My World:

Some of My Favorite Things

2012-01-30T03:16:00.000-08:00

Things ~ Random Listing

All Things Apple (Mac, Macbook, iPad, iPhone & iPod ~ Old school iPod:0)

Okay, just as a side note: Yesterday morning I watched CBS's story on Foxconn. I must admit I was a little more than shocked. I was also shocked specifically that if Steve Jobs were as involved in his products as he was that he wouldn't have tried his best to take care of the situation. Did his need to get product to the masses override his compassion. NO, wait a minute. Steve Jobs in the same sentence with compassion? I do applaud him for being at the realm of such a perfect product but at what expense?

Paper Mate (SharpWriter)mechanical pencil ~ for writing. LOVE THESE! The leads are just soft enough and the pencil is light enough. It has a really good eraser too.
Pens ~ Have always been a bit preoccupied with finding a good one. The more expensive ones aren't necessarily the best. Seeing a pen for me is the equivalent of "Squirrel!"
Post-Its ~ Big and small (I especially like the recycled ones)
Journals ~ with seemingly handmade paper
Lavendar and lavender oil (I grow lavender. I just need to figure out how to harvest it)
Patchouli ~ Makes me feel really grounded
Vivelle ~ Hormone patch. Wonderful bliss:0)
Gummy Vitamins ~ Really hard for me to stomach the regular stuff
Prescription Readers ~ Some think there isn't a difference but there is.
Vera Bradly Tote ~ Just big enough for my MacBook, journal, magazines,...
Tervis Tumblers ~ Someday I will own one.
Handmade Soaps ~ Good start to a day
Candles ~ that burn well and smell exceptional
Incense ~ Almost any sent except the fruity ones or the fake smelling ones
Lint Roller ~ We have 3 dogs, need I say more. I have a son that is obsessed with "Mom, where's the lint roller!" Can you hear him shout it.
Calculators and a good dictionary
Red wine ~ Sometimes, at the end of the day, (or at least after 11) it helps me make sense of it all.

My Favorite Places

2012-01-27T12:50:00.000-08:00

Some of my favorite places both of the material and the ethereal worlds. You decide what belongs in what world.

Places I LOVE! ~ In a Particular Order

The home I grew up in (Shoutout to Louisville, KY~ The East End)
Kentucky Center for the Arts (I could live there)
Youth Performing Arts School (I did live there and loved it for 3 years)
The Posture Project (Woodstock, GA. It's intoxicating place for getting more intune with oneself)
The Herb Shop (Holly Springs, GA. Not what you think. Just driving by gives off such good energy)
Fox Theater ( Atlanta~ I wouldn't mind spending a little more time there)

Angel Oak in South Carolina
Navarre Beach in Florida

Starbucks (A black coffee with a little ice. Just enough to cool it off but not enough to make it cold)
Publix (Produce is awesome and the employees at my location are exceptionally nice. Love the BOGO items)
SuperTarget (Their produce isn't great but I really enjoy the atmosphere and the 5% back with a debit Target card. I also like their clothes:0))

FranklinCovey stores (It's all about organization and how you carry it).
The Container Store (Everything and I mean Everything has it's place!)
TJ Maxx/Marshall's (For clothes and houswares and linens)
Steinmart (For undergarmets and special occasion clothing)
Ross (For who knows what!)

Permanent

2012-01-25T13:50:00.000-08:00

Words can never be erased. They are permanent. They can be so damaging. In this particular case I'm talking about how girls begin to view their bodies based on what others say to them. How one word to a little girl could stay with her a lifetime.

My daughter. My beautiful daughter and I were turning my bedroom floor into a nail shop. I was painting her toenails, as she was telling me about her day at school. A boy was bothering her, so and so got new boots and she had to catch-up on her reading. I could tell she wanted to say more and knew that an evening of painting nails might provide her with the courage she needs. It's funny, I can usually get more out of my kids when we are doing something together. Something other than just sitting and talking. This evening proved to be just such a night.

After telling me the fluff stuff, she made a bold statement.

"Mom, my thighs are fat."
Me, "What did you say?"
"My thighs are fat."

It wasn't a question but a statement. She didn't even hesitate. My first question was "Who told you that?" Of course the response was something like, "No one." Yeah, okay right. She's not going to tell me right now. I went into the whole, we are all built differently, .... She, on the other hand, wouldn't even consider that. Her urgency to get to another subject told me that.To be perfectly honest I don't know what I would do if I found out who told her that.

I do know to well how words are permanent. When I was 12 I thought I would never get taller. I was stuck at 4'8" FOREVER. All of my friends already had growth spurts. I, on the other hand, needed one. My doctor, at my well visit, told my mom (but I was sitting right there) that I really didn't need to gain anymore weight. That was permanently embedded in my head, as is evidence of this post.

I just hope it's not too late for my daughter.

Thanks Gabriela!! Visit her @ celebreightyourself.blogspot.com

http://celebreightyourself.blogspot.com/2012/01/fat-is-perfect-scapegoat.html

NCLB: The Forgotten Ones

2012-01-24T12:30:00.000-08:00

Initially, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) gave me hope. I was hopeful that this was the government's promise to take education seriously, leaving behind the focus on dollars and numbers. I was hopeful that no child would be left behind, giving every child an opportunity for success. The reality is this is not the case. Never did I think I would come to distrust this bill and everything it now represents.

It seems NCLB caters to students and schools who fit into a mold of either average students or above average students or those students that need more than a little help. What happens to the students who are not socio-economically disadvantaged or special needs? What happens to those students who need a little help to be on grade level? Are those students getting the help they need? Does NCLB provide help to this segment of students?

NCLB has forced public schools to place too much importance on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). The CRCT is a standardized test given to students in April, usually right after Spring Break here in Georgia. This test, that most parents start hearing about in August and that teachers start prepping the kids for in August, is supposed to measure how well students are doing and how well teachers are teaching. In the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 8th grades the student's individual scores are used as a way to determine if the student needs to be retained or should be promoted. In my experience it is almost solely used to place students. If you ask administration they will deny it unless they are pressed.

Did you know that CRCT scores not only place students but rank schools? If the school's overall score is a "passing" one, they receive more funds. They receive more money than a school that does not perform well. What about the school that performs poorly but is in disparate need of more funding, to be able to get more help to the students who need it? Are the student's needs the priority? They should be.

Where is the focus? I sympathize with the teachers because their focus has had to shift as well. Teachers are bound by what seems like a mountain of test preparations which begin months before the test actually takes place. They want to make certain their students score well. Do teachers feel like they have to teach only things that might be on the test or "teach to the test?" NCLB seems to be pushing toward this goal. As an added pressure, these scores are being used to reflect how well teachers teach. What about the kids who have test anxiety and just do not test well? What about the children who are learning to speak and understand English? They take the same test everyone else does. Their scores are figured into the overall score as well. How accurate is the reflection now?

We, as parents and guardians, need to advocate for our children. The most important thing we can do is speak out, stay informed, stay in touch with our child's teachers and vote. Schedule parent meetings, look over the school work your children bring home to see if there are discrepancies between what you know about your child and what you are seeing. I encourage everyone to start doing this today! So much is being taken away from our children's educational experience, regarding time and resources, that those caring for school aged children need to fill in the gaps. If we do not step in, the children who were not left behind in the beginning will be in the end.

On This Day

2012-01-16T11:06:00.000-08:00

On this day, I remember a person who fought for the rights of people who thought they didn't have any. On this day, I remember a person who "looked fear in the face and said, I just don't care." Pink sang it best. On this day, I remember a person who fought not just for one but for many. A person that was led by passionate discord. A person who just couldn't take it anymore and did something about it. On this day, I remember more than just an African American man fighting for the rights of other African Americans. Martin Luther King is an inspiration to keep going, to keep fighting for what you believe in.

Teenagers!

2012-01-13T06:29:00.000-08:00

I don't really know what it is. Is it the fact that he moves so slow that you can't even tell he's moving? Is it the fact that he doesn't place things in the priority that I do? Like making sure assignments are turned in at school.

He continues to do things the way he wants to do them. I know this because I am notified of this. Parents who live in the county, have access to their students grades. Grades and absences are provided for students in elementary school through high school. You can also have the school shoot you an email if a grade drops below a certain threshold or if the student is absent or tardy. This is an excellent way for parents to stay in touch with the school and on top of what's going on with their student. It's helpful but there are periods of time I feel as if I'm being assaulted. Sometimes it seems like a never ending dictation of where his priorities are. Really!! He doesn't miss class so how could he have an NHI (needs to hand in)? If you studied, how could you make a 50% on a test? The thing is he is an honor roll student. He pulls a rabbit out of his hat right before progress reports or report cards come out. I know, I know. He gets things done his way. He is finding his way. I, in the meantime, am pulling my hair out. I also know I'm not alone. I've tried taking things away but he's 15. There isn't a whole lot I can take away because the things I think matter to him really don't matter to him.

Is it the fact that cleaning to him is rearranging things on his bathroom counter. Sometimes he makes me crazy! No, really. I removed his hamper from his room because his dirty clothes end up a foot in front of his hamper. Why have a hamper if you don't use it? I guess he just didn't have the time to flip up the top of the hamper to toss things in. Oh wait, his hamper doesn't even have a lid. Essentially it's a basket. He could be playing basketball. All he has to do is toss the clothes in.

Trash can? Who needs a trash can in your bathroom when there is a big one under the bed. You wouldn't believe what I have found under there. There are remnants of Halloween 2010, I'm sure of it. I vowed I wouldn't clean his room anymore. What I mean is clean it my way. I know, that sounds awful but I actually dust furniture and the floor and use cleaning products. I take care of the tub and toilet, wipe the dog's nose prints from his windows and stop to pick up the remaining clothes off of the floor. Actually I have stopped doing these things, for the most part. I have, however, stopped doing his laundry so either he is doing his own laundry or he's wearing clothes that really should be laundered (yuck!).

There are moments, however, that are utter bliss. When I come home from grocery shopping, he regularly comes out to greet me. He comes out not just to see what's going on but to help me unload all of those groceries. We are a family of four so there are a lot of groceries. Additional trips to and from the car are required. I don't even have to ask and I can tell he doesn't mind.

There are moments when he comes to me knowing that I need a hug. He might need one too, but he seems to sense when I need one. He gives the most genuine hugs!

There are moments when he consoles his younger sister. He lets her know that everything will be okay. He also tries to stop her from doing things he doesn't think she should be doing. It's so comforting to know that he truly has her back. The day before they might have been ready to rip each other apart.

There are moments when he speaks what is on his heart. One moment like this was when he told me he doesn't like school. He doesn't like the way kids treat one another at school. I told him that all he can do is be concerned with how he treats other people. He said,"I know mom, but it's hard to watch." It brought tears to my eyes.

He really is a good kid. I should be thankful that he is a beautiful soul and not make the little things my priority. What do you think?

Get Your Chick On!

2012-01-09T10:24:00.001-08:00

Today my husband left for Louisville. This trip is part pleasure and part work. He went to spend time with his family and to do some work while he's there.

The day didn't start off too well for him though. Yesterday's events collided with today's. My son left for school upset and soon after that episode my husband kissed me good-bye and he began his journey.

In an effort to console his soul he tried to find a Chick-Fil-A. He loves to have a Chick-Fil-A chicken biscuit about once a week. He decided to search for one after he had been driving about a half an hour. Good luck. There might be a Starbucks on most corners but in North GA and TN the Chick-Fil-A's are few and far between. He tried though. A chicken biscuit from Chick-Fil-A along with their award winning coffee, at least in my husband's opinion, would restore his attitude and strengthen his resolve. He knew he would be able to make it if he just found a Chick-Fil-A before it was too late. The breakfast clock was ticking.

Driving north on interstate 75, he began looking for the billboards and state signs to direct him to the nearest location. This did not prove to be helpful. He consulted the GPS but claimed that it didn't even have Chick-Fil-A in the data bank. I was shocked! Come to find out later he was spelling Chick without the second C. No Chick-Fil-A?

Before he called me for some much needed compassion, he put a call into his office. He didn't want to call me unless he had to. You'll understand why in a moment. He spoke to several members of his staff asking them to track down a Chick-Fil-A. This assignment was time sensitive, breakfast in the world of fast food is generally over at 10:30. My guess is this was a conference call in order speaker to make an efficient use of his time. Also. the more people he had on the assignment the better chance that he could find the location he was in desperate need of. I'm sure when he first called he did not let on to what his actual intent was. He probably claimed he was "just checking in" to see what was going on in his absence. Then towards the end of the conversation he most likely did a usual segue of "Oh, by the way" which is when he gets to the heart of the matter. This time the heart of the matter was finding a Chick-Fil-A and now. They came up with 2 locations. He envisioned himself pulling through the drive-thru.

The first location said it was in a remote part of TN. He was determined to find it but without the GPS. He forgot to get an address but was told it was right off of the interstate at a particular exit. He finally arrived at the exit, with his mouth watering, he made a left turn and "What? No Chick?" Then he went the other direction but it was all for naught because there wasn't any sign of a Chick.

He was devastated but still pressed on. He had 20 minutes until breakfast was no longer. He really wasn't in the mood for a chicken sandwich, which is what Chick-Fil-A serves at lunchtime. He got back on the interstate and drove 3 exits north to his next presumed destination. Just as he was getting ready to go down the exit ramp he looked down at the clock in disbelief. I think at that time I actually heard him yell, "NOOOOO!" The clock in the car read 10:55. Breakfast ends at 10:30. I guess it didn't occur to him to verify the time on his phone. He should have.

Here is the best part. I didn't have the heart to remind him that in TN, that part anyway, they are an hour behind us. By the time he called me to give me the low down it was 10:30. It wouldn't have done any good to tell him anyway. He just would have been more upset. Oh well! I told him that next time he would have to plan his trip around Chick-Fil-A locations and their hours of operation.

Maybe before he heads back on Monday he can stop at the Chick in Louisville :0)

An Update: It's the next day and my husband is in Louisville heading in to work at the branch in downtown Louisville. He sends me this text:

Husband: Hey, did you say there was a Chick close to the mall?

Me: Y, it's a free-standing one

Husband: Headed that way now- YEAH! :)

Husband: Nooooo, they open @ 6:30 here-AAAAAA (it's 5:35)

Me: I'm sorry :0( (Not really)

(TIME IS NOW 6:27)

Me: It's almost 6:30 now. Maybe I'll go get a biscuit.

Husband: Haha!! Don't worry- I am here waiting. I will not be denied my Chick! I am on a mission!

Me: Wow! that's some motivation.

Husband: Got my chick on!

Movie Night: Descendants

2012-01-08T11:06:00.001-08:00

Earlier in the week my girlfriends and I planned a night out. We decided that Saturday night we would see "that George Clooney movie". I had no idea what the name of it was. Quite frankly I really didn't care. I enjoy time with my girlfriends and with George Clooney. Finally, Saturday night came. An hour after a chef's salad at Rafferetys, we were in the theater. Trip to the ladies room first then a trip to the concession stand. Popcorn and a coke cost more than the movie. Seriously??

My girlfriends said they usually brought their own drinks in. They also said if they bring the kids, they stop at the dollar store beforehand to buy candy. Really? Maybe bringing your own stuff into the theater is more common than I think. I just don't buy the candy. My kids have never complained, thank goodness. Popcorn is a different story. We always have popcorn. There is nothing like movie theater popcorn. That can go either way. I know first hand about making the movie theater popcorn and eating it.

When I first started working, I worked at a movie theater. I hated it! I might not have hated it so much if I was doing something fun like running the movie. They put me behind the counter. Yes, there was rudeness even WAY back then. Some were relentlessly unforgiving to a 16 year-old who couldn't think fast on her feet. As a matter of fact, I still can't think fast on my feet. Loved the guy who ordered a large popcorn with butter and a large diet coke. Something just wasn't right about that.

We got settled into our seats, switched off our phones and waded through the litany of previews. Finally the movie began. At first I wasn't sure I would like it. There was a lot of silence during the scenes. I got use to it though. The humor at times was really dry but fit the movie.

There were a lot of twists and turns, some tears shed and some cheers. I would highly recommend it. My recommendation has nothing to do with George Clooney :0)

The Nerve of Some People

2012-01-06T14:42:00.000-08:00

I decided to go to Starbucks today to sit and write. My local Starbucks had people coming and going. Actually, I've never seen a Starbucks that wasn't busy. I ordered my non-fat, no whip gingerbread latte, excited that it was still available. Being a seasonal drink sometimes they pull the plug before I'm ready.

I am a coffee snob. Few things in life am I particular about. Coffee is one of them. If I can't have good coffee then I would rather not have any coffee. I'm not a big coffee drinker. One or two cups of coffee in the morning are all I need.

Eventhough I am a coffee snob I don't think I'm pretentious. As a matter of fact I usually order a tall coffee with a little ice. I said a little ice. Not enough to make it cold. Just a couple of cubes to cool it off. I guess I could order my coffee at a certain temperature. Yes, people actually do this. The nerve of some people. Seriously!

This afternoon, while sitting and drinking my not to hot coffee, I was trying to come up with ideas for my blog. Then my ADD kicked in and I heard everything going on around me. Conversations were being carried out between the baristas, between baristas and customers as well as customers with each other. I picked up on one between the drive-thru barista and the customer placing their order in the drive-thru. It went something like this.

Barista: "Hi. Welcome to Starbucks. What can I start for you?"

Customer: "I would like a Jenny?"

Barista: "I'm sorry. I didn't understand your order. Could you please repeat it?"

Customer: "I would like a Jenny, please?"

Barista: "I'm sorry. We do not have a Jenny on the menu."

Customer: "Could I speak to your supervisor?"

REALLY?? That's right. At least at this particular Starbucks, you can rename a beverage. Yes, you can have a drink named after you. I've been researching this to see if this display of entitlement is common. I'll get back to you if I find anything.

We All Have "Issues"

2012-01-05T05:49:00.000-08:00

I just don't understand. Our sweet cute little puppy, and she is sweet, lost it. Her intoxicating puppy breath has now turned toxic. It seems it happened sometime during the night. I wonder if that is going to be her "issue." We all have issues. My family is not immune to them. My pets are members of our family so they are not immune to them.

Our first cat had a bit of a weight problem. He was very large and very lazy. He weighed 24 pounds. I really don't think we fed him too much. I think he was just "big boned". If I can round up a picture of him, I will share.

Our second cat, the one that we recently had put to sleep, was high strung. She also had stinky breath. Really stinky breath. Along with the bad breath came an attitude problem. No one could get near her. After or during the beginnings of the attitude problem came the litter box problem. Went I scooped every morning and evening I would consistently find pee on the wall. Then I discovered the hooded litter box. That solved the pee on the wall problem. Yes, I had a female cat that sprayed. When I asked the vet about this phenomena , he would in turn ask me,"Are you sure she is spraying?" I asked him if she was in fact spraying when I saw her lift her hind end up, spraying the wall with what appeared to be pee. "Oh," he said. He had heard of that but, ...

The next adoption occurred a few years back. Ruffles was adopted from a rescue. He is sweet but a bit skiddish. Ruffles is a Jack Russell that is not like your typical Jack. He loves curling up on the couch. He also doesn't like to have his feet touched. When he gets in bed you can't move him or you will lose fingers.When he's tired he's grumpy. He takes a lot of naps. I call him my little old man. Maybe it's because of his Andy Rooney eyebrows. Soon after we brought him home he would mark everything. I wouldn't mind so much if it were all outside but it isn't. Not only does he pee on things lying on the floor, he randomly just pees on the floor. Nice. I spent more time than I can tell you cleaning. One time he was in the upstairs landing while the rest of us were downstairs watching TV. We heard something that sounded like water running. Of course I'm the one who jumps up to find out what the heck is going on. I go into the foyer and see pee shooting from between the spindles upstairs down to the floor in front of me. Really? We all love him though.

The dog we picked up from the Atlanta Humane Society was a gorgeous puppy named Spice. We immediately felt Spice just wasn't the right name. We renamed her another spice, Ginger. Spice was too generic. She was, I mean is, cute. It didn't take long to train her and the two dogs seemed to get along just fine. This is before Ruffles started peeing on things.

By this time we only had one cat, Zoie. She was elderly and stayed upstairs. The dogs stayed downstairs except at night. Anyway, we soon found out that Ginger would eat anything. I do mean anything. She has eaten concrete, carpeting, toys, and yes even her own poop. The first time she ate her poop I couldn't move. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't believe it. I even talked to the vet about this. Apparently he knew of this issue also, like the female cat spraying, but hadn't actually encountered a client with a pet that did that.

I decided to watch a little Caesar Millan to see if anyone else had the same problem. Nothing. I researched the subject online and a couple of Caesar's books. I do love that man! Somewhere along my journey researching something was said about bananas. Feed a dog bananas and this will cure them. Not true. Bananas are apparently the only thing Ginger won't eat. You could tell she thought they were disgusting. It was almost as if she were being forced to eat her own poop. I guess I should be grateful she only occasionally does this.

Now there's Bella. So cuddly yet with moments of intense fire. She's a beautiful combination of bulldog persistence and pitbull lovability. Once we get past the puppy months we'll see what other "issues" come up. Hopefully it will only be her breath :0)

Yoga Mat

2012-01-04T09:44:00.000-08:00

Here it lays. I was looking all over for it. It was here the entire time. I'm just slightly embarrassed. Okay, I'm a lot embarrassed. I should treat my mat a little kinder. Bruce would be disappointed. Bruce is my awesome yoga instructor. Maybe if I treated my mat nicer, it would treat me a little kinder during class. My yoga mat and the Emergency Car Kit were removed from the back of my car before things were loaded for our Christmas Vacation. Yes, emergency car kit. The kit that should have been in the car during our trip. We could have used it. Anyway, today I got in my car to go to yoga class. Before reaching the driver's door something caught my eye. That's when I saw it laying there, in the garage. I picked it up from the cold, hard floor, gingerly placing it in the passenger seat. We drove to class. My mat was very forgiving. Thank goodness!

Hippity, Hoppity, ...

2012-01-03T06:56:00.000-08:00

Our little baby turns 5 months old. Time has truly flown. So far she has been a really good puppy. This is probably one of the last times we will see her hippity hop up the stairs. So sweet! Now if I can only remember how sweet she is when she wakes me at 3 in the morning needing to go outside, wakes again at 5, does her grab and run, wolfs down her food and everyone elses, and turns into a shaken up can of Sprite when greeting you. But she's so sweet! How could you not love her? One of the best decisions we have ever made.

The Whistler

2012-01-02T07:05:00.001-08:00

I was talking with my dad the other day. He was telling about the home phone ringing off the hook. He does have a cell but has a problem disconnecting from a land line. Daily there is a steady flow of sales calls. I guess my mom was the one fielding the calls before he retired. He retired 7 years ago but this is a pretty consistent topic of conversation. It seems the time his spends answering the phone is disproportionate to the amount of time he spends doing things he planned to do when he retired. He does manage to get in a nap or two.

He spends a good portion of this time speaking with/listening to both English speaking, and those who do not speak so that he can understand, salespeople. "Why doesn't he just hang up?" you ask. The thing about my dad is that he is nice. He is nice to a fault. He will be nice no matter what. He might be upset, as those around him find out later, but he will remain nice to the person on the other end of the conversation. He is the nicest man I know. I'm not just saying that. Ask anyone. He is also honest. Just thought I'd throw that in.

When he gets these phone calls to extend a warranty, to subscribe to a paper, to vote for a certain political person, he actually listens to them. He just cannot bring himself to hang up. He lets them get through their spiel and then tries to politely say he isn't interested. Yeah, right.

Not too long ago he received a call from a very rude salesman. Dad decided enough was enough. He put the phone down for a few seconds to gain his composure and then told the salesman he wasn't interested. He further told the guy to put his phone number on the "Do not call" list. As you could imagine, this was a big step for my dad. The salesman proceeded to tell my dad that he wasn't going to do that and there nothing my dad could do about it. He further said he would continue to call him.

My dad asked to speak to this guy's supervisor. The guy on the other end said "You're speaking to him." The guy kept going on and on. My mom happens to be in the kitchen listening to the conversation, trying to keep her composure. I'm sure it's difficult because when my Dad gets frustrated you know it. You might not get verbal cues, but the facial expressions give him away. My mom could take no more. She's a good "go to" when things begin to go haywire. On the fly, she can come up with a solution.

My mom walks over to the junk drawer. You know the one. She gets the whistle. She walks over to my dad and motions for him to blow the whistle into the phone. Not knowing what else to do, my dad puts the whistle to his lips. Using all of the lung capacity he can muster, he blows the whistle as fiercely as he can into the mouthpiece. He sucks in more air and blows again and again. Finally his lungs are empty of air. He hears the salesman's voice on the other end ask, "Are you finished now?" My dad responded with a hard and fast click.

New Year's Eve Spent: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

2012-01-01T06:52:00.000-08:00

I read all of the books and saw the subtitled movies. There are few times I get excited when a book is on the big screen. I was excited about going to a theater to see The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

The book had been out for a little while before I read it. I probably wouldn't have picked it up on my own. While on vacation one year I borrowed the book. We were renting a condo, so when it came time to pack up, and I still had more chapters to go, I left the book there in hopes of borrowing it from our local library. I was on a waiting list for several days.

The next day the library called to say I was bumped up to number 21. 21! Seriously! Not waiting any longer I made the trip to Walmart, which in and of itself would constitute enough info for a novel, and picked up my own copy of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I read all day and most of the night. It was soooo good that I went out and bought the sequel, reading that one with rapid anticipation of the next.

By this time, my husband was a Girl With the Dragon Tattoo enthusiast. Like others I know, his hunger for more was fed from my retelling what I read. That's also the only way I could get a book discussion going. Unfortunately he doesn't read for pleasure. I would have shared the story with my son also, to broaden the discussion, but there are parts of that book that are just not appropriate. I know, I know. My husband says the same thing. "Dear God Pam! The kid is 14." I know. I'm the meanest mom on the block. If you don't believe ask my son and/or daughter or read my previous blogs.

Finally, I realized the subtitled movie was out. Off to Blockbuster I went. It was really good. Reaallly good. It was easy to follow and it pretty much kept pace with the book. Liz, the main character, was at first portrayed as a victim. Later you found she could take care of herself. She was very smart, strong, didn't really care what others thought, was detail oriented when it came to the work she did, and persistent. She did however use some of her talents in questionable ways.

This past Saturday my husband and I couldn't wait to see the movie on the big screen and not in subtitles. The beginning of this movie was hard to watch. You would see clips of a rose, then faces and bodies, cables and possibly computers dipped in hot black wax as if they were trying to cast a mold. The objects appeared to be lifted up dripping with whatever black liquid they were dipped in. Heavy metal rock played in the background. It was a loud and in your face. I didn't understand why they did what they did unless it was to scare us into believing this movie would be a punker's paradise. It was like what an advertisement would be like for Hot Topic.

The Liz in the latest movie release seemed to be totally alien. I didn't really care for how she was portrayed. Too over the edge for her to be so "normal." Liz looked angry 99% of the time. I understand the reason why she should be angry but there needs to be something that is relatable. I just didn't feel it. If you haven't seen it yet, I would rent the subtitled version instead. It's way better!! The best things about renting are it's less expensive, you are in the comfort of your own home and you can pause it for bathroom/snack breaks. Also you don't have people sitting next to you that are not following the rules. Well, most of the time anyway. If someone does get out of hand you can always pause the movie. :0)

A Life Worth

2012-01-01T05:39:00.000-08:00

The party is over and the year is 2012. 2011 flew by. No really it did. Somehow the years begin running together. How is it that I am 45 years old with an 11 year-old daughter, a 15 year-old son and a 47 year-old husband? Wow! Our youngest cat passed away this year (she was 21) along with my husband's father and a great uncle of mine. I'm reminded of the years spent laughing and crying. The days I never thought would end and the moments I wish never happened. I'm still trying to hold it all together during those tough times. It's all for a reason, but I'm glad to see that 2012 made it around the corner.

Bella's Ride Home

2011-12-28T08:14:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh! What the heck were we thinking? We hadn't bought anything major for the house in a really long time. This past weekend, and the previous, we more than made up for it. It actually felt kind of good. I'm a saver. Almost to the point of frugality. I'm not yet into saving butter wrappers but,...So between purchasing a bed, 4 bookcases, a media cabinet for our bedroom, a mattress and boxsprings for my daughter and a sitting room chair we decided to visit the Atlanta Humane Society. Well really, if truth be told, HE wanted to visit the animal shelter.

My husband and I are animal lovers. The kids fell right in line. When my husband and I first got married I couldn't stand not having a pet around. Instead of opting for a fish I decided on a cat. We went down to the Atlanta Humane Society and came home with a cute cuddly kitten. My husband didn't know much about cats. I really didn't know much either but knew enough. I thought a cat would be a perfect choice for the apt dwellers that we were. My husband thought it was a good choice because of a cat's lifespan. Somewhere along the way my husband was of the understanding that a cat's lifespan was like that of a hamster, one or two years tops. Once our first cat made it past the 5 year mark he started asking questions, questions he should have asked before the adoption. Our first cat lived to be 17 and our second cat lived to be 21.

Day one, we brought her home to kids who had no idea we had fallen head-over-heels in love with this puppy. My husband held the puppy on the ride home. She just snuggled right into the crook of his arm. My husband melted. The puppy slept and made those sweet puppy noises. He said she was just so soft. She would occasionally reach up to give him kisses. The puppy didn't whine, bark or throw-up. Hmmm... The perfect puppy.

We decided to pull into the garage and waltz in with her as if she were just another package. Right before we pulled into the driveway I was running through that "mom list" in my head. What all needs to happen to pull this off successfully. The puppy should go to the bathroom before we take her in. Okay, not the bathroom but you get what I mean. I remember this from others who told me of their puppy escapades. Not too long ago, my son described it perfectly. "Mom, when Bella gets excited it's like shaking up a can of Sprite and then opening it". My husband was on puppy duty while I made sure the kids didn't come running outside unsolicited. Most of the time, my daughter in particular, will come out to the garage whenever she hears the garage door go up. I would like to think its because she misses me but maybe she's afraid she'll miss out on something. I don't know for certain.

So my husband is outside with our precious pup and I'm inside. Sure enough both kids are downstairs ready to burst into the garage. They begin asking their usual barrage of questions when all of a sudden we hear shrieking. More precisely a puppy that sounds as if it were being bludgeoned to death. My first thought was the puppy had gotten loose and with in a matter of seconds got hit by a car. The kids, standing right next to me, are also trying to figure it out. I stood in shock for a second or two then flew out the door in hopes of finding something other than the conclusion my mind has drawn. I left the kids inside, and told them to stay put, so that I could witness this incredible and unexplainable sight. My husband is standing in the garage with our sweet little puppy on a leash at his feet. In a calm almost trance like voice he utters,"Watch this." As his hands reach down for Bella she turns on him sounding as if she wants to rip him apart. She has turned into this vicious attack dog. I couldn't help myself. I laughed until I came close to peeing my pants. This little 5 pound puppy was trying to bite the crap out of my husband. She was reaching for whatever she could sink her teeth into. My husband didn't think it was funny. As a matter of fact he was terrified. Not sacred of the little beast but scared about the decision we made to bring her home. I was confident it was a fluke and she was just scared. After all, my husband isn't the most patient. I could see him trying to get her to go to the bathroom on his time instead of hers. Maybe he tried to motivate her a little too much or maybe the darkness of night and the cool wet grass frightened her. Either we haven't heard her scream anymore hank goodness. She has settled in quite nicely with her family. Now she is a part of our family.

Day 2 with our new addition. At least having this puppy around is making my husband a little more cognizant of time. He wants the puppy to sleep with him because the puppy is so cute and cuddly. Immediately I agree. I know what he's in for. I go to bed earlier than he does. While I paddle off to bed I remind him that every 20 mins the puppy needs to potty. An hour later no bathroom break for Bella and what do you know? She pees on the floor. Really? This is shocking. The puppy has a bladder the size of a head of a pin. My husband exclaims,"Well I just let her out!". Yeah, you did. An hour ago.

This afternoon I'm talking with my parents on the phone. Bella is in my bedroom with me. The other two dogs were in need of a much deserved Bella break. As I'm talking Bella is winding up. She loves to do these quick grab and go episodes where anything in reach of puppy teeth gets chewed on. My daughter used to say "Look how cute Bella is!" when Bella would take off with things. Now Bella isn't so cute. So far she's grabbed my daughter's hair bows, lip gloss, tassels on shoes, pens and pencils and yes, even her homework. Now that I thought was kind of funny. I told her I could write her a note that said, "Bella, our puppy, really did eat Shelby's homework." My daughter didn't see the humor. It's now been a month and a half since Bella's first night here. I think she's home. :0)

Remote Controls

2011-12-28T07:35:00.001-08:00

Christmas vacation and I am forced into cohabitation with those I do not see very often. It is bittersweet. I do love my family but once I get there I realize they have a different way of living. It affects me, more so than it normally would. Secondly, it seems there is never enough space. Everytime I turn around I bump into someone I don't want to bump into. Lastly, the kids are bored unless they are with their cousins and even that, after a while, becomes old. There is an overload of not just people and problems but also food, sleepless nights and trying to make heads or tails of it all.

We really don't know how to behave around one another. We aren't ourselves which is just plain uncomfortable. Things that, on a regular basis, don't make me nervous make me nervous now. For example, at home I am the "go to" member of the family when we're talking electronics. From phones to computers I can figure it all out with ease. On the other hand, I am afraid of the electronics at my parent's house. More specifically the remotes. Deathly afraid. I know, your asking why would I be afraid of a remote?

First of all, there are about 350 of them. No really. Secondly, the remotes are all different. Just when you think you've found the remote to control the channels and volume you don't. The cable remote only controls the channels. There is another remote for the sound because it's surround sound. At my parent's house there are 5 remotes per TV, 3 per DVD player, ... You get the picture. The remotes really need to be labeled. I know, if I were a good daughter I would do it.

I decided a long time ago to just avoid the remotes. It's scary to think that the TV has the potential to explode if I press the wrong button. No really, stranger things have happened. If it were just one TV that would be one thing. There is a TV and 2 DVD players per room. Let me rephrase that, a TV and 2 DVD players per room that isn't... Nevermind. One time I accidentally touched the wrong button and zap, the screen went not just blank but went completely black. I quickly escaped from the room. My dad yells out,"Who was just in here?" I holler back, "I think I saw Susie in there Dad. You know kids."

If something can go wrong when my parents are watching me it will.

By the end of the week everyone is ready to hop back in the car for the 6 hour trip home to normal.

A Family Christmas

2011-12-23T19:26:00.000-08:00

Family dynamics are funny. They are funny when you sit back and look at them but not too funny when you are living it. Right now I am living it.

Every Christmas for the last 23 years my husband and I make the 6 hour drive to Kentucky to visit our parents. During our stay we also see my brother's family and my husband's family. We can't really leave behind our kids so they have joined us since they were infants. My brother lives 5 minutes away. He has two kids. One of my husband's brothers also lives in Kentucky. He has an older brother that lives in St. Louis. Their children are older and scattered. They try to make it in for Christmas also. As they get older, and more of them marry and have kids, the Christmas visits are less predictable.

My parents and my husband's mom live across the street from one another in the same subdivision. They have for as long as we have been together. Kind of crazy but tremendously convenient all the way around. When the kids were little it was so nice to walk from one grandparent's house to the other. It's convenient now because the kids can walk themselves and we don't have to worry.

Initially when my husband and I moved to GA we would could visit our folks Thanksgiving and Christmas along with other visits sprinkled in. Now, as the kids have got older, we come up 3 times a year which includes Christmas.

We stay at my parents house because it would just work out better that way. We tried staying at his mom's before but there were just too many people in that house at one time for me. To begin with, I am forced into cohabitation with those I have never lived with nor do I see them very often. They have not only a different way of living, what's acceptable and what isn't. Secondly, it seems there is never enough space. Everytime you turn around you bump into someone you really don't want to bump into. Lastly, the kids are bored unless they are with their cousins and even that after a while becomes old.

By the end of the week everyone is ready to hop back in the car for the 6 hour trip. Also on the way back the kids plug in and all is well. It's a little on the sad side but everyone is happier with this type of closeness.

RoadTrip: It's Christmastime!

2011-12-23T19:09:00.000-08:00

It's Christmastime! Time for the family dynamics to really kick into full force. All bets are off for usual behavior.

This trip up north, to visit the family during Christmas, was a little longer than usual. As soon as we pull out of the driveway the sky opens up. It doesn't stop raining until we pull up into my parent's driveway 7 hours later. To aide in the headache, it now gets dark around 5:15. I do love winter solstice but I don't enjoy driving in it. I'm driving solo this year. My husband had back survey almost two weeks ago and isn't supposed to be lifting anything nor is he allowed to drive. I do not mind that part. Since I'm in control we can make as many stops as we need to and I can pick the place we stop at. If he were driving we would do a drive by restroom break but only after trying to get as far as we can before someone pops. Due to the rain, my husband wasn't taking his much needed breaks. He thought he was going to melt so didn't bother to get out of the car. By the time we arrived at our destination, he was a pretzel and we were all having issues.

At the beginning of the trip, kids are in the back seats getting along. Wow they are getting along so well and it helps for everyone to be plugged into some device. As I'm driving I realize that my parents really did have a rough go of it on trips. There wasn't an iPod or portable DVD player to plug into. They had to listen to a lot more of "I'm not touching you." "Stop it! Mom, tell him to stop it." Mom would say,"Just ignore it!" Little did she know how hard that was. Dad would sound off the usual, "Don't make me turn this car around!"Little of that goes on in our car.

I do remember a time when dad bought a black and white tv that was meant for travel. It came with an adaptor of sorts that plugged into the cigarette lighter. It had the rabbit ears too. Yes, we would bend the ears around until we could get a glimmer of something through the snow on the screen. Eventually we just gave up and reverted back to the "I'm not touching you" game.

The station wagon we traveled in, back in the day, had the fake wood paneling on the sides. We had a "way back" which was a metal box with a seat. No seat belts in the way back. If the vehicle had to stop really fast I would imagine that we would have easily been sliced in half. The bench seat right behind the front seats could be laid down flat so the entire back was a bed. We would lay blankets down and sleep and slide around as Dad rounded corners.

These days everyone has to be strapped in tight. No roaming kids or kids in the front seats. The only thing I remember not liking is the fact that bathrooms were few and far between and so was food. We would get a couple hours from home and I would start the pee pee dance while sitting. You know the dance. You try to cross your legs as tight as you can to hold everything in until the next stop. No sudden moves please!

Help Me! I'm Drowning!

2011-09-07T06:10:00.000-07:00

I just need a little air. I'm not asking for much. Just enough. I know how to get air, I just need to breathe. Right now even the act of taking in air seems insurmountable. This is where my faith in God, my faith in something greater than I am, should be found. If I don't have faith that everything is happening to better my life then I will be consumed. Consumed by my own created mountain. I'm sure you all have felt this way. Feeling so overwhelmed by the perceived bad and that which is unknown. I wish I could consistently let go but it's hard. I get caught. Stuck in the same hole. Reacting the same way and hoping that will change things. I know it won't. I know I need another way.

Zoie: A Love Story

2011-09-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

Oh, it's been such a difficult summer. I didn't think things could get more difficult but they have. Always interesting how that works. I've spent the past couple of days in a tear-streaked stupor. Not really sure what to do. I know what I need to do. I just need to carefully think things through. As a parent of a 14 year-old and an 11 year-old it's not just about me. I have to be ready.

Our 21 year-old cat, yes I said cat, has come to the end of her journey on the earth. It's time to let her go. It just makes me so sad I can hardly stand it. She's been a part of my life for 21 years but I just can't stand to see her in the condition she is in. It's hard for her to get up and down. She virtually stopped eating yesterday. Yesterday I realized I needed to do something. Call the vet and explain the situation they are already aware of. The situation they deal with on a regular basis. I don't though. My husband does. They say it's time.

My husband has already been feeding the kids the truth slowly. Bit by bit. Little conversations about how Zoie isn't doing very well. Telling them, "You know, Zoie is 21. She's pretty old." The past couple of days we've all just been hanging out in our bedroom with Zoie. Giving her plenty of love. Gently giving that love because at this point she is so very fragile.

It's time to let her go. I went ahead and talked to her. Spoke in a soft voice telling her she can go. Letting her know everything would be okay and at the same time reassuring myself, but I can hardly breath.

Is It Worth Going After

2011-05-30T05:31:00.000-07:00

Just sitting here contemplating what friendship means to me. I think it's something you either have with someone or you don't. I'm not talking about the casual friendships or the friendships you might have with someone just because you belong to a particular group of people. I don't think true friendships can be created intentionally, it just happens.

If I think back through my life, there is a period of time when I consciously said to myself, "That person seems like they would be a lot of fun. I think I will try to get to know them a little better."For me those times never worked out as I had expected. As a matter of fact, "What have I gotten myself into?" was a constant feeling. Those times that did work out I didn't do anything to "find a friend", we just found one another. Looking back on those relationships the key was that nothing was forced. I want to be around that person and if I can't it's okay because I can remember the feeling I had the last time I was with this person.

This type of friendship didn't have anything to do with what they could give to me, at least at first glance. Now I realize they gave me a lot. They allowed me to feel good about myself, comfortable in my own skin. These friends are the ones you don't want to leave out of any part of your life whether that part is good or bad. These are the good ones you don't want to see go. Good friends are the ones who share in all of our journey, not just when life is running smoothly.

When you find a friend like that you are lucky. It has nothing to do with popularity or if they have money, but everything to do with how they make you feel. Do they support you or do you feel worse after you have been with them? If the later is true, it's okay to only leave yourself open for the kinds of friendships that do make you feel good. Open yourself up for opportunity. Every situation presents something to you. The most unexpected outcomes can come to us if we allow.

The friendships you don't seek out are the ones that last a lifetime.

The Hardest Thing

2011-05-09T19:14:00.000-07:00

What do you do when your mother calls up and tells you she has cancer? I tried to take in as much as I could without getting caught up in the word. That's where my breath stopped. I heard bits and pieces of things she said, like consultation and surgery, but that's about it. Thank goodness I was able to focus on trying to remember what she said instead of my own selfishness,my potential loss. Now the tears come. It's the hardest thing I've ever had to digest. No one wants to hear that their mother has cancer. No one. Especially not my mother.

She is our rock. She's the one I could turn to knowing that I wouldn't be judged. Her lessons for me are not spoken, for the most part. I knew what the right thing to do was. I saw, and continue to see, her do the right thing. She leads by example.

Now it is my turn to be strong for her. God, give me the strength to be strong for her, for my dad, my brother and the rest of the family. It is my turn to show her that she taught me well. Take up the fight and do not give up.

Disney Train

2011-05-05T19:01:00.000-07:00

At what point do you say to yourself, "I've had enough!" At what point do you surrender to what is in hopes of anything other that the situation you are in now?

I could be talking about love. Actually that would make an excellent topic. What do you do when you have had enough. You cannot take it anymore! I am not talking about relationships but I am talking about my feet. We have been walking around for days in search of people, places and things.

Can we not find the off button? We cannot help ourselves. It is kind of like watching AFV, (America's Funniest Videos), the Travel channel and some other reality show all rolled into one. You are mesmerized by all of the stimuli. Unbelievable :0) I want to get off this Disney train but I cannot. I keep thinking just another hour and then we will go. I feel trapped because everyone is so nice, the parks are so clean and we might miss something!

Is This For Real?

2011-05-03T07:43:00.000-07:00

I need to back up a bit to Magic Kingdom. It seemed like at this point the kids were either taking it all in or they could really care less where they were as long as there was stuff to do. Correction, fun stuff to do that wasn't too babyish. We try to hit all of the major rides/attractions. I'm checking my phone periodically to make certain we are headed in the right direction and to the shortest line. Yes, there are apps for that. Those Disney World apps make life a lot easier. I know which days are good/bad days for which parks, wait times on rides and a map of each park. Awesome!!

So, we are walking around to our next destination which is Pirates of the Caribbean. I check my phone and what do you know, the ride is down. Down! Seriously? I didn't think any ride would be down at Disney. As we are walking I decide to find a park employee and ask what was going on. I thought that in a park like this communication was probably excellent. Finally, someone to ask. I wait ever so patiently only to find out he doesn't know the answer to my question. I thank him and start to catch up with the rest of the family.

All of us in our mouse ears!

I turn to look behind me because I felt someone behind me, you always know when someone is closing in on you, and there he was. He was asking these questions along the way: "Where are you from?" "Since you live so close I bet you've been here before?" "No, we haven't been as a family. This is the first time for our kids." "Oh!," he says. He was a very nice man but I started to think this guy was kind of over doing it a bit in the customer service department. He followed us all the way to the attraction and then said, "I have something special for you to do this afternoon if you are interested."

My husband's and son's expressions must have led him to believe they thought he was a timeshare salesman. He came back with," No, I'm not selling timeshares or anything else. I'm extending an invitation for your family to be in the Magic Kingdom parade. Would you be interested?" WHAT! Jon and I look at one another and then the kids. The most surprising answer came from my 14 year-old son. He smiled and said, "Sure!" My 10 year-old daughter's face lit up too. That alone was worth it. The Disney employee said, "Okay, meet me at the front of the park at 2:40." The magic of Disney!

Every hour my son inquired about the time, how long it would take to get to the front of the park from where we were and reminded me that we should probably get there a little early. It was only 10:30. This was coming from a kid that is so laid back it is painful. He's late everywhere he goes, which incidentally drives me insane but I've had to learn to live with it. Live with it until now :0) I almost wanted to hug him. Some of me was rubbing off on him. I'm so proud!

We get to our meeting spot, where the parade starts, and look around for the man that we spoke to earlier. 2:30 turns to 2:35. No park employee. My husband and I are starting to sweat it. Later my husband told me he was thinking, "What if this guy was just fooling around or he forgot?" I was just thinking we might be in the wrong spot. A little prayer was said that there would be follow-thru and that we WERE in the right spot.

2:40 on the nose and up walks our man. In his hands are mouse ears that have been embroidered on the back with our first names. We were told we need to wear these in the parade. Along with that was a certificate showing that we were the Grand Marshals of the parade for that day! Everyone put their ears on with pride.

Before the parade started

It seemed as if the parade went on for miles. That evening our arms were tired and our jaws were sore from smiling so much. It was an experience of a lifetime!

Hey Woody! Watcha doing?