What history teaches us...

Walt Whitman was born today(1819), the same day as surgeon William Mayo (founder of the Mayo Clinic). So, today, I thought I'd throw in some Whitman quotes...

"Behold I do not give lectures or a little charity. When I give I give myself."

"Be curious, not judgmental."

"Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes."

And one of my personal favorites...

"And your very flesh shall be a great poem."

Clint Eastwood is 79 years old today (1930), and I must add that he does not appear that old to me.



Yesterday I was fortunate enough to spend the day in Destin, Florida. Shopping has gotten better (Panama City shopping did not produce favorable results for me). This trip though, I actually came home with a shopping bag. I bought a plaid tunic/mini--dress from Wet Seal.



It's great that I am able to wear a straw hat because according to studies, straw hats were not always accepted. According to a Mental Floss article, "Over several nights in September 1922, gangs of hundreds of young thugs terrorized Manhattan, destroying any 'unseasonable straw hat' they found." To read more about this article click here.

About to stroll down the harborwalk:



The say Destin is the luckiest fishing village, and that seemed apparent today. This was a recurring sight on the dock:



Not a real lighthouse, this was a statue on top of a building:



Sorry for the vertical set-up. Bass Pro Shops had all these animal prints in the sidewalk:



In the Commons at 10:30 pm. All the stores were closed so I was able to window shop at Bebe and Banana Republic, and the other stores that I could not afford:

Oh, the places one can find beauty...

"I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging the future but by the past"
U.S. patriot Patrick Henry would be celebrating a birthday today (1736).



Our 35th president, John F. Kennedy was born today (1917). And I must agree with public view and say that he was a handsome man. There's something very intriguing about him, and not just that he had an affair with Marilyn Monroe.



Yesterday I tried to apply for a summer job at a dry cleaning service. They were looking for a part--time presser and to be totally honest, I was not even sure what that meant; I don't even know how to iron! Needless to say, I did not get the job because I would only be temporary, and they're looking for a permanent employee. So I guess the summer job search continues. I seem to think that when I was applying for the job I was remembering these glamorous laundry photos.

It's amazes me how much color can excite...

Bottega Veneta is not usually the type of designer I enjoy to see, but their latest runway show impressed me. The menswear--inspired style is too dressy for me, but they played it out nicely with their choice of colors...















I spent all day yesterday in Panama City. Panama City always gets a little old to me since I've been going there since I was 9 years old (family friends live there), but it was nice to get away from the bad weather at home. It has been raining for the past week...

On the way down we passed a lot of these trees set up like this:



Sitting outside by the pool:

"Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway." --John Wayne

Today is the birthday of the late John Wayne (1907), whose real name was Marion Robert Morrison. I have to mention Wayne because of all the cowboy actors out there, he is my favorite. Hondo and North to Alaska are my favorite movies starring him.



There is a picture of him, but I must also include Andy Warhol's painting as well because I am a fan.



Al Jolson would be celebrating a birthday today (1886). He certainly deserves honorable mention because of The Jazz Singer. I love the movies so it is only natural to watch the movie with the first talking line. Not only that, it is also a good movie in its own right.



Today in 1897 Bram Stoker's DRACULA went on sale in London. It always amazes me to see how long certain books have been around. 1897 is over 1oo years older than me yet it's still a classic. Also, Dracula holds a special place to me because the late father of my uncle(who married into the family) was born in Transylvania, which is exciting to know.
And now for some Dracula--inspired fashion...









It is crazy how long one must sit in a waiting room. I went to get a shot today, and I had to sit in the waiting room for over half an hour and then only spent less than 10 minutes getting the shot.

How beautiful the outside world can be!

Today is the birthday of one of my favorite authors and philosophers, Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803). I must confess that it is his essays that make me fan. "Self Reliance" is my favorite, but "Nature" is another good one. So in honor of his birthday I have decided to include some nature editorials.

"A beautiful form is better than a beautiful face; it gives a higher pleasure than statues or pictures; it is the finest of the fine arts."



"A child is a curly, dimpled lunatic."



"A good indignation brings out all one's powers."



"A fly is as untamable as a hyena."



"A chief event of life is the day in which we have encountered a mind that startled us."



"A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature"

Mary Had A Little Lamb

"Mary had a little lamb, whose fleece was white as snow."
Sorry, I couldn't resist. And it is even more appropriate since today in 1830 Sarah Joseph Hale published the above poem. And what childhood memories come back after reading this poem; I used to wish I had a pet lamb after I first read this.



Elsa Maxwell would be celebrating a birthday today (1883). A Hostess and party--giver, she was giving the title of "the hostest with the mostest." She is also credited with inventing the Scavenger Hunt, which became a popular game in the 1930s.



Bob Dylan is 68 today (1941). He ranks tops on my favorite muscians. Just Like A Woman is one of my favorite songs.



The craziest thing about where I live is that if you dress up in skirts, etc. you stick out because that's not really the style that this small southern town is known for. But it seems that on Sunday, everyone breaks out the best clothes for church. I was at Wal Mart and these two girls were walking around in black dresses and pearls. That's not really the style you'd normally find here.





I went out to Maurices today so that I could do a little shopping. I bought a skirt and a wallet. The print of the wallet is very me and the skirt was just too pretty to pass up.

Where are the natural cures?

I'm feeling sick today. I usually never get sick, but I guess you never can say never. I've been having bad stomach pains for about 24 hours. It's not that bad, it just hurts to stand up, sit down, lean forward, lean backward, and walk. So as long as I don't do any of those things, then I'm not in pain. Nevertheless, I do plan to keep this post short so that I may lay back down and watch a Marx Brothers' movie.



Today, is the birthday of U.S. army general, and later U.S. senator, Ambrose Burnside (1824). Now that may not mean anything to most of you viewers, but he is also the man for whom sideburns were named. This was news to me because I never expected the name to come from anywhere in particular, but I guess every word needs an origin. So, today's post is dedicated to my favorite men with sideburns.

Ambrose Burnside:



Sonny Bono:



Charles Darwin:



James Dean:



Elvis Presley: