beulahbondo's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Beulah in the fast lane Well, some of you have been curious about the lunch I attended yesterday honoring Sharon Stone. I hope I don't get Googled on this. Miss Stone, as everyone called her, was here to be honored as a Humanitarian, for her work raising money for AIDS research. She gave an address in the evening, participated in a symposium at the School of Public Health in the afternoon, and was luncheoned at lunchtime. But from what I hear, she "was weeping all over campus," in the words of one of my co-workers. I was invited to the lunch, and while it was certainly one of the least important days of my life, I feel obliged to report on it. I did not, as my sister advised, wear a black Gap turtleneck and black Versace skirt, but I did wear a black and white print stretchy blouse circa 1972 and a black BCBG skirt. Miss Stone wore a black soft-looking sweater with a very tight, dark-blue gored skirt; her wristwatch was over the sweater sleeve and she wore a short necklace of some big beads. And flat, tall black boots that I really liked. She is very petite and thin and very pretty. On her arrival at the lunch, she was serenaded by a girlish a cappella group, and Bacchus, if you're reading this, believe me when I say that they were enthusiastic. Oh yeah. And Miss Stone was a very enthusiastic listener. She gazed at them, rapt, and danced a little, and snapped her fingers and said, "yeah!" It must have been very awkward for her, with everyone watching, and she hadn't even taken off her coat; then I found out that another a cappella group had met her at the airport, and I felt really bad. So the luncheon was full of Harvard hooplah. Many short speeches, as one person introduced another for a few remarks of extreme politeness; presented gifts of flowers to various people; acknowledged the flowers; acknowledged the introductions; etc. The lunch was very good (seafood risotto), and I sat at a table with some friendly students. Apparently Miss Stone was "astonished" to be here, because she said so at least six times in her dramatic after-lunch speech. She gushed way too much about how she would have loved to have gone to Harvard, and all but said, "geez you guys are smart, arncha?" I was hoping she would give a more substantial speech later that night, but apparently not, because she cried, and said strange things like "If you shoot a dream in the head it won't die" and "I have a dream: Peace." Huh? I thought she was there to talk about AIDS. And she wept at the School of Public Health, too. I think the problem is that she doesn't have people around her who will say, "Miss Stone, you are completely out of touch with reality." Or, "Miss Stone, stop talking about yourself and talk about AIDS." More to my taste was the party at my public library on Sunday. They are closing the branch for three years for huge, huge renovations, and gave a throw-down to say good-bye. (makes "raise the roof" gestures with arms) There was a giant panda (the mascot of the "Reading Panda-monium" summer program, natch); coffee, and cookies and free pencils and you could write graffiti on the walls of the part of the building that's going to be torn down. But then I went home and had a nap. I think what's happening is my seasonal allergies are kicking in, believe it or not. I'm super susceptible to pollen. Even when there's snow on the ground - isn't that cruel? 10:20 p.m. - 2005-03-15 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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