Larissa Kelly lost last night on Jeopardy

It was a crushing defeat for Larissa Kelly last night on Jeopardy. She set a record and I had high hopes that she'd be the long-running female equivalent of Ken Jennings.

Alas! It was not to be.

Larissa's momentum shifted after her error on the last question in the first round. She made a big wager, but came up with the wrong question. Psychologically, I think it did her in, sealed her fate even before the second round had begun. She never got off the blocks from that point onward. I think she was tired.

The only good news in any of it is that she will be back for the Tournament of Champions and I hope she smokes 'em all then and shows 'em whose boss.

Larissa Kelly on Jeopardy

Larissa Kelly, 28-year-old from Newton, Mass., has already broken a record for the highest amount of cash winning of any woman who has ever appeared on Jeopardy. She is on a roll!

She is absolutely delightful with a mild-mannered, gentle, quiet, sweetness, and adorable innocence that cloaks her incredible facility to nailing the answers in every conceivable category on Jeopardy.

She is unassuming and conservative, but can clearly kick it up in crunch-time when she has to and she is blazing a trail. I adore her. I hope she will not only be on Jeopardy as long as Ken Jennings was, but that she will even exceed his run.

Go, Larissa! Go!!!

Photography by Jaynie Jones

See my photography at ... double-click on any of the tiny images to see the complete image in a larger version.

St. Lucia suicide

With the approach of Mother's Day (the most painful day of the year) the agony and heartbreak that have enveloped my life for the past nearly fourteen years reaches a crescendo. Each year I wonder how I can bear it, how I can endure it another time since my daughter's suicide mission to St. Lucia in 1994, and my beloved son having disappeared from my life ten years ago.

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA volunteers) needed for children now

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteers are needed in Seattle and King County and elsewhere around the State of Washington.

One of my dearest and most treasured friends, Kimberley McKaig, is a CASA volunteer. She gives her heart to help the neediest children and finds such joy in doing so. She passed along via e-mail a request for her friends to give some thought to not only consideration of becoming a CASA volunteer, but to also think of new avenues of ways to get the word out that there are much needed and highly rewarding opportunities for volunteerism with the children in these most difficult situations.

Kimberley writes so well (that's part of being a CASA volunteer is writing reports for the courts) so I am taking the liberty of posting here what she wrote. Please share it and think about it; consider the needs of the children and think of how you might be able to help.

Contact Information for CASA and more information on volunteering can be found at:

http://www.washingtonstatecasa.org/CASA/whatis.htm

Now here is what Kimberley passed along and I hope it will start you thinking...

I'm sending this to you who know about the work I do as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer, representing abused and neglected children in the court system. These little ones (under age 13) have been removed from their homes and are in the care of the state...

Our program, which currently has over 1,000 volunteers in King County, is experiencing a shortfall of new volunteers to meet the needs of these kids...all very needy of personal representation.

I quote below from the newsletter our CASA office sent out, in case you might have an idea of a way you could (comfortably for YOU) expose the program to someone(s) you know...at work, church, to family, friends, whatever....

Of course response is great, if you have an idea for me to send to the CASA office to be followed up on. As you can see below, you are not the one who has to do the work, (other than to perhaps put out materials you receive, if you have access to a venue).

CASA is mainly looking for referrals our office can pursue as an opportunity to publicize the program. I suppose it goes without saying, but if not, I will say that this is a powerful opportunity to carry the grace and love of Jesus just as he did while he was here, to “the least of these.” It’s the best...indeed the only reason to do it.Thanks so much for taking the time to look at this!!!

Kimberley McKaig

QUOTE from the CASA newsletter:

**If you or a family member works for an organization that permits posters, flyers, brochures, bookmarks, etc. We have a good assortment of attractive CASA materials that we will send or bring to you at no charge.

**If you or a family member works for an organization that occasionally uses speakers for community information events, let us know. We have many CASAs who are experienced at public speaking, enjoy telling the CASA story, and will come to your site.

**Similarly, if you have access to an Intranet Bulletin Board in which volunteer opportunities are posted for employees to see, let us know. We can easily supply a CASA announcement.

**If you live in an apartment building or condo which could make use of any of the above, let us know. If you frequent a Community Center or recreational facility, look around to see if other groups publicize their programs there, and let us know.

**Let us know about websites you’re aware of that feature volunteer opportunities. If we’re not already using them, we’d like to give them a try.

**Pay attention to news stories by reporters who might be good prospects for a CASA feature, and let us know. Often you will see public interest stories about local citizens doing interesting and important work. Those reporters like to interview “good examples” in the community, such as CASAs. We will do the outreach if you give us a good tip.

http://www.washingtonstatecasa.org/CASA/canyou.htm