Live and Laugh Like Jane: You Can Ring My Bell at 3:12

Today is the opening day of the Summer Olympics.  I am so excited.  There will be lots of Royalty Watching.

And, bells will be ringing EVERYWHERE.  Literally, the people of London and throughout the UK plan to ROYALLY RING IN the 2012 Summer Olympics with lots of cheer starting at 8:12 GMT (3:12AM for those on the East Coast) when Big Ben (now Elizabeth Tower) is set to strike 40 times.  

Ring your bell in the US, too!  

The whole project to set a world record for the largest number of bells to be rung simultaneously is  called "Work No 1197" and is part of a Mr. Martin Creed's brain child...."Any Bell. Anyone. Anywhere."  If you don't have a bell, get the ringtone here.  I wonder if Queen Elizabeth has a cell phone or if she will use a regular bell.  

So long!  I'm off to People Watch.  There are LOTS of them in London right now. 

Ok, IF I had ACTUALLY been at the Olympics, I'd have sent this postcard.

Party Like Jane: Independent Woman

It's July.  July is a month to celebrate independence.  As an independent woman, I think we all need to celebrate the independence of ALL nations (even the ones I can’t find on the map).  

Other than our own 4^th of July, there are over 20 national independence days in July.   France celebrates Independence on Bastille Day on July 14 (I eat cheese platters and drink wine), Argentina celebrates on July 9^th  (a great reason to throw a Malbec tasting) and Peru celebrates on July 28^th (perfect excuse to try Peruvian wines).

Sometimes, I get so carried away with the joy of FREEDOM that I dance like an independent woman.  

Frankly, there are so many things to celebrate about independence, like having a voice (even if nobody else wants to hear you sing with it).  All us "Jane Does" in the USA started to find that voice in 1919 and then exercise it on August 26, 1920 when the 19th Amendment was ratified females finally got the right to vote.  It's been less than a 100 years!  

Maybe my independent woman dance should be the Charleston!