Hummingbird Mind

Tragic: Heath Ledger

The news of Heath Ledger's death shocked me as any death of a young person does.  I'm saddened by the coverage of some media outlets -- speculative, tawdry.  A young father, obviously anxious and struggling with some demons is dead.  Isn't that awful enough?

I first saw him in The Patriot, but as the  mother of teenage girls, his voice and image were present in our t.v. room -- a lot. I caught him in other movies. Ten Things I Hate About You (a modernized version of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew) and A Knight's Tale.  I was as stunned by his performance in Brokeback Mountain as others were and not surprised he was nominated for an Academy Award.

My thoughts today are focused on his family, especially his daughter, Matilda, only two years old. It was clear from pictures and interviews, how important she was to him.  So sad.  All of it.

I think I'll just think of happier times, like this sweet one:

My Blogging Addiction Index

Thanks to Jer for this:

77%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Find your Match at JustSayHi

It surprised me.  I didn't think I was that addicted and I tried to be conservative. Is this good or bad?

Happy New Year Revolutions

I like revolting more than I like resolving. I plan on turning things upside down in 2008. I started this new approach to life last weekend.

Cricket and I drove out to the Eastern Shore last Saturday morning. I wanted to spend some time with Dad since I wouldn't be with him on New Year's Eve (he had a party to attend!) and I'd offered to paint the bathroom in his den. It's been a long time since I painted anything.

My original plan was to paint Saturday afternoon, touch up Sunday a.m. and drive home Sunday evening.  For the first time in a long time, I just let all my plans go and went with the flow. First, painting a teeny little bathroom while perched with one foot on the toilet and the other on a ladder wedged into a corner required muscle action I don't have anymore. Second, we worked on Dad's genealogy project in between coats.  (I think we've discovered a bigamy gene in my family tree).

I was so tired and so relaxed that I stayed until New Year's Eve.  Then, once I did leave, I decided to head East rather than West to see the ocean.  I fought the voice in my head that kept saying, "You should get home" with my own "Why? What's happening there?" I started in Ocean City and drove up the Coastal Highway.  It took me about four hours longer to get home than it should have, but I didn't care. It was great.

I've got to take more road trips.  If you want to see some pictures taken through the dirty windshield, click here.