"Woman killed when dead tree falls on her in Pikesville"
By a Baltimore Sun reporter .. 5:28 PM EDT, September 29, 2008

"A woman who was taking out her trash was killed when a dead tree fell on her today in Pikesville, according to the Baltimore County Fire Department.

The fire department received a call about 4:30 p.m. to a condominium complex on Greenwich Place requesting a rescue for a woman trapped under a tree. The woman, who has not been identified, was dead when firefighters arrived, the department said.

According to a statement from the department, the woman was walking to a trash bin behind the condo complex to take out her trash when a dead oak that was nearby fell and struck the woman."

This happened while I was walking my last dog of the day, Buddy. When I walk him, I take him across the street to the neighbors yard, where there's a field on the far side of her fence. Maybe 1/4 acre. On the other side of the small field area, there's a line of trees which separates Buddy's neighborhood from a complex of townhouses.

As I was walking Buddy in this area by the tree line, I heard the sounds of a tree breaking and falling. Then I realized it is going to land on top of the dumpster on the townhouse-side of the trees, and THERE'S SOMEONE AT THE DUMPSTER!!

This tree falls on this woman, as she is taking her trash out. Another woman who had been nearby sees what's happened, asks the lady if she's ok, and calls 911. Before I could even think to use my phone for help, the sirens are already blaring in the distance. There are two firehouses within blocks of this place.

I don't realize at the time that the tree has killed this woman. I thought, "OK, help is on the way. No need to stand around and gawk at someone who's hurt. Help is on the way." And, shaking, I decide to take Buddy, who's did everything he needed to do before the tree fell, back home. I apologize for the shorter duration of walk, but I was kind of in shock still. As I turned to take Buddy back home, there were tons of EMS, police officers and a helicopter on the scene.

So, I get in my car, drive the 1.5 miles home, and go in to watch the news. The woman died on the scene. She was dead before EMS even got there. So, my brain starts to backtrack. "Hey, dummy, you just watched a person DIE." OMGs... I just saw someone get killed. I was out walking a dog, and I saw a tree fall on a woman and KILL HER.

In today's world, we are so conditioned to seeing these kind of things happen on TV. We EXPECT we'll probably see someone die in a car crash, even. I always figured it was just a matter of time before I witnessed an accident or a house fire or an act of violence that took someone's life. I've volunteered to sit with rape victims, beaten and bruised and crying and sometimes, very angry. One of whom was elderly and died later as a result of her injuries. But, I never expected to be out walking a dog on a Monday afternoon and watch a dead oak tree fall on and kill a human being.

I was just on the opposite side of those trees when the one broke off and fell. I didn't have time to yell for the woman to watch out. No one did. I don't think she even knew what hit her. For the sake of her and her loved ones, I hope she died quickly and painlessly.

So, I will say my prayer openly and publicly.

"Lord and Lady, bless this woman who has been called home to you today. Bless her with all the comforts that come with being in the Summerland. Watch out and care for her family and friends as they try to cope with this sudden, heart-wrenching loss. May those who survive her be comforted in knowing she has been brought back home to you. May they find solace in knowing she will feel no more pain, only love and warmth, while she waits to move forward to her next lifetime. So Mote It Be."

It is not b/c of my Native American heritage... It is not because I have gotten into fights and won.

I am a warrior because I have courage. I know how to stand and face my demons. I can do it. I AM doing it. RIGHT NOW. Every day.

I have a laundry list of health problems, but I still get up every day and I go from house to house, walking people's dogs for 30 minutes at a time or more (it can be QUITE the workout!).. Despite my fibromyalgia, despite my worsening asthma, despite the brutal headaches I still get.

I sometimes have anxiety attacks and feel like I'm scared to do anything, but I will still get up in front of thousands of people and sing my ass off. I might have to imagine that they're all singing along and dancing, but I get up there.

I am a survivor of so many things.. So many people don't even know what all I've been through. What I've seen, what I've gotten past, where I've lived, what I've done. But I keep my heart open to love and sharing and compassion. I do not allow myself to be haunted by my past, even though sometimes dealing with it is really hard.

I have been through a lot - each of us has - but I refuse to let it beat me. I will not let the horrors of my past and the demons that are my fears keep me from doing what is best for me. I will LOVE. I will FIGHT. I will not let anyone or anything keep me down.

Because I am a warrior.

"The Internet can sometimes seem like the Wild West for child predators—a place that largely operates outside the law. While trading in pedophile pornography is illegal, lack of adequate funding means law enforcement officials are able to investigate just 2 percent of their leads. And, according to Interpol statistics, only one-half of 1 percent are ever prosecuted.

"What you are going to see is going to shock you to the core, but I'm asking you to please don't turn away," Oprah says, "because this is happening in our country to our children in the United States every day."


The map behind Oprah shows how quickly one pornographic image of a child being molested can spread.

It starts with the large red dot from a computer in Washington, D.C. Within 24 hours, it has spread all across the United States—from coast to coast and north to south. "This is just an average day in America—24 hours," Oprah says.

The demand for new videos and photos is so high that authorities report tracking increasingly brutal pornography with younger and younger victims.

"For once, you and I can do something about it!" Oprah says.

On September 15, 2008, Oprah asked for your help in urging Congress to pass the PROTECT Our Children Act, to dramatically increase funding to fight Internet predators. Nearly a half-million people came to Oprah.com to make their voices heard…and it worked!

"Last night, in the midst of this economic crisis, Senate Bill 1738, the PROTECT Our Children Act, passed the Senate," Oprah says. "Thank you to the 60 senators—Republican and Democrat—who co-sponsored the bill. …

All of you proved that the people can really make a difference."

Ok, sing-fans... You've all asked for updates.. So, you want to know how it went at the Ft. McHenry gig Saturday night, huh?

It went very well... There were a few problems.. The show was supposed to start at 6, and didn't start til 7:20. We were supposed to sing for a couple hours, but we were INFORMED at 9:45 to wrap it up b/c the last bus pulls out at 10pm and they have to close the park.

So, we only got through a little over half of our show... Instead of 3 solos, I got 2, but I think I did just fine. I got stopped multiple times in the crowd by people who wanted to compliment me on my singing and/or my choice of songs. That's ALWAYS nice!! lol

Norma wasn't able to get any pictures, but she did get some video of me and some of the other performers. :)

I wasn't impressed by one person, who shall remain nameless. I say I wasn't impressed b/c this individual's communication leaves A LOT to be desired. He is either WRONG, or just plain RUDE. In my book, he earns full "ASS" status. I will say this.. he was not anyone with the show. Everyone with the Big Daddy and Friends crew was fantastic. But, this guy thinks WAY too highly of himself.. Let's just say that much. He expects respect, but doesn't do anything to EARN it. 'Nuf said about HIM. Moving on now.... :)

After seeing myself on video, I think it's made me more critical of myself. I feel more mediocre than I did before. I have a good voice... but not a great voice. I don't know if it's good enough to get me where I want to go, though. Not that I want to be a celebrity or anything, but I'd like to be recognized at least.

Maybe Governor O'Malley will see me at some other function someday, and think, since he saw me Saturday, "hey, she kind of looks familiar." LMAO

But, seriously.. Saturday went okay. I didn't fall down or miss a part when I was singing or anything. I couldn't get the damn MIC outta the stand, and I'd already passed up the cordless like a big ole dummy... but that's just life... stuff happens.

Til next time... take it easy, everyone!

Thanks to Healing.Focus for the post, which I copied from her blog.

Mabon, Autumn Equinox

Gods/Goddesses: The Goddess in Her aspect of the Mother, Persephone (Queen of the Underworld), and Thor (Lord of thunder in Norse mythology).

Herbs/Flowers: Acorns, Asters, Benzoin, Ferns, Honeysuckle, Marigold, Milkweed, Myrrh, Oak Leaves, Passion Flower, Pine, Roses, Sage, Thistle, Tobacco, Hazel, Mums, Hops, Ivy, Cedar. Grains (Barley, corn, oat, wheat), Vegetables (Carrot, celery, cucumber, lettuce, onion, and radish).

Purpose: Second harvest festival, new wine pressing/making preparation for winter and Samhain, rest after labor, Pagan day of Thanksgiving, honoring the spirit world, celebration of wine.

This is an excellent time of reflection upon the joys of Summer, as the season turns toward Fall. This is a time of rest and of great activity. The harvests are coming in.. There's only one more after this. Take time to look ahead to the coming months, and take time think on the happiness and joys that the summer brought you. Summer is a wonderful time, the warmer weather promoting outdoor activities, fellowship with friends and family and pursuits of play! The coming fall is a time for looking forward to being with loved ones again, and preparing for the cooler weather. Fall has it's own set of joys.. play in the leaves, gather acorns and leave them in a dish for the squirrels, put up decorations for Halloween/Samhain.. whatever makes you happy!!

I hope your Mabon is wonderful!

Brightest Blessings... :)

As most of you know, I am singing in front of over 3,000 spectators at Ft. McHenry this coming Saturday evening. Invitees include the President and First Lady (doubt they'll show), the Gov and First Lady of Maryland, the Maryland Olympic athletes, the Orioles and the Ravens. It's kind of a big deal for me.

So, last Saturday, following a rehearsal/run-through of the show, Norma and I found a black and white sleeveless dress for me to wear. We knew it'd need some taking up on the shoulders, but thought that was a simple enough fix.. Unfortunately, we discovered once Norma'd pinned the shoulders up, that the pleats of the bodice.. aka the "ka-pow" area were somewhat skewed by the pinning up of the excess fabric of the shoulders.

OMG! So, I ask all of you to send up a prayer to the Lady (or whomever you believe is your Higher Power) that Norma's work-friend will be able to assist with some last minute touch-ups on the dress tomorrow morning.. which is when Norma's going to call her to ask!!!

Boy, I have learned a very valuable lesson here which I will put into use at my first available opportunity.

NEVER WAIT 'TIL THE WEEK OF TO SEE IF THE OUTFIT'S GOING TO WORK OUT OK.

OY!

Wish me luck, sing-fans... :)

With Norma's permission, I am allowed to recant this tale.

Most women have 3 kinds of undies. One kind is reserved for special occasions. Another is for everyday wear. And the third kind is reserved for that wonderful time of the month. Let's face it.. they're called 'period panties.' And they are the panties we wear when we know there's a possibility that we may get blood on them.

These undies are the bravest of them all. They were, once upon a time, either everyday undies or perhaps even the SPECIAL undies. Through time and use and wear, they have been relegated to being period panties before they head to panty-heaven.

They are old. They are wise. They are...

falling apart.

LITERALLY.

Now, at a certain point, even these undies must be granted mercy and be "let go" so that they may move on to the next point of their existence.. panty-heaven.. aka the GARBAGE CAN.

Now, sometimes, we have difficulty letting go of the things we love. Norma could not let go of her period panties. I have seen them be worn, month after month, and with each wash and wear, become even more pitiful. Until recently... We were both in the basement folding laundry when I spied 2 pairs in desperate need of Dr. Kevorkian. Since he's unavailable, I decided, spur of the moment, to end it all. I took the worst of the two pair and, with GREAT relish, proceeded to tear them with my hands. I did this, laughing with glee, as this reverent and long-past serviceable pair of undies met their doom.

I did not totally annihilate them, as I thought a simple tear would be sufficient. But, Norma being.. well, NORMA, decides to defy my attempts at this mercy kill and PUTS THEM ON!! They no longer look like underwear.. now they look like a dark blue cotton loin cloth.

And, to add to the crime, she begins to dance in them!!! I've been threatening to throw those 2 pair away for months now, so she knew they were not long for this world. But, just to get my goat, she puts them on and begins what can only be described as an ancient panty death dance.

In my determination to grant them mercy, I grab the 2nd pair. And a SILVER SHARPIE. And on the second pair I write, "I'm DEAD, Jim." and on the back I write, "It's highly illogical."

Now, suddenly I have gone from maiming one pair to vandalizing a second. And let me tell you, these undies were barely hanging on... LITERALLY. In good form, she sees the second pair and begins to laugh hysterically.

BUTCHES. *shakes head*

She dances in front of me, and I grab the undies in my hands and begin the tearing process again. Now the top elastic is completely separated form the rest of the material. The legs have stayed in place, but the material is crippled now. The undies are now in three separate pieces.

Finally, she allows them peace and lets them go to the great panty-heaven. I have to say, on a side note, that the elastic in women's Jockey-brand underwear is impressive!

But, she wore the vandalized pair last Sunday, much to my dismay, and she wasn't even on her period. Apparently all the other clean undies were in the basement and she didn't feel like retrieving a pair.

Again: BUTCHES. *shakes head*

I see another ancient panty dance of death in my future.

This was the funniest thing I'd seen in some time. Norma, you're SUCH a good sport. You knew those undies were "marked" and you didn't fuss when I finally reached the point of committing panty-cide. LMAO

I hope everyone has enjoyed the tale of undie-death and destruction.

Yesterday was the 2nd and final rehearsal for the Ft McHenry gig next week. We had a few people added to the show, so it'll make the entertainment more diverse. I had a good time, and it's so nice to see everyone again! What a great group of singers!

Last night, Norma did something incredibly thoughtful. She bought me a dress for the show. Actually, she bought a few things. One, nicknamed "Ka-POW", is a black bra designed to keep everything UP. You understand the nickname when I put it on because suddenly KAPOW! There are my tata's!! Another is a black button-down blouse which looks pretty good with my denim skirt.

Then there's the dress. You'll see it soon, because I'm making sure that there are pics taken and I'll have them added to my profile in the near future. :) But, it's sleeveless, comes to mid-calf.. very flowy, black and off-white design that looks like it's a bit french-flair. It comes down low enough in the back, but not so low that you see my bra line.. I think my dragon tattoo( black with a hint of purple), which is on my right shoulder blade, may be visible. I don't mind at all, though. People give performers certain "license" to be creative. LOL

I also interviewed for a job yesterday as a vet tech not too far away from home - 10 miles or so. I've never been a vet tech, but the ad said "will train the right person." *I* could be the right person! I applied Thursday afternoon at 4, after my traffic court, and I got a call back by noon Friday! I interviewed for it yesterday at 1245. I SO want that job. I'm not super freaked out by needles anymore, and dog "functions" (throw-up, poo, etc) don't bother me much anymore. I've always wanted to work in a vet's office, since I was a little kid. So, I should know by the end of the week if I get the job.

I asked the Lady for the job last night, and thanked her for everything positive that's come my way. I mean, I had traffic court Thursday AND Friday.. No tickets on my record for YEARS, and then I get two - one from the accident and one from speeding 6 weeks later. I'll have 3 points on my license, but it could've been 5. I had to pay out $218.50, but it could've been $271. So, all things considered, I did okay. I have the gig next week - my comeback to performing. And to over 3,000 ppl no less! I have Norma, who is so incredibly supportive and loving, and I definitely have some of the best friends a person can have.

On top of everything going on, I still feel better physically than I would have in the past after having such a stressful week. I was on my feet a lot, in heels no less, so the fact that I'm not hobbling today is quite the testament. IF/When I get the vet tech job, I'll have to remember to stay active outside of work. Not getting regular exercise, even for 20 minutes at a time, will have me feeling terrible in no time, and I don't need or want that level of pain again.

So, wish me luck! Hopefully the next time I write or the time after, I'll have lots of good news!

Saturday, 8/30/08: We'd made plans week before last to meet with some friends of ours (2 of whom were Blizzard team members as well as being a couple and D is a friend whom we met through them) to go ice skating this past weekend. They're both experienced skaters, and Norma and I both need some help in the skating department. Norma needed assistance with her backward skating, as her forward is okay. I needed help with just skating forward, period. My previous attempts got me from blue line to blue line (for those hockey fans), which isn't that big. So, we headed out to their place, piled into their Jeep, and headed out to the ice rink.

We had a blast! They really helped us both a great deal.. we laughed.. I fell twice, Norma fell twice and the 3rd friend fell twice. Now, let me say that my falling twice was a result of my own loss of balance. No one helped me fall. I was "snipered." (it's a term from softball for players who fall or trip for no apparent reason)

Norma was snipered once I think, but the second time was due to a young man, about 13-14 yrs old, skating backwards towards her as she and I were taking a quick break to chat. He didn't know she was there, and Norma didn't know he was coming. I saw too late to be able to warn her, and next thing I know, Norma's on her back on the ice, laughing. WHEW - no one was hurt. The young man was VERY apologetic and laughing from embarrassment. It was pretty funny. If anyone had been injured, I wouldn't have seen humor in it. Thankfully, that was not the case.

Our friend, D, fell once because one of our other friends tried to pull a stunt that didn't quite work out. LOL The second time, I'm not sure what happened.

Despite all the falling down and bruises as a result, there was much hilarity. So much so, that we're doing it again this coming Saturday! LOL After the ice skating lessons, we all went back to their house, enjoyed some very yummy food, played pool and scrabble, and watched a movie. Oh, and we talked and talked and talked.

Sunday, 8/31/08: Norma and I had previously decided that Sunday would be yard-work day. So, we spent the majority of the day weed-eating, mowing, etc. in the backyard. The roommate I often blog about took care of the front yard yesterday. Well, she mowed it, anyway. :) Not much else to tell there. We got a lot done.

Monday, 9/1/08: HAPPY LABOR DAY! (I have often wondered why most holidays are "happy," but only Christmas is "merry." .... ??) We slept in. Well, I know I slept in. Norma doesn't quite sleep in as easily as I do. I woke up around 1030-1045. We'd planned on riding the bikes. So, Norma was trying to track down her trail book (still haven't found it!), while I did more mundane things - cook orange rolls, folded laundry, etc. She finally gave up. We stopped at Hudson Trail to see if they had a copy there, and to check on bike bags and bike gloves for me. We got a different book - they didn't have the one we wanted - and I got gloves and bug repellant (thank you, Sweetie for remembering that I am a mosquito magnet).

We decided that we'd go to the trail Norma had in mind originally - the North Tract of the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge. So, at 4 pm, we're finally on our way to Laurel. But, after all our troubles, the park is closed. ARGH. Well, we're not that far from the rink where we'd gone skating Saturday (and where Norma and the couple who helped us plays summer hockey and where Norma does her scorekeeping gig to help pay for hockey). The rink is part of a regional park, which happens to have a multi-use trail!

BTW: this trail has HILLS. We didn't know that. We went 4 miles in 30 minutes. Considering I had to stop to use my inhaler once, and walked 15% of the trail, that's not too bad, I don't think. But, I'm a beginner, and this was not a beginner's trail. OY! My quads felt like bricks! Norma was just pedaling along.. la la la... and I'm schleppin' my sorry kiester up the hill on foot, sucking wind with each step. LMAO

It was a good time, in retrospect. LOL I'm looking forward to the return trip out on the bike.

Hope everyone had as fun a weekend as I did!!