one month from today
my disney journey begins
hard to believe

the rain is bothering me
everything always damp
squish squish
but life goes on

last night of track tonight
then my farewell tour
three weeks
running around
seeing the people
that make me who i am

august 3
nyc
regis returns to millionaire
10 year anniversary
hard to believe
i remember when it started
i will be there
to see it all
two nights
exciting

I want you to know
That it doesn’t matter
Where we take this road
Someone’s gotta go
And i want you to know
You couldn’t have loved me better
But i want you to move on
So i’m already gone

peace

during the school year
it is hard to read for fun
so i wait til summer

here is my list
what i have read so far
and what is in the cue

my remarkable journey by larry king
a great story
a remarkable life
a must for all broadcasters

music for chamelons by truman capote
short stories
one book
an amazing writer

wishful drinking by carrie fisher
princess leia
star wars
child star
famous parents
depression
bipolar
drugs
booze
recovery
a great memoir

absolute brightness by lecesne
a story about a boy
nobody cared
until he was gone
a book about connections
bullying

how starbucks saved my life
business man loses his job
served becomes server
touching story

READING NOW: the hour i first believed by wally lamb
just started this book
a rosie pick
big book
625 pages

i stepped away
didnt know what to blog
so much noise
the crowds overwhelming
u crack under the pressure

last monday
jon and kate
seperate
what a little rhyme

it was painful
to listen to them

celebrity has broken them
torn them apart
their lives no longer their own
its all for america
schedules
everything set in time blocks

it wasnt fun anymore
they need to walk away
money money money
thats what they want
exploit the kids
and ruin your lives
its a shame

watch the episode
listen to what they say
its all work

we lost ed mcmahon
heeeeeeeeeeeeeere’s johnny!!!!!!!!!!
such a legend
as he got older
he lost all his money
kept spending
no income

farrah fawcett
charlie’s angels
her battle with cancer
profound

barbara walters said
not much time left
sure enough
she was right

an icon
for so many
tough us how to fight
determination must prevail

also that day
michael jackson
what a shock
on the verge

50 years old
the roller coaster ride over
the ups and downs

he had a gift
a performer was he

celebrity is a drug
it consumes you
takes hold of you
leaving you wanting more
and more
and more

sometimes we crack
the pieces fall
and its too late

believe in yourself
and make that change!

overwhelming indeed
thats why i stopped
i got sucked it
couldnt let go
everything i did
blog blog blog
i needed a break
time away
reflect
collect myself
find myself

so here we go
summer 2009
every effort
once a week
to start
little updates
getting my feet wet

twitter is fun
following celebs
such random stuff
but its great
news instantly on your cell phone
totally cool
i am following 21 people
mostly celebs
some everyday people
keeps u updated
140 characters

the weather totally sucks
grey grey grey
rain rain rain
but tonight we saw blue skies
more clouds tomorrow
summer returns someday

fathers day this weekend
almost done with june
time flies
tick tock

i am reading some great books
watching amazing tv shows
all outlined in my next post
or somewhere on this blog
i need to figure it all out

happy friday
peace out bloggers

mrichards87
my twitter id
if u want to know

peace

i was addicted to the computer
spending hours
connected
searching

it got to be too much
so i walked away
i shut down

breathe in
breathe out

but the blog is back
summer 2009

so much has happened
so much to tell u
slowly
we get out feet wet
u must
in order to swim again

so welcome back bloggers
i want to try new stuff here
see how it feels

i have graduated
a new life
has begun
we move on
look at the past

here we go
enjoy
peace

The last survivor of the sinking of the Titanic has died aged 97.

Millvina Dean was nine weeks old when the liner sank after hitting an iceberg in the early hours of 15 April 1912, on its maiden voyage from Southampton.

The disaster resulted in the deaths of 1,517 people in the north Atlantic, largely due to a lack of lifeboats.

Miss Dean, who remembered nothing of the fateful journey, died on Sunday at the care home in Hampshire where she lived, two of her friends told the BBC.

Her family had been travelling to America, where they hoped to start a new life and open a tobacconist’s shop in Kansas. They travelled third class.

Miss Dean’s mother, Georgetta, and two-year-old brother, Bert, also survived, but her father, Bertram, was among those who perished when the vessel sank.

“ If it hadn’t been for the ship going down, I’d be an American ”
Millvina Dean

The family returned to Southampton, where Miss Dean went on to spend most of her life.

Despite having no memories of the disaster, she always said it had shaped her life, because she should have grown up in the US instead of returning to the UK.

She was fond of saying: “If it hadn’t been for the ship going down, I’d be an American.”

In 1985 the site of the wreck was discovered and, in her 70s, she found herself unexpectedly in demand on both sides of the Atlantic.

“I think sometimes they look on me as if I am the Titanic!” she said after a visit to a Titanic convention in America. “Honestly, some of them are quite weird about it.”

But she never tired of telling her story.

“Oh not at all. I like it, because everyone makes such a fuss of me! And I have travelled to so many places because of it, meeting all the people. Oh I wouldn’t get tired of it. I’m not the type.”

She was unimpressed when divers started to explore the wreck, located 3,000m below the surface of the Atlantic, saying: “I don’t believe in people going to see it. I think it’s morbid. I think it’s horrible.”

According to BBC South transport correspondent Paul Clifton, she refused to watch James Cameron’s epic film of the disaster, starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo diCaprio, fearing it would be too upsetting.

In the last years of her life, she began struggling with monthly bills of £3,000 at her care home and had been in danger of losing her room.

She began selling some of her Titanic-related mementoes to raise funds, and in April a canvas bag from her rescue was sold at auction raising £1,500.

It was bought by a man from London who immediately returned it to her.

Actors Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, who appeared in the 1998 movie Titanic, contributed towards her care costs, along with the film’s director James Cameron, by donating to the Millvina Fund which was set up by her friends.

Built in Belfast, the White Star Line vessel became infamous for not having enough lifeboats onboard, leading to the deaths of many passengers.

Elizabeth Gladys Dean, better known as Millvina, was the Titanic’s youngest passenger, born on 2 February 1912.

Another baby on board, Barbara Joyce West, was nearly 11 months old when the liner sank. She also survived.

Barbara Joyce Dainton, as she became when she married, died in October 2007, leaving Miss Dean the last Titanic survivor.

Dear Campus Community,

I’m very pleased to inform you that the Board of Trustees has approved the 2009 Commencement keynote speaker and honorary degree recipients. Tomorrow, we will release this information to the public.

Author, musician and composer James McBride will be our Commencement keynote speaker. Mr. McBride most recently was on campus this past fall, when he discussed his best-selling memoir, The Color of Water, with our students and performed with his jazz band. Considered an American classic, this book is read in schools and universities across the United States. A former staff writer for The Boston Globe, People magazine and The Washington Post, his work also has appeared in Essence, Rolling Stone and The New York Times. His April, 2007 National Geographic story, entitled “Hip Hop Planet,” is considered a respected treatise on African American music and culture.

We also will recognize three additional distinguished individuals, Sarah “Sally” Goodrich, Brian K. Fitzgerald ’75 and Vice President of Academic Affairs Steve Green.
Mrs. Goodrich directs the work of the Peter M. Goodrich Memorial Foundation, which works primarily in the Pashtun provinces of Afghanistan to support education and address the fundamental needs of fragile populations. She speaks often in schools, colleges, places of worship and community centers about Afghanistan and engages American students in service projects for Afghanistan. She established the foundation in memory of her son, Peter, who was on United Airlines flight 175 when it was hijacked and flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

Dr. Fitzgerald leads the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) as its executive director. The Forum is an organization of Fortune 500 CEOs, prominent college and university presidents and foundation leaders who work to advance innovative solutions to our nation’s most pressing education challenges. Previously, he served for 16 years as staff director for the federal Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance. Under his leadership, the Committee played a major role in persuading Congress and the Education Department to take steps to simplify and modernize the way that students apply for and receive federal aid.

Dr. Steve Green has been at MCLA since 1973. After nearly 36 years of distinguished service and engagement with the community, he will retire at the end of June. As an educator, he spent countless hours working with students in the classroom and serving as an advisor and mentor outside of class. He has been a dedicated member of the MCLA community, serving on numerous College committees. As a member of the local community, he has been involved with a variety of service agencies, including the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition and the United Way Campaign.

On the occasion of his final commencement, I will be pleased to award him with the MCLA President’s Medal for Distinguished Service, the second since I inaugurated the award. The first President’s Medal was presented at the 2007 Commencement ceremony to Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley. The President’s medal recognizes individuals who embody the spirit of service to the community.

James McBride, Sally Goodrich Brian Fitzgerald and Steve Green all are looking forward to being a part of this year’s celebration. We are delighted to recognize these four individuals for their achievements and many contributions to Berkshire County, the country and the world. More information about the keynote speaker, our honorary degree recipients and the 110th Commencement exercises will be posted on the MCLA Web site, [ www.mcla.edu/Commencement ]www.mcla.edu/Commencement.

Although it’s beginning to feel a lot more like spring, it is hard to imagine that Commencement is just seven weeks away! We have much to look forward to as we get ready to celebrate the achievements of the class of 2009.

Sincerely,
Mary Grant