Feliz Cumpleanos Daniel!!!!

Feliz Cumpleanos Daniel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(A day late: February 26th!!!)
Hope you had a great day!! Mucho Besitos!!

Computer Down!! :((

Computer at home is down until next week (fingers crossed!!!)

I wanted to post about the ladies skate too :((
Was some awsome skating. Our ladies did better than our men!
I thought the end all was very fair and well deserved!
What an honor for the Japanese woman: she was wonderful!
Wished Sasha skated as well as the short program but she held it together and got silver!! Good for her! I'm glad Irina made it up on the podium too. I thought she'd be taking gold...
Ok... hope to be back soon!!

Plushenko Gold!

Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland: SILVER, Evgeni Plushenko of Russia: GOLD, and Jeffrey Buttle of Canada: BRONZE
Just as I knew it would happen :) Plushenko took the gold!
Was upsetting about Johnny Weir not even making the podium :(
I thought for sure he'd at least be up there!!
I so wanted to see him get up there!! His short program was so incredible!
I thought he skated wonderfully, but as Scott Hamilton said, "He gave away too many points." Johnny looked sooo bummed... as was I for him...
I hope he'll be back in 4 years!
Was really nice to see Evan Lysacek from the US skate a much better program compaired to the short! Think he placed 5th! (?)
Well.. guess it's onto the ladies now on Tuesday!!
I'll finally catch up on some laundry now the next few days ;-)
Good for you Plushenko: you deserve it :)

The men's short!!

Wow! Plushenko and Weir skated SO well! The two best of the evening in my humble opinion! I also really enjoyed Lambiel who skated last.. and ironically, these are the top 3 as of right now!
First: Evgeni Plushenko of Russia 90.66
Second: Johnny Weir of US 80.00
Third: Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland 79.04
I have never even heard of Lambiel from Switzerland but I enjoyed him immensely!! Man, his spins were the best I've seen.. (reminds me Todd Elderidge:)
As much as I love both Plushenko and Weir, (and I think it's Plushenko's turn at gold,) I have to admit, I liked Weir's performance a lot LOT better! He didn't have Plushenko's quad/triple combo - so that's why he's in first right now- but Weir had everything else Plushenko didn't: TOTAL artistic grace, smoothness, and a real natural organic flow. He had a theme/story that went with his choreography, costume, and music.. something we're not seeing as much these days- which seems as if it's becoming a lost art. He did perform his triple/triple perfectly!! :) Phushenko's choreography didn't fit the music at all and he just landed all the required jumps in the first 2 minutes of his program (which were of course out of this world). His energy was of course- absolutely supreme and his spins incredible and his foot-work was the best I've ever seen.. but to me, I felt it still lacked something. After seeing Weir, and the more I thought about it, I wasn't buying Plushenko's total package as much as Weirs. It didn't have the same full rounded quality.
I guess I'm a bit torn right now. We still have the freeskate Thursday, so we'll have to see how that goes.. but I'm feeling a tug towards Johnny Weir more so now although Plushenko really also deserves the gold this time around too. I already know nothing will stop Plushenko from gold and I already know he WILL get it. As Scott Hamilton said, "The only that could stop Pluskenko from winning the gold is if he missed the bus!" LOL... true true true! But who knows what could or will happen.. one never knows..
What I do know is that we are in for one hell of a skate :)
I SO look foward to it!

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!!!

SHE walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies,
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meets in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which Heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress
Or softly lightens o'er her face,
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek and o'er that brow
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent.

Lord Byron.........

Russian pair takes gold again

I was rooting for China's Xue & Zhao... at least they got the bronze :)















Russian's Marinin's take gold...













And the incredibly brave China's Zhang & Zhang took silver...













Just 3 amazing stories, 3 amazing pairs! (three of a perfect pair!)
All 3 pairs coming from serious injuries! With China's Hao Zhang's injury happening tonight when she fell incredily hard on her knee after attempting - a never done before - quad throw! We weren't even sure she would get back up but she somehow gracefully did and they got the silver (with her knee all ice bandaged up!) I so admire her! What a hard life they have had... which includes not seeing their families since they were about 13 years old! I give them so much credit!! Standing ovation!
Zhao from China just overcame a torn archellies on his ankle 6 months ago.. ouch!!
And then Maxim, from Russia, accidentally dropped Tatiana on her head while on a lift a while back which left her unconscious for several minutes on the ice and with a severe concusion. (Man I saw that live when it happened too and my heart just sank!!!!)
Watching those three up on the podium taking their metals tonight left me just breathless and all with tears in their eyes...
So to be admired and so completely respected....













The US pairs tried that triple axle again tonight but she couldn't hold on :(
They did place like 6th though I believe and that is just incredible! :)

Monday night!!! Men's short program! 8pm!
I am rooting for both Evgeni Plushenko from Russia (he so deserves the gold; it's his time!!)



















But I also love and adore US Johnny Weir!



















I adore them both so so much!!!
That's going to be a hard one to watch!!
I am sure they will both medal... (fingers and toes crossed;)

Happy Birthday Peter Gabriel!!!!

Happy Birthday Peter!!!! You are SO loved!!!

Peter Gabriel's Website

Peter Gabriel's Real World Studio

Happiness & sadness in one day

Did anyone see the US pairs Inoue & Baldwin land the first triple axel EVER in pairs skating?? THAT put them into 5th place!!! Just outstanding!!!! First couple to skate too!! Wish I had a pic of that! I did find this death spiral pic though :)
************************************************************************















Figure skater Michelle Kwan pulled out officially today.
:((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
Man, my heart just broke into a million pieces.....
Her injury worsened during practice..
What an difficult honorable thing to do...
I was so teary just watching the highlights of her career before...
I was so looking forward to watching her skate & compete this Olympics..
She was really due to win her gold medal..
It's not the same without her.. we will feel the loss of her presence.


So that brings Long Island, New York native Emily Hughes on a plane to Italy to replace Michelle.
Sister to Gold medalist figure skater, Sarah Hughes :)
I hope she skates well :) I hope a part of her skates for Michelle.

















Gold Medal for the US 'Flying Tomato' Shaun White on Pipe!!!!
19 years old and so adorable :-)

Pairs free skate concludes Monday night!

Let The Games Begin :))

Awsome 2006 Opening Ceremonies!!!! Peter Gabriel singing John Lennon's "Imagine" was sooo incredible!!!!!!!!!! What a nice secret surprise!! :)) Gotta get a image of that on here :) That was the best part!! I was also surprised and happy to see Isabel Allende from Chile helping to carry the Olympic Flag! I like Susan Sarandon but don't know why she was picked. I know she's political and famous and all but anybody else would have been a better choice...

C'mon Michelle Kwan!!!
C'mon Bode Miller!!!
C'mon Shaun White!!!
Pairs tomorrow :)
I'll be snowed in all weekend so it's Olympic watching for me :)

Visit Torino's Offical Website HERE

Visit NBC's Coverage HERE

Alan Holdsworth May 13th!!!!!!!

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are SOOOOOO there!!!!!!!!!

Jazz/Rock Guitarist
ALLAN HOLDSWORTH
Featuring Jazz/Rock Drummer
Chad Wackerman
Imac, Huntington

Visit the IMAC HERE

Visit Alan Holdsworth's web site HERE

On Saturday, May 13th, 2006 at 8PM, the Inter-Media Art Center (also known as “IMAC”) in Huntington, Long Island will present a concert with jazz and rock guitarist Allan Holdsworth. His band will also feature the phenomenally talented jazz/rock drummer Chad Wackerman.

Allan Holdsworth is widely regarded by fans and contemporary musicians as one of the 20th century’s most prominent guitarists. He is one of a handful of musicians who has consistently proven himself as an innovator in between and within the worlds of rock and jazz music. Despite the uncompromising nature of Holdsworth’s predominantly genre-defying solo projects, he’s no stranger to all-star jazz festival line-ups or large venue rock audiences. Musician Magazine placed Holdsworth near the top of their “100 Greatest Guitarists of all Time”. An inductee of Guitar Player Magazine’s Hall of Fame, Holdsworth is a five-time winner in their readers’ poll.

Holdsworth has dedicated his energies to develop many different aspects of guitar technology. This has included new “baritone” variations of the instrument, his custom 6-string designs (one most recently manufactured by Carvin), the invention of electronic components for the recording studio, and exploring the possibilities of guitar-based synthesizer controllers.

A phenomenally skilled jazz and rock drummer, Chad Wackerman’s career began in 1978 with the Bill Watrous band. Since then he has amassed a remarkable body of work including a seven year association with Frank Zappa. He has also recorded 6 albums and toured with guitar legend Allan Holdsworth, played on the “One Voice” album with Barbara Streisand, and recorded albums and toured with artists as diverse as Steve Vai, Men at Work, Ed Mann, Albert Lee, Dweezil Zappa, Tom Grant, James Taylor, Joe Sample, John Patitucci and Bill Bruford.

Bill and Mimi Seay

My mom stopped by my work just yesterday for a hug, although with sad news. She came to tell me about the surprising unknown deaths of her two friends, Bill and Mimi Seay. My mom meet Bill and Mimi years ago while working at George Dunlap Printing. Bill was a well known artist and cartoonist and after years of working with and seeing him, they became good friends, including Bill's wife, Mimi. They would have my mom over for dinner on occasions through the years- as well as take her out to Fire Island to their beach home for the weekends. Bill also drew numerous cartoons for and of my mom and every Christmas would give her one. My favorite drawing he did of and for her is when she was out in Fire Island with them: She's sitting on the beach in her bathing suit and sunglasses on her towel, with her hair in pigtails :-). (and this was only a few short years ago! lol) She has it framed in her apartment as well as a few others he did for her.

So, this past Christmas of 2005, she didn't receive one. She thought that was very strange because he always sends her a drawing as well as their usual annual Christmas cards. She hadn't seen them in a while {with lots going on in our busy families lives}.. and started to get concerned. They lived close by, in Greenlawn, so she decided to stop by. When she got to their home she noticed a lot of work going on inside and outside of their house. She said she knew something was wrong and her heart just sank. She knocked on the door and someone came and let her in. She said all the furniture was gone, the grand piano, the paintings, and fireplace couches that they used to fondly sit around. The man she spoke with didn't speak very much English so she briefly left and went next door to the neighbors to ask, "Where is Bill and Mimi?" The neighbor informed her that BOTH Bill and Mimi had passed away last January. My mom asked what happened??
Bill and Mimi went to bed on January 6th, and when Bill woke up, he found Mimi had passed away next to her. Bill was so devastated that he didn't want to live without her, so he went into their garage, started the car up, and committed suicide from the carbon monoxide poisoning the following day.

My mom then went back over to their house and once again was let in. The man said, there was a painting upstairs that was going to be thrown out and asked her if she wanted it. My mom said of course! and so my mom received one more of Bills' beautiful (JC Penny) paintings that was left for the unknowing garbage!!. She had it all wrapped up in her hands when I saw her. She said, "I have never in my entire life known two people who were more in love than Bill and Mimi; that they were inseparable and always laughing and incredibly in love."

Just such horrible horrible sad beautiful tragic news. Beautiful because Bill and Mimi were married for 60 years, and truly in love. So much, that Bill couldn't - didn't want to live without Mimi. So much that he ended his life because of their devotion and love. I was just so moved. Of course I was deeply saddened by their deaths, and my mom's sadness, but I also found myself in a quiet moment of awe and said, My God, that IS love. I know it probably sounds ironic to say in light of the horrible circumstances.. and love is certainly not defined because of just that.. but what happened is just so gigantically fragile and tragic, and I have to say, kind of Shakespearian. I know I can relate.
So, all this has been on my mind, and of course, reaches down into the deep depth of my soul, reminding me even more so, of how precious life is, love is. And what love IS.. although I don't think love can or will ever be truly defined even though many have tried. (And the closest person to come to defining the definitions & terms of love being the beautiful, late, Leo Buscaglia IMHO.)

We never ever know what will happen. Life is what happens while making other plans. I know I woke up weepy early this morning before the alarm clock went off, although I don't really know why. We do know the cliche though: that we should never take a single day for granted. But days go by and most people sadly do, through the hustle and bustle and busybacksoon of life, and I see it ALL the time. And then something like this happens, something happens 'close' to you: and you are there realizing once again. And I wonder why it always has to take something 'close to us' to make us so briefly remember that little cliche. Not that one should live life in fear or walk around in the clouds leading some sort of perfect humbling life.. or not that everyone lives unconsciously unaware, but just have some core root, or value somewhere inside that is silent yet always known, felt, and alive on a daily basis. Something so simple as never taking our love, our relationships, our lives, even this Earth, for granted. Maybe I wish for the impossible, maybe I wish for too much. Maybe, in a perfect world. I hear and see and observe many people around me, and I have to admit, most irk the shit out of me sometimes. My head is tilted and I just don't understand them sometimes. I hear so many relational complaints.. so many quarrels, so much bickering. Like they are waiting for something else to happen, something bigger to happen or come along. Bob McDonald perfectly comes to mind as I feel this. And I quote:

"Most of our living is routine. Not exciting, not memorable. Most living is unfulfilled, between fulfillments, waiting for something to happen. We mark the periods, the eras, the major portions of our lives by events, happy events, sad events. Graduation, marriage, our children, losses. And looking back over decades, there aren't that many. Most living is between fulfilling events, marker times. Most people, most of us live unfulfilled lives: they aren't empty (sometimes they can feel empty,) but they look forward to fulfillment. So we often feel like we are waiting for something to happen."
He couldn't have said it any more perfect and someday I will probably post that tiny transcript here :)

So pretty much almost daily, I honestly sometimes find myself annoyed by peoples attitudes.
So many people are so blessed and don't even realize it. I guess that's probably why the divorce rate is so high! And I am tired of hearing people bad mouth their children, boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, wives, ex's, even friends. Little comments, big complaints.. and tired of them when trying to relate this crap onto my values. To me, it's disheartening, even disrespectful. My advice: don't let them grab your second attention!

It's hard to know what to say, except this is Bill and Mimi's story, and it is such a story of giants. Maybe it is a story, each can hopefully, maybe find reflected inside. To admire, inspire and respect. It is certainly an incredibly sad and gentle reminder to love those we hold dear to us and to not only tell them but show them also at times. To live our lives together as best as we can, give as much as we can, love as much as we can. To count the blessings we receive everyday and have gratitude towards those we love. To laugh, hold hands, have fun, and even eat cookies or Dove Bars or whatever together :). To be open and to share and to honor one another. To remember the little things, as well as DO the little things. To love unconditionally and unselfishly. Even to risk. And to live fully and to wait well because one never knows what can or will happen.

May we all be as blessed as Bill and Mimi were. May we all find love and gratitude in those around us, and in ourselves.

I only found one article online in tribute to Bill:

Bill Seay, Artist and FI Original, RememberedVolume 49, Issue 3 By David Crohn
Bill Seay, a painter and illustrator whose whimsical lines and bold, beachy colors captured Fire Island's unique spirit, died on January 7 at his home in Greenlawn, Long Island. He was 83.
Seay's art was best known to some from the front page of this publication, his big-eyed and wily cats, dogs and deer prowled the covers week after week for more than a decade. He also hand-drew the distinctively tapered, buoyant lettering that graces the titles of many of the paper's community columns.
The inspiration for the women in his art - his "muse," he used to call her - was his wife of 60 years, Mimi, who died a day before him from a heart attack. Her face can be seen in those of many of the lithe, bikini-clad sunbathers who appear in his paintings, smiling and stretched out on towels or in the sand.
In addition to The Fire Island News, Seay contributed to Playboy in its early years, as well as Motor Trend. Earlier in his career he created stock art for Myer Both in Chicago, which sold his work to countless publications. "Every little newspaper in America was using Bill Seay illustrations," said his son, Martin, who survives him. He is also survived by a grandson, Erik.
Seay was a local celebrity in the New York cartoonists' community as both the head of the Long Island chapter of the National Cartoonists Society and a member of the Berndt Toast Society, an irreverent group of cartoonists and satirists that lunched monthly to talk shop and exchange one-liners. In a 2001 New York Times story about the group, Seay was quoted describing his technique: "I start with a great last line and build to it," he said.
Those who knew him remember him as "talented,""sweet," a "freethinker," "an artist all the way," and someone who would "do his darndest to come through for you."
Speaking of both Bill and Mimi Seay at a Cherry Grove memorial service last month, Reverend Charles Whipple said, "They captured the special spirit of Fire Island. We will miss his pen and brush."
William Thomas Seay was born Oct. 13, 1921, in Havana, Ill., the first child of Lee, an engineer, and Loretta, a homemaker. His grandfather, James Thomas, was a Civil War veteran who fought under General Sherman during his March to the Sea.
Seay displayed a prodigious talent at an early age ("He was born loving to draw," his son said), and was publishing political cartoons in his hometown paper while still in high school. After earning a BFA from the University of Illinois, Seay married Mimi, his high school sweetheart, and moved to Chicago.
In 1966 Seay accepted a position at the J.C. Penney Catalog as an art director. The family relocated to New York, where Bill and Mimi lived in Greenlawn and - after discovering a naked beachgoer with a monkey during a daytrip - started vacationing in Fire Island's Cherry Grove. The community was then a bohemian hotspot, a haven for artists and iconoclasts of every stripe.
Bill fit right in, said Barbara Ann Levy, whose Cherry Grove gallery showed Seay's work in the late 1990s. "[He had] an enormous love for Cherry Grove and the freedom the beach gave us. [He was] open to experimentation, freethinking, but also very much a family man. You can see his free thinking, bohemian sensibility in his artwork."
Like many downtown artists of the time, Seay, an avowed Francophile who enjoyed trips to the Continent with his wife - looked to Paris for inspiration. According to Levy, a Parisian sensibility can be seen in his direct approach, with its crosshatching, striking use of black and white, and the clarity of his marks. "[It was] special to the time period, the 50s and 60s," Levy said. "[It's] not something you would see today."
And while Seay had his influences, he always used them to make his work his own by focusing on what he saw around him - the people and inimitable spirit of Fire Island, and especially Cherry Grove. One painting (the cover of the June 1-7, 2001 issue) depicts a mustachioed Grovite preparing for the Invasion by dressing up his garden scarecrow in pearls, a long dress and a sash; the July 23-29, 1999 issue features a voluminous array of sea creatures, from grinning rainbow fish to a leering shark.
His relationship with the News began shortly after he retired in 1988, when Seay, always prolific and active, sought new channels for his work. He sent samples to the News in 1988. Several months later the paper called to ask him to do the cover for the very next edition.
"She wanted it by Sunday!" exclaimed Seay. "And this was Thursday. So I delivered it to her in Ocean Beach on Sunday."
From 1988 until 2000, he contributed more than 150 cover portraits to the paper.
Nicole Pressly, the paper's current editor in chief and publisher, said: "Bill's love of his wife Mimi is a true love story. They were inseparable - always laughing together as if they were in on a secret about the world. When I first bought the paper, it was so difficult transitioning from writer to publisher. The Seays' support made all the difference.
"They were always positive, loving and supportive. Nothing, even the craziness of Fire Island, could shake them. Actually, it may have been that off-beat hilarity that Fire Island often has that originally lured them here. It isn't the same without them."