MORNING POTPOURRI

There I was, in the middle of the night, flipping through the TV channels. 

 

And what should catch my attention but this movie, The Shipping News, which I have on DVD, but hadn’t watched in awhile.

 

For some reason, it grabbed me and held on until the very end.    I recall the first time I saw the movie—it was in an LA theater with my son and his family—and then later, I would read the book.

 

Usually, I like the books better than the movies, but not in this case.  I found the book dry and thoroughly unengaging, which was not the way prize committees saw it!

 

But Kevin Spacey, Cate Blanchett, and Julianne Moore—not to mention Judi Dench—turned in outstanding performances.

 

Normally when I awaken in the middle of the night, I will open a book and read.  And my current read is also thoroughly engaging, especially now that I am discovering the buried secrets, the betrayals, and the conspiracies…but more about that later, in my CURL UP AND READ blog!

 

For now, let us just conclude that books and movies are both equally great companions for middle-of-the-night angst.

 

MORNING POTPOURRI

 

 

Well, folks, it is finally Friday!  What a week it has been, with my various computer/Internet issues!

 

I still haven’t resolved anything yet, but I’m hoping that someone will have a suggestion.  I’m putting out “feelers.”

 

Meanwhile, today I have to attend a Health Fair, where all the insurance options will be presented.  My current plan premium is going up by $200 a month and decreasing benefits—which is absolutely unacceptable!

 

I have some possibilities to consider…so wish me luck.

 

MORNING POTPOURRI

It is almost too late in the day to qualify as “Morning Potpourri,” but this is a tradition I would like to initiate here on my Potpourri blog.

 

This morning began like many others, except that my trusty Firefox web browser would not open!  I had experienced some problems yesterday afternoon, but thought the issue may have resolved itself—perhaps magically?

 

Of course, I went online, using my OTHER browser, the one I don’t enjoy, but I’d better not bad-mouth it since it’s my only browser now!  And I’ve sent out messages to Firefox Support.  But so far…nothing that is working for me!

 

If anyone out there is something of an expert, I would appreciate any and all suggestions.

 

What happened—and what the support people are suggesting—is that Firefox did not close properly the last time I used it.  And I do know that when I tried to go online, Firefox was installing updates.  So I waited.  But I had tried to open it, so I may have disturbed a process.

 

Now, when I try to open it, the window falls flat, at the bottom of the page, and will not open.

 

Help!!

 

I am attempting to go on with life, but browsing is not fun without my “Fox”!

 

Later today, I have the normal errands to run, so I’m trying to focus and not obsess.  But I do have one of those obsessive/compulsive personalities, so the issues are not very far from my mind!

 

Maybe someone out there will have a solution and my workspace will be happy again!!

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

 

Another Wordless Wednesday,  with a photo from my photographer son Craig Robinson, and his Oktoberfest adventures.

BONDING MOMENTS AT THE SALON

Yesterday was our “girl’s day” at the salon.  My granddaughter Fiona was pleased with her new highlights and hairstyle—compliments of my daughter Heather—but she wouldn’t pose for a picture for me!

So I sneaked up behind her and caught her reflection in the mirror.

If you look closely, you can see the stylist (Heather) as well.

A fun event, full of laughter and female bonding.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Munich, Germany, Oktoberfest 2008

Photograph by Craig Robinson, Berlin photographer and my son.

More photos and an article will appear Friday on Dames of Dialogue .

THIS MORNING’S COMPULSION

When I woke up this morning, I had one obsession on my mind.  Figuring out how to add text to all the blog buttons that I’ve been creating lately!

Now I know that other people have text on theirs…so why didn’t I notice a method for adding text?

Duh!  Go back to the imaging host—Photobucket, in my case—and see what you overlooked last time you were there.

So this time I saw the “edit” button, which then dropped down a series of options…hmm, decorate?  Clicked on that and saw the text option.  Yay!!

Well, it took a few tries to figure out how to save the changes, since pop-ups kept blocking the instructions…grrr!

But I finally accomplished it.  Then I had to go to all my blog buttons and apply text, after which I had to go back to the blog sites and put in the correct HTML!   In the picture above, you will see a sample of one of my buttons.  I did this on SEVEN buttons this morning, after which I had to check all my sites where I might have added the buttons and correct them.  I am tired!!

So after I had done that,  I created a couple of posts, worked out on the treadmill, and now I’m back.

I’m sure everybody else in the Blogosphere already knows how to do this, but I thought I’d just create this post for the one or two out there who might not!  Or just so that I could share my ultimate high at discovering how to do something new!

BERLIN IS BACK!

Earlier today, I was posting on my Reflections blog, describing my eldest son Craig and his European adventures—more recently, his sojourn in Berlin.

Then, as sometimes happens in life, I open up the Spotlight section of today’s paper and find an article entitled:  Berlin is Back.

In the article, we learn some of the history of Berlin, before and after the Wall.  And how things have changed.

“In the years since the fall of the wall, the German capital has become one of Europe’s hippest cities, with culture and clubs galore.  The former East, especially, is hopping, with pubs, cafes and a pulsing night life.”

Which just goes to show how everything can change.  Just when you think that you are in the darkest times of your life—take the economy in this day and age!—and voila!  Just like that, everything begins to turn around and transmogrify into something else.

Maybe I am the only one who could take an article about the transformation of Berlin and turn it into a positive sign for the future.  But I choose to believe that, even in the darkest hours, we can catch a glimpse of what metamorphoses could lie ahead—perhaps just around the corner.

HUMP DAY MUSINGS

I awoke this morning, full of ideas about blogging.  Compulsive creature that I am, I tend to focus on something to the point that nothing else even enters my field of vision.

At the moment, that’s blogging.  Lately, I’ve been revamping my blogs—rearranging the widgets, adding widgets, and changing the headers.  You may have noticed that!  LOL

So today’s task was to capture an image for my “Web of Tyranny Chronicles” blog that would draw in potential readers.  Perhaps others out there are “visual creatures,” just as I am.  I know that when I’m clicking on links to new blogs, I am most attracted to the header first, then the arrangement of the sidebars, and finally, of course, to the content of the posts.

So I strolled around my home, arranging little vignettes and snapping them with my camera.  I found this doll in my office cubby, next to Raggedy Ann and the “Annie” doll from the musical.  I thought “a-ha!”  She will look perfect next to the “Web of Tyranny” book!

A few minutes later, and I had my newest custom header for this blog.

Isn’t technology grand?  You may think that this is an ordinary activity, but only recently, after using my digital camera for quite awhile, I bought the USB  cable for it; so, at last, like everyone else—I could download my pictures to my computer!

Now that I am FINALLY in the twenty-first century, like the rest of the civilized world, I can enjoy some of the fun aspects to blogging!

Does anyone else out there have unique blogging stories?

OCTOBER BLESSINGS

With Halloween around the corner, it’s time to decorate my spaces.  In my closet, I have Jim Shore objects for almost every season.  This Mickey Mouse collectible certainly says Halloween, as does this Witch and Cauldron image.

You’ll catch a glimpse of my Jim Shore pumpkin centerpiece.  One side features Halloween images—turn it around to find the Thanksgiving theme.

Finally, the plush ghost holding a pumpkin is a favorite of my youngest grandson Noah.  It comes out of the closet in October, to sit amongst the various other plush images that say Autumn.