Holiday Musings

I've been so busy trying to get through the holidays and getting my beloved horse settled at his new home that I haven't even checked e-mail in over a week. It's amazing what can pile up in that time.

Rather than being less than a mile from my house, the horse is now being boarded up in Chatsworth at a facility in a neighborhood I'd never be able to afford in this or any other lifetime. He's now a few blocks from the home of science fiction writer Larry Niven and his wife Marilyn. I've been going to their home for parties for years and I had no idea that horses were being kept so nearby. There are beautiful arenas, trails into the hills and over to Simi Valley, and a whole lot of nice people. I've enjoyed the peace and quiet of being there on mornings when there are no lessons and the beautiful views of the San Fernando Valley. In the evening, the sunsets have been spectacular, but it does get cold once the sun goes down.

The speedy execution in Iraq is quite a contrast to our system which drags out for decades. I'm not shedding tears for Sadaam, but I would have been happier if the World Court had handled the trial. How different today is from what happened after WWII in Germany. No one questions the legitimacy of the Nurenburg Trials, do they?

I used to live on the same street that Gerald Ford lived on early in his career in Washington, but not at the same time. Nixon once lived in Park Fairfax as well. It was a townhouse rental development that turned into condos at the end of the 1970s. Located maybe 10 minutes from downtown DC in Alexandria, Virginia, it was a nice place to spend a few years. Ford was president when my ex and I moved to DC at the end of 1975. I photographed election night festivities in DC when he lost (things were much happier at the Carter party, which I also covered that night.) Those negatives must be in storage someplace. Perhaps the Digital Asset Managment seminar I'm taking in January will teach me to keep track of these kinds of things.

I'm working on my new year resolutions, which should include eating healthier and calling my mother more often. Don't know if they will, though. Best wishes for a healthy, happy new year and perhaps for peace. I'd add a couple of other wishes, but the CIA or FBI might want to question me later.