Daniel Wayne Smith, R.I.P.

Just as Anna Nicole Smith was recovering from the birth of a healthy baby girl, her adult son, Daniel Wayne Smith, 20 years old, passed away in her hospital room.

My heart truly goes out to Ms. Smith, who obviously loved her son very much. You could practically feel the love that she poured out on him in her reality television show, and the numerous interviews she gave, in which she mentioned him. Ms. Smith had given birth to Daniel when she was only a teenager, and raised him as a single mother. One can sort of assume that they grew up together.

Daniel was respectful and close to his somewhat unconventional mother, even helping her to break her addiction to pain pills. He flew out to the Bahamas to see her immediately after she gave birth to his new baby sister.

While it's always sad when a relative dies, there is nothing worse than the pain of young death. I'm so sorry that Ms. Smith has to face this tragedy in her life. I hope that her new daughter helps her to recover from this tragic loss.

R.I.P.

September 11

I'll never forget the September 11. My husband was watching morning television for the traffic report, but it didn't come. We saw, instead, footage of planes crashing into buildings.

Fortunately our court hearings were cancelled that morning. I just don't think I could have lasted the day at work. I was in almost total shock. Thousands of innocent people had just died senseless, horrible deaths. I was so relieved to not have to go to work--there is no way I could have worked myself up to squabble with clients about their credit reports when I had just witnessed television coverage of people jumping to their deaths out of the top floors of collapsing,burning buildings.

The suffering of the victims and their survivors is unimaginable. For those survivors, who have experienced real grief, my own sorrow must seem somewhat like a cheap imitation of the real thing. And it's true--after Sept. 11, I have been able to move on with my life in a way that those who lost loved ones who were central to their lives never can.

What seemed initially surprising to me was to learn that the suicide bombers of 9/11 were deeply religious men. Murdering thousands, they felt themselves to be engaged in a deeply religious act.

How great then, is the difference between these fundamentalists (Muslim), and some American fundamentalists, who would make the church (Christianity) the state?

Those fundamentalists who opposed segregation often used biblical scriptures to support their resistance to the struggle of racial equality. Some of these particular fundamentalists were Klansmen.

Many fundamentalists in our own country are unable to accept Charles Darwin's scientific theory of evolution because it conflicts with a literal interpretation of the bible. Therefore, our deeply religious and unscientific president actually advocates the teaching of "intelligent design", a theory that rests solely on faith. That our president would proposed teaching his faith in public schools shows how far true believers will go to force their worldviews on the rest of us.

There is serious tension between religious fundamentalists like President Bush and people like me who long for a more tolerant government, one that guarantees our freedom from religion, as well as our freedom to practice religion.

Now that the fifth anniversary of 9/11 is upon us, I have to ask myself, is it really any surprise that American fundamentalists have elected a president who is leading a "crusade" against "evildoers" who just happen to be fundamentalists as well, albeit with different beliefs?

I, for one, have seen enough intolerance, death, and mayhem from people claiming to have moral and religious grounds for their actions.

Wishing you a meaningful day of remembrance,



Jennifer

Kayaking in Long Beach

My mother used to take us to Long Beach during the 70's to go to the Pike, a sort of run-down amusement park that doesn't exist anymore. Groups of Gypsies (Romany) used to set up camp in vacant lots outside of the Pike. I often wonder where they went? If you have any idea, I'm genuinely interested in knowing--so please contact me.

Though I immediately associate "Pike" and "Gypsy" with "Long Beach", there is a bay in Long Beach, called Alamitos Bay, where you can rent kayaks. I go there as often as I can, as I love to kayak, and the bay is a very safe, easy, and interesting place in which to partake of this sport. You can contact the kayak rental stand at (562)434-0999. Rental fees are relatively inexpensive--about $10.00 per hour and a half.

What's really special about Alamitos Bay is a canal off of the bay itself where hundreds of jellyfish congregate. The jellyfish are small translucent blobs that pulsate through the water like something out of Fantasia. But it's better, because it's real.

When I was there a couple of weeks ago I had to jump out of my kayak to get a look at the jellyfish underwater! These jellyfish don't sting, by the way. Otherwise I would not have left the safety of my kayak! I'm adventurous, but not dumb! (ha ha)

The kayak rental place advises you to pick up the jellyfish, but I don't think that's such a good idea. Perhaps they can't hurt us, since they don't sting--but it can't be good for the jellyfish to be manhandled by curious people. So, look but don't touch might be a better policy. I mean, come on--the bay is not a petting zoo!

I had wanted to take my niece Lili to see the bay and it's creatures, but she's more into go-carts than kayaks. But maybe I can still convince her to get up early with me tomorrow morning and go kayaking.... Hope springs eternal!

Lili has to go back to Germany tomorrow. :( I'm going to miss her so much! It's so much fun having a young, energetic person around. And she's so sweet...you just can't say that about every teenager!

To celebrate her last night here, we're going to a fondue restaurant in Sherman Oaks. La Fondue Bourguignonne it's called--(818) 501-0181. This is one of Wolfgang's and my favorite places to take out of town guests. The atmosphere is reminiscent of 70's ski-lodge/French Country design--it's hilarious and pleasing to the eye all at the same time. The proprietor is a pleasant Swiss guy who always remembers Wolfgang and me when we come in.

It's nice to go to restaurants that serve something a little different. At chain restaurants like Denny's, everything tastes the same, at every location and every time you go there. I used to work at Denny's when I was a teenager. Did you know that the majority of the food served there comes out of plastic buckets ordered from Denny's headquarters? I didn't know that either until I started working there as a naive teenager trying to make my own way in the world. I quickly discovered that Denny's definitely doesn't whip up the gravy for the Southern Slam fresh every morning.

Well, I've got to be getting out of here. Wolfgang and Lili should be here any minute to pick me up. I miss Lili already! :(

Best Wishes,



Jennifer