Tsunami

I saw my friend Jan today. That's twice in about 20 years. We visited for about five minutes and did not speak of the very recent destruction in Tonga. I didn't know of it; perhaps she didn't either. Her husband is Tongan, Pulia Tuha. I don't know where he comes from exactly, but I have seen the photographs of two Tongan towns that used to be until today.

American Samoa, Sumatra, Tonga. I don't know where else. Newscasts show the destruction, and it is utter, unbelievable ruin. People working to make some kind of order, others walking aimlessly because they have no place to go and perhaps do not recognize what were once familiar scenes. Survivors telling of their escape and the loss experienced by those not so fortunate. One woman telling she has her children, and that is all she cares about. Another witnessed a mother racing the water to save her children and failing, losing all three of them.

In the background of these newscasts, always, a very calm sea. Very calm. Belying the power it exhibited not so many hours before. Hard, in fact, to believe the ocean was ever anything but the way it looks today. But it was.

My Brother Bill

Today is his birthday, 75. I wish him a happy day and many more to come, not that he'll ever know that.

The Case Against Leftovers

Thin people need read no further.

For the rest of us, here's my opinion. Saving leftovers encourages you to eat today the way you ate yesterday. Not just what you ate but the way you ate. For those wanting to lose weight, that's not always a good thing to do. Primarily, I'm thinking of restaurant food here.

Here's my goal: Today is a new day. Eat well and eat smart.

Note, speaking of food: I have added a new blog to my link list. It's Luke Eastman's blog, MakeTasteSmile.

Check it out, particularly Alex's turkey/strawberry jam/bleu cheese sandwich. Come on, people, open your minds.

In the What Have You Category

I climbed up on my bed this afternoon and turned on the TV--source of drama, instruction, entertainment, and, always, truth. I sometimes use television to put me to sleep. There it is, my confession. Today I heard this.

"I just couldn't survive without advice from my Go-to People."

That's Brook Shields, and you see her quite close to the floor, in push-up position, holding weights in one hand. Remarkable, I'm thinking. I'm also thinking her go-to people advised her to work out, keep fit.

But no. It's a commercial for Colgate toothpaste, the toothpaste recommended by her go-to person for teeth, her dentist. She said it, I didn't.

I see a dentist when I have to. I wouldn't call him one of my go-to people.

Wait. Do I have go-to people?

It's Notable

At Costco today, on the display TVs, I saw Bonnie Hunt, a quite attractive woman who has a daytime show. I know little about her, except that she has been in movies, has been married and divorced, and has no children.

Then I realized that the other two women with daytime TV shows, the two who have huge followings, have no children either. Oprah lives with What's-His-Name, oh yes, Steadman. Both in their 50s, they have never married and have no children. Ellen DeGeneres lives with--is "married" to--What's-Her-Name and has had no children.

It seems singularly significant to me that the women women watch and love and look to and believe in and trust and follow and take their word for things--come on, you know they do--have never had the experience in life that makes women really know stuff, stuff they can learn in no other way.

I find that notable. Don't you?

Allie Update

Just talked to Allie. She never did leave her home. She was told to go but "something inside" told her to stay. She kept watching the fire and saw that the flames she saw just north of her property earlier in the day had been extinguished by the time she got the sheriff's evacuation order.

She is well, and she is very grateful to be so.

I'm figuring the something inside was inspiration/mixed with intelligence/mixed with the thought of having to be in a high school gymnasium with hundreds of other people of all ages and all kinds of bathroom needs, none able to meet them in a very private way. Hey, she's the one who spoke of it just now.

Her card to me came yesterday. Assured me of her safety. I called today just to hear her voice and the details and to tell her I'm glad all is well.

Something I realized today, just today, 89 may sound old, but she will never be old. I told her so.