Blue Sponge Newsroom Update

Twenty Democratic lawmakers are raising a fuss about supporting any health care bill that would pay for abortions. Democrats? The one thing you can say about Republicans is that they know how to fall into line. Dems cannot do this. HBO’s Bill Maher mentioned recently how we need a liberal party in the U.S. I agree. The Dems are now mostly what moderate Republicans used to be. We really do need a party that is for liberal ideals – a party for marriage equality, abortion rights, higher taxes on the wealthy, helping the poor, gun control, real health care reform, and anti-war.

The Senate voted to not fund the F-22 Fighter Jet, which the Pentagon doesn’t even want funded. The main argument for the jets was to prevent a loss of jobs. These are the same people complaining about people on welfare and they want to spend Government money on a program just to keep people employed? I’m guessing that most of the employees working on the F-22 would not lose their jobs, but would be incorporated into other projects. However, the cut would save taxpayers $1.75 billion, but it still has to be finalized with the House of Representatives.

In an interview with NBC, President Obama has finally admitted to looking “a little frumpy” in his baggy jeans at the all-star game last week. Really? They are talking to the President of the United States and this is what they choose to discuss? Do I smell a Pulitzer Prize?

I was surprised by a poll result in the Express newspaper. It asked, “Does Michael Vick deserve a second chance to play in the NFL?” Vick is a football player convicted and recently released from prison after serving nearly 2 years for his role in dog fighting. He is still suspended from playing. The poll results showed 58 percent voted no and 42 percent voted yes. I was surprised that nearly half the people voted yes, he should be able to continue to play. Though I agree, he served his time and should be allowed to play, I can’t imagine any team would be foolish enough to hire him.

DVR Alert: TLC is premiering season 2 of Toddlers & Tiaras tonight. How did I miss season 1 of this show? There is nothing sadder or more bizarre than child beauty pageants. I never get tired of watching this stuff and remembering that gay people are not allowed to adopt children in some states, yet these parents are lawfully permitted to do this to their kids.

Hump Day Art -- Richard Roflow Watercolor

Here is yet another painting from the Blue Hill Bay Gallery, in Blue Hill, Maine. It is a watercolor by Richard Roflow called South Deer Isle Bridge. It measures 16 by 16 inches.

I thought it was an amazing watercolor. I realize this photo taken with my iPhone is horrible. I had to take the picture at an angle because of the reflective glass over the painting. Even with the horrible photography though, you can see it is an exceptional work. The water alone is quite an effect. I'm not art expert, but I thought this painting was very good.

The following is from an article in the Mainely Art section of the Just Art web site: Deer Isle [Maine) painter Richard Roflow was one of the winners in the 1995 National Park Academy of the Arts competition, Arts for the Parks. Most of the artist's paintings are inspired by the drama of the Maine coast and coastal weather.

"He rarely paints on a sunny day. It's always misty, foggy, and dramatic. He paints those days that Mainers know as being a Maine day," said Barbara Entzminger, whose Bar Harbor [Maine] Birdnest Gallery exhibits many of Roflow's paintings.

"I fell in love with Maine by reading the Kenneth Roberts novels when I was in high school," said Roflow. But it was more than 20 years later when he and his wife, Jerry, first traveled to Maine where they bought a wharf-side house on Deer Isle.

"I consider myself a light painter. I try to paint the light I see and how it creates distances," Roflow said, explaining the prominence given to plays of light in his compositions.

"Roflow captures the qualities of atmosphere and its light-color shows which most of us hardly notice," writes Fran Watson. "Tiny droplets of moisture in the air act as color magnifiers, bathing landscape in eerie glows of uncommon intensity for brief moments, transforming the ordinary into the exotic. The most familiar objects attain an importance through his eyes as he renders them with a combination of softness and accuracy. His depictions are tinted fragments of hushed time, caught in the manner of masters like Corot and Daubigny whose visions changed rural simplicity into mythological magic."

New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #201

Al Fresco, Private Eye. How may I help you?

The above is the cartoon for New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest for week #201. Let me know if you come up with a caption. Click on the link above to enter. Stupidly, when I actually entered this captioned, I didn't proof it and forgot the "r" in Fresco. Al Fesco, Private Eye, doesn't make as much sense, huh?

One of the finalists for Contest #199, which showed a defendent in the courtroom in swimming trunks and snorkle, is almost identical to one that Walt at WCS submitted. You were robbed Walt! Walt came up with the picking the lobster concept.

Pie or Cake?

We're back home from NYC, and getting ready for the work week. This photo is of a couple of the desserts from the Brooklyn Diner, which is, in fact, in Manhattan. We didn't have any dessert when we were
there, because we went there for breakfast. But, they looked amazing. I am a cake person, but I love cream pies, especially banana cream pie.

A Divine Day in New York City

This is a window display on 5th Avenue of Baltimore's own Divine. We had an amazing day in NYC. We saw two great shows, had a great dinner at an Italian restaurant, went to the top of Rockefeller Center, had a run in the park and a wonderful breakfast at the Brooklyn Diner. We want to move here. We love New York!

Seeing Next to Normal

This was an awesome show! I highly recommend it. Alice Ripley was amazing. We'll be back I'm sure.

Shane and Alice Chit Chat

Next to Normal star Alice Ripley chit chats with Shane about the show.

Tony Winner Alice Ripley, Star of Next to Normal

Alice signs my playbill after the show. She and other members of the cast spent a lot of time mixing with the crowd outside the theater.

Ben Stiller and Sexy Gal Pal in NYC

Ben sat right in front of us at Next to Normal. Luckily, he's not very tall.

Top of 30 Rock

Generic Time Square Picture

Shane waits impatiently as I take a picture of Time Square.

Dr. Phil On Broadway

Dr. Phil created quite a stir in Time Square and I helped. Dr. Phil? Oh yeah. He knows Oprah.

Watching Wicked on Broadway

It's intermission and the show is great. The photo is the dragon over
the stage and the curtain.

Breakfast at the Brooklyn Diner

I had a frittata and polenta.

Running in Central Park with a Few of My Friends

I ran the Park Loop Road around Central Park this morning. I had invited some of my blog readers to come along and was very pleased with the turnout. The park is very hilly, and the weather was warm, but it was an awesome run!

Swinging Over to New York City

Shane and I are on MegaBus to NYC. Roundtrip was $23.50 all together for the both of us. Since it's Friday night, we're stuck in MegaTraffic.

The photo is of the trapeze school that was near the bus stop downtown. How cool would that be to do?

Capitol Sunset

Looking down Pennsylvania Avenue near our house on my way home from the drug store. The iPhone camera makes the Capitol Building look further away than it is (10 blocks).

Work Happy Hour Surprises

Notice the blue string near my collar.

We had a work happy hour last night and we surprised my boss, who had recently turned 50. This is her and I as she is performing my mid-year review.

For the Happy Hour, we had to come up with a "fun fact" about ourselves, which people at the Happy Hour had to then guess who's fact was who's. Mine was that I once buried a man as his young son watched. Nobody guessed it was mine. There were some very interesting facts revealed. Someone in my office had been in a Lil Kim video, and someone had dinner with Michelle Pfeiffer. They both sound a lot more fun than burying a man.

As I arrived at Eastern Market subway station on my way home, I looked down and noticed my work badge was not on my person. I wear it on a blue string around my neck. I don't remember taking it off, but I remember seeing it in my pocket at the Happy Hour and it is clearly around my neck in the photo above. I got off the train and got on another going in the opposite direction. I went back to the restaurant and checked at the Metro station from where I left, but nobody had seen it. I went over to my office and reported the badge was missing to the guards, so it couldn't be used to access the building. By the time I got home, I was in a very bad mood, hot and sweaty, had a splitting headache, and was very unhappy. Happy Hour Fail.

Today, somebody named Andy called me on my cell phone and told me he found my badge on the Metro train. I must have accidentally taken it off when I removed my backpack from over my head when I sat down on the train. Andy sounded very nice and offered to mail it back to me. I thanked him and accepted the offer, but I'll still have to get a new badge because that one will have been deactivated. I'm off work today, because I have to go to a meeting tomorrow, which is my regular day off. Now I have to go in early enough to have a new badge made. I have no idea how long that will take.

Hump Day Art -- Don Bishop Paintings

This is the painting we purchased last year at the Blue Hill Bay Gallery in Blue Hill, Maine. It is called Afternoon Glow and is an oil on canvas, mearsuring 12 by 16 inches, by Don Bishop.

This painting, also by Bishop and available at the Blue Hill Bay Gallery, is called Purple Iris. It is also an oil of canvas and measures 16 by 20 inches.

Don Bishop is rapidly emerging as one of the accomplished tonalist painters in the Pacific Northwest where he divides his time between plein air and studio work. Most of his pieces are painted alla prima using different color combinations according to the season and light. His roots are firmly planted in the early Californian impressionism because of the outstanding patterns of color and atmosphere associated with this school. Don has patrons throughout the US, which include Senator John Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, of North Carolina, and the more happily partnered Mark and Shane.

The Ross Sisters Sing "Solid Potato Salad"

I found this video on the blog, Tales of a Tenor, as I was exploring the interwebs. How can you not want some Solid Potato Salad?

Be sure to watch the dance after the singing. They are quite bendy.

Last Cactus Bloom of the Year

It was one month ago today that I posted a blog about my cactus budding. Now, the last of the blooms is blooming. They only bloom one night and dry up and fall off by morning. These photos were taken by porch light with the iPhone.

New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #200

He's omnipresent you ninny. Of course He's in.

The above is the cartoon for New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest for week #200. Let me know if you come up with a caption. Click on the link above to enter.

Blue Sponge Weekend Round-Up

Here's a summary of the weekend. Above is another photo from our concert at Wolf Trap where we say pops conductor Marvin Hamlisch do a show about his work and work that inspired him. I posted a photo yesterday of me prior to the concert, and this is one I took of Shane relaxing before the concert. We were disappointed with the show. Marvin played the songs like he was trying to catch a bus. They all seemed very rushed. It was mostly all music, which was fine, but he had a so so singer on some of the numbers. We left before the end to beat the rush, though I had never seen so few people at a concert there.

On Sunday, we went to see my Mom. She lives in a small town in Maryland near the Pennsylvania border. It is about 2 hours north of DC. We took her and my sister out to lunch in a restaurant in Port Deposit, MD. In the photo above, Shane and my Mom are sitting on her patio waiting for my sister to arrive. You might notice her very tall lilies, which have amazing blooms on them.

Here's my Mom, still on the patio. She has got quite a green thumb.

We went to the Susky Grill, a restaurant on the Susquehanna River in Port Deposit, and we all had crab cake sandwiches. They were very good and the restaurant was very nice. It was the first time all of us, except my Mom had been there. She had gone before with the Blue Birds. They are like the Red Hat Ladies, but only different. My only complaints about the restaurant were the service was a bit slow and they made up put our umbrella down and it got rather hot. That is what the waitress is telling the couple near us in this photo. The wind picked up a bit and they were afraid the umbrellas would make the tables topple over. You'd think they could figure out a way to secure the darn umbrellas. It got very hot out in the sun. Otherwise, it was a nice place. We'll stay under the shaded porch next time.

When we got back to my Mom's house, I gave her a lesson in scanning photos onto her computer. She wanted copies of some family shots my uncle (her brother) had. This shot is my grandmother standing with Flossy (on the right). Doesn't she look like Janet Gaynor (my grandmother, not the horse)? How many of you know who Janet Gaynor was?

At Wolf Trap with the Geriatrics

Shane and I are at Wolf Trap, the National Park for the Performing Arts, waiting for a concert by the National Symphony Orchestra with guest conductor Marvin Hamlisch. The show is called Hamlisch Conducts Hamlisch. It is to begin with the Overture to Gypsy (which I don't think Marvin had anything to do with) and include The Way We Were, and music from A Chorus Line.

Surprisingly, it isn't that crowded and it isn't the young, hip crowd you'd expect.

Maine Same-Sex Marriages Could Total Zip

While it is widely reported that same-sex marriage is permitted in Maine, the total number of marriages between same sex couples could add up to zilch, nada, bubkiss.

Haters claim they have amassed more than 50,000 signatures to force a vote in November on whether any same-sex couples are permitted to marry. The new marriage law was slated to begin in September, but if the petition is submitted prior to then, the law will be put on hold until after the November vote.

Visit Maine Freedom to Marry to find out what you can do to help prevent another Prop 8.

Tonight Big Brother is Back!

Tonight is the premier of the new season of Big Brother. It is a guilty pleasure that I hate to admit that I watch. I'm not sure why I watch it. It really is a horrible show. There always has been a part of me that thinks I would be very happy living in a trailer park. It is this part of me that likes Big Brother.

The photos above are of four of the new cast members. Russell is the bald, muscle guy realtor. His bio describes him as "loud and brash, Russell holds nothing back and is always ready for a fight."

Next is Jeff, a single advertising salesman that I think might be gay. His bio says he hopes one day to find his perfect mate (notice the gender is not specified), and is looking for someone who is fun, beautiful and looks great just hanging around the house. He wouldn't mind a "showmance" with one of his fellow House guests if she (trying to throw us off the track?) fits his criteria. His bio also says he describes himself as curious, adventurous, spontaneous, witty and outgoing. My gaydar is off the charts.

Braden spends his time surfing and has experience working as an international model and an actor. This bachelor lists his favorite activities as sleeping and talking to girls. He is a cocky surfer who, ironically, is afraid of drowning. He constantly boasts about his self-perceived intelligence, looks, charm and overall desirability." He sounds like a bore, but he is a bikini.com model. He is allowed to be a bore.

Finally, there is Kevin, a former Jehovah's Witness and the out gay guy (I assume). "He was excommunicated at age 21. Cut off from his family and friends, he didn’t let it destroy him. Instead, he found happiness and thrived. He currently works as a graphic designer."

His bio continues with, "people are sometimes thrown off by his exotic look and cannot determine what nationality he is. He affectionately calls himself "blackanese" as a tribute to his African-American and Japanese heritage. He describes himself as ghetto, fabulous and inappropriate, and warns his fellow house guests that, although he doesn't have a temper, he can get bitchy." Yeah. He's gay.

There is also a mystery house guest that may be one or more former house guests from previous seasons. And I'm sure there will be many crazy twists and surprises throughout the season. From looking at the cast, I'm surprised they stay with their tried and true formula. One old guy (though he is younger than me), one black chick, one gay guy, etc. They should shake it up. My suggestion for a future season is to have all the house guest be secretly bisexual. Eventually, their secrets would be revealed and anybody could hook up with anybody. That sounds like a fun season!

Blue Sponge Newsroom -- Joyce DeWitt DUI

Former Three's Company star Joyce DeWitt, 60, was arrested for drunken driving in Southern California. While mugshots are rarely very flattering, hers was downright depressing. Wasn't it just yesterday that Jack, Chrissy and Janet were fooling the Ropers and with their crazy antics? Now she is Mrs. Roper. It is all very sad.

Hump Day Art -- Our Art Purchase

The above photo is of our new baby, Dark Woods, by Dennis Sheehan. We purchased it during our visit to the Blue Hill Bay Gallery, in Blue Hill, Maine. It actually looks better than this photo of the work, which I took with my iPhone. It is hard to appreciate the lighting of the painting with a badly lit, low-resolution photo. The painting is an oil on linen and measure about 9 by 13.5 inches.

The following is from a biography provided by the gallery on the artist: Dennis Sheehan was born in Boston in 1950, is a member of the Guild of Boston Artists, and currently lives and works in the New Hampshire countryside. His work is in major public and private collections, including the White House.

Sheehan paints in the Barbizon mode with remarkable authority and faithful adherence to his 19th century precursors. In the tradition of the Tonalist painters, Sheehan creates landscapes of mood, affected by nature's changing seasons. "My goal is to have the painting emanate light, rather than be just a surface that records the reflections of light. This is why the shadow areas are important, for it is from them that this emanation proceeds. The light areas are focal points of this effort, but the power comes from the shadows."


This is another painting at the gallery by Sheehan called Approaching Storm. It is also an oil on linen and measures 11 by 21 inches. I think it was the best piece in the gallery, but a bit out of our price range. You can view others from the gallery's web site linked above.

Blue Sponge Newsroom: Vacation Wrap-Up

Today is the first day back at work after being on vacation all last week. Although our vacation rental in Maine has a TV, Shane and I didn’t watch any television during the week. We did watch a DVD – the original documentary of Grey Gardens. We had watched the new HBO movie version of Grey Gardens with Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange numerous times, but had never seen the entire original documentary with the real characters.

We did hear about some news items. For example, I called my mother and heard all about commercial pitchman Billy Mays’ death from falling luggage during a plane landing. The house also had dial-up Internet access, so we saw a few other headlines. Also, we bought a newspaper one day.

After coming back home, it was apparent that this was a good week to be out of pocket. I got to avoid hearing the endless “news” about Michael Jackson’s death. Sadly, it continues.

There were some good news stories: Sarah Palin is resigning (but unfortunately I’m sure she won’t go away). My prediction is that she will be the new OxiClean spokesperson or will be hocking jewelry on QVC.

Norm Coleman finally conceded and Al Franken is finally going to be Democratic Senator Number 60! It is about time a close one goes our way. Let’s cross our fingers and hope it lasts.

Roger Federer and Serena Williams won Wimbledon again. This is the first time in many years that I didn’t see a single second of the tournament. This is Federer’s 15th major victory, breaking his tie with Pete Sampras for most career majors.

My favorite headline in today’s Express newspaper is about the death of Former NFL quarterback Steve McNair. The headline said: “Police: McNair’s Death a Homicide.” He was shot four times, including twice in the head. Those police are geniuses. His girlfriend, who had a single gunshot to the head, laid beside him, and the gun was found under her body. Luckily, OJ has an alibi.

A group called the Little People of America is asking the Federal Communications Commission to ban the use of the word “midget” on broadcast TV. It was prompted by NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice episode where they created an ad called “Jesse James and the Midgets.” Besides swearing, are there other words deemed politically incorrect that are banned from TV? I wonder if it matters what the context is? I could look these things up, but I don’t.

There seems to be a rash of plane crashes, train crashes, and celebrity deaths lately. There was a plane crash in the Indian Ocean of a Yeminia plane with a single 12-year-old girl surviving (152 people died). A man driving the monorail was killed at Disney World when it crashed. Karl Malden, Billy Mays and a slew of other celebrities have been dropping like flies and prompting fake reports that Jeff Goldblum, George Clooney, Harrison Ford, Natalie Portman, and Rick Astley all died. Only Jeff Goldblum's career is dead.
One person that is alive and well is D.C. mayor for life Marion Barry, but he is in trouble yet again. Barry is on a never-ending exploration to discover what he can get away with and still be elected to political office. In this week’s episode, he was stalking some woman. Barry was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor count of stalking. Barry blamed his actions on homosexuals being allowed to marry. It may be worth pointing out that at least he didn't have to go all the way to South America to do his shenanigans like a certain Republican senator.

New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #199

My lawyer told me to wear my suit.

The above is the cartoon for New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest for week #199. Since we were on vacation, I'm a little late in posting this week's caption entry. Let me know if you come up with a caption.

Crossing the Bridge into New Hampshire

Our vacation is over. We're crossing the bridge between Maine and New Hampshire headind south to DC. We plan on getting to Meriden, CT, tonight unless Shane is energetic and wants to drive all the way tonight. We'd get home around 4 a.m. in that case.

Happy 4th

We had a family Independence Day party at Shane's Mom's house near Augusta, Maine. Here, we are reenacting the Battle of Bunker Hill. Shane is to the far left and his Mom is in three people in front of him. His Mom's dog Lucy looks on.

Pumpkin Island Lighthouse's Other Side

Shane and I took the kayaks out again this afternoon and went to the
far side of Pumpkin Island.

A Land Remembered

This is the book I was reading this week on vacation. It is the story of a family settling mid-19th century Florida. It was recommended by my mother-in-law who was snowbirding between Maine and Florida, but
is now about to become a full-time Florida resident. The book gives some interesting insight into what life was like in frontier Florida. It reminded me a little of Lonesome Dove with it's cattle drives and adventures. It was a little corny, but interesting.

Kayaking with Dolphins

Shane took the kayak out in the harbor in front of Moose & Squirrel
and ran into a pod of dolphins. He said it was neat but a little
scary having them all around him.

Wednesday Already

The weather has been clear this morning. We went out again on the
kayaks. The water was so still it was more like being on a pond than
the ocean. It is clouding up again and could rain.

Shane's Mom is coming over this afternoon. She lives about an hour
and a half away. We'll take her out to dinner and we hope it will be
nice enough weather to enjoy the porch.

After kayaking, we took a walk down Snowman Drive, a private road just
up the hill. There was a house for sale that is way above our means.
He wanted to take a look anyway.

Shane found out, by talking with some of our neighbors, that the guy
that owns the house we're staying in owns 25 acres on Snowman Drive.
Shane's scheme is to write to him and ask about the possibility of
selling a few of his 25 so we could someday build on Little Deer Isle.

The road is very secluded and wooded. Some lots have a water view,
but I'm sure that would be too pricey for us. Even a wooded lot with
no view would be just a short stroll to an amazing view.

Hump Day Art -- A Founder of Impressionism

On a visit to the Blue Hill Bay Gallery, in Blue Hill, Maine, this painting was on display, but was just sold for (listed price $4,500). It is by Charles-François Daubigny, a French artist that lived from 1817-1878. He was one of the painters of the Barbizon school (not to be confused with the modeling school), and is considered an important precursor of Impressionism.

Daubigny was born into a family of painters and initially he painted in a traditional style, but this changed after 1843 when he settled in Barbizon to work outside in nature. On his famous boat Botin, which he had turned into a studio, he painted along the Seine and Oise, often in the region around Auvers. From 1852 onward he came under the influence of Gustave Courbet.

In 1866 Daubigny visited England and met Claude Monet, and together they left for the Netherlands. Back in Auvers, he met Paul Cézanne, another important Impressionist. It is assumed that these younger painters were influenced by Daubigny.

The director of the Blue Hill Bay Gallery told the story that the idea of using his boat for a studio to capture the changing light of the landscape was imitated by Monet, who did the same thing, but with much greater success. The historical significance of Daubigny's work is its influence on these great Impressionists. This landscape depicting a sunset was professionally laid onto a canvas by a restorer, probably in the first half of the 20th Century. It was sold in its original gilded frame. The photo was taken with my iPhone. It is an oil painting on canvas (relaid onto canvas).

We purchased a painting from this Blue Hill gallery on Monday. More about that later.

The Porcupine that Lives Under the Porch

This porcupine stays under the porch all day and comes out at dusk.
Welcome to Maine.

Sunny Foggy Day

The sun has finally come out, but the fog is thicker than before. The
lighthouse isn't even visible from our porch. At least it is warmer.