Stanley coming out the front door to greet the gathered throng of well wishers, past the cut out of him as King and one of his glam admirers. Age hasn’t dimmed his humor.

When I first became an activist against the Vietnam War, Stanley was the 2nd person to give me money to start the GI Office in DC which helped GIs with problems they faced, helped get them attention in Congress. (By the way, the 1st person to give me money for this was Hannah Weinstein, the mother of my BFF, Paula.)

Now I am home studying a script I hope to do soon. Then I will do some research on my news book(s)–a “basket” of 3 short books about adolescent sexuality and gender: One for young teens, one for older teens and one for the parents (and grandparents) of teens.

Then Richard and I will watch the NBA playoffs (it may be the last) and then the Tony Awards. My friend, the amazing Eve Ensler, is receiving a Tony Award for the work she is doing globally to stop violence against women—all of which started with her play, “The Vagina Monologues.” I missed her birthday bash and board meeting last week because I was sick. Then I’ll check out the new Lifetime series, “The Protector.” Gotta keep on top of these things now!

I think “China Syndrome” should be shown again on TV because it would help people understand what Is going on…as it did during the Three Mile Island event. I know that a lot of very smart, good people think nuclear energy should be ” part of the mix” in America’s energy future. For me, the one positive thing about all this is that it might get those decision makers to change their minds. There are simply too many things– earthquakes, cyclones, tornadoes, terrorists, human error, etc– that could turn a nuclear power plant into a catastrophe. And no one yet has figured out how to dispose of the toxic, unforgiving waste. I am so sorry that the Japanese people, they who have already suffered so from the atomic bomb, are having to bear this burden. I pray it brings everyone to their senses.

I am in the car driving to the Albuquerque airport to go back to L. A. I’ve been at my ranch for 5 days. Carole, my assistant, is driving. I hardly went outside while I was there– highly unusual for me but I didn’t feel well enough. I did, however, have to rehearse the choreography for the next two exercise DVDs I will shoot in 2 weeks. They’re going to be really good.

Richard’s in NY with the musical he is part of that opens on Broadway April 24th…” Baby It’s You“. I am glad he’s there. When I am not well I like being alone although, when he is with me, he makes a perfect Jewish mother– taking care of me, bringing me stuff to make me well. I’m not as good at care taking. Every night I have dreamed that Tulea is lost and I can’t find her.

In spite of being sick, I got a lot done at the ranch (when i wasn’t watching TV) including reading through the completed copy edited manuscript of my book. Whew! I really like this book. It has everything I would want to know about preparing for and going through the Third Act…if I say so myself. It makes me laugh in parts and in parts it makes me cry.

Maybe that’s why I feel between parenthesis– so many things have ended and I don’t feel emotionally prepared to put closure on this phase– and, globally speaking– I’m scared what closure might look like.

Enough already. Babbling! Tomorrow is another day. Xxxnxxxx

Anyway, I wanted to set that straight. I, too, am part nerd.

I’m about to go for a long walk with Tulea, my little dog. Then hunker down to write. I’ve fallen way behind in the writing department what with the World Fitness Day and the move to Los Angeles. I love people’s comments about my loft photos. I wasn’t sure the vibe of the place would translate but I guess it has. It is a most unusual place. I have been so happy there. It’s the kind of space where I could be happy all alone but could also entertain 70 or more people comfortably…and often did. Lofts are often so cold and angular and I really sought to do the opposite with mine—make it warm, curves and feminine. I had a golden retriever at the time and so the floors were her color and I’ve always been fond of soft pinks. The truth is, I was rehearsing to perform in Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” at Madison Square Garden in 2000 when I came up with the concept for the womb-like entry. So there!

See you next time.

The tree is still up. Needles are dropping. What to do. Gotta get a new camera. Shucks. Trying to save money but the camera hasn’t shown up.  There’s an important (I think) new book out by Jerry Lembcke “Hanoi Jane: War, Sex, and Fantasies of Betrayal.” I will post more about that asap. It is amazing and sad to me that after all this time and all the evidence and testimony proving that the horrid rumors that spread about me in North Vietnam are NOT true, the letters and rumors continue. Some people are really sick.

Mostly I am writing. Or trying to. Life does get in the way but it’s usually pretty interesting. Like I just heard from Kathy Griffin who wants me and Gloria Steinem to do an episode with her. Also, Margaret Cho wants me to do her show and I adore both of them and want to but how can I do it all and get the book finished by end of April? Also, one challenge is that I keep getting new things to add to the chapters on love and sex in the third act. I gotta put those chapters to bed soon (pardon the pun) or I’ll never finish.

Also, there’s this humongous new idea that my G-CAPP will do May 1st in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta that will be carried through the country and maybe elsewhere. I’ll actually start another microsite to build awareness of what will happen and there are some new friends that are totally social media savvy that have me jumping out of my skin with excitement. Wait till you hear. Soon.

Gotta go to the hairdresser now cause there’s a fun party tonight. I’ll tell you about it tomorrow but no time to buy a camera so no photos. Ah well.

See you next time.

I am finally feeling slightly normal again. I love Christmas, but it is also stressful…being sure everyone’s okay, happy, presents, feeling like I never quite get it right. But now it’s the new year and I am breathing deeply again.AND, getting back to writing. I have 4 months. Yikes.

See you next time.

These are the solar panels that use the sun to heat my home

These are the solar panels that use the sun to heat my home

I am about to leave my ranch. I’d be sadder if I weren’t so rushed. I just finished a new chapter for my book about the third act, “Meeting New People When you’re Looking for Love.” and I’m hurrying to finish packing. But I couldn’t resist taking pictures of my solar panels. I’m trying to set a good example for other home owners in and around the Santa Fe area but, I fear, not enough are going solar—even in a sun-drenched place like this. They don’t even mandate grey water systems to conserve water!!! We have far too little of that resource. I drive a Prius and use all green light bulbs. So bully for me!!

One blog commenter asks how I maintain in the face of the hostility. It’s quite simply knowing who I am. That allows me to understand that what the attackers see is their problem and has nothing to do with me. I know my faults and try to own up to them but I also know I’m not what the venom-spouters think. It takes experience and age to stay confident in one’s reality—and to be free to admit when one has strayed from that reality, which was the case with some of the words in the TIFF protest letter.

Now I am back at my ranch, writing my book. There was a tremendous storm last night and the river is at least up a foot and very muddy. And—wonder of wonders at this early date—there’s a lot of snow on the mountains where the Santa Fe ski basin is. IT is soothing to be here and yesterday I took the most arduous hike since my knee was replaced. It was up the rocky slopes and through the fields that we cleared of trees 2 years ago. Lovely and diverse grasses and wildflowers now cover the ground that looked so barren after the trees were cut. I so adore the grasses here when the sunlight shines through them—so many varieties, most of them I know by name. The tree-cutting program is to conserve water, increase the grasses for the deer and reduce fire hazard. In this way, we restore the land to what it was before white Europeans arrived and began putting out forest fires. This high Chihuahuan desert used to be mainly savannah, not forest, and New Mexico simply doesn’t have the water to support an overgrowth of trees, much as I love them.

On that note, I’ll sign off. See you next time.

View from the room where I'm writing. You can't see it here but the window gives a full view of Los Angeles (which right now is smog-free!) *click photo to enlarge

I am so excited to be writing again. The interruption was also fun and necessary but it’s good to be back. I’m also back with the remarkable physical therapist I go to—Shannon Harris at Body Reform in Beverly Hills. It’s not so much for problems with my knee but related pain in my lower back which he has helped alleviate before. I hope he can do it again. I can’t remember ever being in L.A. under quite these same circumstances—usually I’m here for work, but to be here, in the summer, just because this is where my companero is —well, that’s new and it feels good. It actually makes L.A. an okay place to be. Who knew.

Troy and Simone are celebrating their 2nd anniversary by driving up the gorgeous California coast, through Big Sur, to San Francisco and back. I know that drive well and it is super romantic. They’ve invited me to have lunch at their house this coming Thursday and that’s another good reason to be in L.A. I am blessed.

See you next time.

From left to right, Elijah and Sherrelle on one ATV (All Terrain Vehicle), Matt, Viva and Malcolm on the middle one and, finally, James Andrews and Skye. They have packed a picnic lunch and are off to explore the ranch and camp out. It’s fun seeing the relatively urban Andrews family being exposed to the wilds of the high desert of New Mexico. They seem to like it. Swimming lessons at 5:00 and then a scrumptious dinner cooked by Sandra McDonald who just finished the Upaya retreat. Well, she had a day off in between.

And all the while I sit, glued to my desk, writing about sex. It’s hard knowing how much to say, how much detail to go into, how personal to get. As my daughter-in-law says, “You don’t want to lead the way to your door step,” meaning don’t get toooo personal.

My ranch hands cut all the trees that have grown up over the ten years I’ve been here which have blocked some of my view of the fields and river. This new more expansive view makes me very happy. So, I must say, are my regular blogging pals like Karen and Tim and Kelsey and all the others. I get such interesting feedback. Keep it coming. I’m not someone who has ever felt lonely but hearing from all of you makes me feel I’m not just talking to myself here.

Several very diverse people from Perez Hilton to the woman keyboard player in Richard’s musical have asked me to explain something I said  in the blog of a month or so ago when talking about Michael Jackson’s fear of death I spoke about my rehearsing for my own. I think I will write about that tomorrow. Stay tuned.

See you next time.