Live for today
Love for tomorrow,
And laugh at all your yesterdays.
Never regret the past,
Always hope for the future,
And cherish every moment you have.

No More Bath and Body Works

A Funny story by Velma Clements-Jones on Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 3:27am

No more Bath and Body Works!!! A few days ago we are in Wal-Mart and some man keeps reaching around me, messing with the SAME grilling utensils every time, before finally putting his hand on my shoulder and telling me he's not used to being stalked by such good smelling women (he was also in the deodorant section when we were). I told him that he was on to my evil plan. I was going to overwhelm  him with my scent, snatch him up, throw him in the trunk of my car, and take him home.

Today, the neighbor stopped by. Invited me to view his garden. Offered me some deer sausage. Invited me to ride the 4-wheeler and go exploring the neighborhood. Invited me to go fishing. Invited me to check out his fire pit. Spoke to my son-in-law later on and told him about talking with me and having me check out his garden. Tonight, he was LOUDLY singing "Good night sweetheart, sleep tight, where ever you are" while looking straight up the hill towards my house.

A few weeks ago the steak man proposed. :(

The only logical conclusion is that my new bath scents are luring them in. It's like bait! That crap has got to go! Because here lately Zoey has been using MY shower and MY bath products. Can't have the sharks circling my 13 year old.

It's either that or the fact that the Maltese AND the Pomeranian are both in heat and I now have scientific proof that men are truly dogs. I'm trying to be positive...No bath and body works!

Louisiana Architecture: Claiborne Parish Courthouse

Another Report by Velma Clements-Jones March 16

              

                              Louisiana Architecture and Art.....

    Growing up in Louisiana, I have spent my life surrounded by a richness of art and culture, whether I realized it or not. Many homes are designed in the antebellum style which brings to mind romance and fantasy. The antebellum style also has been incorporated into many other buildings across the state, such as the Claiborne Parish Courthouse. The lawn surrounding the square is lush and well-manicured. Each outer wall of the building is adorned with grand staircases leading to the upper level of this two story building. The entire building is surrounded by stout, stark-white columns that extend gracefully from the ground, reaching up to provide support for the roof.
    The Parish Courthouse is often considered the heart of the parish. To signify this, the building was designed to sit in the heart of downtown, the courthouse in the middle surrounded by one-way streets, and the opposite side of the street being lined with quaint shops. The building grounds are elevated above street level and appear to loom over the surrounding businesses. This style seems to accentuate the importance of the building while the design is to protect the building in case of flooding. The grand sweeping staircases, while being distinctly beautiful, are also functional in the event of flooding and emergencies; providing easy access for boats, or sturdy, secure exit routes in emergency. The building is graceful, charming, and stylish and creates a warm, inviting atmosphere for the people who work there, or are there to conduct official business. This type of architecture is an imitation of ancient Greek/Roman architecture (Ballinger, 2006). The huge, stout columns are symbolic of power, and a testimony to the fact that our laws have strong roots in Roman law, with Latin remaining the primary language of legal authority (“Roman Power”, n.d.).
     I am not often in the habit of considering a building as a work of art but for the purpose of this assignment I approached the project, not as a building, but as a work of art, to see it with new eyes. I observed the building from all angles, taking notes and pictures, while trying to interpret form and functionality. With that thought in mind, the building seemed to take on a new life. The previous paragraphs described the aesthetic beauty of the building, but you can also make out the details of form and function. The aspects, such as the columns and staircases appear to be beautiful appendages on the building and yet they have function. The form of the building is inviting and charming, and yet proclaims power. This aura of power inspires those who enter to be on their best behavior, evoking reverence and a solemn demeanor.

Painter....Conrad Abrizio

Report by Velma Clements-Jones March 16 for one of her College Classes.....I enjoy reading things Velma writes and have her permission to share this....Plus its about Louisiana History..

      Conrad Abrizio, originally from New York,

has made quite a name for himself in the state of Louisiana.

The Union Passenger Terminal lobby is home to his last frescos, consisting of four huge panels;

one of the largest collections in the U.S. at the time of completion in 1957. (Irvin, 2009).

     Albrizio worked in true frescos, applying pigment to the texture and then applying the tinted plaster, much the same as the Italian masters in the 15th and 16th centuries (Irvin, 2009). He was commissioned to create a number of frescos for various state buildings and in 1937 he painted his first mural in Russellville, Arkansas; Rural Free Delivery (Cowan, 2010).
     Conrad Abrizio worked with a variety of medias, not only working in frescos and murals, but also doing canvas paintings, composition, etching, lithography, and mosaics; being commissioned to construct a mosaic to cover the bullet holes in the hallway where Huey P. Long was shot, which later was installed in the Louisiana Supreme Court Building (Cowan, 2010).

    Abrizio’s style was impressionistic as seen in his oil painting “Jordan”; depicting an African-American baptism. This piece of work captured my eye because the scene is alive with religious spirit. The people, on the banks of the river, are in the throes of the Holy Spirit moving amongst them, as they witness this person dedicating their life to Christ. His perspective is not to create a true likeness to actual people; adding harsh lines and details to the facial structure and sensual roundness to the body form. The viewer perspective appears to be from a point above the group, which also appears to be elevated away from the bodies in the water. The bodies displayed in the forefront also have a skewed perspective away from the center of the picture as well, growing smaller as it progresses from the central figures.

Japan and Mother Nature

On Saturday, March 11th, 2011 in the early morning hours Japan and her proud people took on an undertaking not seen since WWII....

                           ******A 9.0 Earthquake****** 

It set off Mother Nature and all her furry on the
Northern Eastern Coast of Japan....
This quake (only the 5th strongest known) set off a massive tsunami that would wipe out towns, fishing villages, business's
                                  ******"LIVES"...******
30 ft walls of water....6...."SIX MILES" inland engulfed the Japanese People and their homes...
10's of 1000's of people are expected to have died in this natural disaster .

People have
NO WATER....
NO FOOD....
NO SHELTER.....
NO HOMES OR JOBS
OR FAMILIES TO GO BACK TO

Towns and Communities COMPLETELY wiped off the Map....

Then on top of all this..
Japan 's Nuclear Plants (how Japan gets MOST of their Electricity)
in the defastated areas are in
MELT DOWN.....In other words...Radiation exposure...

The World's 3rd strongest economy....
The top most Technocology Country ....
One of the few TOTALLY self-suficiate countries....
They have built for natural disasters ...
Tsunami  & Earthquake Drills are a norm....

If they "Can Not" get it right....
How can the rest of us have any hope.....
"GOD BLESS THE JAPANESE NATION & HER STRONG PEOPLE...