states-of-mine

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T18:04:00.000-05:00

A new year ...a fresh start...here's to the possibilities!

Flash 55-Public Speaking

2011-11-17T21:02:00.000-05:00

Looking for a place
A spot of blue
Where doubt weighs
Amidst the clouds
Nothing, the
Sun peeking out
All is possible
Though worry
Like dark clouds
Floats past my
Mind’s eye
Talking loudly
Thunder rumbling
As I laugh back
In the distance
The fear
Walking center
Stage
I speak from
My heart, and
Smile

C.M. Jackson 2011

Friday's coming--you know what to do...write it and tell it to the G-Man here!!

Freedom is not free

2011-11-11T00:01:00.003-05:00

Today please take time to thank and honor the men and women and their families for the service given and sacrifices they have made.

Photo by Evan Vucci/AP

Kait Wyatt carries her 1-month-old son, Michael, at the burial for her husband, Marine Cpl. Derek Wyatt, at Arlington National Cemetery, Jan. 7. Wyatt was killed Dec. 6, 2010, in Afghanistan. Kait Wyatt, who was pregnant at the time of her husband's death, was induced the day after he was killed so she could attend the service.

You may listen to the Wyatt's story here

Magpie Tales-Sotto Voce

2011-11-06T13:15:00.000-05:00

voices whisper

in my dreams

some long gone

some just gone

but none forgotten

cause me to smile

and laugh

trying to catch up

on the latest news

I awake

tears running

down my cheeks

then I remember

and smile

happy

C.M. Jackson 2011

This is a magpie tale--fly on over here for more!

Wild places

2011-10-16T12:00:00.003-04:00

wild places

dry my tears

open spaces

fill my soul

erase my fears

wild places

let me hear

my heart beat

C.M. Jackson 2011

Willow Manor Ball 2011

2011-10-12T09:07:00.016-04:00

Mr. Jackson and I have been looking forward to this evening. Ruth and Reya you are positively stunning! I can see Willow on the dance floor with Sir Tony. Is that a rose in Tony's mouth?

The night has been spectacular so far and full of surprises.

Pierce Brosnan made his way through the crowd slipping his arm around my unsuspecting waist and with a whispered "May I?" to Mr. Jackson led me off to the dance floor for a bit of a whirl.

Mr. Jackson had a martini, shaken not stirred, waiting as Pierce and I foxtrotted across the floor. Tapping him on the shoulder, Mr. Jackson handed Pierce the martini and led me onto the dance floor for a slow tango of our own.

Meanwhile Sting, who just celebrated his 60th Birthday at the Beacon in NYC sends his regrets and promises to be here next year. Harry was kind enough to stop by with his orchestra and play a few tunes though..this was my favorite ...

Perhaps Sting and Harry can sing a duet next year?

I think I am going to rest a bit and just take in the scene...

Willow, you have outdone yourself , my dear--to hear the rave reviews and see more stroll on over here!

Godspeed Dear Friend

2011-09-06T17:38:00.000-04:00

Max Sept 6, 2011

Today Mr. Jackson and I said goodbye to Max. He is free. No doubt Max is running in the fields of heaven, stopping only to charm food off of someone's plate...we were blessed to have him for as long as we did....we will strive to honor his memory by living as he did- with heart, compassion and joy.

Magpie Tales-Home

2011-09-05T21:20:00.001-04:00

look at me
lost and forgotten
I need you
to remember
when I lifted you
up
through the dirt
corn husks
gravel
flying
the sun
on your face
look at me
long gone
memories
as I wait
till you walk
past the barn
resting
on my bumper
cellphone
in your ear
earth beneath
my wheel
home

C.M. Jackson 2011

this is a Magpie Tale--walk on over here for more...

Monday Morning Wake Up Call-Breathe

2011-08-29T00:01:00.004-04:00

enjoy and have a glorious week!

Magpie Tale -Rainbow

2011-08-28T17:51:00.000-04:00

storms come and go
the earth may quake
this much I know
you are always there
when I need you
most

c.m. jackson 2011

This is a magpie tale--walk on over here for some shelter from the storm..
Hope you and yours are safe and sound after this week's show of what Mother Nature can do..

I felt the earth move under my feet...

2011-08-23T16:36:00.000-04:00

An earthquake with its epicenter near Richmond Virginia measuring 5.8 on the richter scale rumbled up the east coast this afternoon. Buildings in Manhattan were evacuated and the tunnels were closed for a bit. Wasn't quite sure what I was feeling until it was over. Wow!

Thankfully there is little damage and it appears that everyone in this area is ok. Here's to a quiet and uneventful evening.

Note from The Universe

2011-08-12T10:45:00.000-04:00

How nice to wake up to this little message in my inbox after a week of roller coaster markets and news about global unrest--

Quickie Happiness Workshop for Increasing Profits at Times of Seeming Peril:

Think as much, if not more, about growing your income as you do of trimming your expenses.

And for extra credit, focus on customers more than vendors; smiles more than frowns; possibilities more than risks; options more than commitments; vacations more than overtime; detours more than setbacks; opportunities more than obstacles; and Goldilocks more than the bears.
End of Workshop -
The Universe

You too can be so lucky....check this out!

Have a great weekend!

There's an app for that...

2011-08-09T00:06:00.005-04:00

When I heard that statement, I would shrug and nod and look at my blackberry and pretend it didn't matter. I have many friends that have an Iphone and some who have Ipad --I watched as they found restaurants and directions, organized a meeting, took photos and just had fun. I put both 'toys' on my list of "one of these days" purchases and soldiered on. Sigh.

But NO more...Mr. Jackson having heard me say (many times) that someday maybe I would buy IPad, gave me one for my birthday. Hoorah!! Yippee! I can honestly say given the month I have been fiddling with it, the IPad is remarkable. It is going to change how we do everything and by the way, there IS an app for just about any interest you have.

More soon..

Magpie Tales-Yes

2011-08-08T00:01:00.002-04:00

Summer Evening, Edward Hopper, 1947

walking home

lights of the city behind them

leaves rustle with the wind

locusts hum

her sandals clicking, clacking

as the moon plays hide and seek

with the clouds

heat lightening flashes

She jumps

He moves closer

She walks faster

Her words "It's late"

Lost in the distant rumble

Of thunder

Ozone and old spice

Follows her

The porch light a beacon

Steps

Creaking,cracking

A bedroom light flickers on

He reaches for her hand

"Could I see you again?"

His words floating loudly

Through the suddenly still air

A bedroom light flickers off

She leans into the darkness

Towards him

Feeling his smile

Whispering

As he brushes her cheek

With his lips

"Yes"

C.M. Jackson 2011

This is a Magpie Tale---sashay here for more!

Monday Morning Wake Up Call-Rejoice

2011-07-25T00:01:00.003-04:00

Sing it, Denise! The sound of joy --what singing is all about--I wonder if Amy Winehouse knew how much joy her voice gave to so many--here's hoping that you find some joy this week.

Monday Morning Wake Up Call-Sublime

2011-07-18T00:01:00.000-04:00

Mr. Jackson has a habit of waking singing a song that somehow comes to him in his dreams--A marvelous gift and way to begin the day. Since I can only sing along and very rarely in key, I think this composition is my answer to beginning the day singing...enjoy and have a wonderful week!

Infinity

2011-07-16T00:01:00.000-04:00

When I look into your eyes

I see what is possible

When I met you

I found a soul so close

To mine

My daily goal is to inspire

and

Create

A place

We can thrive

Together

C.M. Jackson 2011

Magpie Tales-Common Good

2011-07-12T00:30:00.000-04:00

Lost my job
Hedging my money
My kids have to eat
Tax someone else
National deficit
Socialism
The end
The start
Rich versus poor
Voices from
The left
And
The right
Zero sum game
Unless someone blinks
Let's just focus
On the future
Our children
Our earth
Reach out
Honor the past
Make it happen
Now

C.M. Jackson 2011

This is a Magpie Tale and so much more...

Monday Morning Wake Up Call-Move It!!

2011-07-11T00:01:00.002-04:00

Celebrated a birthday this weekend and thought I would just continue the party into Monday--so everybody up and at 'em--- its time to move it. Have a great week!

"You don't need a weatherman to know..."

2011-07-08T01:39:00.000-04:00

I came across this and thought it was a preview for a new horror movie...with over 1,000 tornadoes in the US, record flooding in the northwest and drought in the southwest--all I can think is fasten our seat belts...

an explanation...

Magpie Pie Tales-Points of Life

2011-07-05T23:26:00.000-04:00

Wheat Field with Rising Sun, Vincent Van Gogh, 1889

Resting on a mountain top
A cool wind moves across
The valley
Revealing a field of color
Alive and moving
A patchwork of light
Memories
Float through my mind
Max jumping over a fence
My nephews laughing
A first glance from the man I love
Red hot

Canyonlands

Zion

Bryce

Blue Sky

New Mexico

Dust and grit

Of the trails and life

White cool

Smooth genius of

Bernini's Apollo and Daphne

Rustling of olive leaves in Tuscany

A gondolier's oar as it moves

Through the Grand Canal

Like a wildfire

Moments of time

Speed through my mind

So many

Points of light

Life

Eagles cry

As I descend

The future before me.

C.M. Jackson 2011

This is a Magpie Tale----paint your way here for more color!

Monday Morning Wake Up Call---From sea to shining sea

2011-07-04T00:01:00.007-04:00

Happy 4th to all--let's remember and honor our men and women fighting abroad for our freedom and independence.

Count your blessings!

These Poles are made for Walking

2011-07-02T00:10:00.001-04:00

Tales from the Trail-Back to New Mexico 2010

After finishing our first hike, a 1200 foot descent on rocky trails and let's be honest, tired, wobbly knees and ankles --Mr. Jackson remembered the hiking poles we admired but did not purchase in Flagstaff last year. So the next day, we walked over to Alpine Sports and picked up a pair of Leki's for each of us.

What a difference they made on our next hikes in Bandelier--Tyuonyi Overlook, a 2.2 mile trip and Burnt Mesa Trail, a 5 mile trip. He kicked my &^&:-)!!!

Life lessons learned-1)if it makes you better-use it! 2) our frailties can be overcome and 3)fifty something is just a number.....oohrah!

Here's some views from the trail...

Given what I read, we wouldn't be able to hike here today as the area is contiguous to Los Alamos where fires are burning--feel blessed to have walked there and not certain what I will find find the next time ....prayers for rain and blessings to the firefighters who are battling the flames...

Let it Rain

2011-06-30T00:22:00.000-04:00

View from Santa Fe Ski during a cool rain

Wildfires are burning near Los Alamos and Santa Fe. I am thinking of my friends there, hoping that the monsoon rains come early and that the winds stay calm.

Rain dance Indian Market

Room with A View-Las Vegas Part II

2011-06-29T00:01:00.002-04:00

Tram

Mamma always told me "Never judge a book by its cover." So here's a glimpse of Las Vegas that shows a bit of beauty, sophistication and an idea of where the little town in the desert is headed in the future.

Magpie Tales-Blown Away

2011-06-28T01:11:00.000-04:00

This is love
Gondolas rock with the tide
Your hand resting on my shoulder
As the pale morning sunlight rises
Parting the curtains revealing
A city suspended in light
Art and arias
Waiting to be discovered
As we walk hand in hand
Our continuum revealed
Like molten glass
Murrine and millefiore
Fiery red
Azure blue
Venetian gold
Reflected in our eyes
Sipping wine
Frozen in time
Always there
Rocking
Glistening
Never forgotten.

C.M. Jackson 2011

This is a Magpie Tale---drift on over here to read more flights of fancy!

Monday Morning Wakeup Call-Dance

2011-06-27T00:01:00.011-04:00

just in case your weekend didn't allow the time to dance...perhaps a moment as we begin the week..
a one,a two...
everyone grab your partner...life is a dance, go for it!

Room with a View-Las Vegas Part I

2011-06-25T00:01:00.000-04:00

Another adventure---three nights in Vegas for a leadership training event. Arrived at midnight at Caesar's Palace. The place was hopping and the slots were ching-chinging. Morning brought desert sunshine and a reason for me to walk about until the seminar began. Vegas is like no other place on the planet except for maybe Disney World and the wookie bar in Star Wars, entirely and sadly what is seen as quintessentially American by foreign visitors. Volcanos erupting, Roman Gods,the Eiffel Tower in the middle of the desert and just so many things out of kilter and wild. Yes, this is Las Vegas. Looking for Elvis and George Clooney, I went to my meeting and came out after dinner to this..

Elvis and George Clooney were nowhere to be found, just me walking in the masses of people moving from casino to casino----by the way, are we still in a recession? Given the amount of folks walking the streets, I think it is a good indication that we are albeit slowly moving forward...

Focus

2011-06-24T00:32:00.000-04:00

for those of us who love photography there is a new technology and camera that makes all those photos we wished were better but aren't..this is amazing and yet,scary...focus on the possibilities...love to hear what you think.....

Monday Morning Wake Up Call-Opportunity

2011-06-13T00:01:00.001-04:00

Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted-One moment- Would you capture it or just let it slip? Eminem

What is your dream?

Have a great week!

Cloudy with a chance of happiness

2011-06-02T00:34:00.000-04:00

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?"
— Mary Oliver I've been traveling to Chicago every year for eight years for business and this was the first year, really, that I experienced why it is known as the "Windy City". Rain and just disagreeable weather made walking about miserable. What is it about rain and wind that makes one think? Perhaps it is the survival instinct or maybe it is just that there is nothing to pull the focus from where one is. So I began to think, walking and talking to myself in between meetings and dinners with business associates. The last few years have been rough business wise but on the other side of the coin I have been blessed in ways that are not tangible. I haven't been able to be here as much as I would like because of personal and professional responsibilities. During this time, I have come to realize that I cannot make everyone happy nor fix what is broken or please everyone. It was a long winter and a walk in in the windy city confirmed that I must stay the course with new responsibilities that will make it difficult to be here on a daily basis. That being said, I think the circumstances will force me to value this place as a sanctuary. This place is not about work, but about creativity and moving towards the life I have always dreamed of. So I ask your patience and understanding if I do not always participate in this amazing conversation, knowing all the while that I am stealing moments to read your work and aspire to your greatness.

A Room with a View-Los Angeles Part II

2011-05-31T00:02:00.047-04:00

Museum and libraries have always provided me with a sense of peace and hope---Peace because they are so quiet, it lets my overactive mind slow down, just look and absorb. Hope because once my mind slows down and absorbs, I am in awe of the possibilities that exist in this world.

So in November 2010, I found myself in Los Angeles on a business trip and truly a stranger in a new land. Thankfully, a dear friend was there to guide me though the wilderness and bring me to a place that I could feel at home. The Getty is perhaps the best way to comprehend all that is Los Angeles, impossible, improbable, large but approachable and just perfect in its imperfection.

Magpie Tales-Food

2011-05-30T21:38:00.000-04:00

Magpie Tales 67

Linseed
Turpentine
Oil glistens
Brush resting
Painting speaks
Of possibilities
My dinner and
Fate awaits
Grinding
Cadmium red
Vermilion
Silver white
Cobalt blue
Risks taken
In hope
Of a feast
For the eye

C.M. Jackson 2011

This is a Magpie Tale----Fly here for strokes of creativity

Flash 55-Operation Dinner Out

2011-05-27T01:31:00.000-04:00

Orange juice
Cheerios
Kiss on the cheek
Blackberry in hand
Dog walked
Dishwasher started
Schedules confirmed
Race begins
Monday
Through Friday
Saturday rest?
No way
Report due
A quick hello
Over takeout
While a movie
Plays
Redford
Pitt
Spy games
Turn it off
Or on
We are all secret
Agents in the game
Of life

C.M. Jackson 2011

If you can say it in 55 words--go see the g-man

The inspiration for this flash is here

Flash 55-Working

2011-05-19T22:48:00.002-04:00

Heels
High on
Hope
Red lipstick kisses
Four babies’ cheeks
As they sleep
Dreaming 'bout stories
Mama has told
Drinks sliding cross the bar
Wondering
When is her next day off?
The tips filling the jar
Maybe a picnic at the park
Hoping it won’t rain
Red lipstick kisses
Protecting her babies
From the dark

C.M. Jackson 2011

It is Friday and if you can say it in 55 words, go tell it to the man--that's the g-man! Happy weekend all!!

Amazing

2011-05-16T07:44:00.000-04:00

The new azalea garden is open at the NY Botanical Garden----a wonderful way to spend an afternoon-check it out!!

Magpie Tale-In the Garden of Eden

2011-05-10T21:40:00.002-04:00

the whirligigs fly
high
dandelions float
up into the deep blue
sky
the lark
mourning dove
and thrush
sing harmony
dreams born
in the early morning
rays
warm green breezes
of leaves just awakened
from slumber
shimmy and shake
the whippoorwill
carries the day
into night
the song of the possible
glistening in a darkening sky
hope
like a falling star lands
in the palm
a prayer
for those gone
for those near
and far
St. Francis
you know who
they are

C.M. Jackson 2011

This is a magpie tale---fly here for more flights of fancy...

Monday Morning Wake Up Call-All that jazz

2011-05-09T00:01:00.004-04:00

This song sizzles in any language....guess where I'm off to this week? In the meantime, get your Fosse on and strut your stuff...have a great week!

Magpie Tales-Born

2011-05-08T23:09:00.000-04:00

Life is easy
Living work
The weight
Your future
Rests in my hands

Heart beating

Against my breast

I hear Elsa roar

The four winds blowing

I can only teach and hope

Hold tight

Knowing the path is long

Letting go

My heart beating

The roar in my ears

I kiss the earth

As I watch you

Walking

Away

C.M Jackson 2011

This is a Magpie Tale... go here for more....to all the Mom's out there, kudos to you! Happy Mother's Day!

Gesundheit!

2011-05-02T23:00:00.000-04:00

Tools That Help Me Be Compassionate

• Be a Twinkle in the eyes, smile on the face and an excitement to meet.
• Engaging eye contact
• Be fun and tender everywhere
• Turn off TV
• Develop all your interests
• Have A tender love for people
• Engage with the arts and nature
• Do volunteer work
• Practice organizing and following through.
• Offer Massage

Patch Adams, MD

http://www.patchadams.org/

Like a raindrop falling, a hand on a shoulder or a kind word--every little bit matters and can change a person's day or life.

To find out more --http://www.bloggersunite.org/event/international-day-of-compassion-in-honor-of-dr-patch-adams

Gesundheit! À vos souhaits! Ti benedical!Odaijini!Go mbeannaí Dia duit!Bud' Zdorov!Dios le bendice! Γείτσες !

Magpie Tales-Awakening

2011-04-28T00:01:00.003-04:00

Walking through fields of lilacs

With you

Awakened my heart to what is possible

A scent that I carry with me

No matter the season

Red Christmas cactus

Blue morning glory

I can see all the colors of life

Found love

Because you took the time

To see me

I discovered a soul

So close to mine

His thoughts answer

My questions

C.M. Jackson 2011

This is a Magpie Tale--for more color look here!

Phoebe Snow-Poetry Woman

2011-04-27T00:52:00.000-04:00

So hard to imagine her gone, I envision her singing with her daughter Valerie up in the clouds-free and smiling...peace be with you, Phoebe.

Blessings

2011-04-23T22:55:00.000-04:00

i thank You God for most this amazing

day; for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth
day of life and love and wings:and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any-lifted from the no
of all nothing-human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?
(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

e.e. cummings

Will You Be My Valentine Mr. Jackson?

2011-02-14T00:01:00.036-05:00

What a great way to start the week---Singing about love and counting our blessings!! Happy Valentine's Day!

Monday Morning Wake Up Call--Differences

2011-02-07T00:01:00.007-05:00

This just made me smile-hope you have a great week!!

Check out the interview at Studio 360

Magpie Tales-Magic

2011-02-05T23:54:00.000-05:00

As I climbed into the back seat of my grandmother's 1963 chevy, she whispered, "The munchkins live in the fields among the lettuce, tomatoes and corn. Keep an eye out for them." I pressed my face against the window as she drove past field after field trying to spy just one munchkin. I was always disappointed as the car turned into the driveway signaling the end of the ride.

Twenty-five years later on my wedding day as the rays of the sun begin to reach over the storm clouds, I look out the window and hear my grandmother's voice, "Don't worry, they've sprinkled gold dust on the path, the sun will come out and your future is bright."

Tis just another magpie tale---for more, step this way!

A Sputnik Moment

2011-01-26T00:06:00.003-05:00

President Obama, in his State of the Union Speech, spoke about a sputnik moment --our generation's time to rise to the challenge in an ever changing and competitive world. The call to innovate and educate while not new, was needed. There was a concern from the pundits as to whether everyone would 'get' the reference to sputnik. Hello--there's google and yes,'young people' will look it up if they don't understand the reference.

I also found the opening moments inspiring "each of us is a part of something greater - something more consequential than party or political preference."

It is up to all of us, regardless of age and politics, to do something to institute change, peacefully, thinking of Gabrielle Giffords and in memory of Christina Taylor Green.

Let's each of us do what ever we can to acknowledge the joy Congresswoman Giffords feels in working for her constituents and Christina's excitement in meeting Giffords so that their efforts are not in vain.

Thank You

2011-01-17T00:01:00.006-05:00

The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where the stand in times of challenge and controversy.- Martin Luther King Jr.

Flowers in the Desert

2011-01-13T00:01:00.003-05:00

I spent the last two days of 2010 reading. For me, reading is the best way to slow down and begin a period of introspection.

Recommended by my dear friend, Mercedes, I chose "The Turquoise Ledge: A Memoir" because I longed for the warm sun of the desert and I was looking for a way to quiet my mind after the holiday rush and focus on my goals for the coming new year.

Sometimes the best way to find clarity or a solution is to literally walk away. I walked with Silko as she spoke about her thirty years in the Tucson desert, feeling blessed to be there and how she made friends with the rattlesnakes, pack rats and bees understanding the tenuous balance that existed between the wild and not so wild. I listened as she worried about the approaching development and destruction of the desert by bulldozers, painting small white crosses on boulders to ward off Machine Man like she had seen in the petroglyphs left on the boulders by the ancient people centuries earlier. I cried when the owls raided her aviary and killed her beloved macaws.

Silko explores the sacred and mystical quality of turquoise.

"When I was a child, people at Laguna and people in Spanish-speaking villages nearby used to paint the doors and window frames bright turquoise blue to keep away witches. The Spanish-speaking people used to save the bright blue stamps that sealed the Bull Durham tobacco bags, and whenever they had headaches they wore the bright blue stamps on their foreheads to stop the pain."

Thrilled whenever a piece of turquoise appeared on the trail, she returns home and places the new found treasure on her desk among the other treasures, writing or painting about that particular piece of turquoise and where she had found it.

With the recent shootings in Tucson, I am recalling the peace I felt as 'walked' with Leslie and the strength I get whenever I am in this part of the country, envisioning bits of turquoise being left by the ancient people for those harmed and lost as well as their families in the hopes that their pain will be eased and the healing will begin.

toujou isit la

2011-01-12T20:26:00.001-05:00

Still here...

my thoughts and prayers are with
... the people of Haiti as they work to rebuild after the earthquake.

Peace on Earth

2010-12-24T23:03:00.000-05:00

May your Christmas be joyful and your loved ones near--

A Room with a View- Los Angeles-Part I

2010-12-17T01:21:00.001-05:00

Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, November 2010

This was my first trip to Los Angeles. What struck me immediately as I was driven from LAX was the city's sheer size and number of different neighborhoods.

Major office complexes mixed in with three story buildings as far as the eye could see--old mixed with new with palm trees lining the streets.

The reason for my visit was a business conference so I spent most of my time here---

Evidently quite the happening place, built by Conrad Hilton and later sold to Merv Griffin, the Beverly Hilton is located on almost 9 acres at the intersection of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards and is the home of the Golden Globes. Lots of red carpet events are held here. I spent three days and while I was hoping that Antonio Banderas might show up as I was ordering my Starbucks non-fat latte at the lobby bar or a glass of merlot at the Trader Vic's bar poolside, the closest I got to Hollywood was seeing Florence Henderson aka Mrs. Brady at a charity event the night before I left. Walking about in Beverly Hills is unheard of--we drove each night to a restaurant that seemed just blocks away. From what I gather star sightings are most prevalent along Rodeo Drive.

I preferred to gaze at my surroundings and take in the vistas that are foreign to northeastern folk...

There is a light here not unlike the morning light one sees at sunrise in the east except it occurs in the evening and goes on forever, filling the sky with a gold color like nothing I have ever seen.

I know how long it lasts because on my last night, the lights went out in the hotel for about 2 hours and I was stranded on my balcony hoping the battery in my cellphone would hold up in the event I needed to call for assistance. The day before there had been a slight earthquake in Long Beach and just a couple weeks after I left, Ronni Chasen was shot as she was driving home from a premiere just blocks from my hotel.

So much for paradise. Los Angeles is complicated. Seductive yet treacherous, where the famous and the faceless co-exist in a vast area that is in places extremely beautiful and in others, devoid of humanity. It is the 2nd most populated city in the US, New York being number 1.

As I watched the sun set and the traffic weave its way past me below my balcony, I tried to feel and hear the pulse of the city, much different from Manhattan, and find a connection to this city, Los Angeles.

Magpie Tales-Flying Lessons

2010-12-12T23:07:00.000-05:00

red golashes

race up the hill

footprints

in the fresh snow

frosty breaths

hang in the air

like runners on a sled

suspended on the edge

of the world

holding on

then

letting go

flying

without fear

rushing headlong

into the arms

of life

C.M. Jackson 2010

This is a Magpie Tale----fly here for more!

The Art of Story

2010-12-06T00:28:00.000-05:00

It was a dark and stormy night and all the Indians were gathered around the campfire. The Chief stood up and said, "Neewah, tell us a story." And this is the story that Neewah told, "It was a dark and stormy night and all the Indians were gathered around the campfire. The Chief stood up and said..."

And so it goes. That was a story Mr. Jackson's Dad told him, his sisters and their friends as they sat in their dark backyard wide eyed waiting for the next move Neewah would make...the older kids knowing the punchline watching for the younger kids' reaction. The elder Jackson setting the mood and telling the story to deliver the delight that resulted. Laughter and the joy of sharing is one of the components for a good story.

I love stories. I remember the first time I was able to string together a plot more complex than "See Jane run after Spot." I was hooked and wouldn't put the book down until the last page was turned. My breath exhaling as I finally knew the end, how it all worked out and my mind whirling at the possibilities.

Despite having a bit of the Irish in me, I never could tell a story without first writing it and even then, it's best if the reader or someone else takes over in the telling. No matter how hard I've tried, the telling, the punchline always gets lost because in the telling I am experiencing simultaneously the story and the possibilities of what might be. I laugh, cry and get angry all the while wondering where it is all going.

So for me, the telling must be done by filling the blank page and giving my voice to the characters in the story and ultimately, the reader.

And so it goes...it was a dark and stormy night....

Magpie Tales-Morning's Symphony

2010-12-05T20:08:00.001-05:00

The sun waits center stage
As the moon sings a final aria
Silver notes
On a freshly fallen snow
Clouds float westward
Swaying like a gospel choir
Evergreens hum softly
Maple and oak branches
Drum beats in the cold air
A doe lifts her head
As the sun sings
Gold notes
A crescendo of life
Soaring ever higher
Mixing with silver
On a freshly fallen snow

C.M. Jackson 2010

For more thoughts of snow and winter wonder---visit Magpie Tales!

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T17:26:00.000-05:00

A Blessing

May your home be filled with laughter and the warm embrace of a summer day.

May you find peacefulness and beauty, challenge and satisfaction, humor and insight, healing and renewal,

love and wisdom, as in a quite heart.

May you always feel that what you have is enough.

Author Unknown

Best Wishes to all for a happy Thanksgiving!

A Room with a View...

2010-11-24T01:35:00.002-05:00

in Chicago of the John Hancock Tower from the Sofitel Water Tower. This was my fifth or was it seventh visit to Chicago? Hard to remember because Chicago is an annual business trip which means that I don't get to do much other than work....

With the exception of a trip eight years ago with my niece and best friend to visit American Girl and the tremendous museums the city has to offer, it is always been "fly in and fly out" within two days.

Due to the increased airfare for short term business travel this year (e.g $900.00 for two nights vs. $250.00 for a three night stay), I decided to stay and walk about for an afternoon and evening before I made my way back to O'Hare and home.

My first wish was to re-visit the Art Institute of Chicago and say "hello again" to the O"Keefe's there. However, as I got closer, I realized quite a bit had changed. Millenium Park, built over railyards and abandoned land, had been completed while I was flying in and out of Chicago over the last six years. Frank Gehry not only designed the concert pavillion but also a winding bridge that connects the park to another pavillion and the waterfront.

Chicago's motto "Urbs in Horto" (City in a Garden), evident in the numbers of trees and plantings throughout the city, continues with the thoughtful design of green space and public spaces throughout Millenium Park.

I can say I've been to the Bean! .... a curious and enormous stainless steel sculpture named "Cloud Gate" that looks like, yup, a bean.

Great place to people watch as they gaze at their reflections and the city skyline reflected back at them.

Continuing on, I found Lurie Gardens and Gehry's walkway which I could probably spend days gazing at and photographing...

The Art Institute of Chicago, guarded by this fellow,

has added a new Modern Art wing since my last visit. So not only did I get to see Georgia's Sky above Clouds IV again, gaze at Van Goghs and some Hoppers but I also walked through the new wing and viewed a great selection of photography, paintings and sculpture. This museum is one of the great ones that should be on everyone's 'must see' list.

Chicago is an amazing and beautiful city. On my last night the streets and public places were abuzz with the upcoming marathon. I haven't even mentioned the architecture, the food, the neighborhoods, the river tour and the people that make it delightful and unique. Next visit.

Magpie Tales-Seasons

2010-11-20T21:25:00.000-05:00

Autumn winds move clouds across an azure sky
Red, gold and amber leaves rustle at my feet
Swirling hoodoos of moments
Circling in my mind
I can hear winter whispering
Hello

C.M. Jackson 2010

For more.. fly here---Magpie Tales

I'm on the road again....

2010-11-02T22:26:00.000-04:00

Enjoy the musical interlude while I jump on a plane and fly west. California here I come! When I get back, I promise to tell you all about the places I've been and where I'm going. Peace and thanks for stopping by.

Flash Friday-"It's a Great Day for America!"

2010-10-28T19:00:00.002-04:00

Time flies when

You are having fun

Don’t know if that’s true

But it certainly helps

If you get to see

Craig Ferguson

A Scotsman

Now proud American

Make it to Carnegie Hall

Telling stories

Acting silly

Be forewarned

Practice, practice

Is how one gets there

But with comedy it does help

If one swears.

C.M. Jackson 2010

Yep, you've made it to Friday and if you can say it in 55 words, you MUST go tell the g-man. Happy weekend all!

Theme Thursday-Wheel

2010-10-27T21:33:00.000-04:00

As I watch the remnants of the "Chiclone" float by in the night time sky, I laugh because I began my month in Chicago and have felt like I've been riding a merry-go-round trying hard to get back to writing but I just kept going round and round and then it hit me..Huh!

All's good and I'm back. "Tis Thursday and the Theme is "wheel'--spin on over here..

Magpie Tales-Lessons learned

2010-10-16T00:01:00.003-04:00

Crashing into brick walls
Develops character
Loving and losing
Opens the heart for true love
Missed opportunities
Awaken the mind to possibilities
Failures
Drive the potential for future success
Doors closing
Signal a new beginning
Fear, sadness and doubt
Are just moments in a life
Filled with blessings
Count them

C.M. Jackson 2010

Inspiration and more may be found at Magpie Tales.

Flash 55-Esperanza

2010-10-15T00:17:00.000-04:00

33 men lost

Darkness

Their families
And
The world
Watching
Wondering
Praying
Found
Rising up
Like a phoenix
Evidence
Of the good
That is possible
When
We work
As one
Heart
As one
Love
As one
Mind
Sharing
Knowledge
Solving
Problems
Ignoring
Embracing
Differences
Crossing
Borders
Families
Reunited
Anything’s
Possible
When
There is
Hope

C.M. Jackson 2010

It's Friday and you know what to do--say it in 55 words and go see the g-man! Happy Weekend to all!

Magpie Tales-Lights On

2010-10-05T01:24:00.000-04:00

A wildfire raged through their hearts the first time Mel and Gloria met some sixty-seven years ago. It took them by surprise, burning an indelible impression into their minds.

Two kids against a crazy world.

They nurtured the flames of their desire through war and into a brownstone in Brooklyn experiencing the birth of their children, family squabbles, the triumphs and misfortunes of daily life, the welcoming of grandchildren and vacations to places they never imagined.

The seasons changed and the years passed until the day Mel and Gloria walked hand in hand down their stoop into their son's waiting car.

Gloria cried as they settled into their new home, an assisted living residence close to their children.

"Where are my things?" She asked, moving about the room.

Mel caught her hand as she passed and lifted the needle on to the phonograph.

As they danced about the room, she saw the lantern in the window begin to glow in the evening light, placed her head on Mel's shoulder and knew she was home.

C.M. Jackson 2010

Just another magpie tale---for more, take a gander here.

Willow Ball 2010 -Part II

2010-09-30T18:00:00.002-04:00

The weather was treacherous so we had to stop off at a neighboring airport and board a private jet for the rest of the trip.

We made it just as the party was beginning---Sting took one look at Willow Manor and started humming. Did I mention he brought his orchestra with him? After the proper introductions and some mingling, he took the microphone and proposed a toast to the hostess-Willow and began to sing---

Mr. Jackson, very pleased with himself, took my hand and we danced the night away.

This is just a hint of the happenings--waltz your way to Willow Manor and check it out!

Willow Ball 2010-Part I

2010-09-30T00:01:00.002-04:00

Unbeknowst to me Mr. Jackson ended up backstage at Bethel Woods after a concert we went to this summer and got to talking with this gent...

Mr. Jackson complimented him on a wonderful concert and mentioned that we all should get together the next time he was in town. Then he remembered the invite to Willow's Ball and suggested that Sting and Trudi join us!

Sting chuckled, "The party where Johnny and Tony got into it last year?"

Mr. Jackson assured him that it was all a misunderstanding and besides Willow might like some musical entertainment. His response follows:

Mr. Jackson assured Sting that Willow Manor wasn't very far from New York City and he could be an Englishman anywhere.

Meanwhile I ordered my dress...

went to Tiffany's and picked out this lovely trinket...

...and this lovely purse

and had everything shipped to the house last week. I am still waiting ....evidently the delivery truck had a bit of a brake problem and ended up rolling into the Hudson River as its driver was having his lunch in Hoboken.

I had to improvise as we were meeting Sting (Trudi had a conflict) at the helipad downtown and was told not to be late.So with flowers in hand for lovely Willow, we made our way to the ferry hoping the rain would hold off.

All the while a feeling deja vu surrounding me as I thought "How lucky am I ?"

For up to the minute details of the gala---fox trot, quick step or just walk on by....here!

Magpie Tales-Il Niente

2010-09-28T02:39:00.000-04:00

The leaves of the olive trees glistened silver in the early morning sun as our group of made our way through the hills of Tuscany, the towers of San Gimignano in the distance like an apparition or an oasis in the midst of a desert. Today, we would walk fourteen miles to the medieval tower city. We were a colorful group, a term my grandmother would use in place of eccentric because she thought it polite; nine Americans, four couples, me and two guides.Thirty minutes ago, we stood outside our villa, where we had spent a lovely evening walking around Siena, shuffling about wondering why we had to leave, slightly sleepy, the smell of wood burning in the hills below. Harry and Ida, in their late seventies and proud Texans, Sarah and Joel, mid-forties from Massachusetts away from their kids for the first time in ten years, Peg and Warren, newly retired, Eliza and Jessie, life partners and investment bankers from San Francisco and me, newly single, greeting 40 and Europe for the first time. Our guides, Maria, a transplant from Queens, New York and Alessandro from Milan, began as they had each morning, explaining the route, handing out snacks and water for our packs.

So we walked, Maria in the front and Alessandro following, the conversation moving through the breeze and the tinkling of olive leaves.

"We started late, got to make up time, Ida. Move it."
"Joel we need to think about the interview into the club, it's important we make the cut."
"Thanks for your help,Warren. Perhaps your wife would like some water too."
"Liz, you hang here with Maria and have your smoke. I'm gonna continue walking with the Jersey girl and the hottie from Milan."

I walked, never catching Harry and Ida, passing as Eliza threw down her pack and declared the smoking light on, insisting that Warren go bring his wife some water and snacks, navigating around Joel as he was unzipping his hiking pants to make them shorts yelling at Sarah, "It's all bullshit!"

As I started up another hill, wondering why I was doing this, I heard a voice, "Lean into the hill. Take slow steps and rest your arms behind you."

Alessandro illustrated as he passed me, tucking his hands behind and under his pack, just as Jessie motored up behind us.

"You have it all under control, don't you?", Jessie said as she reached up and tucked his long hair behind his ear.

He didn't flinch. I was appalled and impressed.

"Come on Jersey Girl! What do you have to say?" Jessie said dancing around the two of us, "Pretty good for having knee surgery a month ago, eh?"

I continued up the hill, leaving Jessie with Alessandro, seeing Harry and Ida ahead moving closer to the mystical towers of San Gimignano. The conversation lost as I put distance between me and the group, thinking only of finishing and the possibility of a shower.

In the quiet, I saw and felt a place that was nothing I had ever experienced except, perhaps northern Arizona, different trees but bright sunshine and great expanses of land and that's when I realized in my soul what I needed.

So I walked until I saw the gate and the towers before me, Harry and Ida were pacing waiting for the group and directions to our hotel. I took pictures as Harry and Ida talked to me about their grandkids. Tourists on day trips parted as the rest of our group climbed the hill, Maria and Alessandro gathering us and pointing us to Hotel L'Antico Pozzo in the midst of a plaza.

Salty, sandy and tired, I heard my room number and bid the group 'adieu' and staggered into the hotel. I was greeted like majesty and led to a room that was nothing like I'd had ever seen ---a huge bed, curtains billowing in the breeze and a shower that was palatial.

After a blissful thirty minutes, I emerged onto the plaza, sans hiking gear dressed for dinner to meet my group who was already positioned in a prime spot on the plaza and garnering the attention of the wait staff, laughing and toasting the day.

I joined the group in the midst of a toast and Alessandro handed me a glass of grappa, tucking my hair behind my ear as he whispered, "You did well."

I smiled and said "Il Niente" the scents of verbena, rosemary, lavender and citrus enveloping me as I looked into his eyes for the first time.

C.M. Jackson 2010

This is just another Magpie Tale---travel here for more scents or sense...

Flash 55-A New Day

2010-09-24T00:29:00.000-04:00

A new reality
Nothing to do with
The economy
More about my
Psychology
Work for the man
Anything’s possible
But make a plan
Find a way
Dream
Amidst the day to day
Scheme
Take time to play
Let go of the past
For this much I know
Time moves fast
So many places to go

C.M. Jackson 2010

According to a recent study, the recession ended in June 2009....if you can say it 55 words--you know what to do, go talk to the g-man. Happy Friday and here's to the next upturn !

Theme Thursday-Reveal

2010-09-23T00:33:00.000-04:00

As a symphony of bees and crickets plays on, golden beams of sunshine reach down into the garden and the hydrangea nod in the breeze.

He sits waiting for her as he has done each Sunday for the last ten years. A moment in time, his heart beating a bit faster as he notices the flowers seem to stand taller and the butterflies float in the air.

Never quite certain until the scent of lavender and lilacs envelop him and she turns to meet his gaze.

For more revelations--check out Theme Thursday!

Flash 55-Snapshots

2010-09-17T00:01:00.003-04:00

I hum
An unknown song
Lights of the big city
In my rearview mirror
Fading
I wind my way
Home
Through traffic
Horns blaring
New Mexico vistas
Still flashing like
A slide show
On the windshield
Of my mind
Smell of pinon
Wafts alongside
Falafel and pretzels
I exist between
Two worlds
For now

Smiling

C.M. Jackson 2010

If you can say it in 55 words --Well, what are you waiting for? Go tell the G-Man! It's Friday Flash 55!!

Magpie Tales-Time Stands Still

2010-09-16T20:40:00.001-04:00

tiny grains of sand
washing

from under toes
as the tide moves
in and out
warm breezes
caressing
sunburnt shoulders
sea glass
sifting
through fingers
like confetti
red dust blowing
down a trail
hoodoos ahead
white magic
storm clouds billowing
high
in an azure sky.

C.M.Jackson 2010

Monday Morning WakeUp Call--Altitude with Attitude

2010-09-13T00:01:00.001-04:00

Tales from the Trails (TFTT)

Something about the climate and the geography in New Mexico makes my heart sing. Seriously, I have more energy and I can't get enough of the clean fresh air and sunshine. Being from the east coast, I haven't had too many bad experiences when it comes to the altitude (7,000 ft). Except if you count not being able to sleep, like at all--wide awake pacing all night ....happened this trip and it wasn't until I really thought about it and of course, 'googled', found out that what I was experiencing was altitude sickness.

Seems one has to drink 1 ounce of water for each pound one weighs each day to acclimate. Without getting into the details, let's just say for me, that is a whole lot of water--not coffee, tea or wine, but water. This trip we were blessed with great weather that was cool and sunny. So while we drank water and in case you wondering, no tequila and minimal wine, it wasn't as much as we should have given the exertion of hiking every other day or would have given the typical warmer temperatures.

Here's a lesson from the trail at altitude, drink and drink and drink water--not coffee, tea, tequila or wine and you'll be fine.

Now what about these two kids? This was an 8th grade graduation project---how cool are they?

No matter your altitude, remember it's about the attitude. Make it a great week!

Never Forget

2010-09-11T00:01:00.002-04:00

Hold On

Hold on to what is good,
Even if it's a handful of earth.
Hold on to what you believe,
Even if it's a tree that stands by itself.
Hold on to what you must do,
Even if it's a long way from here.
Hold on to your life,
Even if it's easier to let go.
Hold on to my hand,
Even if someday I'll be gone away from you.

A Pueblo Indian Prayer

No matter how many years go by and how far we travel--the memory of those lost on this day will live on.

To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die.-Thomas Campbell

Flash 55-"Re-Entry Ain't Easy"

2010-09-10T19:50:00.000-04:00

Red dust covers my clothes
Pours out of my boots
I pound them on my back step
Thud!
Appointments
Thud!
Responsibilities
With each thud
I feel the moments fade
Throw a load in the washer
Closing the door
I watch as the water fills
Washing away
My heart
For now
Returning me
Home
To work

C.M. Jackson 2010

If you can say it in 55 words--go see the g-man--Happy Friday Folks!!

There's gold in those hills...

2010-09-07T00:01:00.000-04:00

After spending a day walking about Santa Fe acclimating to the altitude (7,000 feet), Mr. Jackson and I decided that we would try out our new gps gadget, take a hike and locate a geocache named "Lucky Coin." Geocaching is a treasure hunt using a gps device to locate a geocache based upon the gps' coordinates. The "Lucky Coin" geocache trail is in area that we had never had a chance to explore so we filled up our camels and got in the car. Completed in 2005, the Dale Ball Trails include about 22 miles of hiking and biking trails within 10 minutes of the plaza. We started in a section that is adjacent to the Audubon Center and an area of town which is owned by the Nature Conservatory --truly beautiful. The hike started with a .8 mile walk to the trailhead and then climbed via switchbacks 1200 feet to the point where my internal hiking clock said we had gone as far as we should go, about 3 miles, given our 'lowlander' status and the fact that we hadn't taken a strenous hike in quite some time. Mr. Jackson looked at me as if I were commiting mutiny--" we are just .5 miles from the cache."

"Yes, that's true but it is based upon a straight line (a gps triangulates based upon three points) and we will need to continue on the trail for perhaps, another mile or so, " I said.

Mind you both of us felt fine and were enjoying the view, but the little voice I hear when hiking was saying "It is two in the afternoon you have been hiking for a hour and half at altitude and have to get back." I always listen to that voice and after a bit of grumbling, Mr. Jackson agreed and we made our descent.

So, yes there is gold in those hills still--I assured Mr. Jackson that our lucky coin would be there the next time we visited.

Here's some shots from the trail:

Always remember it is about the journey...

Monday Monday Wake Up Call-The Big Bad Wolf?

2010-09-06T00:01:00.065-04:00

Mr. Jackson came across this find on one of our hikes in Bandelier. He saw a white reflection and thinking that it was a plastic bag, he ventured off the trail to pick it up. When I finally caught up (more on that later), he could hardly contain his excitement!! Isn't this cool?, he said. Through gasps, I agreed and promptly began to take a few shots to memorialize the moment, reminding him that we needed to leave his new friend where he found him. Being an excellent hiker, he returned Wolfy back to the wilderness.

We stopped back at the ranger's station to advise them of our find. Amazingly, we were advised that there no wolves in Bandelier and that Wolfy was more likely Wiley, a coyote. Go figure. That was one big coyote! Happy trails and may your week be a great adventure!

Monday Morning Wake Up Call--Santa Fe

2010-08-30T00:01:00.001-04:00

My home away from home--Santa Fe ...Mr Jackson and I will be having breakfast at Cafe Pasqual's or perhaps, the Plaza Cafe and then we are off to find new adventures or perhaps, new treasures...who knows...

Enjoy the week! I promise to bring you more tales from the trails when I return.

"There's no place like home..."

2010-08-29T19:00:00.000-04:00

...ever feel like a place is home? That's the way New Mexico makes me feel every time I step foot on its soil and breathe its air. Mr. Jackson agrees and we have been walking the Plaza in heaven!!! The smell of sage, pinon and yes, roasted chiles fill the air which has a hint of fall in it. more later..off to meet friends..

Flash 55-Moments Matter

2010-08-20T00:01:00.006-04:00

Time stands still

The moment

You choose to

Breathe the air

As it carries

The scents of flowers
Past cheeks

Feel the grass

Between your toes

The sun on your face

Sharing time

With the ones you love

Listening to their laughter

Watching them smile

Happiness

Stretching out

Like a new day

Dawning

Moments matter

C.M. Jackson 2010

If you can write it in 55 words---tell the g-man! Happy Friday!!!

Happy Anniversary You Crazy Kids!!!

2010-08-18T00:01:00.042-04:00

Mr. Jackson's sister and her husband are celebrating their anniversary today--43 years --an amazing accomplishment and a testament to their commitment to one another. Even more amazing when you hear that Mr. Jackson as a youngster would meet Ron at the door, telling him that the iced tea and the cards were ready, not once,but every time Ron showed up at his house to pick up his big sister. To his credit, Ron drank iced tea and played cards every time---to this day, they are brothers. We are blessed and wish them continued happiness and health!

Venice 2007

In honor of their day, let's all dance along to their favorite song--

Happy Anniversary Mr. Jackson

2010-08-17T00:01:00.006-04:00

Seven years ago we began a conversation that hasn't ended. In 2007 on this day we got married! Happy 3rd Anniversary sweet man!

Thanks to my nephew, Chris, Mr. Jackson and I were lucky to hear Carlos play live last month in Atlantic City--talk about schvitzing, it was a bazillion degrees despite the fact that the Atlantic Ocean was right there. We had a magnificent dinner at Buddakan and then strolled the boardwalk to the Taj Mahal--a veritable sauna. Thankfully, the effects of the heat evaporated the moment Carlos and his band began to play and was replaced with an energy that was sheer magic-percussion and guitar --glorious.

Magpie Tales-"Til

2010-08-14T01:15:00.001-04:00

At ten we rode and ran

"Til the sun slid hidden

Behind the hills,

Mother calling us in

Baths and books waiting.

At twenty we danced and drank
"Til the sun rose
Silhouette of gold behind the skyline
Boss checking his watch,
Phones ringing too loud.
At thirty we learned to sleep
"Til your loudest cry
Lifted us out of bed,
Clock ticking away the night.
At forty we carpooled
"Til you took the keys
Parents watching for
Headlights on the ceiling.
At fifty we waited
"Til you found your true love
Family and friends dancing
Lightening bugs flickering.
At sixty we talk about plans
"Til sleep makes our eyes heavy
Hearts happy
Asking what next.

C.M. Jackson 2010

For more Magpie Tales --fly here!

Theme Thursday-Palm

2010-08-11T23:53:00.000-04:00

If I could reach up and hold a star for every time you've made me smile, the entire evening sky would be in the palm of my hand. Anonymous

Been working the summer away --very little time and energy for posting --this shall change and I will return---until then, I wish you all beautiful sunsets and rainbows---enjoy!

By the way --it is Thursday and the Theme is Palm-drop on by ..no sunscreen required.

Theme Thursday-Brown

2010-08-04T23:48:00.000-04:00

Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life.

-Rachel Carson

There are many shades of brown, my favorites are found on the trail. Hike on over to Theme Thursday for more.

Monday Morning Wake Up Call-King Tut

2010-08-02T00:04:00.000-04:00

Mr. Jackson and I visited the King Tut exhibit in Times Square and had almost as much fun as Steve Martin did doing this bit. An extensive review of King Tut's family and antiquities, the exhibit made me want to learn more. If you can, check it out. Until then, dance along with Steve and have a great week!

Life Lessons

2010-08-01T23:02:00.001-04:00

I read Gift from the Sea ten years ago and picked it up again last week. Mrs. Lindbergh's view of life unfolds in relation to the shells she picks up on the beach. With each shell, she reveals thoughts about responsibilities and relationships. She found solace in the quiet and simple life her beach house offered.

I look at my shells, far away from a beach, my rocks, far away from the trail, remembering the peace, the space, acknowledging the tide, her wisdom and the blessings I have been given.

An excerpt follows:
Gift from the Sea-Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Argonauta

"Intermittency — an impossible lesson for human beings to learn. How can one learn to live through the ebb-tides of one's existence? How can one learn to take the trough of the wave? It is easier to understand here on the beach, where the breathlessly still ebb tides reveal another life below the level which mortals usually reach. In this crystalline moment of suspense, one has a sudden revelation of the secret kingdom at the bottom of the sea. Here in the shallow flats one finds, wading through warm ripples, great horse conchs pivoting on a leg; white sand dollars, marble medallions engraved in the mud; and myriads of bright-colored cochina-clams, glistening in the foam, their shells opening and shutting like butterflies' wings. So beautiful is the still hour of the sea's withdrawal, as beautiful as the sea's return when the encroaching waves pound up the beach, pressing to reach those dark rumpled chains of seaweed which mark the last high tide.

Perhaps this is the most important thing for me to take back from beach-living: simply the memory that each cycle of the tide is valid; each cycle of the wave is valid; each cycle of a relationship is valid. And my shells? I can sweep them all into my pocket. They are only there to remind me that the sea recedes and returns eternally" Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Theme Thursday-Park

2010-07-21T22:10:00.001-04:00

New Jersey has been experiencing searing heat for the last two weeks and it is starting to make me just a little crazy. Never good, because I have an ample amount of crazy already, the humidity and the too early dog days (sorry Max) of summer make me want to hibernate like I do in the winter parked in front of the tv watching a movie or slouched in chair reading a book. My rule is the couch potato 'thang' is only allowed during the winter months. After March, it is written, I must move. Given this heat, moving means sweat---I know, girls do not sweat, they perspire or mist----hello, I sweat and therefore, wish to park myself in front of a large air conditioner and herein, right now, lies the problem. It is hot, humid and just plain not conducive to my rule. That's life, sometimes rough when you want it easy. No worries, there's always a song to get you through.

That video was done is 2008. I will never have Tina's legs, but I aspire to her energy and doo doo doo doo! Don't be afraid to sweat. Put on the hiking boots and go find a park here or here or here.

It's Theme Thursday and there is a place to park here.

Flash 55-High Noon

2010-07-16T00:32:00.000-04:00

Hey cowboy
We knew you when
Mickey and Minnie Mouse
Were your friends
We held your hand
When you were alone
No one could understand
Told you could fly
We are your home
It wasn’t a lie
Now you are far away
And it hurts
You have a choice
Lose the spurs
Use your voice

Flash! It is Friday. If you can tell a story in 55 words, you need to go tell it to the g-man.

Theme Thursday-Help!!!

2010-07-15T00:34:00.000-04:00

Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though sometimes it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and grieves which we endure help us in our marching onward.

Henry Ford

If there is a place in this country that epitomizes character and the ability to move forward against all odds, it is New Orleans and the Gulf region. The gulf oil spill is not only an environmental disaster unlike any that we have experienced but also is an event which threatens a way of life for the people who live and work in the area.

As BP works to stop the oil flowing into the Gulf, the companies who were working to find oil safely (if there is a safe way) are leaving the region and a moratorium has been placed on future drilling. So those jobs along with fishing are in danger of being lost for good.

The Gulf Oil spill is a wake up call to all of us to recognize the limits of our fragile environment, question our reliance on oil and find a way to "do the right damn thing."

Let's move forward and start thinking how we all can help.

Today is Thursday and the theme is help. For more thoughts on the subject, take a look here.

Magpie Tales-Sweet Jersey Waltz

2010-07-12T22:56:00.000-04:00

Seedlings reach up
to the sky
down into the soil
all the while
the bees buzz
the peepers peep
the sun shines
the crickets chirp
rain showers
flirt and flood
until the sun's heat
warms
glorious globes
green and yellow
finally red
calling out for
picking
ripe with sun
till the crisp air
of autumn
ends the music.

C.M. Jackson 2010
For more Magpie Tales go here...Thanks to Willow for another wonderful prompt!

Theme Thursday-Ball

2010-07-08T01:53:00.000-04:00

Arnaldo Pomodoro's sculpture "Sphere within a Sphere" is located in the Vatican City in Rome. I first saw it in '99 when the city of Rome was getting ready for 2000. Rome was sparkling--no graffiti or soot. I was mesmerized then and took many shots, all film. I am disappointed that I can't show my view in '99 next to my view in 2007 when Mr. Jackson and I visited on our honeymoon.

For me this particular shot reflects the heavens above and the 'skyline' of ancient Rome separated by what looks like technology or progress. Today, I can't help but think about the Gulf oil spill and the wars that continue.

Today is Theme Thursday. Drop by here.

Magpie Tales-The Muse vs. the Fuse

2010-07-05T22:54:00.001-04:00

You should know that my fuse is long

I can understand the yelling
I can hunt for the answers
I can tolerate the bad luck
But give me excuses
Or try to tell me there are no words
That's when I start to burn
Just when you thought I'm lost
Snap, crackle and pop
That sizzle isn't bacon frying in the pan
The bang isn't the door slamming in your face
It is just me
Refusing to accept
Pushing forward
Writing what must be heard
Snap
Crackle
Pop
Burn

C.M. Jackson 2010

The photo is courtesy of Willow and this is just one of the many tales you can enjoy at Magpie Tales.

Monday Morning Wakeup Call-A Perfect Day

2010-07-05T00:03:00.002-04:00

Here's my wish for you --no alarm clock, a big stack of blueberry pancakes with or without bacon and lots of coffee or tea to start. Hopefully you are off today and will be outside playing with family and friends --at the beach, in the mountains, in a park throwing a frisbee or just sitting in your backyard--listen to the laughter, the waves, the wind and the leaves--plant your feet on the ground and take stock of the beauty that is summer. Enjoy!

Independence Day

2010-07-04T00:02:00.012-04:00

TO THE FOUNDING FATHERS

Your light still lingers in our distant morning,
A star that we perceive across the void.

We chart our passage by your words, still burning

Long after your bright core has been destroyed.

No longer do we speak of "natural" rights,

Nor can we think that Reason guides our will.

We've been through far too many gruesome nights

To hope we have reduced our lust to kill.

Yet hope remains the engine of our fire,
Hope that someday all of us will be

Happy in the least that we require:

Well-fed, well-housed, safe, secure, and free.

This dream we still pursue. Though darkness come,

Your wisdom, hope, and courage through us run.

Author Unknown

Flash 55-Sparklers

2010-07-02T19:37:00.000-04:00

Sparklers crackling

Children race barefoot

Into the approaching night

Until the man in the moon winks

Fireworks blast off

Showers of color light the sky

They stand silent

The thud echoing in their ears

Joy and fear in their eyes

The glory of what is possible

Innocence and belief

Our future

Reflected in their faces

If you can tell a story in 55 words--go see the man, the g-man! Happy 4th of July to all!

Theme Thursday-Blue

2010-07-01T23:41:00.001-04:00

when I am feeling blue I turn on the music, think of this shade of blue and somehow everything is all right...

It's still Thursday and today's theme is blue---check out the shades of blue here!

Words

2010-06-21T00:09:00.000-04:00

I have watched this horrible event evolve and cannot believe in two months time that we haven't found a way to make what is happening in the gulf stop. As we drink our morning coffee or tea, a way of life and a sea is dying. Words will not change the situation. Action will. How can we as a country stop this from happening again? Food for thought. There is nothing natural about this disaster and we as a people should be standing up and demanding not only answers but solutions.

Monday Morning Wake Up Call--State of Mind

2010-06-20T22:37:00.000-04:00

Doesn't matter where your 'state' of mind is--look as these faces as they sing --that's our future and here's hoping there is a teacher where you live that engages and educates like this teacher... get up, make it happen and pay it forward....;=) Have a great week!

PS-Kudos to PS 22 Chorus for winning the Webby Artist of the Year Award

Flash 55-Firefly my way

2010-06-17T21:19:00.000-04:00

Like glitter strewn

On the warm
Emerald green grass
Fireflies begin their dance
Rising and falling
Twinkling like stars
As the sun sets
Peach and rose mingling
With an azure blue sky
Night approaches
Like a lover’s kiss
A warm breeze stirs
The soul
Awakens the mind
To memories and
Possibilities
Of a summer night

Can you tell a story in 55 words? Go see the g-man.Yeah, it is that time again--Friday Flash 55! Enjoy!

Theme Thursday-Camera

2010-06-17T00:18:00.000-04:00

The creative act lasts but a brief moment, a lightning instant of give-and-take, just long enough for you to level the camera and to trap the fleeting prey in your little box. Henri Cartier-Bresson

Once again it is Theme Thursday--focus and look here!