Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Couple Beautiful Views in Downtown Los Angeles

Left: The building in the middle is the U.S. Bank Tower in Los Angeles. Tallest building in town. The main library at the intersection of Fifth and Flower is in the foreground. You've seen this shot a lot in film and on TV. Do you recognize it? 

Right: This is the old lobby of the Biltmore Hotel only a few blocks from the library and Bank Tower. It's a beautiful room, peaceful, away from the new lobby where the noisy tourists are kept. 

Did you know that since the economy has tanked that libraries are bustling places? It's true. People borrow books and read for free.  What a concept.

See my free ebook? Look left and up. It's called "Lemmings in a Lifejacket". These women solve problems, sometimes not so well...are you good at it? 

I'd love to hear what you have to say about my ebook. 

         

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Hearts and Houses for Sale

Selene is a real estate agent in the South Bay area of Los Angeles county. She's worked hard to build her business, and in spite of the current financial collapse, she goes door-knocking, cold calling, and keeps her focus on the forward track. Her professionalism is evident in her appearance and demeanor. 

Almost every morning she's at her desk with the computer on by 8:30. Probably has at least one call out of the way already, and a couple of on-going property sales notched up a level. If she had a motto, and maybe she does, it could rightfully be, "list with Selene, your house will sell" and that would be an understatement.

At team meetings, she's one of the first to stand up, introduce herself and ask questions or offer solutions. "Hello," she will say. "I'm Selene...

"...single and available," her boss adds before she can say another word. "Listen up, men, you can learn from this woman. And, she is single."

Selene blushes, stands taller and continues. She knows her male colleagues look at her and she gives them a nice picture to view. What she has to say counts, but just not quite as much as the view, and that gives her an edge which translates to dollars. 

That edge also keeps men safely at arm's length. "I have to set boundaries," she says. "I have to know that I'm getting what I want. I do it with my work. I have to do it with my life."

As she sits at a Sunday afternoon Open House, knowing she will probably sell it to a particular couple who are soon to arrive, she ponders her life situation.

I like men. Men like me. I'm great at my career. My career is great for me. So, why am I still single? I work well with men. We have fun together. The sex is, often, terrific. I sure do my part. Men get so sensitive. They can be such big babies.  I say what I mean, and they take it the wrong way. 

Somebody should give men a primer.
 
#1. Learn how to be a good kisser.
#2. Easy sex equals stupid. 
#3. Dating is fun. 
#4. Dating if you have a wife or girlfriend is stupid.
#5. Dinner is nice, but so is hiking.
#6. Not talking is stupid. Not listening is stupider.
#7. Bathe, wash your hair, and keep your nails clean.
#8. Doing that only for work is stupid.
#9. Laugh with a woman. 
#10. Sticking your tongue down her throat is not the same thing.

A knock on the open door snaps her back on the job. A tall, dark and handsome man walks into the room. Her heart flutters, then it sinks. It isn't the couple who wanted to look through the house once more before submitting a bid. Selene checks her cell. No calls. They're over a half hour late. 

Friday, December 12, 2008

You Are Tagged

Kathleen Maher tagged me today for what I believe she called, Seven Swans Aswimming. So, here are my 7 brief things. 

1. The number 7 has never been lucky for me. I think this is a myth that misleads people into hoping instead of doing the work.  Just my thought on the subject.

2. Swans are mean. I don't like them. Talk about beauty is skin, or feather, deep.

3. Swan Lake is my, ahem, achilles heel. NO matter how many classes, how much weight I lost, how far I stretched...I was not even in the corp de ballet at ABT.  I did take class with NYC Ballet... 

4. I like the word aswimming. It looks like movement, form and function all in one. I would give it the color yellow though, maybe pale green.

5. As for swimming itself.  Fine if the water is warm and clean, especially fine if it is in Maui and the wind isn't blowing too hard, or if it is more like sunning and a drink with an umbrella is nearby.

6. So, let's forget about swimming and talk about surfing. I've always wanted to learn how to windsurf. And someday when I have a couple weeks in Maui, I will take those lessons.

7. On the subject of Maui, I really really need a few weeks there. If I'm lucky enough to have family there, then aren't I obliged to go visit?
 
HAPPY HOLIDAYS, MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND ALL THAT STUFF. May all children grow up to live and love well.  All of us, too. I'm blessed to have such friends.

I am tagging:

www.workingwriterscoach.com
www.localfoodconnections.com
stress-freeparent.blogspot.com
www.carmaswindow.blogspot.com
www.chapin-pinotti.blogspot.com
www.heartfeltwords4kids.blogspot.com
www.the-real-cat-woman.blogspot.com

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

From a Very Cute Egyptian Giraffe's POV.


Do you see what I see? Lisa's ebook is to my left. Have you read it? It's free.

I bet you wish your ears stuck out like mine. Note my stunning neck.

I have a slight overbite, but I'm still gorgeous. Free as can be here in Egypt.

So, have you ever been to Egypt?

Scrowl down for more, then get the ebook.  

I wanted you to see my topknot. And my other perfect ear. 

The spots are remarkable, too, don't you think? Your freckles really don't compare. 

Do you think this is my best side? I can't decide.

Lisa's uncle Frank took my picture. Obviously, he likes both sides. He has more pictures for you, that's another day. Nice meeting you. Come again.

And that's the truth. To some extent.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

The Invisible Woman

Shirley Knot is the  invisible woman. She's middle-aged, pays the bills, keeps the household in check, runs errands, shops and cooks and cleans. She also entertains every Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, on birthdays and special occasions. thinks2much is her email name. 

There are two questions that plague Shirley as she drives around doing what has to be done.
#1. Do I wear some kind of weird cloak that makes me invisible like in the children's fairy tale? And, is that cloak for my protection or to protect others from me? 
#2. Did the pencil that was supposed to fill me in as I matured get turned upside down and erase me? Did I erase myself or did someone else rub me out?

Shirley Knot's lost in thought as she comes to a Stop sign and turns right. The flashing lights of a police car reflect in her rear view mirror. I guess I'm not invisible to him, Shirley thinks, pulling to the curb.

"Step out of your car," the officer orders in a God-like voice over the loud speaker. "Walk slowly toward the police car." 

"Good Lord," Shirley says to no one but herself as she steps out of her car.

Shirley peers at the officer through his car window.  He's really cute, rolls across her mind, followed by, he's young enough to be my son. The officer peers at her driver's license and then back at her. "You cut me off," he said. "I had to swerve to miss you."  

"I'm so sorry, officer," Shirley says. "I don't know how I missed you, but I really didn't see you."

"You need to be more careful. It's important to be aware of what's going on around you," he said. "You could hurt someone, Shirley."

With the moving violation ticket on the seat beside her, Shirley looks at herself in the mirror on the sun visor, pulls out lipstick, puts it on, presses her lips together and smiles.  

As she cruises back up the boulevard to Gelson's Market, the erasure question just won't go away. I used to be the center of attention at parties. I was the smartest girl in math class. That boy in high school said I had the best legs. When I walked down the street, workmen would whistle. I never needed a push-up bra, let alone breast augmentation.

I weigh the same, wear the same size jeans, spend a lot of money keeping my hair the same color, and thank goodness modern medicine has made it possible to erase most of the lines and wrinkles. I hate the birthmark on my earlobe. I don't care what anybody says. It is not sexy. It has to go. I'll write myself a note to make an appointment.

I used to write. I have a journalism degree. I wrote for a newspaper, worked at a financial publication, wrote a screenplay.  Oh well, that was a long time ago. It's been ages since I read a good book. I always loved Washington Irving novellas.

Shirley can still hear her mother's comments. "Everybody thinks they can write. Be reasonable, do something that makes sense. You got your degree, all right, you are Mrs. Knot." 

Shirley can hear her husband's comments. "You won't succeed if you do that. It takes too much effort. You can't balance the kids and housekeeping, let alone, working too."

Surely not, Shirley Knot thought. Surely they were wrong. I don't want to be written off. 

And that's the truth. To some extent.