Bellevue Botanical Gardens

I'm still there...

I am still with Barack Obama.  I trust his goal.  He is doing the best he can given the circumstances.  He's trying to govern, but he's being hampered by the Republican side of congress who won't let him even TRY his ideas.  I'm tired of people who decide that if things aren't going exactly THEIR way, then things won't go ANY way - they'll do whatever they can to not even let us try to fix things.  That's what I see Republicans doing.  I can't believe that most voters don't see that's the way things have been going.  And the 'tea party'?  These are people who know how to complain and find fault and make derisive jokes, but they have no better ideas that are realistic, and consistent with American values.

I'm FIRED UP and READY FOR CHANGE!

Relax in Love

Comfy chair

Swedish designer, Matti Klenell created this huge chair from a teddy bear. Description: Upholstered teddy bear/easychair. Designed for a solo exhibition at the Agata Gallery, Stockholm, 2001.

Cooking and Competition!

Fast paced, creative cooking, by experienced chefs who are passionate about food. 
Tense competition.
Judges I respect - all of them, but I especially enjoy Alex G.
Congenial host.

This has become my favorite cooking show and reality competition all in one...love it!

Tonight was the finale of Chopped Champions...not a dry eye in the house at the end of the show.
http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/09/28/ted-allen-interview-chopped-champions/

Opportunity lost...

I love Netflix.
I love them so much I purchased a few shares of their stock when it was between 16 and 20.
I watched it go up to about 60 and figured that was the best win I could hope for.
Sold.
Now, it's at 162.
I am not smart.

Just something I noticed

Hey - it's 9:21 on 09/21/2010

Vasomotor Instability

This is part of my reality.  I'm a club member for about a year now.  Sometimes often, sometimes less often.  Funny, strange, disruptive. I marvel that this is a physical manifestation of the miracle of my life - age, change, adjust, adapt.  Pretty amazing.

Talented but Troubled

Indeed.  I'm sending out some good energy for Lindsay Lohan.  I truly do think she's talented and would like to see her find out how to live this life with love and peace.

Come to think of it, I wish that for everyone else too - including me and you!

Here's to living in peace and love!!!

FYI - The Burqa

FYI...the term Burqa encompasses several different items. 

The Hijab

(the head covering)

The Niqab

(The face covering)

The Abaya

(full length coverage)

The Chadri

(complete coverage)

This style of clothes predates Islam.  

The Koran makes only three references to a woman's dress:

“O children of Adam, we have provided you with garments to cover your bodies, as well as for luxury. But the best garment is the garment of righteousness. These are some of God's signs, that they may take heed.” (7:26)

“O prophet, tell your wives, your daughters, and the wives of the believers that they shall lengthen their garments. Thus, they will be recognized (as righteous women) and avoid being insulted. God is Forgiver, Most Merciful.” (33:59)

" Say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty ; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof. " [Quran : 24.31]

I wouldn't have any problem with this style of dress if men were also required to wear it.  

They aren't.  

From what I've read, at least some Muslim men believe a woman should be wearing these clothes because men are too weak to behave themselves when faced with a woman's beauty.

A woman's beauty tempts men to do wicked things.

Men can't be held accountable for their own actions.

Therefore, women must be covered.  

***

And what about this:

"But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled dishonors her head—it is the same as if her head were shaven. For if a woman will not veil herself, then she should cut off her hair; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her wear a veil.
    "For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. (For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.) That is why a woman ought to have a veil on her head, because of the angels....If any one is disposed to be contentious, we recognize no other practice, nor do the churches of God." (1 Corinthians 11:3-10,16)

from:  http://www.catholicplanet.com/women/headcovering.htm

***

And now a word from the Jewish people...

http://judaism.about.com/od/prayersworshiprituals/f/kippah.htm

"From a biblical standpoint, only the Kohanim serving in the temple were required to cover their heads (see Exodus 28:4).  Yet for many centuries, the obligatory custom has been for Jewish men to wear a kippah all the time, as the code of Jewish law says "It is forbidden to walk four cubits without a headcovering."

***

Seriously, who comes up this stuff?!?!?!?!?!?!

Woman with outstretched arms...

I save these images from Oprah newsletters.  I'm nearly always attracted to the feeling I think the women are expressing...

I feel overjoyed!

I am limitless!

I embrace the world!

Sometimes life feels like that, right?