Ahoy, Cowboy!

Here's a cute little pirate I could get behind, even if he was sailing the Somalian seas. He's so adorable, I'd probably just give him my cargo and a million dollars for nothing! The cowboy's no slouch either.

I read last week where the family of the young Somalian pirate, who has been brought to the United States for prosecution, asked the Minneapolis-based Somali Justice Advocacy Center to get him a lawyer. When I read that I thought, "the whoota whata?" Is that a real group or did someone just decide to sponsor that as a high school club just last week? How would these people in Somalia even know that group existed? I live just a couple of states over and I never heard of them. Aaahhh...America.  Home of the brave, land of the free...even if you are guilty. Of course there is already so much controversy swirling around this boy.  How old is he really? Does he speak english? Was he brainwashed or was he a ringleader? I can hardly wait for the movie-of-the-week version to come out.

Yesterday I went to the Detroit Institute of Arts with my parents and Aunt Mary to check out the Norman Rockwell exhibition. My dad loves Norman Rockwell, and as a kid I remember looking at a huge coffee-table book he bought on this incredible artist. I have since inherited that book from my dad, and I treasure it. I find it so interesting that for years many did and still do not consider Norman Rockwell to be a true artist, but rather an illustrator and master storyteller. I guess that's why they say art is so subjective. I have been to many museums in my lifetime, The Metropolitan in New York City, The Louvre in Paris, and I have attended a couple of other exhibitions at the DIA. I guess for me, I like art that tells a story or makes me wonder what that person is feeling or thinking. Some of the "art" I saw in the lobby and hallways of the DIA and the gift shop made me laugh. Of course, you know what I was thinking...."I could make this!"

After the exhibition, like idiots, we went over to the MGM Casino for "fun." We managed to score a couple of free lunches at the Palette buffet and then gambled afterwards. Usually, when we go to the casino, we get there earlier in the day, play the slots, lose money and then earn a free lunch. This time we had to pay for a couple of lunches, and then lose money. I said to Aunt Mary "I don't even know why we're going to the casino.  We know they are all on the verge of bankruptcy and if we think they're going to give any kind of payouts on anything, we're deluding ourselves." What I also find strange is that I would return to Target one day after purchasing two packages of sunscreen to get a $2 credit because I forgot to have the cashier deduct the two $1.00 coupons attached to the bottles, and yet, I would then proceed to the casino and throw money at machines, and pay for lunch! I guess I do both of those things, because I can. Somehow, getting back $2 is just as much fun as losing $100.

I love an underdog just as much as the next guy, but I find I'm suffering from "Susan Boyle overkill." I swear, if I hear "I Had a Dream" one more time, I'm going to have a nightmare. I just hope she doesn't overdo it in the media so that by the time she actually competes in the "Britain's Got Talent" show in May she hasn't raised every one's expectations of her and worn out her welcome.  She's been the talk of Hollywood and the news programs. Entertainment Tonight did a whole story on her "makeover" discussing her newly plucked eyebrows and fake leather jacket. Yikes!

Tonight I am attending a premier of a documentary entitled "Tell Everyone My Story: The Journey of Jeff Stemberger." You may recall this is our friend who passed away from esophageal cancer in 2006. Saint Joseph Mercy Health System in Ann Arbor is working to raise awareness regarding esophageal cancer. Ed and I are honored to be one of the few invited to attend the premiere. This is the beginning of Jeff's vision to educate the public about this fast growing and life threatening cancer. Of course, you'll be hearing much more about this from me in the future.