08.08.11
Posted in Politics at 8:02 AM by Ann Hornbeck
I don’t even know where to start! First, I want to send my condolences to the family and friends of the Navy Seals who were shot down last Friday in Afghanistan. It was very disturbing and unsettling to hear the news, but reading their bios and hearing their stories provided some level of comfort. Peace to all who suffer across our world.
On Saturday morning, I ran 5.5 miles on the trail. It was a wonderful experience, as I careened up, over and through the switchbacks to the top of the mountain and back. The weather was absolutely perfect as we had a cool down from the high temperatures. It was a wonderful feeling. The three 58-year olds even out-ran two young 30-somethings – we were so proud of ourselves!
Later in the day, I went for a couple hours of wine tasting with my friend and her husband at a winery in Suisun Valley that was fabulous – $5 to get in, free tasting from a list of 10 different wines, then they pour you a full glass of the one you decide is the best of the list, all of this while you are listening to a live blues band and soaking up the sun and cool breezes. It was so much fun, and I will actually be doing a repeat as one of my girlfriends from Marin County is coming for a visit next Saturday! After the wine fest, I made it to Olivia’s birthday party just in time to see her blow out the candles and eat cake and ice cream. Just so you know, grandma was given a reprieve to not be at the party for the first hour as I become a big-pain-in-the-butt when I see my young grandchildren jumping off of balance beams, trampolines, etc. It is quite ironic, as I was a dare-devil most of my life, but, people change!
On Sunday morning, another girlfriend and I drove to the coast to hike Montara Mountain. It was a very, very, drizzly day on the coast. When we first arrived, it was too wet and cold to start, so we went to El Granada for a cup of coffee and a bagel. We got back to the mountain and started our climb around 11:30 a.m. All the times that I have hiked, walked and run that mountain, I had never gone to the very top. But, guess what! We did it! 1800 feet straight up in 2.5 hours. Yes, we were slow but it’s all about the journey and a good one it was! At the very top, there is a huge tower (of course) and the fog was so thick you could barely see it. And, the wind was whipping like crazy! It felt like Antarctica in August! The Manzinita trees were so beautiful with their moss covered branches and different species of wild flowers growing all around them. I kept referring to the hike as a “walk on the frozen tundra” as the vegetation lessened and the winds howled. Many times, you would hear voices and magically, people would appear out of the fog, dressed in winter jackets or layers of warmth, and there is my friend walking up the mountain, all 6-feet of her with only a tank top on! We were so proud of ourselves when we finally exited the mountain, but sore, sore, sore when we finally got to the car. We could barely lean over to untie our shoes and change clothes!
Next, a short drive to Half Moon Bay for a fish taco and a beer at my favorite place, then a drive to the San Gregorio Store so my friend could experience music at the General Store, followed by a short drive to La Honda to meet my friend Louise and let Candie get a taste of La Honda. The men and man-boys sure liked meeting this new and beautiful woman. Time to go! Oops, a car fire on the Bay Bridge with the result of not making it home until 9:30p.m.
So, there you go! Once again, zoom, zoom, zoom and so much fun doing it!
Peace out!
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07.27.11
Posted in Politics at 9:07 PM by Ann Hornbeck
Remember how wonderful it felt (for some of us) during Obama’s campaign? ”Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” Or this one: ”If we aren’t willing to pay a price for our values, if we aren’t willing to make some sacrifices in order to realize them, then we should ask ourselves whether we truly believe in them at all.” This one is pretty good too: ”The true test of the American ideal is whether we’re able to recognize our failings and then rise together to meet the challenges of our time. Whether we allow ourselves to be shaped by events and history, or whether we act to shape them.”
Just the other night, as I took a few moments to listen to Obama’s speech about the ongoing debt crisis, he still managed to tug and pull at my heart strings, to reel me in and inspire me to believe that his presence of mind is good, that his faith in democracy leads him to the path of sensibilities and truth, fairness and goodness, and images of better times to come.
We seem to be on pause. Stop the recording! Fast forward! No, go back! Wait! I want to hear that one again! Yes! No! Skip that one! Maybe! We can’t! We can! Who knows!
It’s expected that the weight of the world will drag us down, down, down into a major collapse of our entire system. A system spiraling out of control as the Democrats and Republicans continue to point and blame – taking two steps forward, and one step back. Has the game gone too far? Is there one more card to play? A stalemate? Perhaps the time is ripe to tip the balance, wipe the slate clean, re-group, and re-tool.
Go forth, Republicans, your flags waving red, white and blue, your swords drawn high and your torches burning.
Go forth Democrats, your hearts bleeding blue, blue, blue, your voices loud and clear – change, change, change (dammit!).
Go forth, Voters, your words falling on deaf ears as politicians enjoy their affair du jour, or sneak quietly to the bank to deposit the fruits of their embezzlements, kickbacks and payoffs.
And, we the people sit in our homes as our infrastructure crumbles around us, our schools and post offices closed, our senior citizens without food, money, and services, and our city and state governments trying to find a way to pass the burden back to the federal government whose walls are crumbling down, down, down.
And off in the distance – it all makes sense! Yes, he rises from the ashes, his voice loud and clear, his finger waving as he says, “I told you so, I told you so!” But, alas, it was only a dream. Even Michael Moore has nothing new to say.
The lines are drawn.
The whole world is watching.
It’s very, very quiet out there….
What’s next?
Peace out!
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07.01.11
Posted in Politics at 2:56 PM by Ann Hornbeck
There are a lot of interesting political conversations going on all over the country. Here in California, Jerry Brown signed in the budget that cuts the state deficit by $15 billion and supposedly creates a financial balance. “This is a huge step forward. But California’s long-term stability depends on our willingness to continue to pay down debt and live within our means.” On the other side of the country, Minnesota government is now in its second government shutdown in six years as a “partisan divide over taxes and spending to close a $5 billion deficit became even more bitter as a midnight deadline came and went without an agreement.” I think they all need to get their partisan hats on and boogie on down Broadway.
We the people of California keep wondering when the next axe will fall. The California prison system has already begun releasing inmates who are considered less dangerous after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that California’s prisons are dangerously overcrowded and must reduce the 143,335-inmate population by roughly 33,000. “Yep – pull off the ankle bracelet and hit the road, my friend – you are free! But don’t ask us for any services or help of any kind because the budget took away all of our prison profits and we’re not happy!”
I am experiencing a “deja-vu” as I remember California in the early 1980′s. That was when “Ronald Ray-guns” emptied the prisons and due to budget cuts, had to release thousands of people out of hospitals, nursing homes, drug rehab centers and homeless shelters. Many of the homeless were presented with one-way tickets to anywhere they wanted to go. The rest struggled or died because of the lack of services. Yes indeed, “a tough budget for tough times” states Governor Brown. But, the questions remain the same – what now?
Are we sliding rapidly back into a recession, slipping into a depression, or are we simply tepid? The current climate feels like watching a movie that fails to arouse your senses, or experiencing a kiss that smacks of boredom, or are we simply feeling something that is no longer possible or acceptable?
I just opened my little Dove dark chocolate square to read the enclosed message: “Open your eyes to all the love around you.” I like it when the universe provides these precious moments. I will leave it with that – it’s much, much easier!
Peace.
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06.14.11
Posted in Politics at 8:54 PM by Ann Hornbeck
Help, help me Rhonda! It’s way too soon for the presidential elections. Please! No more New Hampshire gatherings or dragging the same old pile of S H I T into my world. What to do, what to do?!? Is there no escape from the madness!?! I think I am going to follow my daughter’s decisions – one who has decided to vote Libertarian and the other who has decided not to vote at all. Maybe I can create a new party named “The Apathetics” (she retorts apathetically). And, if not an apathetic, then what?!? A Blasphemer? ”Yes!” (she thinks profanely, but only as it applies to politicians.) WTF? ”Have you lost your mind?” (they wonder, seriously.) Oh, dear God – and now, I read on Salon.com that ”At Tea Party camp, conservative writer Jeff Lukens will teach your children to say things like “America is good” and “I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.” (That is a mouthful for an 8-year-old!)” Who’s insane? And, this: “One example at Liberty: Children will win hard, wrapped candies to use as currency for a store, symbolizing the gold standard. On the second day, the “banker” will issue paper money instead. Over time, students will realize their paper money buys less and less, while the candies retain their value.” Ok, whatever. I give up. I’m done. Even Obama has made it perfectly clear that he’s not sure he even WANTS to be President anymore! Who would? We are in deep, deep doo-doo. I say vote every single freakin’ person out and put someone else in. It won’t change much, but it will send a terrifying (terrifying?) message. Who’s in charge? ”It ain’t me babe, no, no, no it ain’t me babe, it ain’t me you’re searching for, babe.”
“Off the Grid,” coming to a theatre near you…
Peace out!
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06.10.11
Posted in Politics at 8:21 AM by Ann Hornbeck
My short trek to the chicken coop finds a warm breeze and rising temperatures. The hens were anxious to fly off the plank into the yard where they immediately began to forage for bugs and worms in the freshly mowed yard. After work yesterday, I did a hike with a friend, followed by a glass of wine and an appetizer before heading home. My legs are feeling it this morning because I was so focused on sharing a glass of wine with a friend, I forgot to stretch! Ow! Today will be a quiet one for the most part, including a drive through the country to get fresh eggs at Soul Food Farm where ”You are what you eat.…and what you eat, eats.” So goes their motto. When you drive into the farm, there are hundreds of hens nesting everywhere around the farm house and in the pastures. My first time there presented a small group of hens who held their ground in front of the car, jumping out of the way only at the very last moment. Their mission – to grab the nuts that are crushed once the car passes! Smart little birds! A few years ago, the entire brood were destroyed in a fire that swept the property. But now, there are more chickens than ever! I love the way so many people are learning to supplement their diets with organic foods but there sure is a lot of catching up to do – especially as it applies to the diets of young children and teenagers, but truly, many of us. Now, if we could only change “Fast Food Nation” to become “Healthy As A Nation” it would be a perfect world. God bless capitalism. I know we can do it! I have babysitting duty all weekend as Angie and Robin are off to L.A. Thank goodness I will be able to take them to the pool on Saturday where they will be able to play with their cousins and enjoy the water. ”Have you heard the news today, oh boy.” The media is waiting for the release of the Sarah Palin emails during her stint as governor. The whole thing is ridiculous according to Palin: “Every rock in the Palin household that could ever be kicked over and uncovered anything, it’s already been kicked over.” This is going to be an interesting witch hunt. ”The Woman Who Dared” sounds like a good book title. Such is life in the big city where the chickens cluck, the bunny hops, Jack the Dog protects and Kona sleeps.
Peace out!
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05.11.11
Posted in Politics at 8:23 PM by Ann Hornbeck
My “work week” has ended and now I have five full days of doing whatever I want to do! I know I need to take some boxes to my storage place, and I know I need to go to a doctor’s appt., and I know I need to help Jessica pack, but other than that, I think I might have some free time. What to do, what to do? Right now I feel like taking a water hose to “Steig the Emperor” who continues to bounce and scratch against the sliding glass door, relentlessly to say the least. He is a big and tall boxer! He is so big that he had to be “snipped” to assure the breed would not be skewed! He is a great dog and I am happy to have him here with me. It is interesting how my choices have changed over the years. I have definitely learned my limits (finally!), but I still need to be active and engaged at all times, except when I am recovering or completely wiped out. Today, I once again did my duty of sitting for 2.5 hours in a chair waiting to be summoned to the courtroom, only to be excused due to incompetent witnesses who could not keep their stories straight. This is not the way the system is meant to work. It would work for the most part if the sharks, I mean lawyers, would move the heck out of the way and let the process work the way it was meant to work. I’m not completely clear on what that process is anymore. The saving grace for my time was a visit by the judge who whole-heartedly applauded our efforts at being good citizens. I have met her before and she is well respected in this county. It worked for me! On a side note, I found it interesting that I sat in the jury room reading an article in my New Yorker magazine about this woman who is a great mitigation strategist. She has made huge gains in the system with getting people life in prison as opposed to the death penalty. She does this by painting a picture of reality so people can view the prisoners at a more humane level. I like that. At least it seems like a better alternative, but, no matter how you look at it, it is a hefty price to pay – in more ways than one. Ok! I’m back after hearing the sound of broken glass. Lucky me, it was only a glass left on the patio, now cleaned up and in the trash. Unfortunately, I think it was one of Robin’s pub glasses from England. Speaking of which, tomorrow Jane, Jenny and Rob arrive from England! It will be a bittersweet event as it will be Jane’s first journey here without Bruce. Everyone is looking forward to seeing them! Angie already started pumping up Ben and Anna with songs that Nannie likes to sing with them. I think of Bruce quite often. He was so young, and a good man. I know Jane will get through this. “I believe that somewhere in the darkest night, a candle glows.”
Peace out!
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05.04.11
Posted in Politics at 7:19 PM by Ann Hornbeck
I have been remiss in running since last Saturday, but the 3-hour hike on Sunday was good. So, I will give myself a little break until tomorrow. Some of us are meeting for a “fun run,” aka, a 5k followed by wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres at the tent in front of Fleet Fleet Sports. I will get to pick up my certificate and my prize for taking 2nd place in my age group. I looked up my official time today on the website. I discovered that my time ranked me as #98 overall – not bad as there were 148 runners! There is a lot to be said about aging! Yes, the aches and pains come and go, and this is nowhere near what we will feel in our later years, but, isn’t it perfectly perfect! I am disturbed (yes, I know I am!) about the celebrations around the death of Osama bin Laden. Ok, I know that many, many lives have been destroyed, and that hundreds of innocent people lost their lives to a tragedy that is beyond explanation, reason, understanding or correction. Would I beg to see his head upon a stake? Would I beg to see his body riddled with bullet holes? Would I beg to see him hang from a rope? Not me. What I do know is that violence begets violence. That is why I do not celebrate his death. There is no solution. There is no answer. There is no end. I hope those who suffered from violence and loss, are now healed. I hope those who continue to suffer, will seek and find peace. Love is the answer. That much I know is true.
Peace.
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04.30.11
Posted in Politics at 6:05 PM by Ann Hornbeck
I did my first 10k this morning! It was really, really hard but I finished and took 2nd place in my age group. In early April, I ran the 5k at another race and received 2nd place too! I am proud of myself! Now, I must admit that the older you get, the less people you have to compete with in your age group, but I am grateful for being able to do what I have been doing – running! Once again, I awakened in the middle of the night, this time due to the roar of the wind outside my window, but then, of course, I started tossing and turning and could not get back to sleep for at least two hours. It was about 55 degrees when I arrived at the event – in running shorts – with a wind chill factor of probably 45 and it didn’t stop howling throughout the entire race. It definitely took some seconds/minutes off of everyone’s time, but it also provided air conditioning as the sun blazed high in the sky. It truly was a perfect day. Next up, the Trail Run Series beginning in July. Tomorrow, I am doing a big hike so another early-to-rise, but I am definitely looking forward to it! I made it through my mom’s birthday this week without crying. Well, that’s not exactly true as it found its way into my soul yesterday, the tears streaming down my face for a little while in the evening. I will always miss her, but how blessed are we to carry her around with us! My mom reached out to me so much, and, even as I continued to be narcissistic, a pain-in-the-butt, wanting and stubborn, she still reached out. It wasn’t until I was in my late 40′s that she started introducing me to her Florida crowd as her “Flower Child.” It opened doors for both of us to recreate ourselves with one another. I have saved every letter she ever wrote me – from my college years, my Cape Cod years, and my San Francisco Bay Area years. She never missed a beat when it came to anyone’s birthday, wedding anniversary, first home, second home, first steps, first tooth, and everything in between. Her letters would always have something inside – a story torn out of the local newspaper, a joke that she assured was written down at one of her million-gazillion cocktail parties so her friends and family could have a big laugh, a picture of her and John in their Halloween costumes, or a copy of her diary capturing yet another visit to a foreign country. When Sunday came around, I could always count on Grandma Betty telephoning. “Did you watch the West Virginia game last night!?!” “My, what a great shot that Tiger Woods made today! You know he lives on Hutchison Island?” After her husband died, she began keeping diaries. I am guessing it all began as a way to heal as John’s ill health worsened and she became the sole caretaker, carting a wheel chair to the bottom floor, moving it in and out of the car as she drove him everywhere, and at the end, did what any loved one would do to comfort their partner at the end of life. Her diaries have now joined the rest of her memoirs except for the one she gave me – her diary from her teenage years, the depression and World War II. So, the answer is no. I have no regrets. Our relationship was exactly how it was supposed to be – perfect together when the time was right, and now for all eternity. Run, Ann, run!
Peace out!
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04.25.11
Posted in Politics at 7:16 PM by Ann Hornbeck
I guess it is time to admit that I have OCD on some level. No, I don’t have to put my left foot on every other tile in the exact place as the one before as I make my way from the front door to the kitchen. Nor do I count the strokes that my brush creates across my hair after a shower, even though my hair tends to know where to go without any help from me or the anti-frizz product that I put in my hair. And, although I am orderly, I do not worry about the dust balls that form behind my night table, or the layer of dust on my windowsill. I fully understand that at 58, I have changed. The pillows must be fluffed and in the correct position, left to right, upon my bed that was made earlier according to plan. The cat’s litter box is cleaned each morning and again at night, without missing a single kernel of cat litter lying on the floor. My spring and summer shoes are placed in the basket next to my computer table so at any moment, I can choose what style I want to place upon my foot, again, in an orderly fashion – right foot first, left foot second. But, if it is a sneaker, I must first tie my right shoelaces prior to putting on the left sneaker. In the mornings, I follow the same routine – floss first, then brush, apply cleanser to my face, put “product” in those areas where it was yesterday, (I hope!), then complete the eye make up, etc., etc., but always in the same order. What I eat for breakfast, but not before my coffee! My route to work, more of the same! At lunch – if it’s Japanese, then it’s rice and vegetables. The deli, a vegetarian sandwich with greens and tomatoes and cream cheese. Saturday’s, Wednesdays and Thursdays – run! Reading in bed – an absolute! On and on it goes. I know I’m not alone. But then, there is the walk into the kitchen to get…what was it? A big glass of water, perhaps; no it’s on your nightstand. A small piece of dark chocolate; no, you’ve already had two! Back to the bedroom….oh, of course, your vitamin! We age, we forget, we remember, and then we forget what we just remembered, but still find ourselves telling the stories that were told to us, as the grandchildren listening with respect even though they don’t yet understand why. We laugh, we talk to ourselves, we shake our heads wondering into what shadow did time disappear? At 58, I can run a 10k, swim a mile, hike big mountains, traverse streams, and I can even remember my name! But, lurking in the shadows is a picture of my grandmother, my uncle, my sister-in-law’s mother, parents of friends. I realize that I have no control over what my mind decides to do with itself, so why not just let it go. Prepare, just in case, but enjoy every minute. Or, as Warren Zevon said, “Enjoy every sandwich.” The stories will be told, and I’ll be there listening, not understanding, but somewhere a flame will flicker, if but for a moment, and I will shine. Alive. Living. Being. Now, ain’t that something!
Peace out!
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04.08.11
Posted in Politics at 2:08 PM by Ann Hornbeck
Yesterday, we had a major hail storm that came down like a torrential rain, ice bouncing around like ping pong balls as the thunder cracked and popped causing power outages and flickering lights, depending on where you lived. It was a cold day as the Sierra Mountains decided to share some of their joy, low temps and weird weather. It was an interesting couple of hours. This morning the temperature was only 35! Tomorrow, I will run a 5k in the cold, but I’m hoping this will be easy relative to the distances I’ve been running lately. Afterwards, I will get ready for my trip to the city to hook up with an old friend who is in town for a conference. I am so excited to get away for the weekend, and glad my daughters can take care of Kona the Cat while I’m away. That includes insulin shots, feedings, and cleaning out the cat box, so it is a lot to ask of someone! I have decided to get serious about finding work to supplement my current job. I love what I’m doing but I really need to work full-time, so back to job hunting I go. I truly love to work – and I have grown into myself in my old age (it’s about time!) and there are so many things I can do – especially when it comes to “plans” – business plans, marketing plans, development plans, test plans, plans, plans, plans. I suppose I should stop talking about it and get my business license so I can make some money off of my talents. I glanced at a piece about white collar workers taking over the vendor business, competing with the trucks that stop by businesses and factories to divvy out Mexican, American and Asian food, hot dogs, sandwiches, soups, hot food, cold food, candy bars, you name it. They have been doing this for years, but the economy has caused many to lose their livelihoods, and now, here come the white collar, unemployable, over-50 crowd to seize the day, buying up trucks and doling out some new menus. Interesting. Nothing is sacred, that’s for sure. But, this much I know is true, college grads will be the winners and so be it! (The pendulum swings…) Eventually, they too will be old so seize the day, as my brother Bill always likes to say. Well, actually, he always used the Latin version, but that too has slipped my mind. One last thing, today I read an NPR piece from Japan about the latest earthquake. One can only imagine how difficult these events are on everyone, but especially, the elders, and of course, the children. Here is a quote from a 64-year old woman who is not sure she can take much more: “It’s enough. Something has changed. The world feels strange now. Even the way the clouds move isn’t right.” Enough said.
Peace.
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