PERSONAL NEWS #90
On Saturday, March 18th, Jackie came over for LOTRs movie night. [I'd also invited Linda and Becca, but sadly they had prior commitments.] For dinner I had prepared BBQ chicken, veggie/pasta salad, wine and carrot cake style cupcakes. Before watching the theatrical version of LOTRs "Return of the King", Jackie filled me in on her apartment situation. [She was homeless for 3 nights & rode the subways before going to work. Good heavens!] It was such a stressful, horrible week for her, but thankfully all has been set straight and she is in a new abode. Amen! We noshed on the goodies while watching ROTK and making funny comments throughout the film. Before she left to head back to her new apartment, I asked her about immigration and housing lawyers. [Jackie works for a criminal lawyer in Brooklyn.] My landlady is having troubles with the jackasses in the apartment above me and would like to evict them. [Well, only three of them, not the fourth.] These people are rude, noisy, not adhering to the lease and in this country illegally. They claim to have Green Cards, but refuse to show them to my landlady. Jackie said she’d talk with the lawyer she works for and get back to me.

On Sunday, March 19th, I visited my good friend Katherine in CT. We had to reschedule a few times in last few months due to each of us experiencing nasty ill health. When I got off Metro North at South Norwalk, I walked over to Beadworks where I met up with Katherine. After making a purchase of assorted beads I was looking for we drove to Home Depot and then Circuit City. All the while we caught up on news, gossip and listening to her husbands rock/R&B band (5 Below Zero) demo CD. [Main newsworthy item being her youngest daughter is 5 months preggers.] At this point our tummies were growling with hunger, so we drove up to Bridgeport and I treated Katherine to a yummy b-day lunch at Red Lobster. After an enjoyable lunch we were going to do more shopping at Dress Barn. Due to some traffic and re-routing we decided instead to go to her house in Shelton. Always fun hanging out with her hubby Maurice. He's a cool fella and Katherine is finally fortunate to have a man treat her so well. Did see her two daughters [from first marriage] ... both were dressed like slobs. Then I realized the time and had to catch my train back to NYC. Maurice did his best in driving quickly to Stratford station, but sadly missed the train by 5 minutes. So Maurice, Katherine and I went to a local Starbucks to kill some time. Got home around 10:30pm.

QUOTE OF THE DAY ... As you walk and eat and travel, be where you are. Otherwise you will miss most of your life. Buddha

On Monday, March 20th, I participated in a conference call with guest speaker Marianne Williamson and Matthew Albrecht hosting from National Peace Alliance and Dept of Peace campaign. Before Marianne came on the conference call, several District Team Leaders [DTLs] throughout the US talked about meetings they had with their congress people. Some were making progress with their Democrat representatives, not so those with Republican politicians. This really didn't surprise us. [These Republicans are vastly different from those of Eisenhower’s generation and not in a good way.] Marianne joined the call to talk about DTLs becoming more involved with communities and that we need to connect with African-American churches. Connecting with NAACP to get folk involved at the grassroots level. She mentioned that 1 to 4 million children are abused in the US and it’s on the rise. [Those bits of news sadden me.] Marianne urged us to become more involved, via Dept of Peace, with the "Child Protective Services" organization. She touched on other topics, but these issues stuck with me the most. As always these conference calls are informative, inspiring and energizing.

Wednesday, March 22nd, I attended a panel discussion on "Voting Rights Act Reauthorization" (VRAR). The forum was being hosted and held at SEIU Local 32BJ headquarters in lower Manhattan. [Some of the other sponsors were LCCR Education Fund, Hispanic Federation, and NY ACORN & People for the American Way.] I didn't know that VRAR is a major civil rights clause, also that Sections 203 & 5 are in great jeopardy. From who? You guessed it ... the worst presidency in American history ... the Bush Regime. I stayed only for the panel discussion and not the break-out sessions. [Wasn't feeling to well that evening & didn't want to over do it.] Those on the panel discussion were ... Margaret Fung, Tanya Clay, Tony Simone, Erica Swanson, Esmeralda Simmons, Juan Cartagena [best speaker of the evening], Debo Adegbile and Phillip Olaya. Before the panel discussion began I placed Dept of Peace postcards on "certain" tables for distribution. Plus spoke to a few folk who inquired about Dept of Peace. To learn more about "Voting Rights Act Reauthorization" go to ... http://www.renewthevra.org/

I LOVE MY RIGHT TO VOTE!!

On Thursday evening, March 23rd, I attended the premiere of THE GREAT WARMING at the Ziegfeld Theatre. It's a Stonehaven Production at http://www.thegreatwarming.com/ [Comedian Chevy Chase was in the audience. I believe he's a sponsor or producer of the film. I could be wrong, so don't quote me on that.] Was originally told about this event via an email from Jessica Flagg, who is running for Congress in NYs 17th congressional district. Also ran into in my friend Paul that evening. He's a fellow Kucitizen like Jessica and me. The 1 1/2 hour film, which officially opened at limited US cinema's on April 7th, was filled with oodles of fascinating info. Plus the film was narrated by Keanu Reeves and Alanis Morrisette. [He's awesome in THE MATRIX film trilogy.] There was alot of info to take in and when the film comes out on DVD, I'll purchase it for future reference. Oh yes, on all the seats in the Ziegfeld were blue bags filled with pamphlets, bags of coffee and brochures on climate change. The bag of coffee I gave to my friend and fellow goddess [Cielito]. She was hostelling at my place for a few days before moving on to her new destination in NJ. [Nothing like seeing a film for free. Sweet!]

On Saturday afternoon, March 25th, I attended a Tolkien Reading Event at Frodo's Restaurant [http://frodosrestaurant.com/] in Pleasantville, NY. It was hosted and organized by the NY Tolkien Society, which is chaired by Anthony and Jessica. [Frodo & Anthony are posing below before the raffle drawing started.]



[I recently became a member of this society.] Traveled up on Metro North train with Carole and Jackie. [We talked of numerous topics; such as apartments, corporations and immigration laws to while away the 45 minute ride.] Mary and Kathy joined us in Pleasantville. Carole knows them from other LOTR events and meetups. [BTW ... that morning I purchased my ticket to see Pearl Jam at an upcoming Albany gig set for May 12th. Can't wait to see AND hear them live again and will also hook up with my friend Josee.] Also attending the "Tolkien Reading Event" was Marcel Bulles from RingCon and chairman of the German Tolkien Society. Plus Ed Rodrigues, who is president and founder of The Gathering of the Fellowship. 35 were supposed to be in attendance, but I estimated that only 25 showed up. Two of the attendees came dressed as Frodo and Gandalf.


[Had my pix taken with them at left.] The good people who run the restaurant were so nice and accommodating. Tried a new white wine called Foxgloves, which is great. The three hour event passed by quickly while enjoying good food, conversing with other attendees, listening to devoted fans of Tolkien read sections of his works, listening to FOTR movie soundtrack in background and winning prizes. Yep, I actually won a prize, which is a small bust of an Attack Troll from ROTK. Actually had my eye on another prize ... oh well. As my beloved Boromir says in FOTR ... "they have a cave troll". The way Sean Bean says it in the film always makes me chuckle. So the troll came home with me and now resides in my living room. We caught the 6:40pm train back to NYC and upon arriving home I had to watch a few of my fav scenes in FOTR. [Naturally on the extended DVD version.] One of which was dear Boromir's death scene. [Sniff!]

GEORGE BUSH: A SLAM DUNK LIAR
Larry C. Johnson, Impeach PAC
http://impeachpac.org/?q=node/927

STARS TAKE THE SHINE OFF HILLARY’S BID
Paul Harris in Washington DC, Observer/UK
Leading Hollywood liberals are sniping at the former First Lady over her strong support for the Iraq war.
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0409-05.htm

[Duchess Note – During this election year go with a Progressive Democrat who is against the war in Iraq and wants better healthcare for New York State and America. The below “blurb” was suggested by Marie P, a volunteer on the Jonathan Tasini Senate campaign in NY. The Duchess has recently started volunteer work on Tasini campaign. Jonathan is going against Hillary Clinton who is more Republican-Lite and definitely not a centrist. Thank you so much for the blurb Marie!]

TASINI … NOT JUST A DEMOCRAT, A “REAL” DEMOCRAT
For more info, go to: http://www.tasinifornewyork.org/