A year ago today

A year ago today I lost my best friend in the whole wide world. He wasn’t human but an animal. A dog to be more precise. His name was Chester and he was 13 yrs. old. He got sick suddenly and died the same day. A blessing.

Chester was a cheese eater, whip cream loving, and watermelon and cantaloupe sniffer outer and eater. He was a sofa buddy, a good listener and a comforter.

My toes on my left side of my body which was affected by my stroke are very thick.  My mom has to use a heavy duty nail clippers to trim them and when she would trim them Chester would sit beside me till the ordeal was over with.  He also comforted me over the phone. If I was having a bad day at college and called home my mom would put Chester on the line.  He may not have made a sound but he listened, which is an incredible gift.

I could go and on..but the main thing to remember today is that he was a very good, loving dog that we were blessed to have  him  for a really long time. Love you Chester!

My special tribute to a certain Abbey Class

Ok, here’s the thing…nothing major just life changing..think of being a speck in the universe just a speck, nothing else. A piece of particle that floats around and never really lands.  That was me.  It still is in a lot of ways….

But, there was a time in my life when I was more than a speck of dirt. More like a piece  of candy, sweet and sour, and very safe and loved. Love, for a lack of a better word.  At least I wasn’t despised and if depressed I had help.

No mention of names will be given here because I think some of you out there know who you are. Anyway, this is my way of thanking you for all the things you said and did to help me survive one of the most tough years of my college life.

Loosing Someone Important

When I say loosing someone important I’m not talking about a family member here but a special friend and teacher.  

When I first had a class with this special person, Father John Oetgen, I was terrified and intimidated.  A few weeks later maybe even a few days later my opinion totally changed about this  man. He was considerate and kind to me at a very difficult time in my life. The first semester I had him as a teacher was the semester I came back to college after having a stroke.  Being back at school was a big adventure for me. One that I really wanted to do well on. 

I can’t remember the topic, but I think it was a world literature class of some kind. I have the book around her somewhere I think although I might have gotten rid of it when we moved.  But, anyway, in this class Fr. John wanted us to memorize some lines or something of that nature, I told him I would have trouble with this and that I would practice and study up on it either during fall break or thanksgiving. He said he didn’t want me to use my vacation for something like that and I think he gave me an alternate assignment. .  All that I know is that he was kind to me in a time when I really needed it.

I took that first class with  Father John and after that I had at least  2 more classes with him.  The first being Southern Literature. He became my pied piper of books and authors during that class. He gave me a whole new world of literature to explore and learn about.  I LOVED this class and I Loved  Father John for giving me this whole new piece of pie to eat.

I had always been an avid reader as a child but now I had this whole new set of things to read and explore. This exploration still continues today as I read more Flannery O’Connor  and about the Great South and the state of Georgia where I had the pleasure of living for 13 years.

Father John also taught me a thing or two about common courtesy. He always addressed me as Miss Ivey except maybe when we were in private conversation. Yes, I’d been called Miss Ivey before but I believe when he called me that I felt a real sense of finally being a grown-up.

He also inquired always about my family especially my mom who he  had the pleasure of meeting.  His concern for the well-being of others was great.  I remember this time when I needed a ride to the airport. He was at a basketball game  that I had come to searching for a ride.  I found a ride but when I returned to college after my long weekend there was a message from him saying  if  I still needed a ride to let him know and he would provide me with one.  I will always remember that.

I could tell you other things, like how patient and understanding he was., about his love for abbey sports …and the list could on and on. 

Father John’s great teaching, his common  class=”hiddenSpellError” pre=”common coutrsy and kindness to others will always be .missed, I think the real thing I will miss as someone reminded me today, his is voice.  He could read aloud to you and it was like lighting a candle, Nothing was the same. Someone else could read it but it would’t sound as good.

Father John you were a class act. God Bless You and thanks for being a part of my life as well as many other Abbey studen’t lives.

Football in my life

Today is the day i watch football and whatever other sport gets my interest. I’m most looking forward to the 3:30 football game, Va. Tech vs, UNC.

Some girls i know think its really cool that i have such an interst in football because i am a girl and a lot of other females don’t care for the sport or understand it. I’ve been watching it since i was a little girl and believe it or not my grandma(my dad’s mom) got me into it. Not to mention my dad played it in high school and went to a school like Va. Tech. So, I’ve always had football in my life in some way.

My mom’s dad who i called pop and I often watched football on sundays. Good times. He was a big Cowboys fan.

I don’t know if i totally understand football but i get the general gist of it and its fun to watch.

Where is home?

Is home where you stow your gear and maybe keep your fluffy pet or goldfish? Or-is it the place where your parents keep your bedroom ready for your next visit? OR is it the bedroom you still live in at your parents or relatives house?

Where is home? Many people say its where your heart is. After doing much thinking about the options I came to some conclusions.

1.) While i do live with my parents and our dog and my brother, this place is really just my physical home. I love my folks with all my heart but to me this place isn’t really home.

2.) The place where I grew up in Virginia surrounded by many relatives and friends isn’t really home to me either. I haven’t lived there full time in years and to be honest the things or people that made it home no longer exist.

So, that doesn’t leave me with many options…..

EXCEPT this One

1.) College-i loved this place and the trees and the people there and while the people i went with are no longer there there is a constant presence there that makes me feel like its home  even if i am just passing it by on the street. For you see I was lucky enough to go to a place that is looked after by a group of monks that take very good care of it. That place and the memories it holds for me are HOME.  Its the place where i discovered sweet freedom, had many thoughts, danced my first real dance and created friendships that i believe will last a lifetime. That is home. Its the place where i grew in many areas of my life and while i may have been exuberant at times i did learn many lessons and gained a new perspective about many things. I got my love of baseball, my appetite for english history expanded, my understanding of people bettered, and my love of many more things….quenched.

College is indeed my home. No matter what happens I will look back at this place as my home because its there and it exists and dosen’t seem to falter unlike my hometown or the place i live now.

In my heart the Abbey is my home.

Cheese

Have you ever noticed how obsessed we are with Cheese? We like it on our burgers, on our salads, on top of our potatoes, on top of our soup, in pasta…..all over the place. However, have you also noticed how obsessed we are at finding it OR finding someone to eat it with?  Its a national obsession and has been for quite sometime.

I think many people have a fear of being alone and/or not being successful. In my world the cheese and who i eat it with has long lost its importance…i think it comes more down to the end of the day or The Bottom Line    so to speak

Yes, it would be great to obtain that great piece of pageant blue cheese that costs tons of money and leaves no doubt that you are a successful human being out there in this planet. But, are you really successful and happy? Yes, I’ve said that ugly word. Happy.   I will not get into what happiness is right now but i will say this if you have obtained that great big piece of expensive cheese you may not necessarily be happy.  But, lets say for argument that you are happy. You have this great big piece of cheese and you’re happy with your acquisition. But, you still feel like there’s a missing component in your life….. You still require someone to eat it with you.

A person to eat your cheese with,,,,will good ole mom and dad do or do you need that extra special of all acquisitions, a real live boyfriend, girlfriend, husband-wife kind of thingy?

Yes, it can be lonley and boring to just eat your cheese with the same old relatives and friends you’ve eaten with for years and years…so how do you find a new person to share your cheese with?

You could place an ad online, in a newspaper, in a magazine, or wherever suits  your fancy or you could hope to bump into that person on a street corner or in the bookstore or grocery store the next time you go out. Then again maybe you’ll get introduced to this person by one of your old cheese eating person. The possibilities are endless……and still you could end up without the proper cheese eating partner. Let’s just say you don’t get that partner for now and you make a conscious decision to stop looking for that “perfect” cheese eater and to continue sharing your pungent bleu cheese with your old friends and family that you know so well. Is that a bad thing? Can a cheese eater survive without a eating partner? Can that person be happy?

Its of this writer’s opinion that yes, you can be reasonanbly content and happy without seeking your cheese eating partner. Yes, you may be missing some things but i doubt seriously you will die from not mating with that perfect cheese eater. Yes, it would be nice to have that great cheese eating partner  there to comfort you, to wipe your mouth after you’ve gotten cheese all over it, to scare away those nasty mice that keep wanting your cheese, to sit up with you at night after you gotten sick from eating too many of those great morsels but in the long run until you find someone that dosen’t drive you too nutty you’re probably better off eating your cheese with the same ole same ole. Because let’s face it….no one wants to be stuck with a cheese eater they can’t live with.

Yes, we do indeed have an obession with cheese. We crave it and we crave someone to eat it with. But, the bottom line is Are you happy at the end of the day with the cheese you have and the people you have to eat your cheese with?

 

 

 

 

Breakfast, how i love thee

Do you eat breakfast? Do you have a favorite breakfast memory? Have you ever craved french toast made with cinnamon or a fried egg? OR do you just like a big steaming cup of black coffee?

I am a big breakfast eater. My mom started this love early in my life. In fact, I hardly ever remember a day growing up that i didn’t have a breakfast of some sort. I still maintain this ritual and rarely ever sleep through this delightful meal. Yes, I said delightful. Delightful doesn’t mean it has to be fancy or gourmet. It could something as simple as a bowl of cereal with bananas or a piece of toast, or maybe just a big cup of coffee with cream and sugar and a dougghnut on the side.  The possibilities are endless…..

In college,  I had a variety of things for this great meal. Chips with salsa, cold pizza, which i still love, and the endless assortment of eggs, pastries, french toast, pancakes and the like that the cafeteria served.  I actually remember my first breakfast there, i had french toast. I remember getting sad because I wasn’t at home eating my mom’s french toast which would have been laced with Cinnamon. In fact, after all these years its still the french toast i prefer.

My mom often talks about the fruit and oatmeal she ate as a kid for breakfast. My dad talks about eggs, which are his favorite food. We all seem to have a breakfast memory.

I remember going through a phase of toastery pastries while i was in high school. I also remember my brother eating his cheerios in his high chair…….and the Sunday morning breakfasts that my mom made before we all headed out to church….breakfast is a bagful of memories.

Breakfast is a great meal. It fuels the mind, the body, and stops that rumbling of the tummy that we often wake up with in the morning. It is a meal fill of promises and options. It is the start of the day whose food can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere.

Rewatch a scene?

Do you ever rewind or pick out scenes in the scene by scene menu to watch again? I don’t mean you are watching the entire movie again but just a certain part that you especially like for one of a million reasons. It could be because of the song that is played, a kiss that was shared, or a jam packed car chase….but whatever the reason you’re compelled to go back and look at it at least a dozen times if not more.

I know I do this many times. Recently it was the tree climbing scene in Jack and Jill Vs. The World. I really enjoy the interaction and dialogue in that scene and I’ve watched that sequence of events many times now. I have also replayed other parts of that movie for the songs that are played. Its just one of those things. 

On other occasions I have replayed the scene in Tristan and Isolde where Isolde makes love with the king for the first time. I enjoy the dialogue and interaction between the two of them and how gentle he is with her.

I know I have others but they are two that have stuck out in recent memory. I think its kinda sweet when you really like a specific part of a movie so much that you keep viewing it over and over again.  It proves that someone out there in movie land is doing their job correctly because they’ve created something that is memorable to you whatever it may be.

naptime at the ok corral

Growing up I wasn’t much of a napper which could pose a problem from time to time. My grandma had always told my mom how much her kids slept in the afternoon and I think my mom just wanted to have the same results with me.  Plus, aren’t all 3-4 year old kids supposed to nap in the afternoon?

My dad developed this strategy when trying to enforce nap time. He had a tape of Loggins and Messina that had the song House at Pooh Corner and the song Mama Don’t Dance Daddy don’t play Rock and Roll. He would get me on the bed and attempt to keep me there with this tape playing. Eventually, I would go to sleep if he was lucky. He jokes and I’m pretty sure its true that i went to sleep while he was holding my pants trying to keep me from going off the bed.  I was never much for sleeping.

My grandma and my aunt had a different strategy to deal with this problem. If I was around them at nap time they usually bribed me. My aunt would get me something from the store if I was a good girl and would take my nap. I won’t say that it worked but i get some nice little toys from that.

My other grandmother would just get a pillow from her bedroom and we would just lay on the couch and watch tv. Good times.

Eventually, my mom just gave up on me sleeping. She would put me in my room with my books and as long as I was quiet and “reading” everything was fine.   Over time, she just gave up on nap time.  I think she realized I really didn’t need the sleep or want it…..

I think everyone is different. I know that when I went to college I relished nap time because it was a stress reliever and now as a adult you can even find find me asleep on the couch in the afternoon….my how things change.

the Weekend

Weekends mean a lot of different things to people. For starters, if you’re a family person, it might mean birthday parties, cookouts, and a full schedule of sports game if you happen to have a child playing soccer, baseball, or football somewhere. Then if you’re single and have a full social life it might mean parties, dinners, dates, and whatever else you can come up with….

I’m not much into weekends. They usually depress me. For starters if you are like me and single without a steady, it means you have a lot of free time on your hands and it also means if you step outside to a restaurant or mall, you’re reminded of couples…..because they’re everywhere.

This time of year its not too bad because there’s a lot of football on tv and i enjoy that. But, weekends in the summertime, ugh…..its better just to find something to keep you busy till Monday when its safe to venture out.

Weekends are great too if you happen to be of the working class because it gives you time to do all the household chores you might have missed doing like washing the car, giving the dog a bath, doing the laundry, etc.. However, if you don’t work like me its just a space where you wish regular Mon.-Fri. tv came on so you could continue on your merry way. But, the schedule is different.

I try to catch-up on movies, watch movies, listen to more music, and just keep busy. Let’s just face it except for football season i’m not much into weekends.

A little Saturday blog

When I was growing up Saturday meant going to the beauty shop with my grandma and having nabs and a cocoa-cola out of a green glass bottle, later on it meant biscuits from Hardees and going to see my brother play basketball or soccer at the YMCA. It also meant a possible shopping trip to the mall which was about an hour or so away from house. That’s what Saturday meant when I was younger.

Today Saturday means watching TV, either a movie or a sports game depending on the season. At one time in my life Saturday meant watching Style on Cnn With Elsa Clynch or watching cartoons. Now its usually an old movie or a game and  sometimes even a cooking show. I still watch cartoons from time to time so all is not lost there.

Saturday is the day to drink lots of coffee, watch lots of television, and watch my dog sleep peacefully on the floor beside me as I type. That’s what Saturday is.

Sunday’s blog

Please see the tribute page. It contains my tribute to Paul Newman who died this weekend.

No JUICE

I just sat and watch this historic bailout vote go down. What amazes me about all of this is that no one gets it. People are hanging onto their homes by their teeth, people can’t afford food, and those of us sitting in the lovely southern-southeast part of the world can’t even get a tank of gas. Now, this bailout won’t really fix all of this,  but its a start in the right direction. But, I’m not going to talk about the bailout….what i am going to talk about is watching the vote.

I was watching CNN before the vote started and they were talking about the plan, the lack of gas, bank takeovers, and about people stealing metal from soldiers tombs.  All of that news is scary and definitely a sign of the times.  The market was bouncing around on the anticipation of this vote and evry expert that they could dig up was expressing their opinion. 

When they started voting in the true sense of the word I switched to cspan where you can see all the house members scurrying around the floor talking and voting. The vote count changed and when it got down to the end it was utterly obvious that we didn’t have a plan. This is scary when you consider that everyone has spent the weekend debating, writing, calling and probably drinking tons of coffee to ensure that something this HUGE would get passed.

After this vote, there was the usual digging up of experts to see what would happen next.. There was also the market watch to see how lovely old wall street was taking the news. It was still a bit of a seesaw. Then there was the blame game. People from one side blaming the other side. Just like always.

After watching this for awhile, I turned it back to cspan where there was proceeding in dealing with other bills. I saw a group of rapids get named for John Warner. Cool Deal…..I just wonder when we are going to see something that really helps this economy.

Television in the fall

Television in the fall always holds about a million promises. You get that fall TV guide preview or you read about all the new TV shows on the net. You figure out what nights you’re going to watch TV or record your favorites or hopefully new favorite programs. Now you’re all set for a new season of television.

However, if you’re like me more than likely your faves are going to get cancelled after just a few airings or they don’t survive beyond one season.  Case in point, last TV season there was a program about a vampire, I think it was called Moonlight or Moonlighting, anyway, I really liked the show. But with the writers strike it didn’t get its “real” run and despite protests was cancelled. So now there’s one less for me to watch.

I am fortunate in that the powers at ABC have brought back 2 of the shows I was very interested in last TV season. They being Pushing Daisies and Dirty, Sexy, Money. I am eagerly anticipating this Wednesday night when they premiere. Unfortunately, no network has claimed my attention from 9-10pm on Wednesday. I’m not a Private Practice fan so I won’t be watching that. We’ll just see what happens….

Hopefully, those shows will stay intact and I will still have those to watch for at least the immediate future. But, one can never be sure and that’s one of the reasons I seldom watch regular tv anymore. When all your favorites get cancelled what’s the point? But, I’m sure I will find a show or 2 to enjoy that is new and I will just love it for as long as I can. That’s all anybody can do in today’s world.

the puzzle piece of fitting in and expectations

Yesterday I watched the movie Chocolat and there was a good discussion about expectations and fitting in contained  within that movie.  It started me thinking.   Sometimes its better when we just go on and do our own little thing rather than trying to fit into somebody else’s expectations.

I’ve never been one to be able to fit into a real group. I tend to like all different kinds of people of many diverse interests and beliefs. I also tend to have different ideas then most people thus I’ve really always been on the edge of whatever group I’ve tried to fit in with.  However, if you think about it shouldn’t we all take a cue from individuality?  We are all our own person. Each of us has our own likes and dislikes, our own interests, etc..  Why do so many people feel this need to fit like a puzzle piece into a group?

People are unique. Yes, we have a desire to be together but why should we feel like we have to act, do, and think like everybody else?  I gave up that desire awhile back. I am different. I don’t fit inside the box and i’m an odd puzzle piece so I gave up on trying to fit into everyone else’s expectations. This has served me well in that it has meant less hurt feelings and disappointments. 

Many people feel like they have to be a certain way, live a certain way, go to bed at a certain time, eat dinner at a certain time, etc…. Is that a way to live?  To do what everybody else is doing because its expected of you. Think about it.

Would we have great paintings, fantastic works of literature, beautiful fashion designs and great recipes if everyone always lived and thought like everybody else?  We all have to be our own individual sometimes and worry less about living up to others expectations in order for there to be new ideas formed. Don’t we? Just think about it.

marx brothers and coffee

This morning I got a special treat and so did anyone that was watching TCM. The Marx brothers were on. A night in Casablanca and A night at the Opera. A Night at the Opera is one of my all time favorites. Who can resist Chico playing the piano and the great scene in A night at the Opera where Graucho and Chico tear up the  contract piece by piece. Then there’s the great scene where the cabin on the cruise ship keeps getting filled with people. Its great fun.

Its even greater fun if you get to watch it with your coffee and breakfast all before noon. It makes a wonderful start to your day. 

I’ve been fan of the Marx Brothers for as long as I can remember. A Night at the Opera and Animal Crackers are my two favorite movies of theirs. I mean who can resit lines like ” Last Night, I found an elephant in my pajamas, how it got in my pajamas, I have no idea…….

The Marx Brothers are great fun and whether you get to experience them with your coffee or just on a Sunday afternoon you should.

the cyber world and old friendships

How many of you have discovered old friends through sites like facebook and myspace? I know I have and its very comforting and sweet to know and see how all your old friends are doing out there in the real world. It gives me hope sometimes and even makes me feel less lonley in a way.

It started for me a few years ago on myspace and in the last year it has  progressed to facebook. I’ve found old high school friends and college friends.  This past week I found 2 very dear college friends of mine through facebook. I was very surprised and pleased. One seems to have his life in order and I applaud him for that. It always makes me feel good to see that someone is on the right track.  Personally, I’m always a little nervous to “discover” people.   My situation has taken so many different turns and twists over the last few years that it seriously takes a private note or e-mail to explain it all.

I’m always happy though to reacquaint myself with the old gang. Some i attended church with, high school with, elementary school school with, college with, and so on… Life is a mixing bowl and sometimes it feels really nice to find the components that made you who you are in the first place.  We can learn much from finding old friends. Some good. Some bad. Some exceptional.

Its just good to make contact in this dizzying world. Isn’t it?

some thoughts on book bliss

I am currently reading the Outlander series of books and they are wonderful. I have gotten 3 recommendations for books in the last 48 hours and they all seem like pretty good books. I’ll have to check them all out.

It is absolutely wonderful to feel like reading again after not wanting to for such a long time. My brain feels so alive these days. Its totally taking in  every word I am reading and making wonderful sense of it all. I am so happy to be reading again.

I just finished the twilight series and i pretty much liked the 1st one and the 3rd one. The 2nd one and the final one were not as good in my opinion. I like vampire stories so i’m happy i read them. I’ll probably watch the movie when it comes out.

Reading is a great hobby when you can devote time to it and now I feel like its something I can keep doing and learning from. I just hope my brain holds out.

reflections on the cubs and wgn

I grew up in Virginia and during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s I saw the cubs play for the first time on wgn and that was pretty much my introduction to baseball.  I had developed a habit of watching Welcome Back Kotter in the afternoon on WGN and tuned in one day to find baseball on. I think that was when I originally started following baseball just a little bit.  It was interesting and the announcers were good. I’d like to thank WGN for providing me with that introduction.

WGN also provided me a remedy for cold afternoons in the Winter when I had nothing to do. I remember watching Family Classics on there. They showed old movies on Sunday afternoons and I remember seeing such films as Father Goose with Cary Grant and Drums along the Mohawk with Henry Fonda. All of these films influenced me in different ways and provided me with more fuel for my love of old movies which still continues today.

I also remember watching the Bozo show with my brother growing up and seeing things like the Grand Prize Game and wishing that I too lived in in the Chicago area and could partake of that madness…..

WGN allowed me to like the Cubs and enjoy many different types of movies and programs growing up and that I am thankful for.

information overload

Have you ever struggled with how much to actually tell someone? I mean say you encounter an old friend on facebook or myspace and they ask you how you are and what’s been going on with you…..how much do you actually tell them or do you just say OK or I’m fine no matter what the real truth many be?

I pretty much have developed the attitude of it depends on the person. Some people I know are sincere and really do want to know what’s going on while others are just saying things to be polite.  I figure out what to say depending upon the person and how close I was to that person in the past. More than likely if they are really concerned about you and your well-being they’ll say something back if not well, then who knows……

I have gotten many kind notes from people who were genuinely concerned while others have just dissappeared….I think sometimes people just  don’t know what to say so they just don’t say anything at all which is kinda cool but leaves a silence you’re not sure how to deal with…

So to tell too much, don’t tell anything at all, or just say the polite, I’m ok, I’m fine, whatever……

How do you decide?

blah, blah, blah

I have started to write this blog 3 times today.  My topics or range of  topics on my mind today are the following:

1. Answering machines-leave a clear message. State your name, why you are calling, and what business you are calling  from and your number. Don’t leave a gargled message. Plus, if I don’t know who you are why would i call you back?

2. Thinking- Its the fall. In the fall I tend to think about all the people I have known, old classmates, relatives, etc. I also have dreams about these people. I find it interesting….to say the least.

and finally 3.) health care-Can this medicare/medicaid thing get anymore confusing?

That is all.

Rainy day in Georgia

We haven’t had a lot of rainy days in recent memory. But today we got a rare treat. We got rain all day. I’ve been staying in my room most of the day listening to music and reading the book Voyager. Good book.

Earlier today I watched a 1934 movie version of Anne of Green Gables. It sort of summed up all the Anne books in one 79 minute movie. It was pretty good for its time. After that I enjoyed watching Roberta with Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, and Randolph Scott.

I also washed my hair in fruit punch shampoo. That makes my hair smell like a fruit salad.

I have been thinking a lot today. I recently acquired part of my family back. That may sound strange but it was an old friend I had not heard from in years.  Feels good to have someone from the past back in my life.

Today has been a great day for thinking, reading, and watching movies. A quiet rainy day overall.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Today for brunch, I had Chocolate Chip pancakes. They were delicious. My mom makes them usually about once a week for me. She uses regular pancake batter and adds chocolate chips to it. YUMMY

Last night I sort of got a treat that was like finding a chocolate chip in your pancake. I have been searching on the web for someone for a long time. Last night I got the information I wanted.  Its bliss to know that someone you cared about is OK….OK, in meaning that they are alive and kicking.

I don’t know yet if I’m going to reach out to this person. I’m thinking I might. Just to see if I can get a response or if that person still considers me a friend. This shall prove to be interesting. But, somehow, its just wonderful to know that they’re out there in this big wide world.

Twilight the Movie

Ok, I’ve read a few Anne Rice books and watched my share of vampire movies. I’ve even read the southern vampire mysteries which are pretty good books. I even got into the Teilight books and read all of them. They’re not bad.

I’m eagerly awaiting the twilight movie like anyone else that’s been reading the books but I am going to say this once and don’t get upset. Please.

The Twilight movie is based on the book. Its not going to be exactly like the book. Don’t get upset about it…its just fact. Plain and simple.

I say this because I keep reading people’s comments to the latest trailer and I’m kinda peeved that people don’t get this. They took the characters from the book and the general idea of the book and made a movie. Its not going to be a scene by scene, word by word, recount of the book. No movie based on a book ever is. So why should this be different?  I’m just hoping the movie is as good as the recent trailer that I’ve watched about a million times already. If it is I’ll be satisfied.

Football on a Sunday

I just watched the Atlanta Falcons beat the Chicago Bears. I love the falcons especially since I’ve been here in Georgia for 12 years and have seen them go through all sorts of stuff.

I have liked the Chicago Bears since their super bowl days in the 1980’s. Today, though it was the Falcons day and that has made me very happy. I was actually so nervous I thought I was going to throw-up.  Being an Atlanta Falcons fan today was a beautiful, exciting experience.

Toast

Today while eating brunch with my mom and dad where toast was featured, we had a discussion about how toast should be. Personally, I’m a crunchy toast person. My dad likes it crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. My dad even remarked i should just eat melba toast but that’s not really what i want in this particular case…..

I love toast that is on the verge of being burnt.  Its especially great with a fried egg where the yellow is runny and you can scoop up all that yummy goodness with the toast.  That is my favorite way to enjoy really good toast. 

Jelly is a consideration at times. I’m a big fan of blueberry. But, I seldom use jelly. I prefer mine to be dry. It can have a little butter but I can’t stand toast soggy with butter. UGH

White or Brown Toast? The browner the better for me. I am not a fan of light colored toast. I want to know my toast was near the heat. If its a little black even better.

So, how do you like your toast?

Chester

We have a basset hound named Chester. He’s 13 years old, reddish brown and white with some grey as he’s gotten older. He loves his family and doesn’t really think of himself as a dog. He enjoys human food along with his dog food. He has eaten Pedigree most of his life and seems to really like it. 

Well, today he’s at the vet and I miss not being able to feed him part of my food. But, hopefully by this evening he’ll be home. He’s having a cyst taken off his leg. Hopefully, things will go smoothly and he’ll be just fine. But, one never knows in this world……

We got him in the summer of 1995 and if we had known that we were going to move to Georgia within the year we probably wouldn’t have gotten him but we didn’t and so we did. I was in college at the time and its always been really sweet to have something furry and cute that you can hug and love and talk to when you come home.  He’s officially my dad and my brother’s dog but for all intents and purposes he’s a family dog. My dog in a way because I feed and give him water just about everyday and I help with putting him outside when he needs to go.

Chester is a very special dog. He’s almost a anti-dog. He looks at the neighbor’s dogs when they bark incessantly like they’re stupid or something….I can just imagine his all day stay at the vet….if dogs get headaches he probably has one……

I just hope they get this stupid cyst out and that he does well enough that he can him this evening because I miss him and love him.

Destiny

Yesterday I watched the movie My Sassy Girl and in this movie they had a section that dealt with destiny. There was an older man in the movie who said that destiny is the bridge you build to the one you love. He also stated that maybe the girl’s destiny was  to shape and fold destiny.

All of this started me thinking about destiny…..What is it really?

The Random House College dictionary states that destiny is something that is to happen or has happened to a particular person or thing: lot of fortune. It also says that its the predetermined usually inevitable or irresistible course of events. and finally it says that its the power or agency that determines the course of events.

Ok, so we have the good old dictionary meanings and we have what the old guy said in the movie. But, what is destiny?  I thought about it and I came up with this. It is indeed bridges that you build and these bridges are not necessarily to one person….its the bridges you build to the persons you love or have loved or liked in your life.  Its the bridge you may rebuild even after a long passing of time just so you can communicate and have those persons in your life.  Because, aren’t we all destined to have some sort of communication with people in our lives? No matter how solitary the journey shouldn’t we all have bridges to people so that we have people that actually care about us no matter what happens.

Then again maybe destiny is just an act that we need to do in our lives. Maybe my destiny is to write a book or catch a fish or simplly to just live.   I can’t say what it is but right now in my life destiny is building bridges to people that I have known for a long time so that I can have love and support no matter what happens.

Seperated from love one-hell?

If you happened to watch last night’s NBC television show Crusoe you may have caught a line dealing with Hell….He said in a matter of words that anyplace that keeps you away from your loved one is Hell. This started me thinking. I think that observation is pretty true. No one wants to be kept away from the one or ones they love for any long period of time.

I then thought about people who are made to travel constantly for their jobs.  Those people have their own private hell. They’re forced to be  separated from the one(s) they love due to obligations and I imagine they’re Hell is a tricky one.  They have to be away more than likely to make their living yet they’re forced to be away from the one(s) they love which probably causes some form of anixety.  I would imagine in this case that they’re heaven is being with the one they love.

Can you imagine being shipwrecked on an island for the forcible future?  enduring a treacherous hell?…..a hell that you might not come out of it……sounds like  being in war except you didn’t sign up to be shipwrecked on an island….I wonder if people that are made to be away like this this think of it as hell.

All of this is something to consider.  Is when you are away from your loved one(s) hell?  I know I don’t like to be  separated from my family for really long periods but then again its been years since I had a boyfriend that i was separated from….so i just don’t know.  But, for all my reasoning skills I do indeed think he was right. Anyplace that keeps you seperated from a love one is hell.

soap opera births not sloppy enough

My dad and I were just watching All My Children on ABC. Bianca just had a baby out in the open with just her and Zach.  The baby came out pretty clean looking. My dad remarked that the baby didn’t look messy enough to be a newborn. I agreed.

I think its funny how sometimes on soaps there are so realistic in their portrayal of births while at other times the babies come out shiny like a new car.  Today was one of the those cases.  The baby just looked too clean…..no trace of newborn.  Also, according to the comments made earlier in the show, the baby should be a little premature.  It didn’t look that way either.  I’m interested to see how the baby looks tomorrow. I will probably watch unless I have other stuff to do.  Its amazing to me sometimes how quickly things change or don’t change.  But, a baby that’s just been born should be a little messy…..

biscuits

When I was growing up, my grandma made biscuits with just about every meal we ate there. They were pretty good, although I wasn’t a big fan of them at the time.   She shaped them by hand and mixed them in a big bowl when she made them.  It was big undertaking that was greatly appreciated and enjoyed by her family.  She died a few years ago and with her went the secret of the biscuits.

My mom started making biscuits this past year. She mixes them and shapes them and they taste good.  I really enjoy them. I just had one with jelly and another one with sausage.  Good eats.

My mom has been perfecting them for months trying different things to get them just right and they’re good now, really good.  I’m impressed with the effort.  I’m not much of a cook myself although I probably should do more in the kitchen.  The biscuits though are something I don’t think I’d try.  Its a gift, a task made for certain people and I don’t think I’m one of those people but one never knows.  But, right now, I’ll enjoy my mom’s biscuits because they’re good.

environmentally friendly packaged cds at walmart

There’s a walmart not too far from my house.  Today I went there with my mom to get a few groceries and other things. They had a bunch of greatest hits CD from various artists in environmentally friendly packaging.  The artists ranged from bread to heart to rem to csn&y and Santana. It was nice to see cds in those non plastic cases.  They were also pretty affordable.

The Cd’s were like $9.00.  Pretty cheap. I got the Bread one today and when I go again I’m getting the REM one.  I know you can get mp3’s today and all that stuff but right now  my computer situation is such that I can’t get mp3’s…hopefully soon that will change.  But, right now, its really cool to see Cds packaged in less and at a good price. It makes them tempting, affordable, and easier to store.  A good deal in a world that’s full of too many bad deals right now.

The Frog and the Prince

A long time ago

15 years to be exact

a frog met her prince

No she was not a princess because  you see princesses get their man for good

But, what she did get was a friend who helped here during the perils and tribulations of one of the hardest school years of her life and for this she will be ever thankful.  It happened like this in case you’re wondering.

The frog was on the dance floor Halloween weekend 1993. She had been back in school a little over a month after suffering from a stroke that nearly killed her.  He came up to her and ask her to dance and she obliged.  This prince wasn’t the ordinary sort and the frog still isn’t sure of his motives but is thankful nonetheless.  He walked her home that night and they talked forever….so much so in fact that the frog doesn’t really remember everything that was discussed.  It was probably the rarest of occasions that someone actually let the frog talk and not told her to shut-up.

The frog saw the prince regularly throughout the school year after this night and even had occasions to dance with him again.  All of which were very special to her.  In addition to to this, the prince shared meals with her and walked with her many times.

He gave her the appreciation of baseball, for which she is utterly grateful for because the frog still watches baseball to this day.  He provided her with someone she could talk to when she really needed it and with someone who really helped her when times were really black.  The frog is forever grateful for this.

The prince may have just been doing a project or a report for all we know. But the prince was very essential in allowing the frog to enjoy a school year when she may have severaly faulted.

This is a tale that has no real end.  The prince has gotten on with his life and the frog still hops and around swims everyday in the swamp known as life.

What constitutes a happy ending?

This week after an intense search I found the missing piece of the puzzle. I now know where most of my core college friends live and that they’re doing well in their lives. Is this a happy ending?

What is a happy ending?  It is the ending where the boy gets the girl, marries her, and they live out the rest of their days together or is it when we find a peaceful resolution to a situation? What is it?

In books and movies its often when good overcomes the bad and everyone or just about everyone walks out into the sun and away from the dark to live a more peaceful life.  Its also the girl gets boy or the boy gets girl scenario, and still its just when everything gets quiet after a period of deep turmoil.

In life though, what is a happy ending?  Is it just meeting ones goals or finding peace in your situation in life? I think its accepting what’s going on around you and doing the best you can to make the rest of your life  a peaceful happy one no matter the circumstances.  Its not getting the girl or guy, because sometimes that’s just not attainable.  Its not even getting the high paying job because sometimes we’re not qualified or capable of such a task.  Its not any of those things really.

A happy ending is Peace. Peace with our situation, peace with the world around us, and peace to find bettter solutions to our ongoing problems.  Its the song that you play over and over that makes you happy or reminds you of a special time in your life.  That’s a happy ending.  A happy ending is having something left for tomorrow. Peace and something left. That’s a happy ending.

What do you sleep in?

It depends on the time of the year with me as to what I sleep in.  Right now, i’m wearing a pair of cloud pjs and an old orange j. crew long sleeve tee shirt that I have had since college.  All of this is comfortable and I usually wear my pjs most of the day so its a bit functional as well.

In the summer I love to wear my pink and white liz clairborne nightgown.  Its cool and comfortable and a little pretty as well. It makes for good sleep.

I have other pjs as well. I have a pair of blue stripe pjs I enjoy wearing very much.  They remind me of the kind that a lot of people take to the hospital and don’t wear any other time because they are fancy and classic.  I really do like them though and when it gets too cool to wear them by themselves I usually put a shirt on underneath them.  They’re one of my favorite options for sleepwear.  I have a bit of an obessession with pjs. I like to get new ones every few months.  I enjoy them.

I know some people like to wear their birthday suits or just their underwear to bed and that’s fine and dandy but it dosen’t really fit with my lifestyle.  I usually sleep part of the night in the living room with the dog so being bareboned dress isn’t really an option.   Plus I like a little warmth and enjoy wearing my jammies for extended periods of time.

There’s also the option of boxers and tee shirts.  Both are great things.  I wear tee shirts with pajama pants sometimes.  But, I like my legs covered so boxers aren’t an option plus i’m not a tiny girl.

 

My best options are a long nightgown and/or Jammie’s in some form.  What do you wear to sleep?

Wearing Pink for Halloween

I’ve been many things over the last few years for Halloween. I’ve done the court jester, the vampire thing, the cat in the hat, the puppy dog and I’m sure a few others….  This year I’ve decided to wear all pink for Halloween.  I am going to wear a pink shirt, pink make-up, pink bathrobe, pink hat, pink jewelry, etc.  It should look cute.

I was originally going to be Truffles from the cartoon Chowder but I ran out of time to make my mushroom hat.  I am happy about my decision to wear all pink.  It should be fun and the little girls that stop for candy should enjoy it.  I’ll be giving out candy and enjoying scary music.  A good evening to enjoy the outdoors as I’ll be sitting in my grandmother’s rocking chair.  I hope it’ll be fun.

Waiting

As I sit here waiting for my parents to return from the vet with our dog, I started thinking about how many times and how much time we spend waiting.  For starters, we wait for tons of things.  For example, here’s a list:

1. We wait for food.

2. We wait for the doctor.

3. We wait for a phone call.

4. We wait in line to vote.

5. We wait for the bus….if you ever have waited for a school bus or any type of bus….you know what i mean.

6. We wait for people to come home.

The list could go on and on.  Waiting is a Huge part of life. It takes minutes and sometimes hours away from the day.  It can be a very stressful activity if you’re waiting on life changing news.  Right now in my own life, I’m waiting on finding out about something that could change everything…so I know about the stress of waiting.

Waiting requires patience, understanding, and time, something we all seem to have so little of. But, couldn’t we use the time we wait constructively. For example, we could read, write a letter or e-mail, phone a friend,……the list of activities is vast that we could do while waiting.

Waiting is a LARGE part of life that is never going to go away. Its an essential part of human existence that we just have to learn to accept and do the best we can to cope with it.  So what are you waiting for?

A Special Morning Treat

I don’t usually get up till late morning or early afternoon.  But this morning I was awake at 8:30 and guess what was on television?  One of my most favorite movies. Notorious.  It has Claude Rains, Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, and a few other really cool people in it.  Its the story of 2 people falling in love, being agents, dealing with some really bad German people and its directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It is marvelous.

I have watched this movie quite a few times. I love Cary Grant and I really love him in this movie.  I also love the job Ingrid Bergman does as well.

Its a black and white movie so if you have an aversion to that stay away. But, if you’re like me and love the classics you should definitely watch this sometime.  Its great.

I am so happy I was awake this morning to see Notorious.  It is defitely one of my favorite films.

Halloweens I have known

Over the years I have spent Halloween in a variety of ways.  I have trick or treated, spent time at school carnivals, had classroom Halloween parties, given out candy and just hung out.

My elementary school that I went to from 1st grade to 4th grade had an annual Halloween carnival every year.  It was a great carnival with all kinds of games, a fortune teller and a haunted house.  It was great fun and I really enjoyed it.  The school was a former high school and it had a lot of little rooms in the gym that used to be locker rooms, etc. and this allowed separate areas for things like a fortune teller and a haunted house.  It was an annual tradition in the area and everyone around attended it.  The school has since burnt down but the memories remain.

Trick or treating usually took place with a relative or neighbor and was great fun as well.  I remember going trick or treating with a neighbor one year.  She was a year or 2 younger than me and we went into a upperclass neighborhood and trick or treated.  It was great to see what you would get at each house.  I had a lot of fun over the years trick or treating with whoever.

I gave out candy at my grandma’s and my great aunt’s house when I no longer trick or treated.  My favorite halloweens were spent drinking cider and giving out tons of candy till there was none left at my great aunt’s house. They were the best of times.

I’ve been a teacher in a classroom on Halloween supervising a party. That was good fun to see what was to eat and what all the children were going to dress up as.  I usually dressed up as well.

Halloween has always been a fun night for me and I hope everyone has a good and safe Halloween.

Waiting in line to vote

As I was just on facebook reading where a friend of mine had waited 5 hours to vote, I was reminded of my own experience on Thursday.  I waited 2 hours 45 minutes. Not a huge a time but long enough in my opinion.  The things though that you find out in line are tremedous and cool.  Here is a list of some of the things I found out in line while waiting to vote:

1. There was a late night sale at Kroger.

2.  The baby that the lady was carrying around was only 8 days old.  Imagine the story they will have to tell here when she gets older.  That she was only 8 days old when she participated in her first election.

3. I learned more information about the Alabama-Georgia rivalry.

4. I learned about jellyfish.

5. I learned about the beach at Destin.

6. I learned about sunburns.

7. I leaned about the cost of daycare.

8. I learned that someones children spends their summer with their grandmother.

9. I learned that we like to read in line. Although personally, I don’t think I could read in the blazing sun.

10. I learned that a store was in the process of putting out their Christmas inventory and was having their employees come in at 4:30am.

11. I learned about police cars and where they stand to catch speeders and other traffic violators.

12. I learned that police cars using radar have to be marked in Georgia.

And the list could go on and on….

Waiting in line with a ton of people you find out a lot of information.  You also learn after awhile that people get tired and their feet start to hurt….does that mean you would give up this experience?

Voting in this country is a privilege that has been fought for over and over again.  Its not something that should be taken lightly.  Mind you that standing in line for hours isn’t the greatest thing and hopefully one day they will remedy that.  But, standing in line, you learn about the people that live around you and the struggles that they face everyday.  Hopefully, you can  use some of the information you learn in line to make better choices when you reach the voting machines.

Voting is a grand exercise that everyone who is elegible should participate in.

Things that we can can learn from LBJ……

Last night on Late Night television I had the opportunity to watch American Experience on PBS. If you ever have had the opportunity to view this program you know they usually do a great job of giving a bio of some type of a performer or politician or giving an overview of a particular time period or industry.  Anyway, its a great show and I encourage people to watch it.

Last night, I was awake and instead of watching my usual on demand movie I viewed an American Experience program dealing with Lyndon Baynes Johnson and his presidency.  This program provided many good reasons for why we, The United States, should not be involved in other country’s civil wars.  In fact it was an excellent lesson in why we should not be in Iraq.  I wonder if today’s leaders have viewed this program.  It would teach them much if they did watch it.

Also, this program gives excellent grounds for the creation of more programs to benefit society.  Education, Work related programs, health care……things that could change us all if more money were to be spent in that direction.  LBJ Understood that America just wasn’t a land of one type of persons but a land of many types of people with many different interests and needs.  Anybody know someone now with that view? 

If we were to pay more attention to history, to TV programs dealing with ex-presidents such as LBJ we all would learn much.  If we learned valuable lessons from programs, such as this one dealing with LBJ, maybe this county would be a different place.

Past election day experiences

The first election I ever voted in I voted absentee but i believed I did it right in the elections office in the old city hall buildings in downtown Franklin, Virginia.  That was back in 1992 and I was a freshman in college. I remember filling out the ballot and being very precise about everything.

The second time I voted for president was in 1996 and I voted in downtown Belmont at an elementary school. It was very neat to be voting with all these really groovy Belmont people. I remember their being something about the school board on the ballot. I don’t remember if I even voted for that or not. But, it was a cool experience as a van from school took me there and drove me back. Good times.

In 2000 I voted at the Methodist Church here in Snellville, Ga. and I remember waiting in line forever.  My feet hurt really bad more than they did this past time when I waited for 2 hours 45 minutes.  I thought it was never going to be my turn that time but it came and I voted.  My candidate didn’t win but oh well, that’s just how life is sometimes.

In 2004 I voted at another church here and I really don’t remember the experience that much. I think we may have voted in their sanctuary and I don’t believe there were any major problems.

Election day during a presidential year is a very important day.  The privilege to vote should not be taken lightly and everyone that can vote should vote.

Loving and Missing an animal

I was going to write about the wonderful event that took place last night but my thoughts are of something different today.  Our beloved dog Chester, who is 13, is very sick, and will probably be put down today.

The love of an animal is an incredible thing.  We got him when I was in college and I remember talking to him on the phone when I had depressed days.  I really have loved this dog a lot and I will miss him very much.

I loved kissing and rubbing him. I loved talking to him and feeling like someone was really listening and not judging me. I loved sleeping with him in my bed which I did on a regular basis till a few years ago.  I have since slept part of my nights downstairs on one couch while he was on the other one.  I will miss the nights spent with him listening to his breathing, which is a big cure for insomnia.  So peaceful.

I will miss feeding him whatever was left on my plate. I announced this morning I will probably gain 5 pounds now.  I will miss standing outside in the middle of the night outside waiting for him to do his business.  I will miss many things.

Loving an animal is an incredible experience.  Loving this dog has been an incredible experience.  I will miss him terribly.  Farewell to Chester.  You are a good dog.

A Tribute to our Basset Hound Chester

Note: This was written on the 5th of Nov, 2008. I have been kind of upset since our dog died so I haven’t written an entry since the day of when they took him to the vet.

Last Night We elected the first black President

Today we put down a dear friend of mine

A Beautiful 13 year old red and white basset Hound

named Chester

He listened to many of my rants and raves

and he loved me and depended on me when many people

had given up on me and left me behind.

He was a beautiful, furry Object in the storm of Life that provided me with great comfort

and Love in many times of uncertainty.

He was my best friend. Better than most people

And

tonight I cry for him

For What I will miss and for what I have had and for the things that I have loved.

I know it was his time to go But

it still hurts Like a sharp Knife going through my heart

A heartbreak that will never go away But hopefully, heal a little each day with time and patience

and I’ll always Know that fur and Love will never really go away But will become part pf memory that hopefully will last forever and forever till the end of time.

Mixed-up feelings

People have been unbelievably kind to me this week on line following the loss of Chester, our beloved basset hound.  Its a weird feeling I have these days. I’m happy for awhile and then really sad. It just hurts to know he’s not here where I can pet and love on him. I know he’s in a better place now because he’s not hurting and he’s not sick.  I hope he’s having unlimited chicken, cheese, milkbones, carrots, ice cream, whip cream, and whatever else he wants…..and he can run and play without a leash outside.

Those thoughts comfort me but it still hurts and I know time will be the only cure for this ache. I love him and I will always have a special place in my heart for him.

In other feelings, I am excited for our country as we enter a new phase.  I’m hoping for great change. This excitement is weird when its mixed with sadness for my dog but I know with time all things will be better.    I’m excited the Obama’s will get a dog to share their life at the white house with. Dogs can be a great source of comfort and unconditional love. I wish them the best in their search for a dog and I hope they can find one that’s cool like Chester was.

Dogs and the USA sort of go together…..if you think about it. Mutts, especially. Many of us are mutts if you think about….which I guess is cool.

Dogs, the U.S. and sadness those are my thoughts for the day.

The Sunday after Chester Died

I have watched a few football games this weekend that were extraordinary. The Texas Tech game last night was incredible.  They’re such a good team.  Today I watched the Atlanta Falcons beat the New Orleans Saints and I smiled and laughed and had fun. It was a great game. I love the Falcons!!!!

The feelings I’m having about the loss of Chester are changing.  They’re not all consuming now. I have an ache because I miss his furry, playful self but I am at peace with him being gone.  I wouldn’t want him here sick so I think it was wise that he died when he did.  He was surrounded by people that really cared about him and they made wise decisions to relieve him of his suffering.  His remains will come home on Tuesday and with that a part of his physical self will always be here along with all the great memories. I’ve enjoyed looking at photos of him recently. Perhaps at some point I will share some.  Thanks for the memories fluffy butt. I hope you’re eating chicken and peanut butter wherever you are.

Life will go on. I still enjoy football way too much and I’m looking forward to doing my Christmas cards and getting ready for whatever comes my way.  I actually read last night. I read some of The Secret History last night. I have a little over 200 pages to go and I hope to get it finished soon. I just have to be in the mood to concentrate.  Also, I’ve been doing some coloring.  I love to color seasonal pictures and this weekend I have colored several Thanksgiving pics.  We will put these on the fridge.  I like to color way too much.

This morning I had chocolate chip pancakes to eat.  It was funny not to have my mom making a plain pancake for Chester to eat but it wasn’t horrible.  I hope he gets pancakes when he wants them without having to wait.

Its been a cool day full of football and face book and being lazy. I wonder what tomorrow will bring….

Twilight TV ADS

I saw a TV ad for the new Twilight movie that I had not seen before yesterday and it got me all excited to see the movie.  I have been excited about viewing the movie but this ad really got me.  I was so enthralled that last night I went to the twilight movie site and watched all the TV spots.  They’re really good. If you’re the least bit interested in the movie I urge you to view them. 

I think the reason this ad got me was that Edward tells Bella how much he cares and feels responsible for her in it.  That is the biggest thing to me in this series.  The connection that those 2 have.  Its a real bond that defies the ages and species. 

My other favorite ad is the one that says vampires have lived among us for a long time but there are still some that drink human blood.  It gives a real historic feeling to the movie/books.

I urge you to take a look at the TV ads if you haven’t looked at them already.  They  really gives you a true sense of what the story is about and if you haven’t read the books, you may want to see the movie based upon those ads.

Situated

We got Chester back yesterday from the crematory so we have him all situated. He’s on the mantle in a nice little wooden box. We’re going to put his picture in the glass frame on the box. It should look nice.

We are going to have to get situated soon so we can move.  It should be easier in a way not to have to displace a 13 yr. old dog from his home.  I think Chester knew what was coming and although he loved us dearly he really didn’t want to leave this house and have to get used to another.  Plus, we’re not sure right now when or where we are going.  We just know we’re going. 

Situated is a cool word.  It sounds cool.  I’m hoping that by January we are situated somewhere and are safe and sound.  Are you situated in your life?

TELEVISION ADS

I frequently watch the network RTN, which is a network that deals in retro television.  They even show retro TV commercials. Today while watching it, I saw ads for the following: Lava Soap, LustraCream, Jiff and March of Dimes.

Lava Soap is a soap was and may still clean thoroughly. It did require some effort and according to my parents felt like sandpaper.  The ad featured children needing to wash up before dinner. It was cute but i doubt seriously children would have used this product properly.

LustaCream…..what does that make you think of? Furniture Polish? Toothpaste? Teeth Whitener? If you thought of any of these the answer is no.  It was a creamy shampoo that was designed to keep and put body in your hair.  The ad featured a girl who wanted to go out on a date but didn’t like the way her hair  looked, in fact she said her shampoo was taking the body out of her hair. Her friend in the commercial told her about LustraCreme and at the end it showed the girl out on her date, with her hair all nice and pretty.

The Jiff peanut butter commercial that was shown talked about how it smelled and tasted like peanuts. What is peanut butter supposed to smell and taste like?  green beans? Give me a break.  But, the basic information was refreshing.

Finally, there was a commercial for the March of Dimes featuring the actor Mark Hamill in his glory days.  He was wearing a plaid shirt and talked about what you could do to help the March of Dimes fight birth defects.

These TV ads were a treat and a trip to watch because they showed the basic facts and fashions that were used to sell products back in the day.  They also allowed actors to plug real causes not just infomercials about the latest diet drugs, and they allowed basic information to be their guide rather than fancy marketing techniques.

Change

Ever just sit on your couch and feel really stale?  I did today.  We’ve lived in our house for 12 years and I think that’s enough.  I don’t think anyone should live anywhere more than 10 years.  Seriously.  You get complacent and things just become automatic.

I am just tired of everything today.  I’ll probably start a new book and listen to some Christmas tunes later and that will  help.  But, seriously, i need a change and i think one will come soon enough. Like the song says “A Change will do you good….:.

Scary Things in The Wizard Of Oz

Over the Weekend, I watched the movie The Wizard Of Oz for like the millionth time.  In the past, like when I was a child, the only thing I knew that really scared me about this film was the scene where the witch is in the globe and her whole face overtakes it. 

Recently, though in another program devoted to the scariest moments in film, they mentioned how creepy the flying monkeys were.  I had never been affected by or thought about those monkeys before.  However, last night while watching The Wizard of Oz, it dawned on me that those monkeys are extremely creepy.  Their color, their mannerisms, the way they fly……all creepy.

I guess you could say that now I have 2 things  that i think are kind of scary in the Wizard Of Oz.  The witch’s face in the crystal ball and the monkeys flying around.  Man, what images.

Awaken from a dream

Today I woke up and watch the rest of the movie, Snow Angels.  Disturbing movie.  After I finished watching the movie I went back to sleep.  I started having the weirdest of dreams, it featured a college friend of mine, my middle school art teacher, the church I went to as a kid, and something about memorial plants and old people dying.  It was a very real dream.  I mean I was totally engrossed in it. 

Anyway, as I was having this dream, I heard my name being called and I really thought it was in the dream.  However, my mom was actually calling me to wake-up and get out of bed.  It was a strange dream and a different way to be awoken from it.  That’s how I started my day.

in PJS we trust

I have developed this lifestyle of wearing my PJ’s most of the day. Its just fun and if I don’t have anyplace to go it works. I usually take a shower some time in the afternoon after watching as many old TV programs as I wish to. Old television ROCKS! 

Anyway, wearing pjs is comfortable and it cuts down on washing. I just embrace it and hope to continue to do so in the future.  Man, what a life…….

Support You Local Furry Spider

In the middle of the night, I watched a movie called The Giant Spider Invasion. It was full of furry spiders.  The spiders reminded me of the spider rides they used to have in carnivals and fairs when I was younger except in the movie the spiders were furry. 

It featured the actor Alan Hale as the sheriff.  If you don’t know who Alan Hale is, he was the skipper on Gilligan’s Island.  In this movie he never buttoned his shirt all the way up and tried to be very funny and Gilligan like by saying things like hey there little buddy.  He also was continuously humorous by answering the phone and telling people to walk through the yellow pages and other such things….

The movie took place in a hick sort of town where people went out in mass with guns when the spiders attacked the people.  They grew marajuma out in the fields, dates at the junkyard, and a town lush.

This whole movie was humerous and even showed a scientific side with people from Nasa involved . 

If you have the opportunity, you should support your local furry spider and view The Giant Spider Invasion.

Amen

1963’s Lilllie’s of the Field shows what  can happen if we all work together. In all, I mean man, woman, black white, Mexican, European, or whatever nationalitty you may be.  

This movie stars Sydney Poitier as Homer Smith, a construction worker, who encounters a group of German nuns who want to build a chapel.  This movie illustrates how people work together in order to get the task at hand done despite language barriers, differences in attitudes, and religious differences.  It is an excellent movie on cooperation.

Lilllie’s of the Field  is a lesson  in how we all can better citizens of the world and  shows how faith can play a Large part in anyone’s life.  It features great music and shows how we can get through any type of barrier if we need and want to. 

Amen.

Planning to travel

After a discussion of some length, it was decided that my mom, dad and I were going to Virginia for Thanksgiving.  This visit is two-fold because we are planning to move back there in a few weeks and my dad and mom need to scope out some possible living locations. My brother has to work so he’s unable to go with us which is a bit sad but its still cool to be going back there for a holiday.  We haven’t done that in some time. 

Everyone there is very excited for us to come and there has been several phone calls, e-mails, web messages, etc. to that degree.  It should be a most festive occasion and personally I’m kinda looking forward to it.  Nothing like seeing family you haven’t seen in a long time. Its a good thing plus we know pretty much for sure that all of us will be there for Christmas.  Big Things to be thankful for.  Family and a place to call home.

Live from Virginia

I have been in Virginia since last Wednesday.  We had Thanksgiving with my aunts, uncles, and cousins.  My parents and I along with my brother are moving back to Virginia very soon so my mom and dad are house/apt. hunting so that’s why I’m still here.  We plan on leaving Wednesday to go back to Georgia.  The two things I’m going to miss terribly about living in Georgia are Turner Classic movies and Atlanta Falcons football.  It sort of depresses me to lose TCM….but i guess I will live.  Its a start of a new life in a way so it should be fun.  I just hate getting things ready to go.

odds ends and everything in between

There is much I could be writing on right now.  For starters, my family is moving to Williamsburg, Va. in a matter of weeks.  I’ve been getting my vcr tapes ready for the move.  We’re moving into a smaller place so we are purging a great deal.  It should be fun.

Secondly, on a seasonal note, if you haven’t ever seen the movie Scrooge, with Albert Finney you should.  Its quite entertaining and a bit musical and you’ll probably like life a lot better after you do….

Thirdly, my uncle that lives in Virginia got a brand new dog today. A wheaten terrier. He’s very cute from the pictures I’ve seen. His name is Owen.

Finally, my favorite college football team won today and is going to the Orange bowl…..WAY To Go Va. Tech!!!!! Acc champs….

A Couple cups of Christmas Punch

Last night I watched 2 Christmas movies.  The first one was Prancer which is about a young girl and her obsession with a certain reindeer and Christmas in general.  The second one was Christmas Eve.  It was about a mother’s attempt to reunite her 3 adopted sons on Christmas eve.  Both were pretty good in there own way.

The first one has some pretty cool people in it.  Cloris Leechman, Abe Vigoda, of Barney Miller fame, and Sam Elliot  all appear in this film.  Cloris does an excellent job portraying an eccentric older woman and Mr. Vigoda does a great job as the vet.  Sam portrays the girl’s father, a down on his luck farmer.  The characters along with the storyline make this a Christmas film not to be missed.

Christmas Eve is a 1947 hodgepodge of various stories that includes some pretty great talent of its own.  George Brent, George Raft, and Randolph Scott portray the 3 adopted sons. The actors do a good job portraying these troubled souls.  The movie also includes Joan Blondell.  These talents make this movie one not to be missed.

These are two cups of christmas punch that are worth partaking  if you get the chance and I hope you do.

Glad boxes are coming

I ordered most of my Christmas gifts early this year in hopes that they would come before the big move which is taking place next week.  All boxes have been shipped.  Thank goodness.  I got one today so far.  I hope another one comes today but we shall see.  At least my mom and my brother have Christmas gifts.  Don’t you just love the holidays?

Seeing Furniture Go

Moving is a curious thing especially if you are getting rid of a lot of furniture before you go.  My family is moving to a smaller place so we are trying to get rid of some of our excess.

The Union mission came this morning and took away bunk beds and a sofa that my brother had in his room.  Now he is bed less.  He’ll have a bed at the new place.  We have a bed in our guest room that will be his.

We sold our dining room suit and they came for it this morning.  I say they because we had a family reunion of sorts in our house for another person’s family.  It was quite intriguing.

Someone is supposed to come for the roll top desk today. 

Its quite interesting, sad, and sweet to see various objects of your life come and go.  I’ve been cleaning out stuffed animals, magazines, and other various elements for the past week in preparation for the move.  Hopefully, all will be ready Tuesday for the grand moving to Virginia.

bedroom furniture exit

My bedroom furniture left this morning.  This furniture was my mom’s and it was like a right of passage for me to get it.  She and I both had no problem with selling it.  It was just kind of sad in a way to see it go. All of it.  Originally, we were going to keep the chest of drawers but the couple who came to look at it really wanted them so we said why not?.

My room looks empty now. Lots of floor space. I’ll probably be here 2 more nights then its off to Virginia.

Sorry for not posting sooner and still not in the apartment/townhouse but hopefully soon

With moving, staying at my aunt’s and uncle’s ,and general holiday cheer I haven’t had a chance to post lately. I’m sorry for not posting. Hopefully, soon I’ll be back on a regular schedule. 

My uncle is vacuuming downstairs and I’m upstairs hanging out on the computer.  The rest of my family is coming soon for dinner.  We’re having a holiday sit-down-buffet dinner tonight. It should be fun.  My folks and brother just went to open more boxes and set-up more stuff at the apartment.  I went there yesterday.  I even unpacked a box.  Its a sea of boxes there.  Hopefully, it’ll be unpacked soon and we’ll be there living as intended.  For now we are crashing at my aunt’s and uncle’s house.

I had leftover breakfast casserole, a doughnut, an English muffin and coffee today so far.  I know I’ve gained at least 10 pounds over this whole moving experience.  But, its OK. My mom will get us back on a routine as soon as we are housed and organized again. 

Tonight should be fun.  It’ll be more eating eating and I’m sure football watching.  Good times.  That’s all for now.

quick pizza

Tonight we are having pizza at our new townhouse apartment.  I can smell it from where I am sitting.  It smells really good.  Hopefully, it will taste good.  Mom just called us to dinner so I’m going to go now.  More soon.

Dinner time

Tonight’s food is pork chop.  I can smell the odor from where I sit.  The computer in our new townhouse/apartment is sitting right at the edge of the kitchen living room.  Its kinda nice to be able to smell dinner and hear and see the TV from where I sit.

Its pretty quiet here right now except for my mom cooking and the tv being on.

My uncle came by with some bagels and cream cheese.  Yummy. I’ll probably have to eat one tonight. I love bagels.  Its kinda nice being close to family again.

I’m going to watch The Christmas Cottage tonight.  I hope its a good movie. 

Its been rainy here today and the only thing I really did was to go to Walgreen’s and pick up a prescription.

I guess that’s all from my new location here in Virginia.

getting better

Things have been getting better for me lately which is good. I’m hoping to have my own computer again soon.  I can’t wait.

Life is definitely getting better on a lot of fronts.  I’m not sure what will happen next but I’m hoping its something good.

I went to Sam’s today with my mom and dad.  We got pizza and it was great.  I also got cherry coke, which is a big fave of mine.

Today was definitely a good day on a lot of fronts.

Getting ready to go out

Today is my dad’s birthday.  We are all getting ready to go out to dinner.  I can hear my dad upstairs squeaking around.  He’s changing shoes and putting on a nicer shirt.  Hopefully, tonight will be good.  We are going out for steak/seafood in our new city for the first time.  I hope we have made a good restaurant choice.  Happy Birthday to my dad!

Last night dinner

Last night’s dinner went very well. I had the boiled seafood platter and the rest of the group had prime rib.  The food was pretty good.  They had a special going so the price wasn’t too bad at all.  I had a very delicious shrimp and scallop bisque with my meal.  They’re dessert portion was perfect, not too big, not too small.  All in all a good meal at the Aberdeen barn.

finally got something i have wanted for a long time

Tonight I went to the friendly Target and got something I have wanted for a really long time. DRUM ROLL PLEASE….. A Nintendo DS!!!!  I have wanted one for several years and finally found myself in a position to get one.  I am happy.  I don’t have a lot of things that I just want.  But, this is something I have wanted for awhile and I’m happy to finally have it.  I played the dog game and the brain game tonight.  I will probably get more games as time goes on.  Its really cool. 

I also got a rug for my room and some other stuff.  Tonight’s shopping trip was a cool one.

A unusual sort of day

MLK day has not always been a pleasant one for me.  Sixteen years ago I had a stroke on this day.  I was in college at the time and was unconscious for 2 days following it.  I woke up just in time to see Bill Clinton be inaugurated president which was cool because I had voted for him in my first presidential election.

Today was a pretty good day.  I went grocery shopping with my mom, watched Martin Luther King’s I have a dream speech on Cnn, and watched Obama paint and talk as well.  Its been a pretty good day and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.  I can’t wait to see Obama inaugurated.  Its going to be a GOOD day I hope.

A Presidential Day

I’ve been watching all the inauguration events today. I am doing that as I’m writing this right now. What a incredible day for our Country!

In other news, its pretty sad that Senator Kennedy became ill today during the luncheon.  I hope that he is going to be OK. Prayers and positive thoughts going out to him and his family.

That is all.

First cardiologist visit in Williamsburg

I went to my first cardiologist visit in Williamsburg today.  Going to the doctor is always an experience especially if its the first time you’ve been there. 

The doctor was very nice and took a lot of time with me which I like.  Its a small practice.  Just 2 doctors.  There is a lab facility close by so no problem with blood testing and x-rays.

I think I’m gonna like it.

Finishing a Book

I’ve been reading the book Geek Love for quite sometime and I am determined to finish it up this weekend or at least by Tuesday.  I got a whole batch of books yesterday and I want to start reading them. 

My problem with Geek Love is that I don’t care for the way its written and how it jumps around.  Its a cool book with a cool subject but the writing style and the way it is put together leaves a lot to be desired.  Hopefully I’ll finish it up soon.

Option Dinner

For the last 2 nights, I have  enjoyed dinner out. On Saturday night. I had some delicious fried trout, fries, and cole slaw at Paul’s deli here in Willimasburg.  It was very good.

Tonight I had ham, green beans, squash, scalloped potatoes, and assorted chocolates at my aunt and uncle’s house.  It was a very good dinner as well.  Having Sunday night dinner with the family is always a good thing.  We watched 60 minutes and the movie 8 below which is a pretty good movie about dogs if you’re interested.

All and all the last 2 nights of dinners have been good and I hope the week ahead holds lots of  good dinners as well.

Keeping busy in life

I’m currently reading The Sterile Cuckoo, watching Miss Pettigrew, and dealing with problems of several of my high school friends.  These problems range from job loss to death.  All in a day of a life.

I am just hanging at the moment looking at jabberjaw and just relaxing.  I hope dinner isn’t too late tonight.

Another day at the Doctor

Today I have my first appointment at my new internist here in Williamsburg.  With my history any dr. appointment is always an experience.  Meeting a new doctor can be both fun, scary, aggravating, and anything in between….. I just hope its a good visit.

Tomorrow is coumadin check.  It should be fine but we will see.

Happy Day to all!!!

My only beefs with the Oscars which aren’t many…

Okay, I usually enjoy the part of the show where they pay tribute to the people that die during the past  year but unfortunately tonight you or at least I couldn’t read the names of the people…instead of a montage they did shoots of the screens on stage.  Poor planning and poor work in my opinion.

My only other beef  is that they didn’t show any clips of the people’s works.  I mean some people haven’t seen these movies.  How are we supposed to know what kind of part these people played?  I liked past nominees giving the nominations list.  I thought it was very elegant to do it that way.

Other than those 2 things I think tonight’s Oscars had more class than past recent years have had.

Dreams, Friends, and other things…

Recently on facebook my friends and I have been doing a bucket list.  One friend suggested we take a trip to Graceland in honor of a great friend of ours who was an all around good guy and Elvis enthusiast.  If only I had cash and better health…..I would go in a heartbeat. 

This suggestion made me stop and think about all the things my friends and I did while in college.  The friend we would honor took to me to a few medical appointments and helped me out on occasion.

Its amazing what you forget till someone hits you on the head with a memory. 

I just wish I could find my Sheryl Crowe Cd….guess I’ll just have to buy another one.

Life is chunkful of memories and people you have known and things you have done or should have done.

What would you like to do?

Pizza

Tonight we went out to dinner and had Pizza. I have wanted pizza for about a week and tonight’s dinner fit the bill.  We went to Jimmy’s oven and grill and had the Jimmy’s special.  It was delicious.  Lots of cheese,meat, and not too much sauce. Yummy!  I am happy because I had pizza tonight for dinner.

Let’s see…

First of all I just messed up on my ds game.  I didn’t save it thinking I had not obtained due to lack of room.  I was wrong.  Oh well, hopefully I’ll get it again.

I just saw that broadcaster Paul Harvey died.  He was 9o. See my tribute page for more information.

I had stir fry veggies and shrimp for dinner tonight.  It was good.

I guess that’s all for now.

READY?

WE seem to get ready to do a lot of things…I pondered this as I was getting ready to go to church this morning.  We get ready to go to bed, brush our teeth, go out, eat dinner, play, sleep,…the list is endless.  I wonder sometimes if we are really ready to do anything at all.  Wouldn’t we all rather stay snuggled in our warm beds with our pjs on snoozing away or sitting on our couch watching TV and drinking a cup of coffee or our favorite beverage? 

Are we all really rready for life and the obstacles it presents us the minute we go beyond our front door?  for example, it was raining this morning which meant you had to wear a coat, and then there was the possibilty of slick roads….the obstacles are endless.  Are we ready for them?

Observations from a Snowy Day

It is rather cloudy here.  Been snowing off and on all day.  Wind blowing.  Had a pretzel baked in the oven.  Good stuff.  Tv, being lazy…..and happy not to go out in this weather. Observations from a snowy day.

Choices

Everyday we make tons of choices in our life.  We choose whether to get up or not, what to eat, what to wear, what to say……etc.  These are just everyday ”Little” choices.  Now, think about other choices.

We choose who to date, marry, be friends with, where to go to school, where to work….all kinds of “Big” choices.  These choices usually affect who we end up marrying or not marrying, who we kiss or not kiss, who we dance with or not dance with, etc. 

In looking at my life I have made several “Big” choices that probably affected my life as well as other people’s lives.  I have chosen not to kiss someone upon occasion, not to say I love you to someone who I really loved for fear of the consequences, I’ve chosen to stay at a particular school rather than transfer because the school I was at was Home to me in many ways. 

Choices are BIG THINGS.  They need to be thought about carefully and you need to be able to live with the consequences of your choices.  You should think before you act and not just jump into a pot of hot boiling water.  That is choices.

New Toy for Me

This week after waiting forever I got a new toy…..a new computer. A dell xps.  Its pink.  I haven’t gotten it hooked to the internet yet but its wonderful that its here.

Basketball, how i love thee

I’m into March madness right now in a big way.  I have no money riding on it but I really enjoy the craziness and all the fun things that come with NCAA tourney.

I try and watch most games and I do keep brackets.  I have 2 right now and we will see how it all turns out.

March madness is wonderful.

My thoughts upon watching Twilight the movie 2 times

Overall, I think this movie is pretty good.  It tells the story of the vampire and human world existing  together pretty well.  My real beef with the film is that I don’t think it does the Bella-Edward relationship real justice.  It touches it and shows some very special moments and events from the book and beyond.  I didn’t think it would be exactly like the book so that’s not my beef.  I miss the bedroom conversations between Edward and Bella, though.   I also don’t think the protectiveness was dealt with enough.  After saying this, I want to say that there is a deleted scene that satisfied my appetite for more Edward-Bella bonding.  I urge anyone to get at least the 2 disc collection so that they can check out those deleted scenes. 

I also wanted to say that Dr. Cullen is too white.  He’s supposed to be the senior member of this group and in my opinion gets the worse make-up job of any of them.

Twilight the movie is a nice take on a great book and if you’re interested in it I urge you to check it out.

Guiding Light cancelled-my feelings

Growing up, I was exposed to Guiding Light at an early age.  I was probably 3 or 4.  My grandmother and I used to watch it a lot.  I remember when Alan and Hope were on the beach and when Quint and Nola got married for instance.  I also remember Jackie, Justin, the whole Reardon clan, among other things.

I have watched it on and off forever.  I will be upset if it just goes away.

Yes, I like other soap operas but Guiding Light is a mainstay.  Its comforting at times and provides a sense of ritual in this crazy world.

I really hope it dosen’t just go away….how can you just let a show disappear after 72 years?

every little thing

Sometimes,  when you’ve had a stroke the little things are tough. For example, taking a small walk on the sidewalk and/or grass.  Yesterday I walked on the grass and nothing happened.  Today I walked on the grass and my foot turned and I landed on my knees.  No damage was suffered except for grass stains on my jeans and a little bruise on my knee. 

It just irks me sometimes that things that I could do one day I can’t do the next.  Plus falling aggravates my foot and ankle and does nothing for my thinking…ugh.

Tomorrow may be different, heck even tonight may be different but right now i am aggravated by may body’s limitations.  I just want things to improve.

Its chilly and i had therapy today

Today was my day for physical and occupational therapy. Folding of clothes, stretching, putting away of dishes….lots of little things designed to get me back in shape.

Its also chilly here today.  Not spring at all. More likes shades of winter. Hopefully, the weather will improve.

birthdays, easter, upcoming surgery, oh my…

I have a had a lot going on lately in my life.  Firstly, last week I celebrated a birthday.  My mom and dad took me out to brunch for my birthday where I had a chocolate chip waffle.  It was good.  Later on in  the evening I had dinner at my aunt and uncle’s.  We had shrimp, bread, salad, and 2 birthday cakes. One coconut and one chocolate.  Both were delicious.  We are still finishing them up.

Secondly, we had a big family Easter celebration at my aunt and uncle’s in Franklin, Virginia.  We had fried chicken, deviled eggs, collards, butter beans, and lots of other stuff.  We also had a delicious coconut cake and lemon lush and lots of candy.  We even played Bingo for prizes and watched the Masters.  It was a Great day.

Thirdly and lastly, I have been experiencing pain in my abdomen region.  It has been determined by doctors that I have gallstones.  I will be having gallbladder surgery sometime in the coming weeks.

Life is a mixture of  all kinds of events.  My life has truly been a mixture of all sorts lately.  How about yours?  Are you enjoying your life?

Weather Nice?-WALK

Now that the weather is slowly getting nicer all over the place maybe its time to enjoy the weather and take a walk.  I’m not necessarily talking about a long trek but just a little stroll to stretch the legs and help us feel better.

I’m going to physical therapy at the moment and am required to take a 15 minute walk everyday.  Nothing strenuous.  Just a good stretch of the legs.  It makes you feel better

My parents took a long walk to the post office last night but a short walk in the yard or on the sidewalk  will do the job.  You should get out and stretch the legs.  Walk, don’t run unless you feel like it and of course see your doctor if you have a concern.

Little Dorrit

I’ve never read the book which was written by Charles Dickens but I plan to do so.  I am in love with the latest masterpiece theater edition of it.  It’s great! I am going to go watch the installment I missed last week and hope to catch the latest tomorrow night.  I defintely recommend it.

my Joshua Jackson rant

There’s a movie on right now with Joshua Jackson in it. I don’t even know the title of the film.  I saw him in another film last night in addition to watching him in Fringe.  I just love this guy.

I was late getting to the Joshua Jackson bandwagon as I didn’t watch Dawson’s Creek till like the last 2 seasons but thanks to the kind people at tbs I got all caught up with that show.  I watched him in Cruel   Intentions  and the many other movies he’s been in and I adore him in Fringe.  He has great charm and good acting skills!

In search of another vampire book…

I read the Twilight series and loved it…I’ve read some Anne rice in the past and liked it OK and even tried the trueblood  stuff with Sookie Stackhouse. They were enjoyable but too much of a mystery type book for me.

I have read the first house of night book, Marked and found it enjoyable and I’ve read the first viampire diaries books. Both of these book were ok. However, I have yet to find one that equals my enjoyment of  Twilight.  How about you all? Have you found something that you really like in the vampire lit. set? Just asking…..

Bea Arthur always reminded me of my great aunt

Bea Arthur of television fame died today. She was 86.  In thinking about her and looking at her over the years she always reminded me of one of my great aunts.  Her mannerisms, her talk, her look.  It was priceless. 

I would always look at her and she would immediately make me think of my great aunt Julia.  I don’t know why she did maybe it was the complete package especially during her years as Maude.  I always would look at her when she was portraying Maude and think Aunt Julia.

It kind of makes me sad that she’s gone now just like my great aunt Julia but I’m sure she’s in a better place too and we can always remember her for her many television roles.

The wonders of nature

OK, we all have some contact with nature in our lives.  We see a squirrel in the yard or park, we might see a mouse or snake,  or we may just pet a dog.  Today my mom got a surprise.

We live in an apartment complex and we have our car parked in the parking lot.  She went out to the car and found bird poop in the car.  She had left the car window about 2 inches open so it wouldn’t be so hot in the car when we got in it and the bird entered through that hole.  My mom didn’t find the bird so we assume he or she got out the way he came in.  Oh, the wonders of nature.

A Gem of a movie

Last night I had the opportunity to view a very wonderful gem of a movie.  It was 1952’s Macao.  Macao stars among others Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell,  and Gloria Graham.

Macao is a gem because it contains everything essential for a good film.  Action, romance, suspence, a good guy, a bad guy,…..the list goes on and on.  It has great fashion sense, with Gloria Graham looking slippery than wet, if you understand the expression and Jane Russell looking elegant but everyday. 

It is indeed a gem because it contains all elements of a great movie and doesn’t drag itself out.  Perfection is the name of the game for this movie and I urge everyone to check it out.

my musings on the Kentucky derby

Did you happen to see the Kentucky Derby? It was amazing.  I loved it that a horse that was a 50 to 1 shot won and that the said horse was only $9500.00.  Proves that millions doesn’t always get you what you want…..

I also loved the jockey.  He was downhome and very sweet.  He thanked his mom and dad.  I always like people that thank their parents for their schievements even if the parents are now dead.

It was a very down home derby and personally, I enjoyed every minute of it.

Things I miss about living in Atlanta

Recently, I was asked about what I missed about Atlanta.  After pondering it for several days I’ve come up with a list.

1. AJC-I miss the Atlanta Journal Constitution especially the sports section which was chopped with information about the braves, hawks, falcons, etc. on a daily basis. The comic section was also first rate and I miss them too.

2. I miss 24 hour grocery stores.  We don’t have any 24 hour stores where we live now and I miss being able to grab milk, eggs, or whatever was necessary at a late hour.

3. I miss being able to watch most every Braves game without having to pay for it or listen to the opposing team’s announcers.

I guess that’s all I really miss with the exception of having my own bathroom and being able to play music at late hours that’’s about it.  Sports in Atlanta was my passion and I still love them all very much.

Salt of the Earth

Last night, in the middle of the night, I had the opportunity to view the only movie ever banned by the U.S. government.  Its entitled Salt of  the Earth and was made in 1954.  It deals with working conditions, immigrants, and feminism among other things.

This fim was created by a group of talents that were all blacklisted during those horrible days back in the 1950’s.  Its subject is timeless because in my opinion we are still dealing with the same types of problems that are dealt with in this movie.

I urge anyone that gets a chance to see this movie to do so.  It might just enlighten you.

My health life

These past few weeks have been busy in my life.  I have had a lot of health issues to deal with. For starters, I was fitted for braces for my hand and foot, then we’ve been fighting the insurance on a new seizure med, and finally I have been preparing for gallbladder surgery.

The brace thing wasn’t really a huge deal.  It was a tough decision for me to decide that I wanted to get them.  I decided in the long run it would probably be of my best interest to get them.  They will hopefully prevent future problems.

The medicine has been a real challenge for both me and my folks and for my doctors.  The insurance didn’t want to pay for the milligrams my Dr. prescribed.  It also didn’t like the directions my Dr. had given me.  But, hopefully all was cleared up this week and my meds will be available this week.  My dad picked up samples for me this week so I’m not going without.  Just another challenge in my life.

Finally, I am preparing for oupatient gallbladder surgery which will be this coming Tuesday.  Yes, I said preparing.  I am on coumadin so I had to switch to Lovenax injections and that meant going in early Friday morning to have my levels checked.  But, thankfully, all was ok.  My Dad and Mom are giving me the injections and all is going well so far.  I don’t expect problems but one never knows.

I am not nervous about the surgery because its outpatient and I should feel a lot better afterwards.  I know I’ll probly feel sluggish for several days but that’s ok.  Downtime is sometimes good.

So, that’s what’s been happening with me lately.

Just a quick blog

Today is the day for my gallbladder surgery. I have to be at the hospital at 6:15am.  Hopefully, things will go well and I’ll be home tonight.  It will be great to have no pain when I eat stuff. I guess that’s all for now.  Thanks to everyone for their support.

Glad Dogs

Last weekend, I had the chance to see 2 movies that are somewhat related because they both show how much kindness and caring can  help people and animals.

The first movie is about a girl who spreads happiness and gladness.  Her name is Pollyanna.  She’s portrayed by Haley Mills.  This movie was made in 1960 and is just as relevant today as it was then.  Its about how we all need a little joy and encouragement in our lives and how we should stand-up for the things we believe in.  I encourage people to see this movie which is a Disney film.

The second movie was Hotel for Dogs.  If you love animals, especially dogs, I urge you to see it.  Its about 2 foster children that start caring for strays in an abandon hotel.  Its a great movie that shows how doing things for your community, like caring for animals, can enhance your life and those around you as well.  Its a cute film that was released this year by Dreamworks  and has a good cast along with great music. Its an awareness movie and i think everyone can learn something from it.

These are two movies that show the Good in people which is often ignored in films.  I hope everyone has a chance to view these films sometime.

MMM…Chocolate

In the last two days I have experienced Chocolate at its best.  The first was the chocolate iced donuts at the Dunkin donuts. I’m not talking cake donuts either.  They’re like glazed ones but with chocolate. Very Good.

The other thing is the brownie batter blizzard at Dairy Queen.  Its full of yummy pieces of brownie and its chocolate all the way through..  A great treat especially if you like blizzards.

Hope everyone gets to experience a yummy treat over the weekend!

Building Vocab through Books

I recently read a book about Henry the VIII.  It was  mainly about  his government and how he got his divorce from Catherine.  The book had very specialized vocabulary that had me picking up my dictionary more than once.  I highlighted every word I looked up so I could be sure that i remembered it and could look it up again and know where  it came from.

Well now I’m reading The Journals of  Sylvia Plath.  This book is a collection of Path’s journal entries. Its quite good as it tells a lot about her and the writing process.  I have even encountered a few words in there that I didn’t know. I looked them up as I go  along and even highlight them.

I have a system where I use a different color highlighters for each book so I know where the words came from. This is proving to be a useful tool. I’m also keeping a journal of the books I read.

You can learn many words if you read.  It doesn’t matter the subject just read and build your your vocabulary. It will make you a smarter person and you just might impress someone with your new word knowledge.

Me? Like the Jonas Brothers..you’ve got to be kidding

Last Friday the Jonas Brothers played on the Today show in their summer concert series and I watched. I figured they  would be  like most  teen  bands.. Little talent , the same beat over and over again, and not a lot of singing.

I was wrong. I’m 35 years old and I like the Jonas Brother!.  They actually play instruments and they seem to have great respect and love for their fans. I actually found them a bit refreshing.

Its nice to see some good family entertainment out there in a world that’s full of so much bad.

Death Among the Stars

This past week we have suffered many deaths among the famous people in the world.  We have lost actors, a pitch man, a singer and an American icon.

They are Farrah Fawcett, Karl Malden , Billy Mays, Michael Jackson, and Ed McMahon.  All of these people had many accomplishments that have been shared and talked about in the last few days.  We have seen family members talking, photos online and in magazines, and many TV reporters talk about many of them.

Farrah Fawcett was a TV and film actress as well as a poster girl.  Her poster was a very famous one that was hung on many walls across the country and world.  In fact, I have a very special memory of this poster.  It was on a wall at my dad’s workplace when I was a little kid.  I remember it very well in  memory.

Karl Malden was a diverse actor.  He appeared in many movies and in the American Express ads.  His many movies include Birdman of  Alcatraz, Pollyanna, and  Baby Doll among many others.  Mr. Malden’s talents will be sorely missed.

Billy Mays was a excellent pitchman that endeared himself to our memories.  He pitched oxy clean, burger sliders and many other products.  These ads have become a part of the American landscape.  His distinctive voice will never be duplicated and will provide a standard for other ad pitchman in coming years.

Michael Jackson was a music icon and excellent dancer.  He was a warm person that loved many.  He will always be  remembered for his music, dancing talents, his charitable work and his many antics..   Jackson will be missed on a large scale that includes many generations and many countries.

Ed McMahon was a commercial spokesperson, a sidekick to the late Johnny Carson, and so much more.  He was a part of the American life for a long time and his voice and face will be missed by many.

All these people had amazing gifts.  Gifts that they chosen to share to everyone.  In this world, that is something that can’t be over overlooked.  Good-bye to these persons.  Their talents will live on forever.

Sitting here watching TV

Today there is a special program on to remember the king of pop, Michael Jackson.  I’m listening to Lionel Ritchie sing right now.  It is indeed a gathering of the clan as we have many generations of fans each with their own special Jackson memory. 

I think a lot of us have some kind of memory of Michael Jackson.  It could be watching him on Ed Sullivan, seeing him dance on the Motown 25,,his Thriller album or it could be We are the World, or just one of his many trials and tribulations.

He was indeed a performer that spanned generations and his music will live on long after he is gone.

Legends, Moon Landing, and grandparents

Walter Cronkite, a long time reporter and newsman died a few days ago.  He was a man  who defined America.  He provided perspective and comfort in an often turbulent world.                                                                                                                                   

I remember watching the CBS evening news with Walter Cronkite at my grandparent’s house when I was a kid.  We didn’t really watch it at our house or at least I don’t remember it.   We watched ABC..  I always remember Cronkite’s voice. It was a strong voice that had presence.  One that wouldn’t be forgotten. Hopefully, his voice and  his many achievements will never be forgotten.

This past  July 20th,  was the 40th anniversary of the moon landing.  Cronkite provided the voice for that first landing.  He presented it to the world and as one of my friends said, its kind of ironic that he died at this particular time. A time when one of his greatest accomplishments is being honored. But,  we have TV clips, pictures and all kinds of things to remember this historic event by.

The moon landing anniversary is very special to me because my dad introduced me to space, airplanes and the like when I was a kid.  I knew who Chuck Yeager, the pilots, was when I was probably 7 or 8.  My folks also took me to the space center in Florida.  I feel like I’ve always had a connection with this special event.

All of these things, the moon landing and the passing of Walter Cronkite have really made me miss my mom’s parents more.  I watched Cronkite in the family room at their house and they always had a since  of nostalgia about them. For example, there was a magazine in the living room that was from either 1962 or 1963 that had Kennedy on it.  JFK was the president who made the challenge to go the moon. 

The moon landing and the accomplishments of Walter Cronkite are things that shouldn’t be forgotten.  These things are a measure of how far we’ve come and and who helped us pave the way there.

Just a few thoughts before bed

I’m sitting here getting ready to go to bed.  I spent the day watching True Blood and reading The Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum.  I really recommend reading the Oz books if you ever get the chance.  I also played many games online today.  All and all is was a restful day.

However, I did a lot of thinking about the past.  I was reminded of much today while on face book.  I was reminded of friends that have come and gone from my life.  Some got married, some went off in a totally new direction, and some have died.  I had many sweet, interesting people that I met while in college and became friends with.  some good, some bad, some that would make you smile or laugh at the drop of a hat and others who would hug you and make sure you were ok.  Good people that made a difference. 

You get older and realize one day that you wish you had more of those kind of people in your everyday life.  People that are special and kind. People that really took the time to listen and didn’t make you feel stupid when you had questions.  People who would take away your fears, provide diversions when life got too heavy, whether it was just talking or going to the Krispy Creme to get doughnuts or going for ice cream.  Life’s little pleasures that made you feel special and glad. 

Dancing is another great memory along with the people I met.  I had not really danced a lot till I went to college. But, my sophomore year provided  lots of opportunities to do this because I became associated with ballplayers.  These people became my good friends and helped me with all sorts of things.

Memories are good people are two things that we have in life that provides us with a foundation to keep on living day by day whatever the circumstances.

A Journey of healthcare

Personally, I have been affected by the insurance crisis in this country.  I have a pre-existing condition that I’ve had since I was 9 weeks old.  I had healthcare through my dad’s employer for many years.  I has insurance through my employer for a few years while I working then for health reasons I had to leave my job. I went many years without insurance.  As a result of this I went into debt.  Its not a pretty picture when you have a condition that requires constant attention.  Thankfully I had some good doctors that provided me with reduced fees and things of that nature while I was uninsured.  Due to a medical emergency I had to get Medicaid which only lasted until the crisis had passed.  Its a great fear that you have when you know that you don’t have any really recourse when you’re ill and can’t get treatment due to your heath insurance crisis.

Right now, I have Medicare thankfully to my finally getting disability after fighting for many years.  But that ‘s another story.

Right now in my household, I have several family members that are uninsured.  One of them has a preexisting condition that prevents them from obtaining insurance.  The other cannot afford it. 

Its a crisis when someone can’t get health insurance in this country.  Thankfully one of my family members has been able to obtain affordable healthcare through a local program.  But, if not for this program they might be seriously ill due to lack medication and regular checkups.  That is a frightening  thought.  One I hope doesn’t  come to pass.

We need some kind of heath reform.  I don’t know what’s the right plan or the  way to go about it is  but something has to be done.  No one should be ill in this country and all alone with the cost of treatment.  The prices are too high to have to pay it out of pocket.  I have Medicare and still the prices aren’t really cheap.  But, its more affordable than nothing.  People need change.  They need to feel like they can get sick and not have to deal with high costs and lack of treatment options.

That’s the reality of the insurance crisis in my world.  Its a  uncomfortable feeling   when you don’t the cash or health insurance to take care of yourself and your family members.

A mighty lion has fallen

 I have always have  had a fascination with the Kennedy’s. I don’t know why or where it began. It probably was about the time that Caroline Kennedy got married and was in the Life magazine or it could just be that my fascination of the the 1960’s lead to my love and respect for the Kennedy’s and what they have been doing and trying to do for years. I remember wanting to get the special Life Magazine that covered the 25th anniversary of President John F. . Kennedy’s death.  I got it and later used it to write my senior paper on the assassination of John F. Kennedy.    The campaign and death of Robert Kennedy has also been of great interest to me as well.

Well, yesterday another one of the Kennedy brothers died  Senator Ted Kennedy, who  was the  last older male in the Kennedy line.   With his passing we  have see a death of a dynasty in the senate. For 50 years they have always has been a Kennedy in the senate.  Today that is no longer true. It pains me to know that people who really fought for civil rights for many backgrounds, helped with politics and issues in foreign lands, and tried numerous times to get some sort of better health care for us all has died.

I think one  of the best things I ever saw the Kennedy family do was when Robert Kennedy visited the poor during his campaign for presidency. He really got to the heart of the issue and if an assaians bullet had not stopped him who knows what kind of country we would have now.

Ted Kennedy, despite his flaws, tried to make the world a better place. He went out of his way to provide medical care for a very sick girl in another country, he endorsed Obama, fought for health care,tried to get better living conditions for the lower class and I think in his passing we have lost a bright spot in our country’s history. Someone that actually really did care about the people.

Hopefully his legacy will live  on in  the next generation of people. We have Obama and many democratic and Republican senators that will hopefully join together and try to get some things done that Senator Kennedy will be proud of.

RIP Senator Ted Kennedy. You will be missed.

A straight up rant

Susan Haskell is a great soap opera actress that I enjoy watching. Her portrayalof Marty on One Life to Live is excellent.  However,Jeanne Cooper should have won. I mean how many more times is she going to be around to get this  prestigious award.  She’s a gerat actress that I have watched since I was a little girl in the 197o’s and she deserved this award for the awesome way she portrayed Katherine Chancellor this past year. 

The storyline was great allowing her to successfully play 2 characters.  She really showed her diversity through her memory loss and her ultimate transformation back to the Mrs. C. that we all loved. 

I don’t understand them not giving her that reward.  She was far better than most people out there and she is a veteran that ought to be saluted for her great work.  I just hope she gets  more recognization before its too late.

my thoughts on the curious case of Benjamin button

Last night I finished Benjamin Button.   Great movie. It has a little of bit of everything in it. Adventure, lots of love, and a strong sense of relationships. 

It reminds us how each person is special and different.  That we all have our own special talents and dreams.  It also reminds us how things don’t last and how we have to continue and go on with our lives whatever the circumstances.

Benjamin Button is simple and complicated.  While the man changes into one thing, the woman undergoes another change.  This change is realistically portrayed and yet the simplicity of it all radiates. Its a love story with people calling each other Honey and lovemaking that is basic and true.

Benjamin Button gives us the best and the worse of life.  It is love, life, changing circumstances,  all at a basic, simple level.

Little by Little

This week a few of the elements of my childhood and adolescents are passing and have passed.  G uiding Light one of daytimes longest running daytime dramas is fading into the history books on Friday and yesterday Patrick Swayze died.

Guiding Light is and was a personal favorite of mine.  I’ve strayed away from it many times but I’ve always come back  to it.  In fact this week i’m treasuring it like an old friend that’s going away.  I watched it many times with my ma, my mom’s mom, and loved every minute of it.  After she died I continued watching it. Never missing a beat.  Even if I was checking out its competition I always read recaps and kept up with it.  I will miss it.

Patrick Swayze has provided me with many memories.  Dirty Dancing provided me with a movie that defined my adolescents and gave me hope that no matter what you looked like you could find love. 

The Outsiders was my high school years in a nutshell.  I read all the S.E. Hinton books because of that book and movie.  I got crushes all over again with the many men that are in it and still do when I watch it.  It was a big influence in my life and I love that movie.

My big Patrick Swayze moment came with the movie Ghost.  When I was a teenager in high school i watched this movie with one of my best guy friends in the family room at my house.  It ws the first time in my memory that I remember being  with a guy and watching a movie without any adults around.  While no kisses were exchanged, it was a good experience for me that I’ve never forgotten.

This week 2 things are passing and have passed that have meant so much to me.  Patrick Swayze and Guiding Light you will never be forgotten.

Along comes fall

Fall is a colorful adventure filled with football, cooler temps, hot cider or coffee, spooky feelings, and sweatshirts.  Fall  is  a  cornucopia of madness before the Christmas rush hits. 

Fall brings change.  A person can be a kid at the end of summer and turn into a grown-up by fall.  This experience typically happens in college.  I remember it happening to me.   While I don’t have children, i did used to work in daycare and it seemed to me in the fall you really realise how much bigger the children had gotten. how their personalities had changed , and how they don’t fit in that cute little outfit they used to like to wear.

Fall can be romance for some people. I met two guys in the fall. One left a very big impression on me. But, I’m not gonna talk about that right now. I’ll save it for another post close to Halloween.

Fall is a refreshing change from the hot summer that seems to linger. It gives you hope that things will get better.  It also grows darker faster and this often depresses  people . Me? No. Darkness is cool.  Sunny days bug me sometimes.  They’re too unpredictable.

There is a feeling of family in the fall. One goes to homecoming, a sports outing or talks to a neighbor outside because it’s not too hot to stand around.  It’s a social season before the real cold of Winter begins.

Fall is colorful, changing, and sweet.

Soap talk among the ages

I was sitting at the brunch table today talking about soap operas. I have watched them since I was a little girl. I used to watch them with my Ma, my mom’s mom. Anyway, I was talking about them and my dad said I sounded just like her, my Ma.

Ma loved to talk to the characters on TV and even wrote a letter once to the network asking them to please get rid of John Dixon on As the World Turns. She and I would have great conversations about the soaps and the characters that make them up.

There was a big contrast in our ages. She was in her mid to late 70’s and I was a kid, in fact when I was 3 she was already 71. So by the time I was 8 or 9 she was pushing 80. Unfortunately, she didn’t reach 80, she died of a stroke at age 77.  Ma  was an incredible person and she and I had many a conversation about a variety of subjects. But, our talks about soaps are legendary and I take it as a compliment that my dad said I sounded like her.

Can you take it with you?

 

We’ve all heard the old saying you can’t take it with it  referring to money and/or possessions when you die.  Frank Capra took this phrase You can’t take it with you, and  a play by  George S. Kaufman  and made an incredibly fun and cute movie starring Jimmy Stewart and Jean Arthur as two young people who fall in love.

Jimmy’s character, Tony,  comes from an upper crust family of bankers and Jean Arthur’s family is a lower middle class family of eccentrics. When the family’s meet everything pops…literally.

Tony’s family is a conventional rich family. The men work their 9-5 jobs at the bank, make lots of money and the women dabble in their little hobbies like spiritualism. Then at night they dress-up and go out to dinner, theater, ballet…whatever they’re preferred activity.

Alice’s family is a group very eccentric people who live totally by another code.  The family is headed up by a Grandpa affectionately portrayed by Lionel Barrymore. This grandpa has given up  the business world and does just what he wants to do whether it be collecting things or going to the zoo, Alice’s mother does her hand at writing through a typewriter that was accidently left on their doorstep and grandpa’s daughter dances and makes candy,

These two world are entirely different but they both get a lesson from each other.  First they lean tolerance and secondly the rich learn that you can’t take it with you.  You have to do things you like to do, take stock in each and everyday, make friends along the way, and notice the changing of the seasons.

It’s a mix that can’t  be beat and teaches us a philosophythat we all can use.  I mean how much do we really need to slave and make tons of money if it only brings us  too many possessions, and more money than we  can ever imagine  spending. Not that all of us have that problem.  But, most of  us have the problem of not taking stock in the everyday.

We should, breathe, relax, do things we enjoy doing and not rush so much like a pack a pack of hungry dogs they can’t get enough.

That’s the lesson behind You Can’t Take  It With You and everyone should enjoy it.

Pearl Harbor Day

Today is a day we should remember all those that were loss during pearl harbor and those that survived the day.  Its a day to remember and not forget how lucky we are to live in this country where war does not happen on our shores everyday.

Yes, we are at war. War is a terrible thing and I hate that its often necessary but in a world where hate exists its often the only way.

Many people were loss that day at Pear Harbor, that terrible day were innocent people were killed and the landscape of our country was changed forever.  If you have a chance today you might want to catch a show on the history channel or some programming on the TCM channel to learn about the horror of World War 2. You might also catch a remembrance ceremony and if so moved pray for all the people that fought and died for our country.

Love Song for Bobby Long Dec.4 2009

 I love this movie for some odd reason that I never will know. Maybe its the New Orleans/Southern charm of it all. The ma’am and the honeys that are used un this movie are of an incredible amount. The manners shown  are quite classic .Mean are actually lightting a women’s cigarettes. .  Its reminicent of a 1940’s movie.

The movie’s topic is a bit sad but it makes it up for it in a sequence of events that lends itself to great charm.  Jiohn Travolta is a drunk ex-college professor and Gabriel Macht is Lawson Pines a former student of the drunken college professor.  Their New Orleans existence is forever changed when a girl by the name of Posy Will arrives at their doorstep.  Scarlett Johansson lovingly  portrays this girl who has had a rough road in life.

 This movie is a rich description of seasons and chage.  Its a painting of New Orleans with no details left out.  A great portrait of the holiday season is included so its appropriate for this time of year.

This movie lends itself to great thoughts of what might have been, of what it can be, and what is to be in the future.  Its a great story of lives intertwining and very moving.

December 3, 2009-A TREAT

Christmas is a time of year that brings to mind and mouth many foods.  Tonight, I had a taste of one of  these foods.

 My family and I went out to dinner tonight at Friendly’s. After dining on a delicious chicken pesto sandwich, I had a sundae.  This sundae wasn’t just any sundae.  It was a Christmas in a dish. Yummy peppermint ice cream  with peppermint pieces and a flavor that just spelled C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S.

You may enjoy ham, turkey, chicken, fruitcake, or fudge during the holiday season.  But, I urge you to try the peppermint ice cream at Friendly’s especially with hot fudge on it.

December 2, 2009

I had  resolved to have 25 days of blogging in honor of the holiday season but as it turns out I missed a day. So, here I present to you a blog that was inspired by a friend who said I do believe in Santa Claus.

I know as adults we often become cynical and unbelieving in imagination and thoughts of fancy. However, some things are worth believing in and there are just not flights of fancy but a bigger power that can drive us all to be more understanding and giving.

Several years ago my folks in their ultimate wisdom gave me a book entitled Yes, Virginia There is A Santa Claus. It was written by Francis Pharcellus Church. It was inspired by a letter written to a newspaper editor asking if there was indeed a Santa Claus.  It was written by a 8 year old child named  Virginia.

 He answered her in a way that couldn’t be rivaled.

“Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. Hew 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.”

In fact he goes on to say that our lives wouldn’t be so bright  if they were no Santa Claus. 

“There would be no childlike faith then no poetry, no romance to make this world tolerable.”

These are very good points. What would the world be like if there was no magic, nothing to believe in that would make us smile and be a better human being.

In fact he says that things we really do believe in are often not seen. 

In my opinion, he is so true.  Its not something you see or hear, but something you believe. I like to think of it as a spirit of giving that’s unlike any other because “Yes Virginia , there is a Santa Claus’.

Note: All quotes taken from Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus by Francis Pharcellus Church. The letter is real and was written in 1897. I encourage you to explore it further.

Meaningful Halloween

This past weekend we had Halloween. Halloween has always had a pecial place in my heart. Its my favorite holiday next to Christmas and Easter. 

Over the years, I’ve done many things to celebrate this holiday.  Ive ‘dressed-up and went trick or treating, went to my elementary school’s halloween carnival which was incredible, and I’ve given out candy at my great aunt’s and grandma’s house where they had an overabunance  od trick or teaters.

My college years during halloween were special. I dressed up most years and even had a very special hallloween where I became a princess for a few months.  It was an incredible time for me.

 

Halloween is a very special holiday. I hope everyone had a good and safe one. I can’t wait till next year.