Tour Babe

So today I gave my first tour of Fort Jefferson. The fact that I had to be up at 8:00 a.m. did not bode well, but by 8:30 I was coherent enough to greet our guests and think about what I would say. I don't normally do the tours, but as we had a group of NOAA folks stopping by, I decided to extend them the courtesy. All things considered I did well - even got a few laughs, so I must have been doing something right. At least I lowered expectations by giving my disclaimer at the beginning. This is key. I am sooo glad that I don't do this on a regular basis. Not only am I hoarse from projecting, I'm starving! This getting up in the morning thing is just no good. I think I like being the night ranger just fine.

Style File - August

Good lordy mercy! Have you seen the August issue of In Style magazine? Probably not. Probably just me. Anyhow, this is a bad issue. And when I say "bad issue", I mean something that is going to cause me to spend way too much money. It was almost like looking through a catalog. I want, want, want too many things. Interesting to note that apparently layers, knits, tartans, and leggings have come back this year, so we no longer have to freeze to death. How timely - I now live in south Florida. Why couldn't this have happened while I was freezing my buns off in Maryland? I still wore the stuff, but I was so, so un-chic. What is the opposite of chic, anyway? Passe? No doubt my upcoming off-island time will be spent in Miami tracking down those pieces suitable to our climate. This puts me in mind of the lady at the Coach counter this spring. While she was fussing about with wrapping up the bag I'd just purchased, I was busy fussing about with an adorable little faux fur trimmed purse that was laying out on the counter. The Coach Lady (no relation to the Waffle House Lady) saw my affection for the piece and smiled. "It's so cute, isn't it? I don't know what they were thinking sending it, though. Fur, in Miami?!?" Oh, sister, I agree. I may not get to don any of the darling wool caps or sweaters of the season, but I sure will get some mileage out of my strappy stilettos. Kind of economical when one season lasts you all year. Today's mail did contain a surprise special issue of InStyle, though, and if I find anything more in there I'm going to need a second job!

What happened to AIDS?

Why don't we hear about it anymore? We haven't cured it, so what's the deal? My friend Deidre and I were watching Rent last night (I know, I am a Rent-head) and it got me to thinking. Seems like we no longer hear the news stories and cautionary tales that were so prevalent when I was in high school & college. HIV and AIDS have faded into the second row of the tragic buffet that is modern life. I think we just get immune to the various troubles of the world; we are so inundated by them on a daily basis. We have moved on to war and terrorism now, I suppose. In the early 80's when I was still in grade school we were freaking out about nuclear proliferation. Hmm.