Shed a tear, Natalie Maines

This is a difficult week to have a birthday. Mine was Wednesday, but how fun is it to celebrate 9/13? Aside from the terrorist attacks five years ago that killed 3,000 people, some high-profile deaths have occurred on or around my birthday: Tupac Shakur, Anthony Perkins, Raymond Burr, Beah Richards, and several men named John (Ritter, Cash, Unitas, and Ramone).

I was hoping for an uneventful birthday when I learned former Texas governor Ann Richards died Wednesday night. After getting over the shock -- I didn't know she had esophageal cancer -- I started to wonder if Karl Rove is feeling any pangs of guilt for engineering those homosexual rumors that defeated her, allowing his puppet candidate to begin an unlikely political career. Next I wondered if the media would remember to mention him. Salon did.

Finally, I wonder how we'll pay tribute to Ann Richards. She's often credited with this quote about Ginger Rogers; it's not her line, but she did make it famous. I don't think I can compete, but I will say this: the Dixie Chicks should never feel ashamed of this Texan.

Getting older and moving on. At least 55 Fiction Friday doesn't share a birthday with that pretentious Fiona Apple.

Violet veered from the script on live television. The candidate audibly groaned, clearly unraveled by her obscenity-filled rant about health care.

The incident, with its FDA and FCC undertones, provoked national debate.

For Violet, the issue was much simpler. He'd have plenty of moments on camera. But this was her first and last opportunity.