louise on the left (coast)

Thoseof us living here in Southern California who have also lived in Vermont know what a shock news of Hurricane Irene's floods there was. In a place with as much unspeakable beauty and quiet history as Vermont has, news of this kind of violent destruction there is almost unthinkable. However, the truth is everything changes. Sometimes change is gradual and predicted, sometimes not. Treasure each fleeting moment on this planet. Embrace and release all that which you love, whom you love, and in this particlar case, where you love -- for surely we cannot hold on to everything. We are all in motion. My heart goes out to everyone in Vermont who is now having to pick up the pieces of their homes, towns and roads. May they carry every treasured memory in their hearts with them. And, I might add -- May our political leaders TAKE HEED. Our environment is ALL IMPORTANT. IF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION MAKES ME CONSERVATIVE: I'M A CONSERVATIVE. STOP GLOBAL WARMING.

This is someone else's photo album of Broad Brook Road in Algiers-Guilfored, Vt. Folder of photos captures some lovely views of a tiny corner of the world where my folks still live. So beautiful there.

I have an odd trajectory through life, I live in Southern California now, but was born in New Orleans and parents moved to Southern Vermont when I was in elementary school.  They live there still. Hurricane season broke my heart with Katrina and this year's season breaks my heart with news of catastrophic damage in Vermont, too, today. Brattleboro Reformer Video of Sunday August 28th Damage Breaking: More video footage of Vermont flooding Substantial link with Southern Vermont damage Here is a link with some extremely heartbreaking images of Irene's damage there. "In Brattleboro, where several businesses along Main Street flooded when the Whetstone Brook overflowed, Carolyn Gregory said people had been shocked by the amount of water on the ground. “ People thought the storm had totally wimped out,” she said, “but then all the flooding started. It was unbelievable .” " Horrible.

A few train stops through some of my favorite cities via Eurythmic's "This City Never Sleeps" Possibly my favorite version: New York (fast) New York, Paris... New Orleans I guess it's just a feeling...

SPIELBERG'S LIST This list makes its way around town from time to time. It's Steven Spielberg's List of "Movies You Have To See To Work Here." Watch all these films if you want to talk shop with Steven Spielberg. If you want to be in the movie business you damn well better know all the best movies by heart and be able to articulate what makes them great. Knowing these films will give you a deeper understanding of how the best directors in history have used moving pictures to tell stories. Make a serious study of the framing and composition of each shot, the writing, the sound, the lighting, and the emotional content. GENRE TITLE DIRECTOR ACTORS Sci Fi 2001 Stanley Kubrick Gary Lockwood French 400 Blows Francios Truffaut Jean-Pierre Leaud Italian 8 1/2 Federico Fellini Marcello Mastroianni Comedy Adam's Rib George Cukor Katherine Hepburn, Judy Holliday, Spencer Tracy Crime Al Capone Richard Wilson Rod Steiger Drama Alfie Lewis Gilbert Michael Ca