Antivirals, flashing lights & defibrillators for electronic devices

My dearest friends,

I turned on my computer to start the day today, and strange things started happening to it – flashing lights, disappearing programs, which were probably just the labor pains, as the poor thing got worse, practically giving birth to kittens, puppies, a cockatiel, and I may have even seen a bat fly out of it at one point.

In other words, for the first time since I have had a computer, it, or I, or we, were under attack from a virus.

Fortunately, being the overly cautious kind -- I carry anti-bacterial gel I n my purse, as well as wipes (‘ya just never know, doncha’ know!) – I had an antibiotic or two on hand, but remember, antibiotics don’t work against viruses, so I had to go in for the strong stuff. Yes, antiviral medications, and even a few naturally antiviral herbs. Fortunately for me, and my computer, as soon as the deadly viruses were eradicated, I was able to defibrillate the poor old machine, and restore it to the state it had been in before the viral attack. Fortunately for me, several hours of technical support and a very helpful technician, served me well.

Unfortunately, the process of treating the life-threatening illness my trusty electronic companion had been struck with, left me incommunicado for much of the day. But some exploratory surgery, the antiviral medicines and antiviral herbal teas have worked their magic, and my computer pal is up and running. And, believe it or not, she is even better than before – better, faster, stronger. And no, it didn’t even cost 6-million dollars like it did for Steve Austin back in the day (although Lee Majors did play a minor role, at least in my mind)!! Yippee!!!

So, dear friends and family, please excuse me for weird, multiple, or completely absent communication on my part today. Ignoring or deluging you with emails, whichever my tenderly loved VAIO may have done when it was under the influence of buggies and meanies beyond its control were, honestly, neither its fault, nor mine.

I have almost everything back the way it is supposed to be, after which time, we will both be settling in early. Such medical and surgical procedures are difficult you see, both for the recipient and for the practitioner.

The emails and/or phone calls I owe you, I will send or make tomorrow. I’ve basically missed out on an entire day of contact with the outside world, and my poor little computer is literally hot to the touch.

J, I will call your office tomorrow, to see if we can figure something out during the week.

M1 and M2, I hope that you were able to get ahold of each other. If so, I will look to fly M2 to MSP on the 21st, and both of you out here, together, on the 22nd. Make sure you call D and the twins, and I will as well, albeit not today, if that is the agreed-upon Christmas departure plan.

I’m sorry to everyone for this mishap, and happy to let you know that we’re back up and running, and tomorrow is another day. It is one that I shall begin “well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with [this] old nonsense. This day is all that is good and fair. It is too dear, with its hopes and invitations to waste a moment on yesterdays.” (R. W. Emerson)

I will begin my tomorrow anew, fresh and bright with hope, and leave this day of computer malfunction in yesterday.

I hope you all have a good night, and hope to hear from you soon!!

Bisous, Bisous,
Danielle

Friday, November 28, 2008

Not a whole lot to say today. Not my best day. I wish finding jobs were an easier, or at least faster task!!!

Upon the advice of my friend, Sandrine, I took an hour-long walk along the shore. The waves were pretty powerful. And, I found a spot with cell-phone coverage and got a chance to speak with my daughter briefly. I couldn't get ahold of my son.


Settling in early tonight. Gonna watch "Ghost Whisperer" and hit the hay.

'Til tomorrow dear friends!!



****************************************************************************************


Ici, ce n’est toujours pas le grand moral. J’ai l’impression d’être en attente du retour de Fabrice. En plus, comme hier était férié, les bureaux et tout ça sont fermés aujourd’hui aussi. Il n’y a que les magasins d’ouverts.


Enfin. Dans l’entretemps, je continue à chercher du travail pour Fabrice et pour moi-même, je travaille mes photos, je finis la chausette de Noël de Fabrice, et je fais passer le temps aussi bien que possible.


Je discutais avec une copine sur msn cet après-midi, et malgré mon humeur et le mauvais temps, je lui ai promis d’aller faire un tour à la plage pour elle. Ce que j’ai fait, et vous trouverez des photos ci-jointes. Les vagues étaient énormes, et j’ai l’impression qu’un orage de mer arrive. D’ailleurs, je viens d’entendre le météo, où ils ont dit qu’il va faire beau ce week-end, mais qu’il y aura d’énormes vagues et qu’il vaut donc mieux s’éloigner un peu du bord de la mer. Tout les hivers ont entend parler de gens qui se font emporté par les vagues. Il suffit de s’éloigner un peu pour sauver sa vie, alors je ne comprends pas certains qui montent même sur les rochers en ce moment orageux.


Enfin, j’ai fini par marcher un peu plus d’une heure, et maintenant j’ai bien chaud et je suis un peu fatiguée. Je risque de me coucher tôt ce soir et de me lever tôt demain pour multiplier mon effort pour trouver un boulot.



Voilà, voilà, des nouvelles de la soirée. Je joins aussi trois photos de ma Morgane. Dans l’une elle est avec ses deux petites sœurs, et dans l’autre, elle n’est qu’avec la petite dernière. Bien évidemment, dans la dernière, elle est seule. Je pense que sa belle-mère les a pris hier pendant leurs préparatifs pour Thanksgiving.

Sur ce, et en attendant de vous lire, et encore plus, de vous recevoir, je vous laisse pour le moment.


Dormez-bien, bonne nuit, bonne journée, bon week-end, et à bientôt !!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Carmel Beach Panorama
Originally uploaded by Nana S

The panorama of Carmel Beach is made of 20 individual pictures put together using photo-stitching software.

I hope you like it, and that you all enjoy the holidays to come!!!

Yes, Danielle, There is a Santa Claus

I tell my children that, if they don't believe in Santa Claus, he can't possibly bring them presents.

My children are 14 and 22. Fabrice's are 13 and 16. They all think I am silly, but are willing to say that they believe, if for no other reason than to satisfy me.

Of course, I don't expect them to believe in a plump red-suited man who flies through the night delivering gifts and coal, depending....

It's more along the lines of this classic piece - classic in its content and meaning, classic in its style. This is the Santa Claus that I believe in:

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.

"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Nouvelles.... ou autre chose!

Fabrice est parti ce matin pour reprendre l’avion vers la France. Il va y arriver demain matin, son copain, Arnaud, va aller le chercher à l’aéroport, ils vont manger chez Tata Jeanne, puis ils vont directement au boulot.

Toute seule ici dans ma chambre d’hôtel, je n’ai pas trop le moral, alors j’avais l’intention de me reposer et de m’occuper de mes photos, mon blog, etc. Malheureusement, j’ai fais une sieste de 8 heures, et en me réveillant, je ne savais pas s’il était 6 heures du matin ou 6 heures du soir. En plus, il a plu toute la journée. Il a fait beau pendant tout le temps que Fabrice soit avec moi, et maintenant, le jour qu’il parte, il se met à pleuvoir.

C’est quoi le poème déjà, « il pleut sur la ville comme il pleure dans mon cœur ».

Je pense que j’ai davantage le cafard, car jeudi est férié – c’est le début des fêtes de fin d’année, le Thanksgiving, mais moi je serais toute seule, ce qui n’est pas évident.

Heureusement qu’il reviendra dans trois semaines !

Autrement, comme nous aurions tout juste trouvé un logement pour Noël cette année, on ne va pas essayer de convaincre ses enfants de venir passer Noël ou le Jour de l’An avec nous cette année. Mes enfants seront tous les deux avec nous, du moins, je l’espère !

Mais comme on ne pourra pas les recevoir pour les fêtes de fin d’année, on aimerait les inviter, exceptionnellement en 2009, pendant les vacances de février, de 2 à 4 semaines pendant l’été, et puis une semaine pendant les fêtes de fin d’année, soit pour Noël, soit pour le premier de l’an. Ensuite, dans les années à venir, on aimerait qu’elles viennent quelques semaines en été et soit Noël, soit le premier de l’an, en alternance avec leur mère, pendant chaque période de vacances de fin d’année.

Demain, ma note sera en anglais. Je suis surtout anglophone, après tout, et ça fait un bon moment que mes amis aux US n’ont pas pu prendre de mes nouvelles par le biais de mon blog.

Bonne journée/soirée/nuit, et à demain tout le monde !

Nous à Carmel / The Two of Us in Carmel

Notre Lundi

Hier nous étions tous les deux un petit peu malade. On a enfin compris que c’était l’eau du robinet que l’on buvait dans certaines boissons, le café, les infusions, etc. Maintenant que l’on ne consomme plus que de l’eau en bouteille, ça va beaucoup mieux.

Nous avons eu le grand plaisir de déguster de vrais hamburgers – ceux-ci n’ont rien à voir avec ce que vous trouverez chez McDo, qu’il soit ici ou là-bas. Je joins donc une copie d’un hamburger comme il doit vraiment être !! Lorsque vous veniez nous rendre visite, nous serions surs de vous emmener avec nous dans le petit resto qui fait ses hamburgers fantastiques, ainsi que de merveilleux milk-shakes, qui n’ont, eux non plus, rien à voir avec les milk-shakes de chez McDo !!! Ce sont de véritables délices.


Aujourd’hui, j’ai passé ma journée à préparer la valise à Fabrice, des courriers et des papiers qui sont à adresser lorsqu’il est en France, ainsi que les papiers de santé et de vaccinations de mes animaux pour que tout sera prêt pour leurs visites chez le véto avant d’être autorisés à prendre l’avion et venir nous rejoindre. Comme Fabrice revient le 16 décembre (je me suis trompée, ce n’est malheureusement pas le 14 L ), les animaux viendront soit juste avant lui, soit avec lui, soit juste après. Tout dépend de si j’ai trouvé un logement, de la disponibilité des places pour les animaux dans les avions, etc. Mais je ne peux pas vous dire combien je serais heureuse de retrouver ma belle toutou, Chanel, et mes deux chats, Jake-Jake et Kitty.

Cet après-midi, Fabrice est allé à son cours d’anglais, et quand il est rentré, nous sommes allés à la plage à Carmel se promener un peu et regarder les couleurs des nuages lorsque le soleil commençait à se coucher. Ça a été un beau moment, et j’ai pu prendre quelques jolies photos. Bien évidemment, je vais partager quelques-unes avec vous, et les autres peuvent toujours être vues sur mon site flikr. Si jamais vous voulez une invitation pour voir même mes photos cachées, comme celles de mes nièces, par exemple, vous n’avez qu’à me le dire, et je vous enverrai une invitation – en français même !!! MDR !


Bon, à part cela, nous avions passé une bonne journée. Il faisait beau, ni trop chaud, ni trop froid. Fabrice apprécie et profite bien de ses cours d’anglais. Et moi j’ai fini ses valises et toute la paperasse que j’avais à adresser. En gros, une journée satisfaisante et pendant laquelle on a pas mal accompli. Je pense que j’ai bien mérité mon sommeil cette nuit, et je ne vais pas tarder à m’endormir dès que je vous envoie ce mail.

Fabrice part d’ici tôt demain matin, pour arriver à Paris mercredi matin. Mercredi après-midi il travail. Je suis certaine qu’il sera absolument crevé pour la fin de la journée. Heureusement que notre cher et tendre ami, Arnaud, va l’emmener à la maison. Je n’aimerais pas que quelque-chose ne lui arrive à cause de sa fatigue. Je tiens un peu à lui quand même !!

Bon, sur ce, je vous laisse pour cette fois. Je vous souhaite bonne nuit, ou plutôt bonne journée, car si vous n’êtes pas encore debout, vous risquez de l’être bientôt. 9 heures de décalage horaire fait quand même une sacré différence !

Les Nouvelles de Mercredi

Fabrice est ravi comme tout à chaque fois qu’il constate à quel point les cerfs dans cette région fréquentent la ville. Voici donc des photos de cerfs sur le terrain de golf - un jeune cerf qui tenait absolument à manger LÀ et non pas ailleurs.







Depuis hier, Fabrice fait des cours d’anglais dans une école pour adultes non loin de notre hôtel. Il a déjà fait pas mal de progrès, sinon dans ses connaissances de la langue, dans son aise à s’exprimer et dans sa confiance en soi. Que voudriez-vous de mieux !! Je suis fière de lui, et je pense qu’il en est aussi.

Normalement, Fabrice retourne en France mardi, pour y rester jusqu’au 14 décembre. Je sais que le WE après, il va faire un petit voyage dans la Sarthe, rendre visite à son cousin Patrick et sa famille, ainsi qu’à sa tante Marie-France, qui a eu la gentillesse et la générosité non seulement de m’accueillir pendant une semaine de paix et de bonheur, mais aussi de garder mes animaux pendant que Fabrice fait des vas et viens entre la France et les États-Unis. En plus de leur rendre une dernière visite avant son départ définitif pour les US, il va, bien sur, récupérer mes animaux pour qu’eux aussi puissent nous rejoindre dans les plus brefs délais. Que j’ai hâte de les revoir !! Et que j’en suis reconnaissante à Marie-France, Patrick, et toute sa famille de nous avoir toujours accueillis avec le sourire et de merveilleux repas, et de nous avoir soutenus dans les moments difficiles.

Comme beaucoup d’entre vous, bien surs !!!! Moi personnellement je suis vraiment énormément à tous ceux qui m’ont encouragé et soutenu quand je pensais que je n’en pouvais plus d’attendre de retrouver mon pays pour y faire ma nouvelle vie avec mon époux chéri.

Sur ce, nous vous laissons pour aujourd’hui, on a du travail et un logement à trouver !!

Fabrice se joint à moi pour vous dire tous bonne nuit, bon courage demain, bonne journée, bonne santé, et gros bisous de nous à travers les milliers de kilomètres à vous qui nous sommes si chers.

Danielle Video 1

Fabrice took this film of me - the one movement is my daughter's "Space Jam Dance."

Sorry he filmed it sideways!!!

Danielle

Nous avons de la chance d’avoir encore une journée ensoleillée et belle, même si un peu plus frais que la semaine dernière, mais pas de brouillard comme hier et avant hier. Quel plaisir !!! Maintenant si on avait du travail et un logement ce serait le comble du bonheur, je vous le jure !!!

Danielle 3
Originally uploaded by Nana S

Fabrice's Sexy Song

Fabrice vient de partir à son école d’anglais là. Le jeudi après-midi, il fait 3 heures de prononciation. C’est peut-être de ce cours qu’il a le plus besoin. Ça ne fait que 3 ou 4 jours qu’il va à cette école, et déjà, il parle de plus en plus et de mieux en mieux. Il pratique ce qu’il apprend à l’école, et sa confiance dans son anglais s’est beaucoup, beaucoup amélioré.

Avant qu’il ne parte à l’école, comme la marée était basse, nous sommes allés au bord de la mer et y avons pris quelques photos et vidéos pour joindre à ma note quotidienne. Vous les trouverez publiés ici.

Sur ce, je vous laisse pour le moment. J’écrirais davantage soit ce soir, soit demain.

J’espère que nos photos et vidéos vous feront plaisir.

Gros bisous et bon courage à vous tous.

Nouvelles de Dimanche

J’espère que tout va bien et que tu as passé un bon week-end, ainsi que les votres. Ici ça va très bien, mais il fait un peu chaud pour le mois de novembre.

J’ai eu un pré-entretien de travail avec l’un des doyens de l’école militaire où je travaillais avant de me marier avec Fabrice. Il va essayer de pousser mes candidatures pour 4 postes différents dans l’espoir de me faire rentrer de nouveau dans l’école. Je peux te dire que, si ça marche, je ne partirais plus jamais de ma propre volonté !! Comme par hasard, le doyen en question s’agit d’une connaissance que j’avais fait la première fois que je suis allée à l’institut de Monterey. Nous avons parlé environs une heure, une heure et demi, et je croise mes doigts….

Autrement, la semaine prochaine, je vais passer un examen pour travailler dans le service de renseignements du bureau du shérif du comté de Monterey. J’aimerais autant travailler où je travaillais auparavant, mais n’importe quel travail est mieux qu’aucun. Surtout en ce moment, entre les problèmes économiques du pays et nos problèmes économiques à nous deux, avec les allers et retours de Fabrice, l’hôtel, etc. Ce n’est pas du tout évident.

Il faut dire que les 20 mois que je suis mariée avec Fabrice doivent bien être les 20 mois le plus difficile de ma vie d’adulte. Je suis presque certaine qu’il en est de même pour lui. Et on n’en est pas encore sortis de l’auberge. Notre relation a pris un sacré coup, mais pour le moment nous essayons de persévérer pour la sauver. Elle n’a vraiment pas eu l’occasion de prospérer. Et nous n’avons pas eu l’occasion de profiter ni de notre vie, ni de notre couple, ni de la vie en générale. Et ce n’est pas fini. Mais nous gardons l’espoir que nous commençons à remonter la pente et que l’on trouvera ce qu’il nous faut pour se construire une vie paisible et chaleureuse.

Au moins pour le moment, nous avons pu échapper à Faremoutiers et à l’hiver qui commençait là-bas. Je m’attendais à ce qu’il fasse frais ici comme d’habitude au mois de novembre, mais il fait très chaud et il y a un très beau soleil. Je passe mes matins et débuts d’après-midi à chercher du travail, et nous nous promenons en fin d’après-midi lorsqu’il fait un peu moins chaud.

Nous avons trouvé un hôtel dans lequel nous pouvons rester plusieurs semaines. Alors ainsi j’aurais au moins de quoi me loger et un lit pour dormir quand Fabrice retourne en France pendant 3 longues semaines la semaine prochaine. J’ai peur d’avoir tout à faire sans lui, sans beaucoup d’argent, sans voiture, etc. La plupart de mes amis d’ici vivent ailleurs maintenant. Comme ce sont des gens que j’ai rencontrés en faisant ma maîtrise, c’est normal ; ils sont partis de pars le monde vivent leurs vies à eux. Mais il me reste deux ou trois connaissances, et surtout, le territoire m’est familier, et je me sens chez moi dans cette partie du monde. Ça fait toute la différence pour quelqu’un de timide et de peureuse comme moi !

Alors, voilà les nouvelles de ce dimanche.

At Home on the Monterey Peninsula, at Long Last

I Sold My First Picture!

For years, and I mean years, like since I was 6 or 7 years old, I have wanted to be a writer and an artist. For at least 10 years now, I have also been working hard at developping my photographic skills.

Sometimes I think I do a pretty darn good job; in my writings, in my drawings, and in my photography. But I don't know where to start to begin to sell anything, or even to get people interested. Absolutely no idea have I, unfortunately.

I'd like to learn. I know people do better with agents and the like. But I can't afford an agent right now, I'm still looking for a job and a place to live, after all!!

Anyway.....

The other day I had the extreme pleasure to receive the following in my email inbox:

Hello Nana,

I work at [a university], in [Someplace]
California. Our new university president was born in
[a small town in] ND. I found your photo of the land
outside [that small town] very evocative. May I have permission to
use the photo in our university magazine. It would run
about 2inches square and we can pay you $.

Please let me know if this is agreeable to you. My direct
email is:

Thanks!
I love your work.

Needless to say, I said yes. I am very happy.

The photo in question is below.

The major lesson I have learned in this is the importance in tagging your photos in flickr. If this particular shot hadn't been, it never would have been found in the millions of photos out there, much less purchased for professional publication!!

I'm going to be spending a lot of time this weekend naming, tagging, and describing my pictures on flickr, that's for darn sure!!!

Mormons Tipped Scale in Ban on Gay Marriage

November 15, 2008

By JESSE McKINLEY and KIRK JOHNSON

SACRAMENTO — Less than two weeks before Election Day, the chief strategist behind a ballot measure outlawing same-sex marriage in California called an emergency meeting here.

“We’re going to lose this campaign if we don’t get more money,” the strategist, Frank Schubert, recalled telling leaders of Protect Marriage, the main group behind the ban.

The campaign issued an urgent appeal, and in a matter of days, it raised more than $5 million, including a $1 million donation from Alan C. Ashton, the grandson of a former president of the Mormon Church. The money allowed the drive to intensify a sharp-elbowed advertising campaign, and support for the measure was catapulted ahead; it ultimately won with 52 percent of the vote.

As proponents of same-sex marriage across the country planned protests on Saturday against the ban, interviews with the main forces behind the ballot measure showed how close its backers believe it came to defeat — and the extraordinary role Mormons played in helping to pass it with money, institutional support and dedicated volunteers.

“We’ve spoken out on other issues, we’ve spoken out on abortion, we’ve spoken out on those other kinds of things,” said Michael R. Otterson, the managing director of public affairs for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as the Mormons are formally called, in Salt Lake City. “But we don’t get involved to the degree we did on this.”

The California measure, Proposition 8, was to many Mormons a kind of firewall to be held at all costs.

“California is a huge state, often seen as a bellwether — this was seen as a very, very important test,” Mr. Otterson said.

First approached by the Roman Catholic archbishop of San Francisco a few weeks after the California Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in May, the Mormons were the last major religious group to join the campaign, and the final spice in an unusual stew that included Catholics, evangelical Christians, conservative black and Latino pastors, and myriad smaller ethnic groups with strong religious ties.

Shortly after receiving the invitation from the San Francisco Archdiocese, the Mormon leadership in Salt Lake City issued a four-paragraph decree to be read to congregations, saying “the formation of families is central to the Creator’s plan,” and urging members to become involved with the cause.

“And they sure did,” Mr. Schubert said.

Jeff Flint, another strategist with Protect Marriage, estimated that Mormons made up 80 percent to 90 percent of the early volunteers who walked door-to-door in election precincts.

The canvass work could be exacting and highly detailed. Many Mormon wards in California, not unlike Roman Catholic parishes, were assigned two ZIP codes to cover. Volunteers in one ward, according to training documents written by a Protect Marriage volunteer, obtained by people opposed to Proposition 8 and shown to The New York Times, had tasks ranging from “walkers,” assigned to knock on doors; to “sellers,” who would work with undecided voters later on; and to “closers,” who would get people to the polls on Election Day.

Suggested talking points were equally precise. If initial contact indicated a prospective voter believed God created marriage, the church volunteers were instructed to emphasize that Proposition 8 would restore the definition of marriage God intended.

But if a voter indicated human beings created marriage, Script B would roll instead, emphasizing that Proposition 8 was about marriage, not about attacking gay people, and about restoring into law an earlier ban struck down by the State Supreme Court in May.

“It is not our goal in this campaign to attack the homosexual lifestyle or to convince gays and lesbians that their behavior is wrong — the less we refer to homosexuality, the better,” one of the ward training documents said. “We are pro-marriage, not anti-gay.”

Leaders were also acutely conscious of not crossing the line from being a church-based volunteer effort to an actual political organization.

“No work will take place at the church, including no meeting there to hand out precinct walking assignments so as to not even give the appearance of politicking at the church,” one of the documents said.

By mid-October, most independent polls showed support for the proposition was growing, but it was still trailing. Opponents had brought on new media consultants in the face of the slipping poll numbers, but they were still effectively raising money, including $3.9 million at a star-studded fund-raiser held at the Beverly Hills home of Ron Burkle, the supermarket billionaire and longtime Democratic fund-raiser.

It was then that Mr. Schubert called his meeting in Sacramento. “I said, ‘As good as our stuff is, it can’t withstand that kind of funding,’ ” he recalled.

The response was a desperate e-mail message sent to 92,000 people who had registered at the group’s Web site declaring a “code blue” — an urgent plea for money to save traditional marriage from “cardiac arrest.” Mr. Schubert also sent an e-mail message to the three top religious members of his executive committee, representing Catholics, evangelicals and Mormons.

“I ask for your prayers that this e-mail will open the hearts and minds of the faithful to make a further sacrifice of their funds at this urgent moment so that God’s precious gift of marriage is preserved,” he wrote.

On Oct. 28, Mr. Ashton, the grandson of the former Mormon president David O. McKay, donated $1 million. Mr. Ashton, who made his fortune as co-founder of the WordPerfect Corporation, said he was following his personal beliefs and the direction of the church.

“I think it was just our realizing that we heard a number of stories about members of the church who had worked long hours and lobbied long and hard,” he said in a telephone interview from Orem, Utah.

In the end, Protect Marriage estimates, as much as half of the nearly $40 million raised on behalf of the measure was contributed by Mormons.

Even with the Mormons’ contributions and the strong support of other religious groups, Proposition 8 strategists said they had taken pains to distance themselves from what Mr. Flint called “more extreme elements” opposed to rights for gay men and lesbians.

To that end, the group that put the issue on the ballot rebuffed efforts by some groups to include a ban on domestic partnership rights, which are granted in California. Mr. Schubert cautioned his side not to stage protests and risk alienating voters when same-sex marriages began being performed in June.

“We could not have this as a battle between people of faith and the gays,” Mr. Schubert said. “That was a losing formula.”

But the “Yes” side also initially faced apathy from middle-of-the-road California voters who were largely unconcerned about same-sex marriage. The overall sense of the voters in the beginning of the campaign, Mr. Schubert said, was “Who cares? I’m not gay.”

To counter that, advertisements for the “Yes” campaign also used hypothetical consequences of same-sex marriage, painting the specter of churches’ losing tax exempt status or people “sued for personal beliefs” or objections to same-sex marriage, claims that were made with little explanation.

Another of the advertisements used video of an elementary school field trip to a teacher’s same-sex wedding in San Francisco to reinforce the idea that same-sex marriage would be taught to young children.

“We bet the campaign on education,” Mr. Schubert said.

The “Yes” campaign was denounced by opponents as dishonest and divisive, but the passage of Proposition 8 has led to second-guessing about the “No” campaign, too, as well as talk about a possible ballot measure to repeal the ban. Several legal challenges have been filed, and the question of the legality of the same-sex marriages performed from June to Election Day could also be settled in court.

For his part, Mr. Schubert said he is neither anti-gay — his sister is a lesbian — nor happy that some same-sex couples’ marriages are now in question. But, he said, he has no regrets about his campaign.

“They had a lot going for them,” Mr. Schubert said of his opponents. “And they couldn’t get it done.”

Mr. Otterson said it was too early to tell what the long-term implications might be for the church, but in any case, he added, none of that factored into the decision by church leaders to order a march into battle. “They felt there was only one way we could stand on such a fundamental moral issue, and they took that stand,” he said. “It was a matter of standing up for what the church believes is right.”

That said, the extent of the protests has taken many Mormons by surprise. On Friday, the church’s leadership took the unusual step of issuing a statement calling for “respect” and “civility” in the aftermath of the vote.

“Attacks on churches and intimidation of people of faith have no place in civil discourse over controversial issues,” the statement said. “People of faith have a democratic right to express their views in the public square without fear of reprisal.”

Mr. Ashton described the protests by same-sex marriage advocates as off-putting. “I think that shows colors,” Mr. Ashton said. “By their fruit, ye shall know them.”

Jesse McKinley reported from Sacramento, and Kirk Johnson from Salt Lake City.

The Wild Wordsmith of Wasilla

November 14, 2008, 10:00 pm

Electronic devices dislike me. There is never a day when something isn’t ailing. Three out of these five implements — answering machine, fax machine, printer, phone and electric can-opener — all dropped dead on me in the past few days.

Now something has gone wrong with all three television sets. They will only get Sarah Palin.

I can play a kind of Alaskan roulette. Any random channel clicked on by the remote brings up that eager face, with its continuing assaults on the English Lang.

There she is with Larry and Matt and just about everyone else but Dr. Phil (so far). If she is not yet on “Judge Judy,” I suspect it can’t be for lack of trying.

What have we done to deserve this, this media blitz that the astute Andrea Mitchell has labeled “The Victory Tour”?

I suppose it will be recorded as among political history’s ironies that Palin was brought in to help John McCain. I can’t blame feminists who might draw amusement from the fact that a woman managed to both cripple the male she was supposed to help while gleaning an almost Elvis-sized following for herself. Mac loses, Sarah wins big-time was the gist of headlines.

I feel a little sorry for John. He aimed low and missed.

What will ambitious politicos learn from this? That frayed syntax, bungled grammar and run-on sentences that ramble on long after thought has given out completely are a candidate’s valuable traits?

And how much more of all that lies in our future if God points her to those open-a-crack doors she refers to? The ones she resolves to splinter and bulldoze her way through upon glimpsing the opportunities, revealed from on high.

What on earth are our underpaid teachers, laboring in the vineyards of education, supposed to tell students about the following sentence, committed by the serial syntax-killer from Wasilla High and gleaned by my colleague Maureen Dowd for preservation for those who ask, “How was it she talked?”

My concern has been the atrocities there in Darfur and the relevance to me with that issue as we spoke about Africa and some of the countries there that were kind of the people succumbing to the dictators and the corruption of some collapsed governments on the continent, the relevance was Alaska’s investment in Darfur with some of our permanent fund dollars.

And, she concluded, “never, ever did I talk about, well, gee, is it a country or a continent, I just don’t know about this issue.”

It’s admittedly a rare gift to produce a paragraph in which whole clumps of words could be removed without noticeably affecting the sense, if any.

(A cynic might wonder if Wasilla High School’s English and geography departments are draped in black.)

(How many contradictory and lying answers about The Empress’s New Clothes have you collected? I’ve got, so far, only four. Your additional ones welcome.)

Matt Lauer asked her about her daughter’s pregnancy and what went into the decision about how to handle it. Her “answer” did not contain the words “daughter,” “pregnancy,” “what to do about it” or, in fact, any two consecutive words related to Lauer’s query.

I saw this as a brief clip, so I don’t know whether Lauer recovered sufficiently to follow up, or could only sit there, covered in disbelief. If it happens again, Matt, I bequeath you what I heard myself say once to an elusive guest who stiffed me that way: “Were you able to hear any part of my question?”

At the risk of offending, well, you, for example, I worry about just what it is her hollering fans see in her that makes her the ideal choice to deal with the world’s problems: collapsed economies, global warming, hostile enemies and our current and far-flung twin battlefronts, either of which may prove to be the world’s second “30 Years’ War.”

Has there been a poll to see if the Sarah-ites are numbered among that baffling 26 percent of our population who, despite everything, still maintain that President George has done a heckuva job?

A woman in one of Palin’s crowds praised her for being “a mom like me … who thinks the way I do” and added, for ill measure, “That’s what I want in the White House.” Fine, but in what capacity?

Do this lady’s like-minded folk wonder how, say, Jefferson, Lincoln, the Roosevelts, et al (add your own favorites) managed so well without being soccer moms? Without being whizzes in the kitchen, whipping up moose soufflés? Without executing and wounding wolves from the air and without promoting that sad, threadbare hoax — sexual abstinence — as the answer to the sizzling loins of the young?

(In passing, has anyone observed that hunting animals with high-powered guns could only be defined as sport if both sides were equally armed?)

I’d love to hear what you think has caused such an alarming number of our fellow Americans to fall into the Sarah Swoon.

Could the willingness to crown one who seems to have no first language have anything to do with the oft-lamented fact that we seem to be alone among nations in having made the word “intellectual” an insult? (And yet…and yet…we did elect Obama. Surely not despite his brains.)

Sorry about all of the foregoing, as if you didn’t get enough of the lady every day in every medium but smoke signals.

I do not wish her ill. But I also don’t wish us ill. I hope she continues to find happiness in Alaska.

May I confess that upon first seeing her, I liked her looks? With the sound off, she presents a not uncomely frontal appearance.

But now, as the Brits say, “I’ll be glad to see the back of her.”

**********

PS: Lagniappe for English mavens: A friend of mine has made you laugh greatly over the years. David Lloyd is a comic genius (I can hear you wince, David) who wrote for “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Cheers,” “Taxi,” “Frasier,” Jack Paar, Johnny Carson and me, not necessarily in that order. As a language fan, he has preserved many gems for posterity in his prodigious memory bank. Here comes my favorite:

A Navy lecturer was talking about some directives on the blackboard that he said to do something about, “except for these here ones with the asteroids in back of.”

Even David couldn’t make that up.

Quelques Petites Nouvelles

Excusez le manque d'accents. L'ordinateur de ma soeur est pratiquement neuf, et ils n'ont pas encore entierement installe Word.

Excusez aussi, je vous prie, mes quelques jours de silence. Je suis actuellement chez ma soeur ou il n'y a pas de wireless et un seul ordinateur avec Internet. Bien evidemment, je dois attendre mon tour, et avec cinq autres personnes dans la maison, ceci n'est pas forcement evident!

A part cela, je passe un tres bon moment avec ma famille.

Aujourd'hui, j'etais seule avec Michele. Nous avons fait beaucoup de menage car personne d'autre ne l'aide, et tout en bavardant. Nous avons aussi fait un petit tour au magasin de fournitures en art, mais une pluie glacante a commencee a tomber donc on est rentrees.

La, Michele, son mari et leurs filles sont partis se faire vacciner contre la grippe, ce que je ferais moi-meme en Californie. Et Fabrice aussi, bien sur. Il faut bien prendre soin du Fabrice national des US!! Monique est toujours au travail, et j'ai fini le menage pour aujourd'hui. Alors je profite d'un peu de temps seule avec la chienne pour me servir de l'ordi. La chienne a eu la gentillesse de me le passer pendant qu'elle fait une petite somme.

Si j'arrive a rester reveillee, j'aurais de nouveau le droit d'ecrire une fois que les autres auront fini et que les gamines sont parties au lit. Comme demain est ferie, ce n'est guere certain que je serais toujours debout pour alors.

Ca fait beaucoup de bien de passer ce temps avec ce qui reste de ma famille, malgre quelques petites prises de tete avec Monique.

J'ai aussi bien apprecie le temps que j'ai pu passer avec Morgane dans le Wisconsin. Fabrice et moi avons fait une presentation a sa classe de francais, et tout le monde s'est bien amuse. Mais il faut dire que son prof parle vraiment affreusement le francais!!

Et chez vous, comment ca va?

Faremoutiers ne me manque pas de trop. Mais les echanges de mails avec mes amis francais, si.

Fabrice revient aux US lundi, il ira directement a San Francisco de Paris (avec une escale, quand meme). J'irais le rejoindre soit lundi, soit mardi, selon le prix des billets, la disponibilites de ceux-ci, et la disponibilite d'une de mes soeurs ou de mon beau-frere pour m'emmener a l'aeroport. Car j'ai bien l'impression qu'ils travaillent tous lundi, donc il faudra attendre mardi. On verra bien.

J'espere que tout le monde va bien chez toi/vous, que le soleil brille, et que vous etes actuellement combles de bonheur.

Je ne peux pas dire a quel point l'Internet avec Wi-Fi me manque - j'ai hate d'aller en Californie rien que pour pouvoir me servir de mon ordi et de l'Internet quand je le veux et comme je le veux!!!! J'ai l'impression d'etre isolee de vous tous, ou meme d'etre carrement sur une autre planete ou dans un tout autre pays!!!

En attendant de vos nouvelles, je vous embrasse tres, tres fort.

Morgan