My grandmother was short,  At the age of  10 I looked like I would be tall so her being short wan’t a problem  Ha, Ha, Ha!  About 12-13 I stopped growing. 5 feet 2 inches tall was my final measurement. No longer being tall, I wa a little upset but being short has its advantages.   Guys paid more attention to me because I was  short and not taller than them. However after a while I turned pudgy from too many ice creams. But, that’s another story…

Being  short in high school was not a problem at all. I was not interested in most of the boys. I am from a small town that contained about 8,000 people.  In a small place, you spend  a lot of time with the same people. I was not interested in  these  boys because we had gone thru school together and it would have  been  like dating your brother. There was one exception.  A guy who had moved from Maine became a very close   friend to me and he  didn’t seem to care about my height.

I went to college and found out for the first time in my life that size didn’t matter. Guys liked all types of girls  and being short and kinda fat didn’t matter. I would like to say that I had a huge romance while in college. But, that didn’t happen, Instead, I was friends with a lot of guys. Each of them possessing a quality that I liked.   I even had a few guys that  helped me and took an interest in my well-being. Being short was   not a factor in my being friends  with aanyone.

Being  short though  sometimes is an inconvenience.  You can’t reach the dishes and cups that are on high shelves. Tonight I had that problem.  No one was around that could help me so I had to wait. Eventually someone did come around and I got the assistance that I needed. It just irritates me that I have to a ask a person for help  to complete  a very basic task.   

 Being short is not a  nightmare or a handicap  . It’s just a small part of who you are.  Its  something  that  can be handled well if you have a real problem with it.   Surround yourself with people who care about you and don’t have a problem with you being short. Learn that its ok to ask for  help. . If you make an attempt to do these  things  you will be fine being short.

You can be annoyed with people who are taller.  But, don’t hate them. Instead, be happy that you are what you are…Your life will be  better if you did.

Cover of Equinox (Criterion Collection)

This week has been something of an emotional rollercoaster. I have a group of friends that are going through some very trying times.  These trying times have consisted of ill parents and their own health issues. I think it’s all a symptom of being older. Most of my friends are in the middle to late 30′s and early forties which is  a time period for great reflection and serious thought.

I was reminded of my mom’s parents dying .  Her mother died when my mom was in her late 30′s and her dad died when she was 40.  The ages most of my friends are.  I think with getting older we start to realize that your parents are not going to live forever  and they may suffer many illness before they pass  away.

I remember being told by someone that   in your late 3o’ you would start to find out what is  wrong with you physically. My own health odyssey began when I was a   baby so I’m not sure what my late 30′s  have proved  except maybe that all my hard work to rehab from my stroke is going down the drain.

Anyway tonight, after digesting all the events  of the week I found a cool movie, which is still on as I  am typing this. Its called Equinox.  It’s about   a  group of young adults  that  come across monsters, strange people and all kinds of things. .  My biggest thrill from the film is that Frank Bonner who played Herb in WKRP  in Cincinnati is in it.  Its the kind of movie that is fun and relaxing.

Despite the fact that my movie wasn’t Breaking dawn which I plan to see in the near future,  I found a movie that helped me refresh myself.

Image via Wikipedia

No, this isn’t about fishing. It’s about love and friendships and interests.

You make friends with one person and as a result of this one friendship you are connected to a lot of other people.  It’s almost overwhelming. Just have a friend who’s incredibly nice for some reason and has a lot of traits that make him highly desirable. Did I just say desirable? Well, I guess I did. Anyway, you have this person to be with  and suddenly you are connected to people you are not sure of. You’ve got so much going on and you wonder why am I doing this? Maybe, you like someone more than you thought you did. Maybe, you’re on the edge of falling in love but you have to be careful. Don’t want to rock the boat. Just being with him as a friend is enough at the time even though you think you’re going to burst into tears every time you see him with someone else. But, you have to be careful so you go on as is.

Sinker. You sink because you never admit your true feelings. It’s the end of the line and you’ve sunk and are drowning because you  are all alone now with no connections.

Another hook, line and sinker example is going out with a guy and then realizing he’s in love with someone else.  You feel sick and you go out with your boyfriend anyway and you end up in a triangle. You are at his friend’s house feeling crappy and all you want to do is go home. You wanted to be alone with your boyfriend not stuck in an undesirable house watching a movie while your bf plays cards and makes googly eyes at the other girl in the room who happens to be in a relationship. Not a good scene and you are happy when it’s over.

This hook line and sinker moment doesn’t end up being  a big thing but it was the beginning of the end. But, life is that way sometimes.

Friendships with other people than just a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship  can be a hook, line and sinker. You hook into a person for whatever reason.  You line yourself into their world. Meeting people, trying new stuff and finding  some exciting or boring thing to  talk about. Eventually all  of this might get old to you. . You sink out of this his friendship and go on.

All hook, line and sinker relationships/friendships are not bad. You my grow from them. You might see yourself differently or learn a lesson that guides you throughout the rest of your life.  It’s all up to you.

Image by bindermichi via Flickr

Ever get to the point that nothing is interesting and your old pursuits aren’t good enough? I have. I just feel a little restless and not sure where I want to go and what I want to do.  Some people may call this depression or a mood swing. But, I don’t think so. It feels like dissatisfaction with my life in general. Not really sure what it’s coming from. But, it’s here and I am trying to keep myself busy as I try to figure it out.

I know they tell you to get away from the  past and live in the present.  The past for me was much more interesting than my life of vanilla now. It had color, independence,  and a lot of  opportunities  that were missed.  If I had taken another path or had  not gotten sick these missed opportunies might not have been missed. I might have had a “REAL” relationship with a guy and not be afraid of what he might say. The act of communicating my true feelings for a guy got bashed at 17. But, I have learned my lesson and now I have to find my way to  express true feelings.   However, the guy in question, the one I wanted to express my feeling to, was one I would not have gotten close to had I not gotten sick. So, illness has its advantages. But, I never want to be that sick again. The particular relationship that I am speaking about was already covered in this blog. So we can now can go back to Blank.  

Now,  I feel this deepening need for something to occur that would break me out of this shell of existence that I maintain. It’s not a depressing life I lead it’s just that I want something more. More, More, More. We all want that. More is an easy thing to say but obtaining it is a whole other story.

Right this second I can feel my heart and my head at war with one another. Practicality and storybook endings  are making waves but now sitting here I am feeling better as a whole no matter what the emotions on the inside  are saying.

I’m not one to cry. I have fought back the tears a lot of times and faked enough oks so that other people were not suspectable to my pain at that moment. I have denied  love, walked away from someone or something because I could hear my head telling me no and my heart yelling yes despite the pain that might have come out later.  Pain surfaces as a color but sometimes you just have to put it away for another day.

My life is a mixture of mistakes, unrequited love, and just plain vanilla. Just wish I could find the next color to be.

Image by ekurvine via Flickr

Take a typical school morning. You’re up and you go to see your mom and/or  dad and find them not there. Instead, you find your grandma sleeping on your mom and dad’s bed. There really wasn’t any bed-clothes on the bed. But, since you’re 7 and half, you don’t put 2 and 2 together. Your granddaddy informs you that your mom went into labor last night and that you don’t have to go to school today if you don’t want to. Of course what kid wouldn’t want to miss a day of school.  It’s established that I am not going to school.  My ride to school shows up and my grandaddy informs the man, who’s a neighbor of ours, that my mom went into labor and that I am not going to school.

Waiting is now the big theme of the day. Waiting for my dad to come home and tell me if I have a new brother or sister. I had wanted a baby brother not sister. I then thought about what if he says I have  sister but that’s ok I’m just excited to find out. After waiting  for what seemed like an eternity, my dad comes home and tells me that I have a brother and that mom is fine.

In those days, kids were not allowed to visit patients in the hospital.. But, they had set-up a  time for us new sisters and brothers to visit our mom and get a peep at own new sibling.  It was past the time but the nurse had said I could come up anyway.

I go to see my mom, who I remembered as being a little weak,. She’s very happy. Smiling.  Life is good and now I began my new role as big sister.

That’s what I remember about that day. I don’t remember anything else which is not bad for something that took place 30 years ago. 10/13/81 will always be a big day for me and my brother, who will deny that it’s a big deal. It is a big deal but I will not go into that. It’s definitely something I will never, ever forget.

  Jim Henson was the creator of  many a  muppet. He was born on September 24th,1936..  He played a very pivotal role in creating the now famous Sesame Street. He did the voices of Joe Smiley,Ernie ,and Kermit the frog. Henson even created the now famous counting scene where the baker falls down the stairs.

In addition to Sesame Street, he created one of the best television shows ever created  in my opinion, the Muppet Show. The muppet show included many puppets. Kermit the frog, Miss Piggy, Rowlf the dog,and Gonzo are among them. Henson worked many of the puppets that appeared on the show. Rowlf the dog, Kermit the frog and the swedish chef were some of the ones that he operated.

Henson wasn’t just about tv though.  He was about film as well. He helped many and created many. Among them are the following:

1. The Muppet Movie

2. The Great Muppet Caper

3. The Muppets Take Manhattan

4. Dark Crystal

5. The Star Wars franchise

Those were just some of the films that have been touched by Jim Henson’s movie magic.

Jim was true to his craft. He possessed many talents that have benefitted many a person. In fact its kinda sad that he died in his fifties.  Who knows what other creative programs, films and cartoons we might have had if he had lived longer?   Unfortunately, for us he didn’t. Henson came down with serious infections  that killed him.   The day he died was one of the saddest days of my life and that is saying something.

Dr. Seuss, Theodor Seuss Geisel, was a great writer of Children’s books, creator of cartoons and many other things. In his capacity as a children’s author he wrote many books. Some of  them are the following: The Cat in the Hat, Horton hatches the egg, Green eggs and ham and many others.

Many cartoons, songs, and movies would not exist if not for Theodor Seuss Geisel.   He  gave us the   all around  holiday hater, the Grinch, the messy chaotic  Cat in the Hat, and the never forgetting Horton the elephant.  All of these creations  have inspired films, cartoons and song.

Dr. Seuss was a man of many talents.  He gave us great gifts and hopefully his gifts will last longer than his life.  Dr. Seuss died on September 24, 1991. He was 87  years old.

My gift from him was Horton Hatches the egg. I think that was the only one I read till I much older. Horton is a great book!!! Thanks Dr. Seuss!!

We all have benefitted from these 2 men and we shouldn’t forget them.

We all have made mistakes and probably do everyday in some kind of form or fashion.  However when it comes to certain people we feel meaness and hatred for them. For example, in the news  today,  it was reported that Michael Vick made a horrible gesture at the football game Sunday night. Yes it was bad, yes he has done awful things before..  But, isn’t he human like the rest of us? 

Vick faces the consequences of his mistakes just like anybody else.   He has served prison time, paid fines,  and has been treated worse than a murderer of people.   He has been taunted and hated by many. His crimes have made him a target of every comedian, every  person that that wants to judge him, every animal agency, and more.  Vick has handled most  of this with grace and determination for the most  part.  He has rebuilt his football career with extra hard work and devotion.

Vick has established himself as a mentor and helper for kids that might be tempted to make bad choices like he did. Michael has given time and money to various animal groups. He has done anything and everything to mend his mistakes..

Vick isn’t some evil villain that goes around killing people, raping people and  stealing money. But the masses have treated him worse than that. Yes he did crimes and you’re allowed to be upset by them. Yes,  He did a nasty finger gesture which could be as a result of a screaming, mad fan, who knows..and  yes you’re allowed to be upset about that.

But, enough is enough.  He has been punished and has served his punishment. paid his fines, and gone back to business.  What else do you want him to do or have done to him? Do you want him to be killed in cold blood, hung out on a tree,? Tell me what you want to have done. I’d like to see just what you have in mind.

 Whatever you answer, there would be consequences to your choice. Someone could get arrested, children could lose their dad, people could lose their homes, etc.  Whatever you choose to do and whatever mistakes you make you’re going to have to face the Consequences  just like he has done, because we are all just human.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEJL2Uuv-oQ

Now think. Does the president really control Congress? NO

If I’m not mistaken the reason why we have Congress as a separate body is to create a check and balance form of government.

I’m not saying that the president isn’t responsible for some of the real problems we have as a country. But, congress is at fault as well. It’s interesting how a whole body of U.S. citizens, that we elected , can create such a mess that no one  can get the  help they need.   What happened to pleasing constituents? What happened to doing your job and not fussing  about everything, everyday?

Those things  went out the window. They would rather argue about when does Obama speak to Congress than trying to fix the economy and healthcare of millions of people out there in the trenches. Its pure tunnel vision and its costing everyone.

The scary part of this is that many Congressman would rather cut programs and close agencies that actually help people. Social security is a big program that helps many people from starving or living on the streets. But,certain members of Congress would like to totally get rid of it instead of finding measures that would allow it to  continue. These measures could be obtained if Congress would stop using just one brain to think with. People, not just congress, need to form their own ideas, opinions, and beliefs. I think that if each congressman would look into their hearts and individual  brains they might see things differently. Just a thought.