Books- an endless subject.
So let me focus on just 2 of them.
As books are always on my Christmas wish list, I cannot wait to actually get them.
This time, among the books I got for Christmas, there were some, that were not on my wishlist at all...
I would like to write about two of those books today.
One of them, written by Sarah Palin, "Going Rogue".
Sorry, Sarah, I had to look up the meaning of the word “rogue”. Sure enough, there is more than one meaning, so I am now more confused than ever and decide I pick what I think might fit best.
Sarah was in the Oprah Show recently, to talk about the book, among other things, looking great and sounding good.
While I enjoyed that show, and the rather light-hearted conversations, I had trouble with the book. Took me several tries to get past page 26 or so. I guess, I lost interest sometime in between Sarah´s Dad asking her to hold some eyes, and her finding the man of her dreams at age 16.
Don´t get me wrong- I love biographies and wannabe biographies, but this one, not my thing. I gave up. Sorry, Sarah, I will either have to speed-read through it, or not finish it at all.
Definitely a book, I would not have bought for myself. There are two categories of books for me: the keepers and the no-no´s, or maybe let´s say four: add the fast-food books and the so-so´s.
The other book I got was “Pirate Latitudes” by Michael Crichton. It was discovered as a manuscript after the great Crichton passed. I am not necessarily a Crichton fan and would have probably not purchased this book either. But I admire an author who had a number one book, movie and TV show all at the same time.
Pirate Latitudes is Crichton´s David, his masterpiece!
A keeper. More than that: a must-read for all!
It makes me want to turn it into a movie (sure bestseller!) and a tv movie series all at the same time. I couldn´t wait to design the costumes for all the cool and some not so cool characters and I would love to see that kraken on the screen... among other things.
When I close my eyes I see the “El Trinidad” and the “Cassandra” as well as the Spanish warships and English merchant ships sailing the Carib...
At night, when I dream, I feel like I´m on one of those beautiful pirate vessels (at least the ones shown in the movies, not what probably was crude reality in 1665!) rocking in the Carribean Sea…
Oh, did I mention, I love, love, love pirate movies, books…?
Sure do!
This one in particular! I haven´t read a book quite this fascinating in a very long time! Oprah, when are we going to talk about this masterpiece? Before or after the movie comes out? Sure hope way before!
Keeping my fingers crossed and some treasure map on a coin around my neck respectfully submitted by
Gertie
“TGW/oRCB”
The Girl Without Red Cowboy Boots
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
On hope...
Whenever I watch the Oprah Show I have hope.
Hope, that the world is really a better place…
Hope, that we really can change the world into a better place just by watching the Oprah show (and doing some of the things we see there)…
Hope, that it is not too late for all my dreams (even the really weird ones) to come true.
Hope, that I will make it to the Oprah show one day (yippie!)
That is the thought that makes me really happy and gives me more HOPE…
Hope to one day know I too, will have made more than one difference in the lives of people like Oprah has in so many.
Hope, that my neighbors here on the East Coast watch the Oprah show…
Hope, that they and many other people see, that anyone can make a difference, and hopefully, that will inspire them to make a difference, too.
Gotta tell you, my neighbors here are – well, to put it mildly, to me they seem “different”.
But- I have hope, right?
See, what bothers me is that for the past three of the four years we have been living here, I have given each and every one of my neighbors- the one on the left, the one on the right, the ones straight and not so straight across the street, a total of 5 neighbors, Christmas gifts.
Now, I am just talking about the Christmas gifts.
From four out of five of these neighbors I haven’t even received as much as a thank you note, card or sadly, word. I have not gotten a Christmas present from 4 out of the 5 neighbors for the past 4 out of 4 years.
So, this year, I have decided to not give anything to anyone.
I do feel pretty crappy about that, to be honest, but, at least, I don´t have to wait for a thank you.
I love to give, more than to receive, but in this case or in these cases it just seemed to be so in vain. I mean, you know, at least a thank you, something, and not looks that seemed to say I have offended somebody or tried to get to close, for goodness sake. So I decided to stay away this past Christmas.
You see, where I come from, neighbors were friends, even important allies (remember, I grew up in a communist country where things were different!).
I lived all over the planet, but I´ve never had many problems to turn neighbors into friends or at least good aquantances, but I am sorry that I thought, that it would be the same here, on the rather chilly East Coast in the “neighbors department”.
A freezer chest has more to give than my neighbors here right now, so I give up and let it be.
But I have a bit of hope left, since this is about hope- that they do watch the Oprah show and see all the great neighbors that are featured there- and that they want to have great neighbors too.
Otherwise, I cannot understand it.
I also have a faint tiny bit of hope that they missed getting a nice Christmas present from me this year… quo vadis?
Until next time, follow your hearts (and do not ignore what your instinct is telling you!)
With many hopeful wishes respectfully submitted by
Gertie
“TGW/oRCB”
The Girl Without Red Cowboy Boots
Hope, that the world is really a better place…
Hope, that we really can change the world into a better place just by watching the Oprah show (and doing some of the things we see there)…
Hope, that it is not too late for all my dreams (even the really weird ones) to come true.
Hope, that I will make it to the Oprah show one day (yippie!)
That is the thought that makes me really happy and gives me more HOPE…
Hope to one day know I too, will have made more than one difference in the lives of people like Oprah has in so many.
Hope, that my neighbors here on the East Coast watch the Oprah show…
Hope, that they and many other people see, that anyone can make a difference, and hopefully, that will inspire them to make a difference, too.
Gotta tell you, my neighbors here are – well, to put it mildly, to me they seem “different”.
But- I have hope, right?
See, what bothers me is that for the past three of the four years we have been living here, I have given each and every one of my neighbors- the one on the left, the one on the right, the ones straight and not so straight across the street, a total of 5 neighbors, Christmas gifts.
Now, I am just talking about the Christmas gifts.
From four out of five of these neighbors I haven’t even received as much as a thank you note, card or sadly, word. I have not gotten a Christmas present from 4 out of the 5 neighbors for the past 4 out of 4 years.
So, this year, I have decided to not give anything to anyone.
I do feel pretty crappy about that, to be honest, but, at least, I don´t have to wait for a thank you.
I love to give, more than to receive, but in this case or in these cases it just seemed to be so in vain. I mean, you know, at least a thank you, something, and not looks that seemed to say I have offended somebody or tried to get to close, for goodness sake. So I decided to stay away this past Christmas.
You see, where I come from, neighbors were friends, even important allies (remember, I grew up in a communist country where things were different!).
I lived all over the planet, but I´ve never had many problems to turn neighbors into friends or at least good aquantances, but I am sorry that I thought, that it would be the same here, on the rather chilly East Coast in the “neighbors department”.
A freezer chest has more to give than my neighbors here right now, so I give up and let it be.
But I have a bit of hope left, since this is about hope- that they do watch the Oprah show and see all the great neighbors that are featured there- and that they want to have great neighbors too.
Otherwise, I cannot understand it.
I also have a faint tiny bit of hope that they missed getting a nice Christmas present from me this year… quo vadis?
Until next time, follow your hearts (and do not ignore what your instinct is telling you!)
With many hopeful wishes respectfully submitted by
Gertie
“TGW/oRCB”
The Girl Without Red Cowboy Boots
Sunday, January 3, 2010
On Shoes...
So, let me talk about shoes today…
… those things women cannot truly live without.
Nothing men would ever understand…
Shoes and Oprah, to be precise.
One of the first things I notice when watching the Oprah show is what shoes she is wearing. Most of the time I can´t help but notice very sensational looking high heels.
I mean like, a mile high, wow!
Those really unpractical, yet way cool things, you know, that your doctor probably would disaproove of…
But they are also
Shiny.
Bold.
Statements.
I do not see her walk much in those shoes, so…
here are my questions for Oprah:
Could you walk in them? If so, how far would you get before making a fool out of yourself by tripping and or looking like you are in serious pain, etc?
And just how many pairs do you have?
To be more specific: how many pairs do you own?
Do you stack them up like I do in their original shoe boxes with a Polaroid on the outside to know at one glance what´s inside?
Cool idea- wherever it comes from, I do that with most of my shoes.
And how many pairs do you own, that are really, really comfy?
My guess would be one.
That´s what I have.
The rest are just those cool fun shoes. Those must-haves, because you see them in a shop, a catalog, a vacation spot window, because they would go so well with that purple sweater, or the apricot blouse in 2006, or a white tunic that was chic in 1999, the ones that make you frown when you look at them, the ones that make you swoon over them, the ones that make you want to hide them real fast, when you look at the price tag, the Stuart Weizman´s, the Valentino´s, the Balenciagas, or the Mozart and Beethovens of shoes, well, you get the idea.
How many are Italian shoes?
Most of mine are- the ones that can be taken seriously, at least.
There is nothing better than a pair of good Italian shoes.
Italians make the best shoes on the planet.
Trust me on this one.
There is nothing but pure poetry in a pair of Italian shoes.
You will know what I am talking about, once you own a pair of these heavenly things…
I am sure, Oprah has at least one pair of Valentino´s.
They are awesome!
I had a pair, and I re-soled them until I was told I could do so no more, but I could never part with them, even though I cannot wear them any more. They are so beautiful…
Do you, like I do, put your feet up at the end of the day and snuggle up with just socks, or comfy house-shoes or what can we picture you with, Oprah?
My guess is, you have a closet full, pardon, a house, just for shoes, right?
Or is it a house for just the Italian shoes?
Me, I really do just have one pair of comfy shoes- the "right now" shoes.
They have been my only pair or wearable shoes for the last 3 ¾ years.
Basically, the only pair I could wear so to say, because of what happened to my right leg. I cannot stand socks around my right foot. It hurts too much. My leg also does not fit into “normal” shoes anymore, because of what happened to me at that Hospital… (see my first blog post). And let me tell you: the East Coast winters are cold… brrrrr…
So, appreciate what you have, as long as you can, not being able to wear decent shoes sucks (sorry, to use that term).
I am waiting for the “all things shoes” show though, Oprah…
Consider me in it- I love anything shoes just like any normal woman!
With the left shoe on and the right shoe off (hurts too much to have a shoe on that leg) respectfully submitted by
Gertie
“TGW/oRCB”
The Girl Without Red Cowboy Boots (just waiting for Valentino to create the perfect pair of RED boots for me!)
… those things women cannot truly live without.
Nothing men would ever understand…
Shoes and Oprah, to be precise.
One of the first things I notice when watching the Oprah show is what shoes she is wearing. Most of the time I can´t help but notice very sensational looking high heels.
I mean like, a mile high, wow!
Those really unpractical, yet way cool things, you know, that your doctor probably would disaproove of…
But they are also
Shiny.
Bold.
Statements.
I do not see her walk much in those shoes, so…
here are my questions for Oprah:
Could you walk in them? If so, how far would you get before making a fool out of yourself by tripping and or looking like you are in serious pain, etc?
And just how many pairs do you have?
To be more specific: how many pairs do you own?
Do you stack them up like I do in their original shoe boxes with a Polaroid on the outside to know at one glance what´s inside?
Cool idea- wherever it comes from, I do that with most of my shoes.
And how many pairs do you own, that are really, really comfy?
My guess would be one.
That´s what I have.
The rest are just those cool fun shoes. Those must-haves, because you see them in a shop, a catalog, a vacation spot window, because they would go so well with that purple sweater, or the apricot blouse in 2006, or a white tunic that was chic in 1999, the ones that make you frown when you look at them, the ones that make you swoon over them, the ones that make you want to hide them real fast, when you look at the price tag, the Stuart Weizman´s, the Valentino´s, the Balenciagas, or the Mozart and Beethovens of shoes, well, you get the idea.
How many are Italian shoes?
Most of mine are- the ones that can be taken seriously, at least.
There is nothing better than a pair of good Italian shoes.
Italians make the best shoes on the planet.
Trust me on this one.
There is nothing but pure poetry in a pair of Italian shoes.
You will know what I am talking about, once you own a pair of these heavenly things…
I am sure, Oprah has at least one pair of Valentino´s.
They are awesome!
I had a pair, and I re-soled them until I was told I could do so no more, but I could never part with them, even though I cannot wear them any more. They are so beautiful…
Do you, like I do, put your feet up at the end of the day and snuggle up with just socks, or comfy house-shoes or what can we picture you with, Oprah?
My guess is, you have a closet full, pardon, a house, just for shoes, right?
Or is it a house for just the Italian shoes?
Me, I really do just have one pair of comfy shoes- the "right now" shoes.
They have been my only pair or wearable shoes for the last 3 ¾ years.
Basically, the only pair I could wear so to say, because of what happened to my right leg. I cannot stand socks around my right foot. It hurts too much. My leg also does not fit into “normal” shoes anymore, because of what happened to me at that Hospital… (see my first blog post). And let me tell you: the East Coast winters are cold… brrrrr…
So, appreciate what you have, as long as you can, not being able to wear decent shoes sucks (sorry, to use that term).
I am waiting for the “all things shoes” show though, Oprah…
Consider me in it- I love anything shoes just like any normal woman!
With the left shoe on and the right shoe off (hurts too much to have a shoe on that leg) respectfully submitted by
Gertie
“TGW/oRCB”
The Girl Without Red Cowboy Boots (just waiting for Valentino to create the perfect pair of RED boots for me!)
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Just wondering....
...if anyone ever reads the emails send to the Oprah Show?
...if anyone ever reads the emails send to guests of the Oprah Show?
Yes, I confess, I love Oprah, even though I think she has lost a bit of that bite she used to have years ago.
So, I decided to create this blog after I I watched the Oprah Show tonight.
I record the Oprah shows and watch when I have time.
Oprah´s guests in this particular show were Nicholas D. Kristof and his wife Sheryl DuWunn.
They spoke about their book "Half The Sky".
Very touching to me.
But.... I started thinking...
that maybe, if not Oprah could give me a voice, then Nicholas could?
So, I googled him and found the contact him through his website to let him know that while his work is great, I would love for him to tell my story.
I came to the United States a few years ago, to be with my Husband, and I had the misfortune? bad karma? bad luck? to be in the wrong space at the wrong time?
to find myself now handicapped because a Doctor in a local Hospital knew "what I needed".
I walked into the Hospital a healthy, just pregnant young woman.
I went there because I thought my water broke.
After it was clear, that the baby was due- prematurely- I asked for a c-section.
I did have a very strong instinct/feeling that I had to have a c-section.
I try to not question my instincts as they have saved my life before.
I would gladly explain more, but... also fact is
where I come from (not grew up, that is a different story!) that request would have been no problem, and I was so convinced it would not be a problem at all in "modern America".
But, the Doctor looked at me and said to my complete amazement "You don´t need one" and with that, she almost ran out of the room.
She had never seen me before.
How could she possibly know me?
How could she even make a guess at what I needed?
I still don´t have any answers for those questions.
They used alot of force during the birthing process.
When I tried to get out of bed the next morning I noticed a sharp, stabbing pain in my right calf. I could not control or move my leg much...
I could not get out of bed on my own.
With this, my nightmare started.
It has not been solved until today- almost 4 years later.
I have been and am in pain for almost 4 years now.
I cannot tell you how it is that I have not yet lost my mind over the amount of pain I am in 24/7.
Maybe there is somebody that can help me with this, I do not know.
So far, I have not managed to get much help from Doctors and/or lawyers, and/or anyone I tried to talk to.
Like Oprah...
Like Nicholas...
Like a gozillion of other people.
I tried them all- but, nothing so far.
After watching the Oprah Show with Nicholas and his wife, I sat down to write him my story.
This is what I wrote him on November 30, 2009, after I watched the Oprah Show and after I went online and after I read his column "Are We Going To Let John Die" published November 28, 2009.
Dear Nicholas
My name is Gertie. I came to the US about 5 years ago to be with my Husband.
Before that, I was the Host of Gertie´s Country Show on AFN....
My life was not only good, it was great (compared to now!). I grew up as part of a small suppressed minority (Siebenbürger Sachsen) in communist Romania. Me and my family were sold to the west in 1984. An incident at the border ( a soldier wanted my earrings) left me partially hearing impaired. Being locked up in Romania only tempted me more, once free, to go see our beautiful planet. I came to the US as an exchange student when I was 17. I have done and seen many amazing, incredibly things, probably topping it all with my own radio show at AFN. I never thought how bitter and desperate I could get- in the United States of all countries of the planet, a country I thought and felt so highly about after I had lived here as an exchange student... On January 25, 2006, I thought my water broke, and the nurse we called at the Hospital I was scheduled to give birth, told me to come by, they would check it out. I was a healthy, happy (just pregnant) young woman when I went to the Hospital. Coming from Europe thinking I am in a modern, civilized country where I can request whatever I´d like done with my body when I am in a Hospital I requested a c-section when it was clear that the baby was due sometime later. It was denied by a doctor, that had never seen me in her entire life, knew nothing about me or why I wanted a c-section (not that she even bothered to ask). Sad enough, they used a birthing bar during the delivery process, among other things, when the baby just didn´t want to come out (after a nightmare of them trying everything possible and impossible) and rushing me along the entire time, while on that bar, I heard a loud crack on my right side where a nurse was holding my right leg. The next morning, I noticed a sharp, stabbing pain in my right calf and that I could not get out of bed. The leg was treated wrong, which led to an almost lethal blood clot and a permanently damaged femoral vein. The pain is still there, but has now taken over the entire leg. It is the worst pain I have ever experienced in my life, and it just never stops. I know about you, because I watched the Oprah Show today, which I record, and then catch up with watching when I have time. As ironic as it is, I have not voice on this matter, I am in so much desperate pain, and while I am glad, we did not lose our house to foreclosure because of the tons of medical bills (yes, they screw you up and bill you for it!!!), I do not know what to do. I have seen what are supposed to be some of the best doctors in the United States, but they could not figure out what is going on with my leg. They all asked me if this was a "work related injury" and if "there were lawsuits pending" well, gotta tell you without a diagnosis (which I do not have, just a feeling what it could be) I cannot even get a lawyer to take me seriously. Any questions I have for them (the Doctors that I have seen) if they have ever heard of something like my pain, or the noise I heard during my time on that birthing bar, I just sense they do not want to answer and they do not want to really help me with anything beyond more pills...
Please, Nicholas, I am begging you, write about me. Help me get this nightmare out there so that maybe I can get some help with my persisting pain. I do not know just how much longer I can stand it. The pain is nonstop, persistent and never gives me a break. I cannot sit, drive, walk, stand, sleep, lift my little one much, run in the snow with him, dance (except if I sit on a chair and he dances around me) and while getting around the house on a skateboard sounds like fun, it is a complete nightmare that will be 4 years old on January 26, 2010, the same age my beautiful little one is.
Please: HELP ME!
Thank you and Merry Christmas.
Gertie
The countless emails I have written to Oprah?
They might follow...
Thanks for listening in tonight- please do
follow your hearts (and your instincts, even though a Doctor might tell you otherwise) and until soon again,
...if anyone ever reads the emails send to guests of the Oprah Show?
Yes, I confess, I love Oprah, even though I think she has lost a bit of that bite she used to have years ago.
So, I decided to create this blog after I I watched the Oprah Show tonight.
I record the Oprah shows and watch when I have time.
Oprah´s guests in this particular show were Nicholas D. Kristof and his wife Sheryl DuWunn.
They spoke about their book "Half The Sky".
Very touching to me.
But.... I started thinking...
that maybe, if not Oprah could give me a voice, then Nicholas could?
So, I googled him and found the contact him through his website to let him know that while his work is great, I would love for him to tell my story.
I came to the United States a few years ago, to be with my Husband, and I had the misfortune? bad karma? bad luck? to be in the wrong space at the wrong time?
to find myself now handicapped because a Doctor in a local Hospital knew "what I needed".
I walked into the Hospital a healthy, just pregnant young woman.
I went there because I thought my water broke.
After it was clear, that the baby was due- prematurely- I asked for a c-section.
I did have a very strong instinct/feeling that I had to have a c-section.
I try to not question my instincts as they have saved my life before.
I would gladly explain more, but... also fact is
where I come from (not grew up, that is a different story!) that request would have been no problem, and I was so convinced it would not be a problem at all in "modern America".
But, the Doctor looked at me and said to my complete amazement "You don´t need one" and with that, she almost ran out of the room.
She had never seen me before.
How could she possibly know me?
How could she even make a guess at what I needed?
I still don´t have any answers for those questions.
They used alot of force during the birthing process.
When I tried to get out of bed the next morning I noticed a sharp, stabbing pain in my right calf. I could not control or move my leg much...
I could not get out of bed on my own.
With this, my nightmare started.
It has not been solved until today- almost 4 years later.
I have been and am in pain for almost 4 years now.
I cannot tell you how it is that I have not yet lost my mind over the amount of pain I am in 24/7.
Maybe there is somebody that can help me with this, I do not know.
So far, I have not managed to get much help from Doctors and/or lawyers, and/or anyone I tried to talk to.
Like Oprah...
Like Nicholas...
Like a gozillion of other people.
I tried them all- but, nothing so far.
After watching the Oprah Show with Nicholas and his wife, I sat down to write him my story.
This is what I wrote him on November 30, 2009, after I watched the Oprah Show and after I went online and after I read his column "Are We Going To Let John Die" published November 28, 2009.
Dear Nicholas
My name is Gertie. I came to the US about 5 years ago to be with my Husband.
Before that, I was the Host of Gertie´s Country Show on AFN....
My life was not only good, it was great (compared to now!). I grew up as part of a small suppressed minority (Siebenbürger Sachsen) in communist Romania. Me and my family were sold to the west in 1984. An incident at the border ( a soldier wanted my earrings) left me partially hearing impaired. Being locked up in Romania only tempted me more, once free, to go see our beautiful planet. I came to the US as an exchange student when I was 17. I have done and seen many amazing, incredibly things, probably topping it all with my own radio show at AFN. I never thought how bitter and desperate I could get- in the United States of all countries of the planet, a country I thought and felt so highly about after I had lived here as an exchange student... On January 25, 2006, I thought my water broke, and the nurse we called at the Hospital I was scheduled to give birth, told me to come by, they would check it out. I was a healthy, happy (just pregnant) young woman when I went to the Hospital. Coming from Europe thinking I am in a modern, civilized country where I can request whatever I´d like done with my body when I am in a Hospital I requested a c-section when it was clear that the baby was due sometime later. It was denied by a doctor, that had never seen me in her entire life, knew nothing about me or why I wanted a c-section (not that she even bothered to ask). Sad enough, they used a birthing bar during the delivery process, among other things, when the baby just didn´t want to come out (after a nightmare of them trying everything possible and impossible) and rushing me along the entire time, while on that bar, I heard a loud crack on my right side where a nurse was holding my right leg. The next morning, I noticed a sharp, stabbing pain in my right calf and that I could not get out of bed. The leg was treated wrong, which led to an almost lethal blood clot and a permanently damaged femoral vein. The pain is still there, but has now taken over the entire leg. It is the worst pain I have ever experienced in my life, and it just never stops. I know about you, because I watched the Oprah Show today, which I record, and then catch up with watching when I have time. As ironic as it is, I have not voice on this matter, I am in so much desperate pain, and while I am glad, we did not lose our house to foreclosure because of the tons of medical bills (yes, they screw you up and bill you for it!!!), I do not know what to do. I have seen what are supposed to be some of the best doctors in the United States, but they could not figure out what is going on with my leg. They all asked me if this was a "work related injury" and if "there were lawsuits pending" well, gotta tell you without a diagnosis (which I do not have, just a feeling what it could be) I cannot even get a lawyer to take me seriously. Any questions I have for them (the Doctors that I have seen) if they have ever heard of something like my pain, or the noise I heard during my time on that birthing bar, I just sense they do not want to answer and they do not want to really help me with anything beyond more pills...
Please, Nicholas, I am begging you, write about me. Help me get this nightmare out there so that maybe I can get some help with my persisting pain. I do not know just how much longer I can stand it. The pain is nonstop, persistent and never gives me a break. I cannot sit, drive, walk, stand, sleep, lift my little one much, run in the snow with him, dance (except if I sit on a chair and he dances around me) and while getting around the house on a skateboard sounds like fun, it is a complete nightmare that will be 4 years old on January 26, 2010, the same age my beautiful little one is.
Please: HELP ME!
Thank you and Merry Christmas.
Gertie
The countless emails I have written to Oprah?
They might follow...
Thanks for listening in tonight- please do
follow your hearts (and your instincts, even though a Doctor might tell you otherwise) and until soon again,
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