December 2019 Donations

International Campaign for Tibet

I donated to ICT this month because of the following notice I received:

Your Gift x2
Richard Gere’s Matching Gift Challenge for Tibet
The stakes are high. But we have a chance to make real change for Tibet.

At a time when the Tibetan people need our support more than ever, Richard Gere and a group of friends are matching all gifts to ICT, up to $250,000. Every dollar will help us stand up to China’s oppression of the Tibetan people.

Together, we can shift the balance toward compassion and kindness. Make a gift right now and it will be matched for double the impact.

During my discovery of Buddhism I became aware of ICT and felt compelled to do what little I could to help the people of Tibet and for Palden Gyatso who I truly admired. Here is what ICT Chairman Richard Gere has to say:

Tibet is a human rights issue as well as a civil and political rights issue. But there’s something else too – Tibet has a precious culture based on principles of wisdom and compassion. This culture addresses what we lack in the world today; a very real sense of inter-connectedness. We need to protect it for the Tibetan people, but also for ourselves and our children.

ACT UP NY

OUR MISSION:
ACT UP — the AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power — is a diverse, non-partisan group of individuals, united in anger and committed to direct action to end the AIDS crisis. We meet with government officials, we distribute the latest medical information, we protest and demonstrate. We are not silent.

ACT UP was formed in response to social neglect, government negligence and the complacency of the medical establishment during the 1980s. Soon it found itself needing to fight corporate greed, lack of solidarity and various forms of stigma and discrimination at home and abroad.

While ACT UP has an incredible history, HIV/AIDS is not history. HIV/AIDS is very much with us. And we call on you to join our fight to end AIDS.

ACT UP FIGHTS FOR:
• Sustained investment in research for new medicines and treatments for HIV/AIDS and related co-infections.
• Equitable access to prevention and care for HIV/AIDS and healthcare, in general.
• Tackling the structural drivers of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, such as stigma, discrimination and poverty.

(photo of Larry Kramer kidnapped from nytimes - additional info: Sara Krulwich/New York Times Co./Getty Images)

Bonus! I ordered a t-shirt from the ACT UP store because it's a Keith Haring piece that I'm very familiar with:

Additional info on the super cool shirt: Original Keith Haring artwork licensed solely to ACT UP by the Haring Foundation. When you buy official ACT UP merchandise you not only support our “Programs, ACTIONS and Demos” and our “Communications and Social Media” efforts, but our “Fundraising” point on the triangle is supported by a an employee owned, Long-term AIDS survivor staffed fulfillment company! What’s more, all goods are Union Made, in the USA, environmentally, responsibly made—and are not a knockoff or a questionably made, unauthorized imitation!

We fight AIDS! And, we’re not going to stop until AIDS is over for everyone!

Please join me in the Low Budget Philanthropy movement and help out your community and beyond in the simplest way - donating any amount to whatever charity or organisation that you care about!

November 2019 Books

* Murder on the Orient Express ¹ by Agatha Christie - I had read/listened to this book before when it was read by Kenneth Branagh and David Suchet's version was just as spell-binding. After reading a number of Christie's books, there's a reason this one is the most famous. It's her best. No one plays Hercule Poirot better than the relentlessly charming David Suchet.

* Veronica Mars: The Million Dollar Tan Line ¹ by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham - Having been a fan of the series I was super excited to hear Kristen Bell read a new story starring one of my favourite sleuths. The end sort of disappointed me but Bell's narration was fantastic.

* Death on the Nile ¹ by Agatha Christie - I really liked this book and could not stop listening to it until the end, which was a let down. But Mr. Suchet's narration kept me on a high for the whole day.

Don't Stop Believin' ¹ by Olivia Newton-John - Olivia Newton-John is a total sweetheart and that's made clear from her memoir. She comes across as really positive and down to earth.

* Ayoade on Top ¹by Richard Ayoade 

♥ Untied ¹ by Meredith Baxter

♥ Around the World in Eighty Days ¹ by Jules Verne - I first listened to Jim Dale read this classic Jules Verne novel last November and needed to hear it again. Looking back at what I originally wrote: Jim Dale. He's one of the best in the biz and this story was an escape from reality and just so delivered a wonderful ending. I really, really liked it. I can say that it's still true the second time around. Such a wonderful book read by one of the best.

* Home ¹ by Julie Andrews - Finally got around to listening to Ms. Andrews memoir, which she read herself, and I genuinely liked it. Some people seemed disappointed that it covered just the first half of her life and ended just before she began work on Mary Poppins but I cleverly waited until her second book Home Work was released so I could listen to them back to back. Hearing about her childhood, teenage years, and early adulthood made me marvel at her ability to remain so poised and warm. Never letting a divorce, a crappy step-father, and other things that could have changed her for the worse, keep her from staying true to herself and rising above to become the gorgeous creature that the entire world simply adores.

¹ - audiobook
² - abridged version
* - liked
♥ - loved
Any unmarked titles were, in my opinion, so-so.

End of Year Pit Stops

I'm planning to take off from all social engagements for the month of January so as to 100% focus on getting back in to tip top health and mental wellness. Today I ran some last minute errands and went to see Xavier, Mary, Syd, and Jax for a bit, then down to Del to see Ash and the girls one last time. I even got to see Jackson's aforementioned Go-Cart which was so cool!

Heading out the garage door I looked over and saw everyone's favourite pixie like this:

You can't know how long Bailey and I had to hold our faces like this for Avery to finally follow along. But gee whiz are they a coupla sweetie-pies.

Out & About in Princeton

For the past two years Bishop and I have gone into Philly the weekend after Christmas. This year we ditched those plans and went north to Princeton. It was an unbelievably nice day with the weather hitting 52°. We hit Olives where I gorged myself on a fabulous falafel pita then went to Labyrinth Books (loved it!) and of course, Princeton Record Exchange. It was an easy-going sort of day that ending with us cleaning out Bishop's tiny closet in the back bedroom and coming away with FIVE trash bags full of clothes to donate. All in all, it was an extremely productive day.

(That's the book I really wanted to buy but resisted the urge. I regret that decision now.) 

Texting with Jackson

Right before work today I got a text from my um, er, mother-in-law-ish? It's my sister-in-law Mary's mother, so whatever that makes her to me. Anyway, I got a text from her phone and here is what unfolded:

(His spelling of the word barrier is my favourite part.)

December 26, 1990

Dear Wife:

I meant this to be a part of your Christmas card, that I was going to purchase after tennis. Of course you will not be surprised that when I got to the store I had forgotten to bring money, and did not get out later on Xmas Eve.
This note is an attempt to put into words my love and my thanks for all you have given me in the past fifty years. Your love and affection given to the raising of our three wonderful sons during our marriage, often times alone when I was working at the office.
Your unfailing efforts in aiding and assisting in our daily office work for the corporation. The many, many trips you have made to the bank and sundry trips for office supplies etc. This can not be over stated in its importance to the enhancement of our income.
Never heard was any word of incrimination when an investment or an effort or (sic) my part did not work out. The loss was accepted and with your encouragement we both buckled down and worked at overcoming any loss.
All has not been rosy, but I would not trade with any other man I know our relationship. As the years go by my love for you has multiplied, and I wish and hope to spend our remaining years together.

Love and kisses from your husband
Tom

PS: All of the above plus the making and caring for a lovely home, a lover beyond compare, and you feed me rather well. Again please accept my thanks being given with all the love I have for you.
TK

Merry Christmas Mish Mosh

This year's Spinster's Christmas began at about 11AM - it was so nice to sleep late! - and was accompanied by a wine glass full of So Delicious Holiday Nog as my favourite Christmas show played while I opened my gifties - The Gathering. I completely forgot about every gift but the Peter Cushing autobiography and the bath salts, so it was super fun to open everything with total surprise! 

And here is my first Christmas card from Michel!

Just for funsies, here's a flashback video taken by Xavier in 2014, making Jax almost three.

And because I am hugely weird, here are some of the lovely text messages I sent and received!

Look at Little Miss Bailey all fresh faced and adorable on Christmas morning!

And what could be cuter than Ziggy's Gif? (Also, I don't know the name of that kitten but if I had my way it would be Beatrice.)

Christmas Eve 2010 Selfies!

Growing up we always had my father's side of the family over on Christmas Eve, once it became too much for Nana Irma, that is. When Dad's health started to decline we stopped hosting and sadly, none of his brothers decided to pick up the tradition. But it's nice to look back on the good times we had on one of our last celebrations together.

(Top to bottom - Aunt Vicky, Dad, Emily, Mum, Mary, Peter, Syd, Xavier, Uncle Roy, and Zach)