Reigning cats and dogs
Bay Area retailers have Christmas gifts fit for four-legged kings and queens

Adrianne Marcus, Special to The Chronicle

Saturday, December 17, 2005

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In the festive and frivolous spirit of the season, I head out with my
furry friends (one at a time) to the posh pet places where they get the
once-a-year pampering they deserve.

We are a nation, it seems, lovingly pet-driven. Eight and a half billion
dollars, which doesn't even include pet food, were spent on pet supplies and
gifts last year, according to figures reported in the New York Times from
Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com. Add another 7 percent for
this year, and you can see we are both pet- and people-driven to get to the
malls and specialty stores to find new and wonderful surprises for our 90
million cats and 77 million dogs. (And not all of them live in my house,
despite what my daughter thinks.)

This year, the bevy of gifts is astounding. We have the usual elegant
suspects in the online catalog division, such as the personalized ceramic dog
ornaments, $20 to $30, in the lavish catalog In the Company of Dogs, which can
dress your miniature Doberman, say, in the Here Comes Santa Paws outfit, a wool
chenille Santa Sweater and matching hat for $49.95. Remembering the baleful
looks I got at Halloween from one silken windhound pup, Winter, in his
butterfly costume, and sibling Spring as a pink flamingo, I quickly turned
that page to the one with great wire sculptures in the shapes of dogs, $89.95
to $110. Jolie, the poodle sculpture, was particularly fetching.

In the realm of instant possibility, I found a catalog, Sahalie, formerly
Early Winters, that has a practical item -- an LED collar that flickers at
each step your dog takes, making it perfect for walks at twilight. It comes
with batteries and is only $14.50. One other neat item, more for humans given
that my dogs loathe jigsaw puzzles except to eat crucial pieces, is the
wolf-shaped puzzle for $19.50.

L.L. Bean's online catalog has the usual and unusual in dog beds (easily
monogrammed) in every size, shape and color, $40 to $100, and offers free
shipping this season.

Costco online offers new foam memory dog beds, just the right size for our
gigantic LacyLu, the borzoi who fills it up nicely and then some. The company
also had organic pet biscuits, so I ordered a 20-pound box. When it arrived,
my dogs immediately gathered around, probably wondering, in their own way, why
they couldn't open that gift, so obviously dog-scented with goodies. We've hid
it until that special morning arrives when we will let them rip and shred and
have one or two biscuits apiece. I also found a super portable dog kennel of
silver nylon and mesh for $99; it folds up to fit inside a backpack for those
who, like us, travel with their menagerie.

Speaking of traveling, most pet stores welcome well-behaved furry friends;
PetCo, PetExpress and Petsmart are very receptive to well-mannered animals, but
be sure while shopping with them that no open cookies (dog biscuits) are
around, or you might have to weigh your dog to determine how many were eaten
while you were busy browsing. All of these stores have good selections of gifts
for dogs and cats; for the latter, the multicolored rolling laser balls or the
new Kong toy that is a bouncing ball covered to look like a furry mouse will
delight immensely, as will dangling toys with feathers. These stores also
have online departments.

Many smaller pet stores carry specialties you won't necessarily find in
the chain stores: a stunning array of leashes and collars, from bejeweled
crystal ones to special leather ones imported from Switzerland for $60 to $100,
for instance. Take your pet to Fideaux, in either Healdsburg or Saint Helena,
to get fitted with one of these, or to select a beautiful pet bed (priced up to
$200). Owner Erin Morris also has a toy dog that barks "I wish you a Merry
Christmas," as well as dog scarves, jingle bell collars and Christmas toys. Of
course, she is busy. "People love to reward their dogs, especially at
Christmas, for the unconditional love they give us throughout the year," says
Morris, whose shop dog, Abby, is waiting to greet potential furry customers and
to show off one of the Christmas beds, red with white polka dots, for $170.

Down the road apiece in Santa Rosa is a new pet store, My Dog Bakery and
Boutique, which owner Sandy Simpton admits is more boutique than bakery.
"We're selling holiday sweaters, toys and beautiful cookies," she says.
Blinking Christmas tree sweaters and ones with fake fur collars that say
"Naughty but Nice" go for $10 to $25 and come in sizes tiny to Great Dane
extra-large.

"Pets are welcome to come in, as long as their owners are on a leash,"
Simpton adds, humorously. "I'm always busy taking pictures of the dogs who come
in with their owners, and I put the pictures on our 'wall of fame.' '' Her
store features a kitty corner, with reasonably priced treats and collars, cozy
beds and toys.

At the Noe Valley Pet Company, one of the owners comments on how busy it
is this year, "We do a big business for Christmas," says Paula Harris. "We've
tried to keep buying for your pet manageable and enjoyable in the way of gifts.
It doesn't have to be a designer item." Her loyal customers see the store as
upscale but not over the top. Top sellers there are handmade decoupage frames
and boxes depicting various breeds of dogs, $39 to $48 for the boxes, $64 for
the frames. There are handmade ceramic biscuit jars by Petware Pottery for $39,
and Christmas and Hanukkah treat samplers, $4 to $15. But my absolute favorites
are the fleece-lined Canadian waterproof raincoats with reflective piping at
$48 to $84, perfect for any size recalcitrant dog who hates going out in the
rain. I could have used those coats in the last storm, rather than having been
awakened by a sopping wet dog leaping up onto our bed and shaking herself half
dry.

At Puppy Cat in San Francisco, customers will be greeted by Jezebel, owner
Deanndra Eggers' dog, whose parentage is a lovely mystery. "She's changed so
much since we got her from the pound," Eggers said. This pet store is busy
featuring Shrimpy beds, super soft, and available in all cat and dog sizes.
Made out of recycled polar fleece, the beds sell for $45 to $140. Eggers says
firmly, "If you buy one of these beds, it will last your dog or cat a lifetime.
They're really durable."

Plush squeaky toys abound for playtime, as do the Fetch & Flash balls,
remarkably inexpensive at $11.50, "for better nighttime viewing in the winter,"
Eggers says with a laugh. Before going out for one of those long winter
evenings to play fetch, buy a $5 Bling Bling Blinker, a clip-on light that
hangs off the collar and makes you and your dog more visible.

At San Francisco's Best in Show, sales associate Joe Graham says, "For the
holiday season, we sell mostly toys. We carry a line of Hanukkah ones -- the
menorah at $15 plays 'The Dreidel Song,' and there's a Hanukkah bear, with the
Star of David on his tummy, and a little crown with gold trimmings. He's $8.95.
But one of our most popular items of the season is the jingle bell collar at
$5.95." I'm in love with their doggie goggles, astounding shades for $25:
black, pink, yellow, bronze or camouflage, perfect for your doggy in your
Hummer when the window's down. There's a princess pearl necklace for $25, which
actually says "PRINCESS" on it for your girly girl, and for the macho boy, a
varsity sweater for $65.95. But the most unusual gift is the custom,
etched-glass pet portrait by Steve Gilbert. Portraits start at $300 and go up
to $1,000, depending on size, and take four to six weeks. For your precious
feline, think about a catfisher rod and reel with two catnip-scented mice for
$23.95, and then you can really have fun with the bubble kitty, a toy gun that
squirts out bubbles, scented with catnip. Only $12.50 for this holiday play
toy.

"Our biggest sellers for Christmas are toys and specialty treats, such as
dog cookies shaped like snowflakes, Christmas trees and the Chewy Vuitton, a
little toy shaped like a handbag," says Michael Cunningham, owner of Babies on
Gough Street. In the posh category, Italian sweaters are fast movers for $125,
and the dog parka with the fur-lined hood and removable sleeves, $62, is the
shop'sNo. 1 clothing item. Christmas sweaters, Christmas scarves, dog shoes and
moccasins are all going to be under the tree, judging from customers' demands.
Dog collars, of course, are big this season, particularly the crystal ones ($40
to $220).

For some dog owners, nothing is ever too much in the way of seasonal
array; beyond the reindeer antlers (a big item everywhere), jingle bell
collars, reindeer sweaters and Hanukkah yarmulke hats, the season is rife with
designer goods. Kate Spade bowls for cats and dogs at Neiman Marcus online, for
$25-$30, and a dazzling array of Gucci items, including a Gucci studded dog
collar with a matching leash that's yours for only $425. Or Burberry dog
accessories ($155-$395). And no home should be without a Baccarat crystal dog
that looks remarkably like a crystal pig, for $215.

Collars are a category all their own -- bling is big. Swarovski ice
crystals seem to be everywhere this year, at $80 to $375-plus, leashes extra,
from online to high-end pet stores that will make them individually for your
dog, say, with an initial or special color. At George, in San Francisco, "We
make great collars," says Tim Lannan, one of the managers, who was most
enthusiastic about custom collars that start at $188 and go up to $260. For
another one-of-a-kind item, you might want a jeweled crown, $80 and up. You'll
be in good company: Madonna and J. Lo also bought crowns for their dogs.

"Christmas buying started the week before Thanksgiving," Lannan says,
"very early this year," and the store is packed with people buying both
Christmas and Hanukkah gifts for their pets.

Customized beds, available in the customer's own choice of fabric, start
at $240. And if you want a Hanukkah gift, you can go with a plush dreidel, or
you might want the Hanukkah Ho Ho's, which come as Stars of David and are made
with human-grade organic goodies such as matzo and chicken soup flavor, a
bargain at $6.25 each.

For those who prefer Martingale collars, many retailers offer them in
arrays of tapestried braid and faux fur finishes. I get mine by mail from
Washington's Silk Road Collars, whose owner, Sue Ross, does a lot of greyhound
rescue work (as does the store George in San Francisco). Her collars range from
$20 to $50, and the big sellers this year are the Christmas collars; the Regal
Line has beautiful vintage fabrics and Swiss velvets. Galahad, at $35, is the
season's hit, and you can see it and all the others at www.silkroadcollars.com.
The range is astounding, plus it's a quick Internet trip to pick one to suit
your pet and have it under the tree or menorah this season.

Closer to home, Vineyard Dog in Napa has some grand gifts worthy of
attention. For the oenophile, there are wine barrel beds, on sale for only
$99, reduced for holiday giving from $220. The Dog Perignon plush toy is the
way to greet the New Year ($12.95). The store owner, Cynthia Hiponia, who used
to be a Wall Street analyst in San Francisco, opened Vineyard Dog about eight
months ago, guided, no doubt, by her three dogs: Henry, a mini-dachshund; Duke,
a Chihuahua; and Oliver, a Jack Russell terrier. Visit her for cashmere
sweaters for your pet at $75, or a Sniffiney & Co. blue bed, which looks like a
flat blue Tiffany box with a white bow for $129.

She says her customers are keen on the edible gingerbread dog houses, and
the dogs are even keener on her odorless bully sticks, which all dogs adore.
But you say your dog is dieting? Well, then, how about the plush Gingerbread
Puzzle House with three pull-out plush toys at Alpha Dog in Mill Valley? This
$20 intelligence test lets the dogs figure out how to extract the gingerbread
man, the bone and the squeaky cube. Another big seller is the Cosmic Knits Luxe
Hoodie, a supersoft sweater that also contains spandex, so it's stretchy and
doesn't pill; small dogs get a break at $68; big dogs are $76. Alpha Dog's
Bella Bean collars are also moving items this holiday: grosgrain ribbon sewn on
nylon collars, with fetching names such as Puccini and Jack. These start at
$32. Now that you have your furry pals all dressed up, if you get caught in the
rain you should immediately reach for your Soggy Paws towel, a super absorbent
towel that has two mitts built in to dry off your pet, $24.30. And for the
ultimate small doggie gift, you can get the Pet Tote Metro bag, $600, detailed
with Swarovski crystals and synthetic reptile trim.

Dog strollers, dog carriers, doggie bags, all the small dogs get a break
from places such as Plaza de Paws in Burlingame. Lori Schmalz, the owner, says
other big sellers are the little T-shirts, which feature sayings such as
"Santa's Little Helper" and "Dear Santa, I've been a very very very good
doggie." These come in sizes all the way up to fit your golden retriever.

Of course, there are the Santa hats and antlers, as well as the holiday
scarves, $15 to $20, to keep your furry pet even warmer as the winter winds
blow, but for more formal occasions (in the house, say) a nice velveteen ruffle
with bells on it might suffice as dressing up.

For your cat, there are new scratching trees, $90 to $250; but my favorite
items are the six-pack of doggy beers (totally alcohol free) for $10 and
individual pumpkin pies for $9. Who says you can't have your pie and eat it
too?

Finally, Gussied Up Dog Boutique in San Jose makes a selection called
"Barkery," which looks good enough for human consumption but is really for
dogs. At 75 cents to $3, these yummies are consumed instantly by all breeds.
Or you might want to buy the gum ball machine that teaches your pet how to
press a lever and get a treat. Treats extra.

Kim Lipsett is the person in charge here and she says that they have a
large collection of purse-style carriers for small dogs, particularly for those
who are traveling with their owners over the holidays in the cabin of the
airplane. And if you are not venturing too far from home, there is the pet
stroller for $199; for dogs up to 50 pounds, the price goes up commensurately
to $245.

You might want to think ahead to May, when you can give the ultimate
gift: a photo session with Amanda Jones (the Richard Avedon of pet photography)
when she arrives in San Francisco to photograph our posh and pampered pets.
She's taking bookings for May 13 and 14 and Aug. 26 and 27. Sessions for two
dogs start at $850. But aren't your dogs worth it? Just query
Christine@AmandaJones.com to set up your private sitting. After all, we all
have perfectly photogenic pets and as the French writer Colette stated, "Our
perfect companions never have fewer than four feet.''

What a Christmas card that would make for next year.

a book review...on a not so typical book:

What we do in private
"Peek,"
a collection of erotic photos from the Kinsey collection, is a
strangely clinical yet revealing look at American sexuality.

- - - - - - - - - - - -
By Michael Alvear

Oct. 19, 2000 |

You really can tell
a book by its cover. One look at "Peek," a fascinating glimpse of the
Kinsey Institute's photography collection, and you know it's true. What
you see on the cover is what you get in the book.

And what you get is tits and ass, Kinsey style.

Alfred C.
Kinsey, the man who jump-started sex research with a good pinch in the
ass, stunned the country in 1948 with his pioneering study, "Sexual
Behavior in the Human Male," and in 1953 with "Sexual Behavior in the
Human Female." No one, least of all Kinsey himself, expected the
scholarly work to become what it did: a bestselling mirror of America's
sexuality.

Kinsey's work
forced people to see the dichotomy between their beliefs and their
actions. Everybody assumed, for example, that most women were virgins
when they married, yet Kinsey's surveys revealed that 50 percent of
women were doing the hoochie-koochie before they got hitched.

Kinsey
scandalized the country, and the only reason he wasn't dismissed as a
crank is that he walked and talked like he had a cork up his ass. This
was a buttoned-down professor of biology at a Midwestern university,
after all; a scientist who brought rigorous discipline to the 18,000
interviews his team conducted for the studies.

True to form,
puritanical America treated Kinsey's work with the same kind of
hypocrisy it reserved for sex: It denied his findings in public and
practiced them in private.

It's this schism in the American sexual psyche that "Peek" captures so brilliantly, especially in the women it portrays.

If you used a
sheet of paper to cover the photographed women from the neck down, in
most cases you couldn't possibly guess their bodies were naked, or that
the women wanted to be or were about to be shtupped. Page after page
after page, the facial expressions of these women do not come close to
matching the sexual posture of their bodies. You'd expect to see some expression of lust, ecstasy, desire -- anything to show us a spark of libido.

But you don't.
And the fact that you don't perfectly captures the Madonna (face)/whore
(body) dichotomy and the "nice girls don't, at least not in public"
mentality of the age -- most of the photographs in the book were taken
between the 1880s and the 1960s.

From the horny
to the hilarious, "Peek's" collection of photos parallels Kinsey's
greatest revelation about sex: There is no such thing as normal. In
fact, Kinsey cringed at the N word, concluding that sexuality fell into
a messy spectrum, not a neat and tidy either/or line.

True to Kinsey's
discovery, the photo collection reflects the full spectrum of human
sexuality. The good, the bad and the ugly meet the thin, the fat and
the snuggly. Straight and gay, male and female, chocolate kink and
plain vanilla -- you name it, it's in the book in one way or another.

There are 125
black-and-white photos in this remarkable collection, representing both
amateur and professional photography. That they exist at all is a
surprise to many. Kinsey did not broadcast the fact that he collected
erotica, because people already thought something was not quite right
about Professor Pervert. That's all he needed -- an already suspicious
public hampering his work over a couple of beaver shots.

His attempts at
collecting erotica faced huge obstacles. Federal obscenity laws and
public codes of morality blocked him at every turn. If Uncle Sam said,
"I want you," the government was afraid cousin Alfred would twist it to
mean "... in the worst way." Finally, in 1950, when a customs official
confiscated a package from Denmark, Kinsey took the customs bureau to
court and, well, sued the pants off them.

When the press
got hold of the case, they tarred and feathered Kinsey. The headline in
Kinsey's home paper blared, "'Science,' Says Kinsey: 'Dirty Stuff,'
Says U.S.'"

Could Kinsey
legally import sexual images for scientific use? Yes, the court ruled,
but with one proviso: No drooling allowed. Fifty years later, the
Kinsey Institute became the proud owner of perhaps the largest
collection of erotica in the world. "Peek" might have 125 pictures in
it, but the collection houses 75,000. "Peek's" pictures are meant for
public consumption, but professional photographers will get a chuckle
out of its insider references, according to Dennis Darling, director of
photography at the department of journalism in the University of Texas
in Austin.

Darling thinks
the wittiest is a takeoff on English photographer Eadweard Muybridge,
famous for settling a controversy in horse-racing circles as to whether
a trotting horse ever had all four feet off the ground at the same
time. Muybridge used a particular kind of motion grid in his
photographs of the racing horses. So does a certain picture in "Peek."
But instead of showing hooves pounding the ground, it shows a man
pounding his meat.

(By the way,
Muybridge proved horses do have all their hoofs off the ground at some
point in their gallop. It's unclear whether that's true in masturbating
men.)

Darling
paraphrases French photojournalist Henri Cartier-Bresson in describing
one of "Peek's" allures: "There is no such thing as a bad 40-year-old
photograph." Darling's right. The accouterment of an age gone by is a
compelling feature of "Peek." Sure, you see a woman giving head to a
guy, but eventually your eye wanders and you notice the guy's wearing
garters to hold up his socks. Who the hell wears garters when they're
getting blown? Exactly Darling's point.

"Peek's" main
failures, as with everything that documents sex, are the academic
gasbags that come with it. Do we really need long-winded prefaces and
prologues by chardonnay-swilling intellectuals who can't say gesundheit
without a dense dissertation on sneezing?

Well, of course
we do. It wouldn't be a Kinsey product if we didn't. After all, it was
Kinsey who put the yawn in spawn. Still, it really rankles to see such
compelling pictures bookended by such boring treatises. And to make
matters worse, the four academics were too busy pontificating to give
readers a little background on the pictures.

If you want to
know more about the stunning (and I mean stunning with a capital Pant)
cover picture, or any picture for that matter, good luck trying to find
it. Where is the information, the history, the context, the
photographer's intent, for the pictures you want to know about? The
academics were too busy with the Q&A to bother with the T&A.

Still, "Peek"
will pique your curiosity. It's an eyeful, a mouthful and, ultimately,
a masterful photographic depiction of human sexuality.

Its collection
of snapshots and professional photography of the nearly naked, the
fully naked and the please-God-don't-let-them-be-naked is slyly
compelling. Like sex itself, the photographs span the human experience
from carnality to frivolity. As Kinsey would never have put it, the
book is a hunka-hunka burnin' love.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

About the writer
Michael Alvear is the author of
"Slouching Through Gomorrah," a syndicated culture critique. He lives in Atlanta.

oooh very cool

Date:	December 8, 2005
Subject:	The Dalai Lama's Brother to Co-Teach at USF

The Dalai Lama's Brother to Co-Teach at USF in the Spring Attention Advisors and the USF Community: The youngest brother of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Tenzin Choegyal (also known as TC), will be co-teaching a segment of Fr. James Bretzke's "Pathways to Wisdom" class in the spring of 2006.  TC will be in the class from February 13th through March 6th. The information on the class is the following: 0128-393-02 Pathways to Wisdom, (MW 9:40 to 11:25). Please contact Dean Rader, Associate Dean for Arts and Humanities, if you have further questions.

from dirt E girl's blog...a very sad occurence.

The Fall

It's a very 50 year old socialite thing to do, but she's done it.

Her husband dumps her for another woman and she gets her face re-done.
So-Fucking-Sad. Her dad probably suggested it,
"Hey
Jess... have you noticed that all husbands leave their wives for chicks
with huge lips? Also? Your sister is looking hotter than you lately,
here's a check. Buy yourself a new face."

she SO didn't need to.

and it's true: the newlyweds are no more...

as reported by CNN:

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Jessica Simpson and
Nick Lachey, who turned mid-level music careers into a Hollywood
star-spangled marriage, have separated following months of persistent
breakup rumors.

The couple announced their separation Wednesday.

"After
three years of marriage, and careful thought and consideration, we have
decided to part ways," they said in a joint statement released by their
publicists. "This is the mutual decision of two people with an enormous
amount of respect and admiration for each other."

Calls seeking further comment from publicists Meredith O' Sullivan and Rob Shuter were not immediately returned early Thursday.

The
couple have been dogged by rumors that their marriage was in trouble --
Us Weekly reported that they split in an Oct. 17 issue -- but Simpson,
25, and Lachey, 32, brushed the speculation aside and insisted they
were still together.

In the December-January issue of Teen
People, which went on newsstands earlier this month, Simpson denied
rumors that the marriage was kaput.

"Hopefully mine and Nick's
story will continue for the rest of our lives, like what we vowed,
through sickness and in health," said Simpson, who famously professed
that she remained a virgin until she got married.

The couple wed
in October 2002, back when they were known simply as pop singers. But
Simpson hadn't achieved the multiplatinum successes of peers Britney
Spears and Christina Aguilera, while Lachey was a member of the boy
band 98 Degrees, which sold far fewer albums than such acts as 'N Sync
and Backstreet Boys.

The couple's reality show, "Newlyweds: Nick
& Jessica," which chronicled their daily lives in a new California
home, turned them into stars. The show, which ran for three seasons,
made Simpson infamous for her dippy-blonde moments, including the time
she confused the tuna she was eating for chicken, or when she eschewed
Buffalo wings because "I don't eat buffalo."

Simpson's star
status has begun to outshine Lachey's. She played Daisy Duke in this
summer's hit movie "The Dukes of Hazzard," and she endorses "Dessert,"
a beauty line that includes flavored body creams. Lachey, whose solo
album has had disappointing sales, appeared in some episodes of the
sitcom "Charmed."

Besides appearing in "Newlyweds," the couple
entertained U.S. troops earlier this year in the ABC special "Nick
& Jessica's Tour of Duty," and last year they hosted the ABC
variety special "Nick & Jessica's Family Christmas." A coffee table
book, "Jessica Simpson I Do: Achieving Your Dream Wedding," also was
released last year.

is this a step towards global equality?  i hope so.

A thingy from myspace

Go to this site

and upload a photo, it scans your face and tells you who you really look like.

Face recognition

My friend Ana got these results among many...which i think are pretty accurate:

.  AnaSofia - First photo Kate Winslet (58%)
.  AnaSofia (the sequel) -  Liv Tyler (67%)

so i decided to try...first i tried a photo with janet and i...there was no luck

they can't seem to find janet a match.
she's way too exotic and pretty to be matched.  JADE!!! you're beyond compare!

altho i did get 66% linda lovelace

66% charles bronson in this photo
 

( i think it's the small eyes...hahaha)
and 66% olivia newton-john
  

and 65 % jennifer lopez wierd. BUT FINALLY!!! THEY HAVE THEM!!  i've always wondered if anyone else noticed exhibit A .her circa "salinas" pre-glam make-over look

and her at the bulk of her fame

and for kicks...i also got meryl streep!  64%
  man i hope i age as fun as her.
64% cate blanchett

lol. so for kicks i tried a pik of me with no eye make up

the results:

68% lucille ball
63% cameron diaz
61% angelina jolie
56% beyonce knowles
and interesting lastly, 54% zhang ziyi

funny how i lastly look like an asian person. HAHAHAHAHA.

NOW this is FUN i did a pik of me AND scotty

SCOTT GOT:

67% michael jordon

65% jason biggs

62% helena bonham carter

59% jennifer connelly

58% jim carrey

(lol...scott can be quite the goofball)

54% eddy murphy

lol and the next one?  i don't get..
BUT....53% elton john
in this picture.

53% danny devito?!?!?!?!?!

and 52% cary grant

who also aged very gracefully. 

lol. my question is where is p diddy!! hahaha.

 and of course in the pik with hon...i got
64% beyonce knowles  (AGAIN?!?!?! i totally didn't think i looked like her)
64% annette bening
55% lucille ball
54% vivien leigh

and 53% anouk amiee
 

anouk aged gracefully....hope i age gracefully too.

hey..these are pretty people. i hope i can be old and pretty like them.

Subject: A Word To The Wise

As our civiization becomes more sophisticated...
Subject: FW: PLEASE READ - MESSAGE FROM CA HWY PATROL
Please keep this circulating...

You walk across the parking lot, unlock your car, and get inside. You start
the engine and shift into REVERSE, You look into the rearview mirror to back
out of your parking space and you notice a piece of paper stuck to the
middle of the rear window.

You shift into PARK, unlock your doors, jump out of your car and walk to the
rear to remove that paper (or whatever it is) that is obstructing your view.
When you reach the back of your car, that is when the car-jackers appear out
of no where, jump into your car and take off! Your engine was running and
they practically mow you down as they speed off in your car.

Guess what ladies? I bet your purse is still in the car...

BE AWARE OF THIS NEW SCHEME THAT IS NOW BEING USED.

Just drive away. Remove the paper that is stuck to your window - later.
Be thankful that you read this email. I hope you will forward this to
friends and family... especially to women!

A purse contains all of your identification, and you certainly do NOT want
someone getting your home address. They already HAVE your keys!

Lieutenant Tony Bartolome
Bureau of Investigations
Highway Patrol

hat's
your sign?" is more than just a tired old pick-up line. It's a question
grounded in some very good intentions: You can actually predict whom
you'll have good chemistry with based on the zodiac—not to mention
which folks are going to rub you the wrong way. While these are not
iron-clad rules, they are weirdly accurate. See for yourself:

Aries

Ready, willing and more than able, you're the fresh gimme-what-you-got
energy of the dating zodiac. You're wide open to love, but your
curiosity to see who might come next can keep you single for a long
time. With your next date, make an effort to slow things down—break
your usual pattern of moving on before you've even said goodnight.
Remember those important words: You can't hurry love.

Taurus

Ruled by Venus and totally loyal, you are perfect relationship
material. That is, once you've found The One. Your take-it-easy love
affair with your sofa can be a deterrent to dating and mating. As soon
as you're ready to move out there, though, love comes pretty naturally.
Then you'll have company back in the deep recesses of your couch.

Gemini

You are the best flirt in the zodiac, which makes it easy to date but
hard to mate. Your relationship ADD gets in the way of your secret
desire to settle down. There's an easy way to figure out who will keep
you interested long enough to commit: The one who makes you speechless.
When you can't produce a witty comeback, you've met your match.

Cancer

Deeply emotional, true and loyal, you have all anyone could want in a
soul mate. But you have to actually share those feelings out loud.
You're a master of taking in, evaluating and vetting all love
candidates, but when the real thing is front of you, untie that tongue.
You're shy on the first date, melting on the third, and often totally
devoted by the fifth.

Leo

The shining sun of vitality, Leo rules romance. Leos love to love
and—most of all—to be loved. You can charm the sparkle off a star, but
hey—is it worth it? You'll know real love is for tender moments, not
the big laughs. Wait until the after the second date to see if you feel
more than just amused. Then go for it.

Virgo

As the quick-learner and power mind of the zodiac, you know you only
like a certain kind of soul. Being selective and secure is easy for
you, but once you commit, it's all over. You'll do anything for the one
you love but will that person do the same for you? Let yourself fall,
and make sure your sweetie is there to pick you up. It's an honest test.

Libra

Natural as breathing, love and partnership are must-haves in your life.
You can't settle for the first relationship you have, but can you walk
away without something better lined up? Being in between relationships
isn't worse than death. Treat those rare moments you're single as
merely waiting for an upgrade. Patience brings its rewards.

Scorpio

Intense is a word that only begins to describe you. You possess
full-throttle passion and need to share it. On a date, you're either
misleadingly easy-going or silent, stealthy and — frankly — a little
scary. Here's how to proceed: Only date someone who totally hits your
"tilt" button and makes you giddy—then it won't matter how you behave.
You'll be happy.

Sagittarius

You're an adventurer, a seeker, and a love-'em-and-leave-'em type.
Romance is only a fraction of your playground, but finding love
requires more attention. The right mate will fearlessly hop aboard your
train and ride along with you. But remember: You have to slow down to
pick someone up.

Capricorn

Romance is not a priority in general, but when you set your mind to it,
you're a very successful and practical dater. Your tendency to turn a
date into an interview, though, can undermine a sincere attraction. Try
to trust that your happy ending will come even if you don't have total
creative control.

Aquarius

Your problem isn't landing love; it's dumping it when it's over. You
need freedom like others need oxygen, but you're so considerate you'll
suffocate before hurting someone. It's more compassionate to move on
than it is to fake it or make due with lukewarm feelings. You'll know
when you've found the right mate when you can really breathe again.

Pisces

If there's perfect love, you'll find it, but you'll have to wake up
from those daydreams. Yes, it's a downer when your first perfect date
is followed by sort-of-OK second one, but that's no excuse to give up
and rush back to fantasyland. Dive a little deeper — say, at least four
dates — before you toss a fish back and look for a better one.

To really love a woman,
To understand her,
You've got to know her deep inside
Hear every thought,
See every dream,
And give her wings when she wants to fly
Then when you find yourself lying helpless in her arms,
You know you really love a woman

CHORUS:

When you love a woman,
You tell her that she's really wanted
When you love a woman,
You tell her that she's the one
She needs somebody, to tell her that it's gonna last forever
{2nd}(She needs somebody, to tell her that you'll always be
together)
So tell me have you ever really...really, really ever loved a
woman

2nd VERSE

To really love a woman,
Let her hold you,
Till you know how she needs to be touched
You've got to breathe her, really taste her
Till you can feel her in your blood
And when you see your unborn children in her eyes
You know you really love a woman

BRIDGE:

You've got to give her some faith,
Hold her tight, a little tenderness
You've got to treat her right
She will be there for you taking good care of you
You really gotta love your woman

And when you find yourself lying helpless in her arms,
You know you really love a woman

fwd-ing an email about driving in the rain:

NEVER KNEW THIS BEFORE. 

I wonder how many people know about this?
   
A 36 year old female had an accident several weeks ago and totaled her car.
   
A resident of Kilgore, Texas, she was traveling
between
Gladewater & Kilgore. It was raining, though   not excessively,
when her car suddenly began to  hydroplane and literally flew through
the air. She was not seriously injured but very stunned at the sudden
occurrence!
   
When she explained to the highway patrolman
what had happened he told her something that every driver  should know 
- NEVER DRIVE IN THE RAIN WITH YOUR CRUISE CONTROL ON. She had thought
she  was being cautious by setting the cruise control and  maintaining
a safe consistent speed in the rain. 
   
But the highway patrolman told her that if the
cruise
control is on and your car begins to hydroplane --  when your tires
lose contact with the pavement, your car will accelerate to a higher
rate of speed and you take off like an airplane. She told the patrolman
that  was exactly what had occurred.
   
The highway patrol
estimated her car was actually traveling through the air at 10 to 15
miles per hour  faster than the speed set on the cruise control.
   
The
patrolman said this warning should be listed, on the driver's seat
sun-visor - NEVER USE THE  CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE PAVEMENT IS WET OR
ICY, along with the airbag warning. We tell  our teenagers to set the
cruise control and drive a safe speed - but we don't tell them to use
the cruise control  only when the pavement is dry.

The only
person the accident victim found, who knew this (besides the
patrolman), was a man who had  had a similar accident, totaled his car
and sustained severe injuries.

If you send this to 15 people and
only one of them doesn't know about this, then it was all worth it. You
might have saved a life. 

please drive safely!!

----
i just have to say THANK YOU HUNNY!

i LOVE my HP deskjet 6800. LOVE.