Also known as Princess Rosebud! MIDlifestyle blog. Mom of Professor Angel Boy and Grandma to Angel Boy 2.0 and Angel Girl 2.0. Love to camp and hike. I've been in a few films, am obsessed with seashells, sea glass, and rocks; gardening and baking, Hello Kitty, Chanel, Leon Russell, and anything sparkly. Veg since 1970 and an ardent animal activist forever. Fashionista...veganista...animal activista. I'm still trying to find the perfect shoe!
Hell is empty and all the devils are here. William Shakespeare
After last night’s horrific anti-Semitic massacre at Bondi Beach in Australia during a Hanukkah celebration and the violence at Brown University in Rhode Island, at least right now, this world we inhabit is not a warm and loving place.
I spent quite a bit of time in Providence while DIL was there getting her doctorate and Angel Boy was at Yale doing the same thing. I walked around the campus and the neighborhood, even Governor Drive where there was a report of another incident which proved to be false.
When AB endured his serious medical scare, he was at the same Rhode Island hospital where the shooting victims were taken because it’s the closest trauma center. These poor kids were simply taking their mid-term exams when they were attacked.
It looks like they have a suspect in custody, but the damage is done. I read that at least two of the students had already witnessed other school shootings.
Did you know that Leon Russell wrote “Lost Inside of You” with the one and only Barbra Streisand? The hit song was recorded for the movie, A Star is Born, and that’s Leon on the soundtrack. He will forever be the one and only Master of Space and Time, a musical, visionary genius.
Barbra Streisand took on the lead female role of Esther Hoffman in the 1976 remake of the 1954 film A Star Is Born, opposite Kris Kristofferson as John Norman Howard, an aging singer engulfed by excesses and demons.
Howard’s road manager was portrayed by Gary Busey, a friend of and drummer for (as Teddy Jack Eddy) Leon Russell. Busey introduced Barbra to Leon, and while at her Malibu ranch, Barbra and Leon wrote “Lost Inside of You”.
It was included in the film, on the soundtrack, and as a B-side to Barbra’s single “Comin’ In And Out Of Your Life” from her 1981 hits album Memories. The soundtrack album has sold more than 15 million copies worldwide, and Memories did well with over 10,000,000 in sales worldwide, earning Russell loads of money in royalties as a songwriter. From Leon Russell Superstar in a Masquerade
I love knowing that Barbra Streisand collaborated with Leon and I love hearing him play the piano. I wish I had a photo of the two of them. One day, it would be my dream to chat with her about it.
A small anecdote about my six degrees connection to Barbra Streisand is that I once met and had lunch on set with her husband, James Brolin, when he did some filming locally. He was SUPER nice and welcoming. It was a special day and if you’re wondering, he’s even more handsome up close.
P.S. And did you know that Streisand’s co-star in A Star is Born, Kris Kristofferson, was married to Rita Coolidge, who was once upon a time Leon Russell’s girlfriend? Leon’s song, Delta Lady, was written about her. Cool info, huh?
“…nothing haunts us like the things we didn’t buy.” Quote from Becky Bloomwood/Confessions
There’s sad news to report from the literary world.
Author Sophie Kinsella died yesterday. I didn’t know that she had been diagnosed with a glioblastoma in 2022, which is one of the deadliest and most aggressive types of brain cancer.
I loved all of her books and probably have read everything she’s ever written. The first two novels in the Shopaholic series were adapted for the 2009 film Confessions of a Shopaholic, starring Isla Fisher. It’s one of my all-time favorites.
“That moment. That instant when your fingers curl round the handles of a shiny, uncreased bag–and all the gorgeous new things inside it becomes yours. What’s it like? It’s like going hungry for days, then cramming your mouth full of warm buttered toast.” Becky Bloomwood/Confessions
Those who dismiss her books as merely frivolous rom-com or chick lit don’t take into consideration the amount of work and talent it takes to write great dialogue and create characters that come to life.
RIP Sopie Kinsella. She’s survived by her husband and their five children.
And me? I’m still searching for that perfect green scarf. IYKYK
“You speak…PRADA?” Becky Bloomwood/Confessions
Here’s a trailer for the film, Confessions of a Shopaholic. I’m going to watch it again this weekend.
This photo was taken at the beach on a spectacularly warm December afternoon. The sky was blue and the Pacific Ocean was full of sparkles; a magnificent day.
Photo by Enchanted Seashells
Ode To Our Ocean
The sea sings out to its many saviors: Teenagers with fists thrust into the air at climate strikes, Scientists converging around their data, A child who stoops to scoop up a piece of trash.
The sea sings out for its singular subjects: Arching whales that wave from their waves, Turtles that teeter down their shining shores, Coral reefs shining brightly as cities.
The sea sings out its suffering, Knowing too much of waste, screeching sounds And pernicious poison, its depths bruised by Atrocities in the Atlantic, Misery in the Mediterranean, Its tides the preservers of time past.
The story of the ocean and the story of humanity Are one and the same, a Great River that Knows no borders and notes no lines, Only ripples. While we might call it the Seven Seas, Today we sing out your true name: The one ocean. For no matter how we try to separate your waters, You are the colossus that connects us.
Water makes up 70% of Earth, 70% of the human heart, And 70% of the human being, All of us, bodies of water, For we, too are oceans, Or at least beings bobbing in the same boat. To stand up for for our ocean Is to stand up for our own ship The sea is a restless, strong collective of many pieces. So are we. The ocean can recover. And so will we. Let us not divide the tides, But discover all they have to teach us– Green meadows of sea grass that survive pathogens, Blue-bloodied marine snails that can fight off viruses. There are more lessons to learn, Still more work to be done. So we lift our faces to the sun. May the seas help us see healing and hope, May we sing out the ocean’s survival and revival. Being the people of this blue planet is our most Profound privilege and power, For if we be the ocean’s saviors, Then it is surely ours.
Written by Amanda Gorman for World Oceans Day. Harvard graduate Gorman is an American poet, activist, and model. Her work focuses on issues of oppression, feminism, race, and marginalization, as well as the African diaspora. Gorman was the first person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate.
I had a dream that seemed to last forever and here are some snippets that I can actually recall.
Leon Russell
For no apparent rhyme or reason, Leon Russell (yes, I know) was showing me a ballet move called développé à la seconde, which I thought was even more remarkable because he was slightly paralyzed from a birth injury on the side that was attempting the move.
I can’t even begin to explain how or why my mind connected the Master of Space and Time to a difficult dance position, but that’s the beauty of the subconscious, I guess. It doesn’t have to make sense.
When I was involved in ballet, this particular move was a struggle for me to master. I often uttered a silent groan when Madame Kaliskis said it was time for développé because I knew she’d eventually make her way over to me at the barre and watch me until I felt my leg was going to fall off. She’d say “encore” which meant I had to do it again and again, and then she’d hold my leg up where it SHOULD be, and my task was to hold it there, but I never could.
Here’s a vid of how it ought to look; sadly, my extensions were never this perfect no matter how much I practiced.
Anyway…
As soon as Leon finished with his (quite nice, better than mine ever were) développé, the dream became all about me.
I was driving from my house to Catalina Island which is not at all possible as it’s about seventy-five nautical miles from my area and can only be reached by boat or air, but there I was, driving along a very narrow path with water on both sides of me, sometimes lapping up ever so slightly over the road, which totally freaked me out. This wasn’t a fun part of the dream as I was in a constant state of anxiety and vigilance so I wouldn’t miss the road and end up in the ocean.
I remember taking the ferry back from Catalina Island but not sure what happened to the car that I drove along the non-existent road to get there. On Catalina, visitors can’t bring their own cars; most people use golf carts or bicycles. Only a very limited number of residents and businesses have vehicle permits and there’s a years-long waiting list for them.
Since I used to work for the (now defunct) company that used to go to Catalina Island from San Diego, it’s not too unusual to dream about it, but the more than four hour-long one way trip was often referred to as the “vomit comet” because, well, you can probably figure out WHY, haha.
I didn’t often accompany passengers over there for that reason, and because I generally get seasick. Ick.
After I was safely back on terra firma, my subconscious decided to go on another exploration of past memories and my often dreamed about kitty, Bandit, returned to snuggle with me in bed. She loved freshly washed flannel sheets as much as I do and we kept each other warm. The dream ended far too soon, along with the feeling of being safe and loved by a purring machine. That morning I had changed the sheets to soft, fragrant flannel ones, so THAT part of the dream fused with reality.
Strange dream, right? I can’t even begin to figure out what it all means, but it really wasn’t embarrassing at all because I’m fascinated with the human mind during different sleep states.
Back To The Island is playing in my head, so here’s the Leon connection, and to reiterate, this song was written and composed by Leon Russell, NOTNOTNOT Jimmy Buffet, and of course, Leon does it better.
Thursday’s full moon is not just bright, it’s rare. The December 4th Cold supermoon is the last time we’ll see one like this until 2042. If the sky is clear, step outside and look up. It will hang low, look huge, and glow brighter than usual.
In the sign of Gemini, this Super Full Moon offers us an opportunity to see with more clarity the impact of the stories we tell ourselves and the narratives that shape our perception of reality.
This heightened lunar ascent symbolizes a lifting of perspective, a culmination that invites us to see our lives from a broader vantage point, to connect the dots and recognize the meaning behind the journey we’ve walked throughout the year.
Tonight will also reveal a powerful moment in the sky as the Moon meets the Seven Sisters, the bright cluster known as the Pleiades.
The Moon slowly passes over each star, hiding them one by one, and this motion creates a sequence that opens a clear channel for our intentions, emotions, and the wishes we carried during the year.
The Universe pays close attention during this alignment and the connection works like a direct line between our heart and the future we want.
Each time the Moon covers a star, the energy around us resets and clears space for something new, and the return of the star sends fresh light into our life with strong forward movement.
Many people feel a shift during this time, such as a burst of hope, a clear idea, or a sense that something important will approach with steady momentum.
These feelings hold meaning because this alignment supports our dreams in a focused way that removes blocks from our path and pushes our story forward.
Choose the manifested desire with strong confidence.
The Universe will arrange the right people, the right moments, and the right opportunities to support the next phase of our path. Alex Myles
Also, in my SoCal area, King Tides return December 4–6. These are some of the highest and lowest tides of the year and create dramatic coastal changes.
Spiritually, a King Tide can symbolize a time of amplified energy, new beginnings and abundance, but it can also represent a force that tests existing structures and compels us to confront powerful emotions and cycles beyond our control. It can signify a period of emotional and spiritual renewal or growth, challenging us to release old ways to embrace a new life flow.
There’s a lot going on…as above, so below, and a perfect time to charge our crystals.
This WordPress snow feature has always made my childsoul irrationally happy. For some reason, it was removed for a few years, but now it’s back, and it’s joyful!
I love snow…and it rhymes with crow!
Dust of Snow
The way a crow Shook down on me The dust of snow From a hemlock tree Has given my heart A change of mood And saved some part Of a day I had rued. Robert Frost
No green flash, but a gorgeous sunset after a sunny, warm day in SoCal.
Photo by Enchanted Seashells
A “green flash” is a rare optical phenomenon seen briefly at sunrise or sunset, where the sun’s upper edge appears to flash green due to atmospheric refraction. This optical effect is caused by the Earth’s atmosphere acting like a prism, separating the sun’s light into different colors, with the green light being the last to be visible as the sun sets or the first as it rises
Enchanted Seashells | Princess Rosebud 