WHO NEEDS MAGICAL RUBY SLIPPERS WHEN WE HAVE HARRY?!

Yes - I am in the process of reading this book - just like the rest of the world. I have loved every word of this series - and, like a child, I was delighted when The Deathly Hallows arrived on my doorstep Saturday morning. Pre-ordered, of course.

I would have liked to be part of the midnight hoopla, but it was way past my bedtime. And - I didn't want to go in costume!

Yesterday, I read for hours - still only making it to Chapter 13 - and my eyes looked like two burnt holes! So - I put in Clear Eyes, and went to bed. I am trying to pace myself - after all - this is it. There will be no more.

So far, this is as incredible as all of the others. J.K. Rowling deserves every dollar she has made. Her ability to cast a spell on the reader - lure them into "Potterland" is nothing short of magical. Actually, after immersing myself in the book for a while, it takes some time to come back to reality. That is not simply being good at the craft of writing - it is more like creating art. Rowling is a master.

So - off I go to read. If you haven't started yet - don't let this book escape you. Give yourself a present. Buy the book and allow plenty of time to become lost within its spell-binding pages. Chances are you will find the child inside yourself alive and well - and waiting for you to come play.

BUZZING

Seems like we have been inundated with information that is frustrating. All this hoopla yesterday about the terror report. Details and speculations galore that, if contemplated, will scare the living daylights out of you. Maybe that's the point. I am reminded of the days of duct tape and bottled water - the vigilant watch on the "terror alert" - trying to figure out if it was an orange day, or a yellow day - or, God Forbid - a red day when all humanity would vanish from the earth (if you didn't have duct tape and bottled water!)

Then there is the Iraq War - and the stand-off between the Democrats, the will of the American people, a few courageous Republicans - and the Almighty Veto Power of George Bush.

The frustration comes when the reality sets in that there is absolutely NOTHING - I repeat - NOTHING I can do about any of this. Nothing YOU can do about any of this. They (the powers that be) tell us that we can change things by voting. (hysterical laughter cue) I find the whole thing depressing.

I came across a quote the other day by Gandhi: "If you think you're too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito."

I loved that. It made me laugh. But then I remembered all the things that I just mentioned in the paragraphs above, and I wondered if this quote from this incredibly influential man has lost its ring of truth. Has the world changed so much that it is impossible for one person to make a difference?

Maybe if we were really mosquitoes, and could swarm the White House, and spend one night dive-bombing Bush, Cheney and whoever else is responsible for this mess we're in, we could do some damage. At least, when they stood before the TV cameras to spout their latest crap, we could watch them itch and squirm and know we were responsible.

That would make for some fine TV programming!

ONLY PLASTIC NEVER DIES

I don't recycle. By that I mean that I don't separate plastic, glass and cans in recepticles in my home. But - I'm thinking about it. It doesn't have anything to do with good old Al Gore, unless he is responsible for bringing the environmental problems out in the open. And - I guess he is. I just hate to hear him talk about anything because he is so boring - therefore, I hesitate to give him credit for anything.

But, I've been thinking about plastic. I read somewhere that every piece of plastic that has ever been used is still with us - and a lot of it is in the ocean. That's depressing. I've seen pictures of landfills with those ubiquitous plastic bags floating in the air like snow - scary. So, I think we have to do something - but how? Recently, I read an article about a woman who decided to go "plastic free" for one week - and she could not do it. Everywhere she turned - she faced plastic. She carted her paper bags to the grocery store to use - and realized that all the meat in the store was wrapped in plastic. So - no meat. The gallon of milk she usually bought was not an option, since the container was plastic ...so -she looked at the smaller containers and realized they, too, were coated in a type of plastic - so, no milk. The laundry detergent she usually used was in plastic - on and on and on...right down to filling a prescription, which, of course, comes in a plastic bottle. Frustrated - she gave up.

How much good would it do, if I never use a plastic bag again? (Oh, but what about garbage bags?) See what I mean? It is not as simple as you think. We have become people of plastic! And, I don't just mean credit cards! Although, that is another example. When I started thinking about how integrated plastic is in my life, then I became overwhelmed with the whole idea and got a headache.

Recycle. Okay. I'll keep thinking about it. But let me take some Tylenol first. Sigh.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE CRAYON?

I look forward, every Sunday, to the CBS show Sunday Morning. Actually, I record it so that I can zip through the commercials. Sometimes just watching it, makes me feel smart - mainly because I always learn something new.

This morning, they had a segment on the Washington Color School - which was an art movement in the 60's comprised of paintings like the one pictured here. Yeah - I know - it's just stripes of color. You have probably seen these paintings - some of them are just a blob of color on a blank canvas - or a orange circle - or zigzag lines of color - and thought, "I could do that."

What makes art - ART? Just someone's opinion, I guess. It's a lot like the publishing industry. I might write the great American novel - but if I cannot get someone in authority to agree - then it is simply another unpublished manuscript.

Who decides whose opinion matters? Now, there's the question! And - if we create art, or literature or music, just to comply with opinions of the "experts", then is it really art?

Creativity, to me, is about expressing ourselves - about giving a voice to the "art" inside us. That means that each of us is capable of creativity - of making our own unique version of art. It may be writing a poem, or novel - it may be crafts - or actually painting and drawing - or writing a love song. It may even be making the greatest pound cake in the county. But whatever venue we choose, it should be uniquely our own - without regard to anyone elses' opinion.

On the show this morning, they showed people painting colorful stripes directly on the street in front of the museum in D.C. that is having a show dedicated to the Color School paintings. I LOVED the idea of rainbow painted streets! That is really art to me. Just the sight of it made me smile, and want to go there. A unique variation on the theme...taking "art" out of the museum, or gallery - and putting it right there on the street so that the average person can participate. I can just see someone tap-dancing down the stripes. Makes me happy just to think about it.

And - that's what art - or creative expression - is meant to do. To cause an emotional response in those who take the time to really see it.

Just my thoughts - makes me want to dig out my crayons and experiment!

IT'S TIME TO MAKE A LOT OF NOISE!

If you have ever read this blog - you know that I absolutely LOVE animals! Especially dogs. My sister and I have often said that a baby is cute, but we would both crawl through broken glass to get to a puppy! That is why this whole controversy surrounding Michael Vick, quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons, and dogfighting drives me nuts!

There was an interesting and thought-provoking piece in the Times Dispatch this past Sunday by Robin Starr in which she highlighted the human cost of this reprehensible activity. According to her, she said dogfighting and cockfighting have become huge and highly lucrative pursuits of gangs and organized crime. They have flourished over the past decade due to apathy on the part of legislatures and the court system. This is just mind-boggling to me. First of all - I find it hard to believe that there are so many people participating in this god-awful pursuit. To me -it would only attract psychotic sociopaths and perhaps a few backwoods ignorant people. To realize that this is a wide-spread, money-making endeavor is both astounding and frightening.

Let me quote this article for you - and then you can digest it for yourself:

"Animal fighting involves people, often including children, standing around a pit or ring laughing and cheering as animals tear each other apart. Narcotics trafficking and illegal gambling are almost always involved. The animals' aggression is the result of selective breeding, brutal training, and injection with steroids. Small dogs and other small animals are usually stolen to serve as bait - giving the fighting dog a first taste for blood. These former pets are ripped to shreds quickly....At the time of the fight, the dogs are hyped up by having cocaine applied to their gums."

It is hard to believe that this kind of activity is going on in our community - in almost every community in America - according to the Humane Society. They estimate 40,000 people participate annually in organized dogfighting. Dear Lord.

Robin Starr also said the local prosecutor, Gerald Poindexter, may have dragged his feet on executing search warrants for Vick's property in an apparent effort to protect the local star, and has suggested that the interest of the federal authorities was in persecuting an African-American celebrity. (Give me a break!) He was quoted as saying that "this case, in terms of its priority, if it were not for the celebrity status of Vick, it wouldn't mean much to me." "It wouldn't mean much to me."!!!!!!!!

Just when I think nothing can shock me - something does. If this allegation is proved, I personally hope they put Michael Vick - and anyone else involved in this crime - UNDER the jail! Or - maybe they should put them in a pit, rub cocaine on their gums - and let them fight to the death. No - it seems these kind of people might actually enjoy that!

I don't know why our elected officials, judges, and prosecutors don't seem to care very much about this. Maybe it is ignorance - or apathy...or fear ...or greed. But I think we need to be very vocal - and demand that they care. Soon.

HUH?

Okay....let me see if I get this right. Uh...Paris Hilton goes to jail, and Scooter Libby does not.

I don't get it.

Or - maybe I do, and that is just scary as hell.