Rainy Day Wonderings

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Before The Mirror

Symphony in White, No. 2: The Little White Girl 1864

James Abbot Mc Neill Whistler 1834-1903

Oil on canvas

This is a comparatively early work by Whistler, in which echoes of the style of Millais and Rossetti can still be observed. The fan, the blue and white vase and the flowers, however, reflect Whistler’s new-found enthusiasm for things Japanese. The model was his Irish mistress Joanna Hiffernan. Swinburne was inspired to write his poem Before the Mirror by this picture, finding in ‘the face languidly contemplative of its own phantom’ a ‘sad and glad mystery’.

Before the Mirror
By Algernon Charles Swinburne

WHITE ROSE in red rose-garden

Is not so white;

Snowdrops that plead for pardon

And pine for fright

Because the hard East blows

Over their maiden rows

Grow not as this face grows from pale to bright.
Behind the veil, forbidden,

Shut up from sight,

Love, is there sorrow hidden,

Is there delight?

Is joy thy dower or grief,

White rose of weary leaf,

Late rose whose life is brief, whose loves are light?
Soft snows that hard winds harden

Till each flake bite

Fill all the flowerless garden

Whose flowers took flight

Long since when summer ceased,

And men rose up from feast,

And warm west wind grew east, and warm day night.

II.

“Come snow, come wind or thunder

High up in air,I watch my face, and wonder

At my bright hair;Nought else exalts or grieves

The rose at heart, that heaves

With love of her own leaves and lips that pair.
“She knows not loves that kissed her

She knows not where.

Art thou the ghost, my sister,

White sister there,

Am I the ghost, who knows?

My hand, a fallen rose,

Lies snow-white on white snows, and takes no care.
“I cannot see what pleasures

Or what pains were;

What pale new loves and treasures

New years will bear;

What beam will fall, what shower,

What grief or joy for dower;

But one thing knows the flower; the flower is fair.”

III.

Glad, but not flushed with gladness,

Since joys go by;

Sad, but not bent with sadness,

Since sorrows die;Deep in the gleaming glass

She sees all past things pass,

And all sweet life that was lie down and lie.
There glowing ghosts of flowers

Draw down, draw nigh;

And wings of swift spent hours

Take flight and fly;

She sees by formless gleams,

She hears across cold streams,

Dead mouths of many dreams that sing and sigh.
Face fallen and white throat lifted,

With sleepless eye

She sees old loves that drifted,

She knew not why,

Old loves and faded fears

Float down a stream that hears

The flowing of all men’s tears beneath the sky.

I hope you all are having a safe and happy weekend!

Labels: Art, Poetry

N Posted by Rain at 6/23/2007 11:22:00 PM

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Playing Catch Up

Playing Catch Up...

Back in the month of May...

picture source unknown

I had my bi-annual health check up that included many blood tests including Hemoglobin A1c, dilated eye exam, foot exam and a clinical breast exam.

I had my very first screening mammogram. A screening mammogram is an x-ray of the breast used to detect breast changes in women who have no signs or symptoms of breast cancer. I was scared to go by myself and at the same time I did not want to share the experience with anyone else. The radiologist was very friendly, professional and she put my mind at ease instantly. The process is fairly simple although it is very uncomfortable having my boobs squished like pancakes.

Thanks for the image Benita!

During this time I had to go to court concerning Rusty four different times. Two of those appearances were concerning his DUI that happened in March of 2006. I came to the realization that for the first time in over five years my son is truly clean of drugs and alcohol and has been for almost a year now. In my eyes this is cause for celebration!

Two weeks before Mothers day I sat in court to hear Rusty plead guilty to three felonies that carry two strikes under California’s Three Strike Law. Needless to say this was one of my proudest moments because I needed to hear Rusty take full responsibility for his actions. I could see and feel the relief of the tremendous weight that we as a family have been carrying on our shoulders. On that day there was another court date was scheduled for what I thought would be a final sentencing hearing only to find out later it was for restitution for the victims of Rusty’s crime spree. Leaving the court room that day I was unprepared for the drama that ensued on the court house steps...

At this point, I want to tell you that I have put myself under a ‘gag order’ because I really don’t want anything to come back to do any harm to myself or Rusty until his final sentencing. However, Rusty has been transferred to the California Institution for Men in Chino, California.

Image source C-boom!

After arriving home I pick up my mail and I noticed a letter from my doctors office which I promptly set aside and start listening to my phone messages. The first message is from the Radiology department saying that they wanted me to call for an appointment immediately for a diagnostic mammogram is an x-ray of the breast that is used to check for breast cancer after a lump or other sign or symptom of breast cancer has been found. Signs of breast cancer may include pain, skin thickening, nipple discharge or a change in breast size or shape. A diagnostic mammogram also may be used to evaluate changes found during a screening mammogram, or to view breast tissue when it is difficult to obtain a screening mammogram because of special circumstances, such as the presence of breast implants. A diagnostic mammogram takes longer than a screening mammogram because it involves more x-rays in order to obtain views of the breast from several angles. The technician may magnify a suspicious area to produce a detailed picture that can help the doctor make an accurate diagnosis.

Please visit The National Cancer Institute for more information..

Good gawd, just another thing to add to an already heavy, full and unbalanced platter that I call my life! To be continued...

It’s hump day...yay! I am so looking forward to the weekend. How is your week going?

Labels: misc., Rusty

N Posted by Rain at 6/20/2007 11:20:00 AM

Monday, June 18, 2007

Mondays Glamour & More..

Mondays Glamour...

One for the ladies...

One for the guys...

My question is why would anyone do this?

San Diego Union Tribune
AP / NOAA photo
This is one of the four long-beaked common dolphins that washed ashore between Carlsbad State Beach and Oceanside Harbor.

Four shot dolphins wash up on shore
Fifth carcass found on coast
By Terry Rodgers
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
June 16, 2007

In a rare crime, someone recently slaughtered four dolphins off the North County coast, federal authorities announced yesterday.
The long-beaked common dolphins washed ashore between May 29 and June 5 at locations between Carlsbad State Beach and Oceanside Harbor. All had most likely been shot in the head by a small-caliber weapon, authorities said. Read more here..

Rainman will be an official volunteer at this years annual San Diego Comic Con 2007. In order to do so he had to have an 'Official Resident Evil Costume' that could only be purchase from Singapore. I told him that he must pay for the costume with his own money ($178.00). Finally after months of saving it arrived by mail on Friday! I have never seen him so happy!

Thank You, Tech!

Well lookie here...I won a monthly (June 2007 Giveaway) Contest from one of my favorite authors, Tech over at 51313 Harbor Street! I won a copy of Tech’s poetry chapbook 'Passion,' a script for Del Shores's play 'Daddy's Dyin' Who's Got The Will,' and a rehearsal script for his play 'Murder at the Witch's Cottage.'

If you have a chance stop by Tech site and check out his archives. They are filled with his writing, humor, poetry, photos and much more! I know you will enjoy his posts as much as I do and you will be glad that you did. Gosh can you tell I am really fond of him? :0)

Thanks to my Luva I had wonderful weekend full of multiple orgasmic delights! I tell ya there is no one better ;0)

Can anyone out there explain to me why Blogger Links is not working properly? Maybe it is just me. sigh.

How was your weekend?

Links for this post..

Dolphins:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20070616-9999-1mi16dolphi.html

Tech: http://51313.blogspot.com/

Labels: Monday's Glamour

N Posted by Rain at 6/18/2007 10:33:00 AM