BACK IN THE MIX . . .

I've been so out of it the past few days, I haven't been keeping up even with my beloved news. Supreme Court what? Civil liberties what? London what? Exactly. But whether it's due to a renewed perspective or just particularly eye-catching headlines, it seems to be a good news day to get back into the mix of things.

Bits that caught my eye this morning:

1. The responses of civil libertarians in response to the new policy of checking passengers' bags on subways in New York City ...

2. The published-opinion history of Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts. He seems like a witty guy ... but is there craziness under the surface that's just waiting to get out? Because you know, as Hooch likes to say, the crazy's gotta come out sometime ...

3. London cops shooting and killing a man in the Underground, suspecting him of being a bomber or terrorist or something like that. That's just ... scary.

4. China's new policy about its yuan and how its value will no longer be tied to the American dollar. Instead, apparently, there is a "secret mechanism" in place to reset the yuan's value every night. Now, I publicly proclaim that I know absolutely nothing about anything related to the economy or the dollar or economic interdependence or the workings of the world market. However, this was on the front page, and for some reason, it seemed more important and spicy than other economic news (which normally wouldn't even register in my brain as news), so I read it anyway. And now I must go and read it again because I didn't really understand it the first time through.

5. My wanderlust called me to this article about Martha's Vineyard ... but I still like Block Island better.

6. It's been a long time since I've been down to visit The Asia Society, but I might just have to swing through it to check out "Images of the Divine," an exhibit of Hindu and Buddhist religious art. Called "spiritually activist art" by the New York Times reviewer, these icons were made to "wake you up, point you in a moral direction, make you look at the greed, hatred and delusions that sit like sharp rocks in the soul. Once you see the truth about yourself, the idea is, you can change yourself. And when you change yourself, you change the world." Interesting thesis, must investigate.

7. I am unashamed to admit that I want to see "Hustle and Flow". The gangsta in me cries out for it.

8. Daylight Savings Time confuses the heck out of me. How do you save daylight? And why? I understand the need for conserving energy and resources -- Lord knows we're doing a heck of a job caring for creation -- but the fact of the matter is, states -- even PARTS of states -- choose whether or not to participate in DSL. It's so strange to me. You can be driving through Indiana where it will be 2:00 p.m. in one city, then 3:00 p.m. in the next city over. Bizarro! Besides, all that clock-flipping messes me up. I'm sensitive like that.

9. Alright, there was no article about it that I read yet, but I want to see the new Diane Lane/John Cusack movie "Must Love Dogs." Never mind that I'll see anything -- ANYTHING -- with John Cusack in it, but Stockard Channing? Christopher Plummer? What little girl did NOT swoon for him in "The Sound of Music"?! Elizabeth Perkins? It's a must-see movie, folks. MUST-SEE.

***

IT'S FRIDAY, BUT . . .

There's no Friday Five, and not even Daily Dirt has anything remotely entertaining. So I too shall answer Mabel's question: if you could change your voice to that of any individual, whose voice would you pick?

Hands down, I would want a singing voice like Alicia Keys. She's got it all: the huskiness, the tone, the power, the sultriness, the emotion, the ear, the breath, the ... I don't know. She's got it all and I want it too.

As for speaking voice ... that's funny that this topic even arose, albeit third-hand. I had just recently asked Miss Connecticut if she thought my voice was squeaky and annoying and totally high-pitched. She was shocked that I would even think so, and we had a good laugh about the warped nature of self-perception. But now that the thought occurs to me ... I think I would like a speaking voice like Miss Connecticut -- low on the decibel level, lilting, good cadence, hearer-friendly speed. Or Julia Roberts. There something about her voice, which while on the loud and abrasive side (not that I am ever loud and abrasive), that is so friendly and open. Maybe it's the way her vowels open up when she speaks, or maybe it's that she always seems to speak with a smile and look you (or the camera) right in the eye, or maybe it's just because she seems like a friendly gal you could kick back and have a beer with.

BUT, this is the voice God gave me, so it MUST be good for something ...

***

B-DOING! . . .

So, Ab's birthday is next week and I wanted to send her some edjumacational books from Barnes & Noble. Three days ago, I purchased them online, paid for them, looked over the order, and hit "SUBMIT."

Yesterday, I arrived home to see a Barnes & Noble box at my door. Thinking that something I had previously purchased for myself was back-ordered, I became very excited and ran upstairs to see what literary delights lay within.

I opened the box and saw ... two children's edjumacational books. For Ab. Who lives on the Other Coast. Whose birthday is in four days. Who was supposed to get this box instead of me.

What a dumbo. I forgot to put HER as the ship-to address. B-DOING!