The float’s design depicts life in Mission Viejo and reflects the official 2009 “Hats Off To Entertainment” parade theme by highlighting community and recreational activities as entertainment in Mission Viejo. The float’s key feature is a 12-foot-deep, 20-foot-long body of water, which represents Mission Viejo’s iconic landmark, Lake Mission Viejo. The float will include members of the Mission Viejo Nadadores, who will dive into the float’s man-made lake as it travels down the five-and-a-half mile Rose Parade route. The sides of the float showcase the community-built elements of the Oso Creek Trail.

To help the community name its prized parade entry, Mission Viejo’s float design is attached and on the City’s Web site at http://cityofmissionviejo.org.

The City’s parade float ad hoc committee conducted an initial brainstorming session to develop the list of name candidates that best describe the float while, communicating the official 2009 “Hats Off to Entertainment” parade theme. The public is asked to cast its vote among the following four names.

“Making a Splash”

“Hometown Entertainment”

“Our Hometown Entertainment”

“That’s Hometown Entertainment”

The name will officially christen the float, which will resemble the iconic Lake Mission Viejo and etches of the community’s fabric. The results of the naming contest will be announced on Sept.15.

Folks can register their votes on the City’s new blog at http://missionviejolife.org  or by visiting one of the parade float displays located in the Heritage room at the Mission Viejo Library, the lobby of City Hall or the gallery at the Norman P. Murray Community Center.

Residents are encouraged to visit the City’s blog and signup for its E-news to stay apprised of the official name announcement, float-decorating opportunities and related exciting activities leading up to the 120th Tournament of Roses Parade.

  [polldaddy poll="903567"]

Maybe it's just me, I don't particularly care for receiving cut flowers of any sort. They're dead. Still gorgeous for a few days, yes... but dead. A truly meaningful gift would be a potted rose bush, or a rose bush to plant in the yard, or an otherwise potted and still living flower or plant. Or better yet, a household item that is needed.

Not to mention cut roses are expensive - it'd save money to simply give a rose bush. I mean come on - $50+ for a dozen roses vs. maybe $10 for a rose bush that will give you countless roses over the years with proper care? It's easy to figure out.

I suppose I simply prefer a gift that is going to last as opposed to something that is going to be gone in a week. Cut flowers may look pretty sitting in a vase on your table... but.... isn't it better to be able to go sit in a pretty little flower garden surrounded by fragrant flowers and enjoying their beauty over and over again, year after year? If you really want cut flowers you can take them from your garden, and be satisfied with the knowledge that there will be plenty more roses and flowers blooming again in a couple weeks.

I also prefer useful gifts as opposed to ridiculous things like jewelry. Give me some nice tupperware or a new crock pot that I need or something. I suppose most women would not want such things as gifts, they would think of them as unromantic. But I honestly think a new set of cookware or something equally "unromantic" that I actually NEED is far more romantic than some fancy piece of jewelry I'm never going to wear anyway.

Why do women all seem to fawn and obsess over the idea of such trivial, expensive gifts as fancy jewelry and cut flowers? I mean, an expensive gift does not equate love. Why the mentality that it does? I really don't understand why women would rather have a box full of jewelry they never wear than household items they really need and can use daily. I'd be rather disappointed if my boyfriend wasted his money on a fancy gift instead of getting me something useful.

As for the flowers - if you must buy them why not buy potted flowers or a tray of flowers to be planted in the yard, along the sidewalk etc? I repeat: they're cheaper and they last as long as you take care of them. Provided you don't get annuals of course. But even those would last longer than cut flowers.

Yes, I have already had this discussion with my boyfriend and he knows that unless I flat out say I want some specific piece of jewelry he is under no circumstances to buy me such silly, wasteful gifts. The ONLY piece of jewelry I want him to ever spend money on for me is our promise/wedding rings and even then I want to keep it simple and cheap. No $1,000+ rings for me. $150 maybe, but even that's pushing it. I'll never understand why women want facy, expensive engagement and wedding rings. The ring is just a monetary symbol, but again expensive does not equate love. So why the mentality that it does?

Click here to Check discount price.

Is there anything better than dinner at mom's?  My mom made us all dinner Friday night for HER birthday (Julie and Jimmy made her cake though).  My mom's cornbread is as good as dessert.  yum.

Saturday was youth day for Carolina football so we headed to Chapel Hill as soon as we were all up and moving.  Our first stop was actually S&T's in Pittsboro.  If gas prices weren't so high, I would definitely eat there more often.  I threw my attempts to eat well out the window and had a bacon cheeseburger (with chilli) and fries.  OMG good.  But wait!  It gets better!  The girls and I shared a hot fudge sundae with trash ice cream.  I had dreamed about that sundae for days and it did not disappoint.  Trash ice cream is awesome because you have no idea what to expect...you might get a bite of sprinkles in one bite and nuts in the next bite.  They do not skimp on the hot fudge or the whipped cream and even though it was just one scoop, it was hard for the three of us to finish it.

Our first stop in Chapel Hill was Roses at University Mall (or U Mall).  They have a great selection of affordable Carolina gear (we were in the market for ponchos just in case of rain).

We went to the basketball museum and could have spent an hour or more there just looking around and taking it all in...but Hailey and Leah were bored very quickly. (Although as we were leaving, Hailey said she could live there).  My favorite part was the footprints on the floor to indicate where key shots were made.  Oh, and the letter to Michael Jordan from Coach K saying he was sorry that Michael would not be going to Duke. 

We made a VERY short stop at Student Stores.  I could literally spend hundreds of dollars in that store...but not on a game day.  You could barely WALK it was so packed. 

Hailey, Ed, and Leah climbed the Bell Tower (been there, done that...choose to stay with all our stuff), we got to pet Rameses, the girls got their arms painted, and I won a t-shirt from the GAA.  

I am not a fan of football.  I hate football.  But, I love my husband and I love my school and I love the atmosphere of game day.  I told Ed we should just go to Chapel Hill on game days and enjoy Tar Heel town and the fun stuff and then go to a restaurant to watch the game.  Cheaper and more comfortable!

We had a block of seats and were sitting with my sister and her family, Lindsay, and Ross.  I had JUST said to Lindsay that I kinda hopes it rained when they announced that the game would be delayed due to lightening.  Ed immediately jumped up to go get us dinner...and then they said we had to evacuate the stands.   We were just a few rows from the field and it seemed like everyone was choosing to leave the stadium by walking down instead of up.  Thankfully I had Lindsay and Ross to help.  They each helped one of my kids get down while I carried our stuff and tried to get in touch with Ed to let him know what we were doing.  Everyone was trying to use their cell phones at once and I could not get through.  We finally decided to just start walking towards our cars and hope that we could get in touch with Ed soon.  I didn't want to hold Lindsay and Ross up so when we got to what used to be the Chase dining hall, they went towards the hospital and I went towards the Manning lot past the Dean Dome where our car was parked.  We were walking into the biggest, darkest cloud and I had no car keys and I had no idea where Ed was or if he had gotten any of my voicemails.

FINALLY my cell phone rang and I was able to let him know where we were and he caught up to us not long after.  It started raining almost as soon as we got in the car.

Not the best game experience ever!

We went to Big Lots today because Lindsay has two full bookshelves of kids' books in her office...and bins full of books that need a home.  We got the last two bookshelves (cheap!).  They had this whole section of NICE lamps, pillows, rugs, etc.  I got a lamp for our house that goes really well with our furniture and the other accessories in our living room. The original Big Lots price was $100 but that section was 60% off so I got it for $40!  Score!  It makes our living room seem even cozier!

Random Hailey...I just asked her to close our curtains and as she was doing it, she said, "They smell just like Lindsay.  Doesn't Lindsay smell good?"

more photos available, email marcjoseph@marcjoseph.com

www.marcjoseph.com

Calm is underrated.

Nothing was really settled in today's session with our psychiatrist. I still don't know what to do, specifically and exactly. I think my preference is to take up once again with psychotropic medications. Yes. That is what I think I want.

But it is not my decision alone. The nominal PIC chez Rose is not really interested, so there will be no executive decision. Right now things seem to be up to me (a gross irony) and Eight, and the two of us can't even have a direct conversation.

And despite this, and the unending, frustrating complexity of things that should be simple... I feel better.

That's my news. I feel better.

The doctor asked me today if we experience more than four episodes of depression in a year, and I laughed. "In a day?" he asked. Not quite.

Sometimes I think the challenge is to stay in and enjoy the moments like this one, when I am essentially content --- allow this feeling to fill my world and life --- but not lose myself in the pain and all the strong negative emotions when I feel so horrid.

I could be wrong.

~ Rosemarie

#889, DARLING, BY ARTIST ANN SULLIVAN

OIL

12 X 12

Until……

A girl from his English class, with her green hair, large body, and drastic clothing teaches him a lesson.

When Kyle stands her up for the school dance she reveals her true self.  She is a witch and she cast a spell on him.  A spell that turns him into a beast.

He has two years to find true love.  Someone who will love him even in his beast form.  Someone who will show that love with a kiss.  If he doesn’t find that love in two years he’ll remain a beast forever.

The float’s design depicts life in Mission Viejo and highlights community elements that reflect the City’s orientation toward family and community.  The float’s key feature is a 12-foot-deep, 20-foot-long “lake,” which represents Mission Viejo’s iconic landmark, Lake Mission Viejo – a man-made lake nestled near the City's northern tip.  The sides of the float showcase the creative elements of community-based artwork along Oso Creek Trail. The community float also features recreational activities as entertainment in Mission Viejo, coinciding with the 2009 Rose Parade’s “Hats Off To Entertainment” theme.

Building the float is the culmination of the City's 20th anniversary of cityhood and revives a 10-year Rose Parade tradition originally started by the Mission Viejo Company to instill hometown spirit and community pride. The Council on Tuesday also awarded a not-to-exceed $300,000 contract to Pasadena-based Fiesta Parade Floats to help design and build the community’s float that will measure 55’ long by 18’ wide when decorated.

Fiesta Parade Floats was selected in March among five float design and construction companies by the City’s Rose Parade float ad hoc committee. The world-renowned firm has won countless awards throughout the history of the Tournament of Roses Parade, including seven awards for previous Mission Viejo Rose Parade floats.  However, it was the firm’s commitment to involve the community in the Rose Parade float project that stood out and gave it the nod over the four other highly qualified firms.  The company will help the City coordinate community-based decorating in October and November and supervise the weeklong final decoration between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Fiesta Parade Floats will build the float chassis and frame. However, bringing the vision alive will require hundreds of Mission Viejo volunteers, thousands of donated man-hours and support from the entire community. The process kicks off in October with four days of dry-flower preparation in Mission Viejo, with the decorating process in Irwindale following with two more days of dry decorating in November and December.

Participation in the Rose Parade is an inter-generational, community collaboration meant to unify residents, homeowner associations, non-profit organizations, schools, sport groups, service clubs, faith organizations, businesses and others. The City’s float complements its goal to maximize community participation, encourage volunteerism and personally engage every single member of the community.

Officials believe the Rose Parade float is a “win-win” for the entire community. It’s a great way for students to fulfill community-service requirements and for folks to get involved in the community, meet new friends and be a part of this historic tradition. It will also directly benefit others by creating more fund-raising opportunities for civic organizations and service clubs and promotional opportunities for local businesses. Like the Mission Viejo Nadadores, which will participate in the float’s theme, the worldwide recognition the City receives through participation in the Tournament of Roses Parade contributes to Mission Viejo’s reputation as a desirable place to live, work and operate a business.

For more information about participating in this community-building event, call 949-470-3062 or visit the City’s Web site at http://www.cityofmissionviejo.org.  Look for the float-decorating schedule in the fall issue of Leisure Time. Folks are encouraged to sign up for the City’s eNews or visit its new blog at http://missionviejolife.org for details about float-decorating activities and community involvement.

Kyle is gorgeous and he knows it.  He ignores or worse, verbally abuses those that don't meet his standards.  What is on the outside is the only thing that counts to Kyle.

Until......

A girl from his English class, with her green hair, large body, and drastic clothing teaches him a lesson.

When Kyle stands her up for the school dance she reveals her true self.  She is a witch and she cast a spell on him.  A spell that turns him into a beast.

He has two years to find true love.  Someone who will love him even in his beast form.  Someone who will show that love with a kiss.  If he doesn't find that love in two years he'll remain a beast forever.

Grandparents' Day: September 7

On Grandparents' Day, grandchildren show their appreciation for their grandparents by spending quality time with them and by sending cards, flowers, and gifts.

Grandparents' Day has three purposes: to honor grandparents; to give grandparents the opportunity to show their love for their grandchildren; and to help children realize the insight and guidance older people can offer. Every grandchild may be involved in the celebrations, as it's a day for discovering family roots and for learning patience and understanding.

Originally observed by the state of West Virginia, Grandparents' Day was declared a national holiday by U.S. congress in 1978. To signify the "autumn years" of life, September was chosen for the holiday. Today millions throughout the United States observe this event.

La PERSPECTIVA con la que uno ve las cosas altera nuestra percepción de las mismas. Las islas Medes no son lo mismo vistas desde el Castillo de Torroella de Montgrí que desde la Punta del Milà. Ni Port Lligat tiene la misma magia si uno llega por tierra que arrastrado por las olas rotas en cabo de Creus. Tampoco tiene nada que ver Cadaqués por la serpenteante carretera –un verdadero cúmulo de impaciencias– o por el litoral que dibujan las casas y los embarcaderos de adinerados veraneantes. Y es que uno de los más claros ejemplos de esta ley no escrita de la sensibilidad paisajística está en la zona del Parque Natural del cabo de Creus. Desde Port de la Selva hasta Roses, el litoral esconde rincones que invitan a armar la paleta. Pintar quizás sería excesivo para los que la plástica escolar se atragantaba hasta septiembre, pero la visita a vista de kayak sí es algo más asequible. La aventura empieza en Port de la Selva. Antes de partir es importante conocer el parte meteorológico, con especial atención al estado de la mar y el viento. Si se anuncia tramontana, paella en el paseo y a esperar que pase.

Es recomendable partir desde la parte sur del puerto para evitar tener que sortear embarcaciones de recreo o de pesca. Ya en ruta y rodeado el Cap Gros, el panorama cambia completamente. Las rocas desgarbadas por el viento y las olas dibujan un paisaje lunar que demuestra la fuerza de un mar que va comiendo las uñas de una tierra en la que se palpa la evolución de paleozoico inferior.

Una de las primeras playas en las que tomar un respiro es la Taballera. Estrecha y acogedora, esta cala invita a estirar las piernas y escalar una pequeña cuesta desde la que la vista amansa los músculos. El paisaje va oscureciendo a medida que nos acercamos al cabo de Creus. Las formas juguetonas de las rocas despiertan la imaginación de los que gustan buscar imágenes en las nubes. Las pequeñas calas, como el Portaló, despiden la cara norte del punto más al este de España. Es recomendable evitar las horas de más viento –a partir del mediodía y hasta alrededor de las cuatro– para cruzar el cabo de Creus. Lo mejor es comer en Cala Culip, pasado el Club Mediterranée –vestigio del pasado turístico incontrolado de la zona– para afrontar el paso con garantías.

ADMIRACIÓN Y TEMOR

El cabo de Creus se rema con una mezcla de admiración por el paisaje y temor por el viento. El paso que abre la isla S’Encalladora resguarda de la brisa y permite contemplar el entorno antes de cruzar hacia Cala Jugadora –previo paso por la cueva del Infern– donde se pueden dejar los kayaks y caminar 15 minutos hasta el restaurante del faro, en el que una cervecita sabe a santo grial.

Más tarde, el barco amarillo restaurado de Dalí recibe al turista marítimo. Estamos en Port Lligat, donde el genio surrealista descansaba y maduraba sus ideas en una casa hecha a su medida que hoy se ha convertido en un museo algo caro pero digno de ser visitado. En la isla de Port Lligat reposa nudista el barquero. Un hombre delgado y fibroso que realiza un recorrido de unos 50 metros en una barca atada a lado y lado con una cuerda que va tirando con la tranquilidad propia del lugar. Detrás se esconde Cadaqués, resguardado del viento por un cabo en el que abundan las casas que toda postal quisiera incluir en su cara vistosa. La llegada se hace larga.

La iglesia de Cadaqués saluda al remero desde las alturas en el final de esta primera etapa. Debajo, la playa de Cadaqués, con su paseo sinuoso por el que las motos adolescentes ensordecen un ambiente que sólo la tramontana debería alterar. Fin de etapa. Eso sí, el paseo por la localidad ampurdanesa es obligatorio y sin excusas: las piernas no reman. El segundo día nos llevará a Roses. Cuesta despedirse de Cadaqués: junto con Calella de Palafrugell, quizás, el rincón de la Costa Brava que más emociones despierta. Cala Jòncols es la primera parada. Vigilada por el cabo de Norfeu –invita a una excursión a pie–, esta cala cuenta con un simpático restaurante para los poco previsores. Después vendrán las calas de Canadell, La Pelosa, y Calitjar; un aperitivo de Cala Montjoi, la playa en la que Ferran Adrià levanta su emporio gastronómico junto a un complejo residencial con años de historia.

Antes de llegar a Roses, encontramos Cala Rostella y Cala Murtra. Pasada la punta Falconeta, nos recibe Canyelles como preludio del interminable golfo de Roses. Sorteado el puerto de Roses, las minúsculas pero continuas olas embarrancan el kayak en la playa, punto final a una de las rutas más recomendables de la Costa Brava. Tanto a pie como en kayak.

Este texto es una copia íntegra del articulo en EL PERIODICO de CATALUÑA el 15 de Julio de 2004, redactado por el periodista CARLOS MARQUEZ DANIEL

'Distant Drums,' a very hardy and rapidly repeating modern shrub rose.

Pink Roses

Rosarium Wettsteinpark, Wien

Photo ©hsm

August 31, 2008

Walking around this morning, I couldn't help but notice that we're in transition.  While some views show a bountiful summer, others make me realize that we're leaving summer and heading to fall.

 To see who else is strolling today, visit The Quiet Country House.

Yesterday saw a point of pain and unhappiness that required desperate measures. If Eight had decided to top herself I could not have pulled my famous rescue routine. That isn't what she chose. Instead she took a higher dose of Seroquel.

It feels much the same.

We don't have a current prescription --- or rather we do, but we have not filled it. The most recent prescription was for 600 mg per day in a single dose. We have been taking 150 or 300 mg at night because that is what is required for us to sleep. We would sleep eventually, I suppose, but the discomfort of 36 hours plus of wakefulness isn't something we historically handle well.

I'm being defensive because I've come to despise the drug, and am ashamed we are so dependent upon it. My preference would be to seal it in lead and chuck it into a deep hole, and I cannot.

Last night Eight took 450 mg.

In my opinion, in a general sense, you take a psychotropic medication or you don't, but you don't fiddle around with it endlessly, back and forth, because it messes people up when they do that. Give even a perfectly soberly sane human being (if such exist) varying doses of a powerful psychotropic for two or three weeks and you'll have a raving maniac or a catatonic on your hands. Just my observation.

The difficulty is applying this to myself, to us.

I don't want to take it at all. I don't want to. I don't want to. I don't want to.

I, on the receiving end (as it were) of Eight's quetiapine hail-mary, had a very difficult time waking up today. My throat is so dry it hurts. The myasthenic weakness, before Mestinon, this morning was rather alarming (in a weirdly distant way). I know all these side effects intimately. They don't really fade. Back on Seroquel I can look forward to all kinds of physical and emotional unpleasantness.

On the other hand, I don't feel as violently emotional today as I have recently. And I haven't almost accidentally cut myself, poured boiling water on myself, stepped into a purely hot shower, or as far as I know in any way endangered my body because my brain is on the fritz.

Apropos of nothing: I think I begin to comprehend why Roses go silent. I understand the language perfectly well. Communication just seems pointless. What difference does it make if I speak or write or... anything? It's so hard. It's so tiring. I want to stop, just stop.

I don't know what to do. I can't not take the drug entirely. We seem to be accelerating out of control (whatever that means) on the low dose. Messing around with the dosage, changing it every day, probably is unwise. It sounds like I do know what to do, doesn't it? Take your medication, there's a good girl.

I don't want to.

I don't want to.

I don't want to.

Rm

Lyrics from "Desire" by Toad the Wet Sprocket

Super sweet of Sean's parents to send me a dozen roses! I'm glad I'm going to see them tomorrow.

I don't have to start working in the classroom until possibly the end of September/beginning of October. This is somewhat good and bad, but I can't complain. A few more weeks to work at the Vino's until I have no time left in my life. Two of the schools possible for me to be placed at are 25+ minutes away. Sad. I hope I get Bedford!

Sean, I need some superglue for my maccy. I think it's doing the same thing yours did. I think it wants to be like yours.