Columns 2006

We now come to that time of year when, for want of something better to do for amusement, I decide who merits entry into my Hall of Infamy 2006. The criteria are fairly lax.  Nominees mostly have to have annoyed the heck out of me or in some other way caused me to want to chase them off this planet during the past twelve months.

Just so we’re clear at the outset, Tom Cruise has achieved permanent residence in the Hall of Infamy.  So have Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and any variation of their names that combines them into

Since I plan to use my New Year’s column for a list of the people and things that have annoyed me the most this past year, I figured I’d better do something nice for my Christmas column or risk being driven out of town by all the little elves that are making me crazy with their Christmas cheer. And so, here it is – my reason to be grateful this year.

I am grateful, finally after more than fifty decades, that my friend Grace had her birthday before me.

I guess we need to go back a bit to explain

I’d been out of town for a few weeks so you can imagine my reaction when I returned and scanned the headlines of the papers that had piled up while I was gone.  I felt like Alice falling through the looking glass.  The Alaska State Legislature is going to be led by a bipartisan group of Democrats and Republicans.  That and a falling sky are the two sure signs of the Apocalypse if I remember my Bible studies class correctly.

For a moment I thought maybe my misspent youth in the sixties was catching up with me and some time

I recently got sick while visiting the East Coast. I was in Center City Philadelphia and could find no walk in clinic so I ended up at the emergency room of the Jefferson Hospital.  Since my cousin Joe has a large portrait of himself in their lobby because of his pioneering work as a doc in their ER, I figured I was golden.  I’d drop his name a few times and get the red carpet treatment.

Well, I dropped his name as loudly and as frequently as I could and it got me nowhere. One nurse did admit that she’d

Mr. T came home a few days ago. He joins Morris the bird on my little table. It’s good to have him back. Now I can say goodnight to him again like I did for the past 16 years.  To all those wonderful people who called and sent cards, let me say thank you.  It’s nice to know this state is filled with people who can love pets so much and be so kind. I think that bodes well for our future.

Meanwhile, I went to Friends of Pets and found two wonderful new friends who are helping to fill

It being Thanksgiving, I think it is appropriate to give thanks.  Since I use New Year’s as a time to count the people and things that most annoyed me throughout the past year, this is the best time to list the things for which I am most grateful.

Let me start by saying that although I may not agree with Sarah Palin on many issues, I am prouder than punch that Alaska not only has its first female governor, but has one who has shown she actually has a working moral compass.

Back in prehistory when I was young and

Just when I thought I could put the recently completed political season behind me with a minimum of annoyance, the two major political parties decided to go that one step too far.  And now I’m not feeling quite so charitable towards them.

Let’s start with the Republicans.  You lost.  No matter how much spin you try to put on it, you lost.  And I, quite frankly, am getting a major headache listening to talking heads trying to twist this around into a scenario in which it looks like you lost but not really.

From what I can glean from the

Because of deadlines, this column is being written well before votes are cast in the November 7 election.  Therefore, this is strictly a subjective analysis of the recent campaign season and not based on any hopes I may have for a high paying, low energy job with anyone who may have actually won. Though, lord knows, I am always open to anyone who wants to make an offer.

Actually, this overview is pretty much based on late night conversations I have with my birds and dogs who are as astute at political commentary as just about any talking head in

I have spent most of my life fighting the battle of the bulge. I’ve done it for a variety of reasons. When I was young I did it because I was told men did not find “large” women attractive. Since I grew up in an era when it was more important for a woman to earn her MRS than her BS, this became a major issue in my youth.

As I aged, I fought the battle in an attempt to ward off the actual aging process. I come from the generation that said we should trust no one over 30.

Last week was a hard week for me.  Not only was I attending a seminar entitled The Alaska Child Maltreatment Conference, but I finally had to send my little buddy of 15 years across the Rainbow Bridge.

At the beginning of the week, the only thought in my mind was, “What PR genius named this conference?” By the end of the week, the only thought in my mind was that all our children should have as much love and kindness in their lives as Mr. T had in his.

Mr. T didn’t always have it easy. He came to me