rugged hill on it which I proceeded to climb--which proceeded to kick my butt. So I hiked up the trail to this gazebo there and snapped off about 20 photos of the sunset, then sat down and enjoyed the view as the lights of downtown Reno (7 miles NW) came on. It was a rough day, a rough couple of days actually, but I'm glad I got to go up there again--I really miss those long walks up into nature where I can decompress and just be happy and at peace with myself and my surroundings, and I just had to share this tonight while those pacific feelings are still with me. I know you had a shoot this AM (I am sure that not only that Rob caught everything with his characteristic true-to-life style, but you and your partner had a ton of fun, too, and I am sure you are just about to burst with excitement when your premium site opens for business in just a matter of days (hours, minutes, seconds ... !!!), so while here I also wanted to say once more how much I appreciate the time you've given to the free site folks, myself included, and while it breaks my heart to say it (and I only say it this way because its tradition), break a leg!

I love how some person of relatively humble origins inspires good feelings in others like Laura Virginia O'Hanlon did. Now how about this--Virginia was also a 12th cousin 7 times removed of Alice Pleasance Liddell. Who? Alice inspired a fellow name Charles Dodgson to write stories about her adventures Through the Looking Glass and down the rabbit hole into Wonderland. Yep, not only was there a real Virginia, but there was also a real Alice to inspire Francis Church and Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carroll). Now about conspiracy theories I might have to re-evaluate my opinion (I tend to dismiss them) because Alice Liddell was an 11th cousin 6 times removed of, yep, Kevin Bacon! Anyway, the point is, Virginia wrote a letter that inspired a wonderful response from Francis Church, and Alice inspired Charles to write such fantastic stories, and, while older and more mature, look at the art and interpretations folks like Ugo and Mart have created of and for you! Is that not the essence of a muse, to inspire in others to create an appreciate beauty, to think and philosophize? And look here, here I am doing just that, and all thanks to a gentlewoman named Danielle! To quote James Lipton, "Brilliant!"--that's what you are, Ms D. Have a happy day!

Hahahaha...it always starts with Kevin Bacon...personally I think it's a conspiracy

Its been a while since I last did the genealogy trick thing, but its getting close to Yuletide, so I thought I'd do a little something. The story starts off with Kevin Bacon's 9th cousin, 6 times removed, Clement Clarke Moore who, along with Washington Irving (The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Rip van Winkle), got the ball rolling by taking an old Dutch tradition, preserved in olde New York families and bringing it back--this is the story of Santa Claus, and in Moore's case, it was a story entitled A Visit from St. Nicholas (aka 'Twas the Night Before Christmas) that brought the red-suited one into the mainstream. Well, without Moore and his story, a certain editor for the New York Sun might not have been prompted by a little girl who wrote in asking if there really was a Sta Claus. That editor, Francis Parcellus Church, penned an editorial replay entitled, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus". By an amazing stroke, Church was in fact a relative of little Laura Virginia O'Hanlon. They were 8th cousins once removed. And Virginia (who went on to be a schoolteacher and principal), was herself related to a few other folks who have that Christmas spirit. Burl Ives, noted for all the songs and voices for those Rankin-Bass specials, was her 7th cousin, and Arthur Rankin, Jr., co-producer of those programs, was her 9th cousin. So there you have a little holiday time connections. Oh, and Church was right--there is a Santa Claus. Here's to you, Ms D!

Have a happy, cheer filled wickedly delightfully fun day, Ms D!

Wow, you had a lot of catching up to do--I had to pause mid-post for about an hour to get the little one down for a nap (and watch Star Trek with her--big crushes on Spock & Jim!).