Happy New Year!

Well, lesson learned yesterday (again...) - drinking beer and plucking eyebrows are two activities that should be done separately!  So I will be leaving 2011 with one slightly raised eyebrow.  However, it is kind of fitting for the year that has been, and I am frankly glad to leave this year behind.

As I have struggled my way through job loss,  some rather difficult personal issues, and loosing friends to illness, I am taking with me the good memories - for through it all, we created many of those with friends and family, new friendships, and the added experiences and confidence that I can handle whatever challenges comes my way. I look forward to starting with a clean slate and having a much easier and more rewarding 2012.

So to the tune of ABBA, I wish you all a happy, eventful and rewarding New Year!  I have vowed to make 2012 the year "to make it happen"; and I wish the same for you!

Dear Santa, I'm Running Out of Wine...

House is cleaned, cookies baked, turkey thawing out, presents wrapped and ready, stocking stuffers stuffed away in the closet....yep we're ready. Everybody else is in bed getting rested for Christmas, and I'm hanging out with my laptop and a bottle of wine...my last one...I might need another one or two to get through the festivities. Hear that Santa?  A bottle of wine, and the right numbers tomorrow night for the lottery...that's all I'm asking for :-)

As I'm getting all the stuff ready for Christmas, and have managed to keep the belief in Santa alive, not one, but both kids decide to pull out a tooth....here we go....where is my cash?  Well the little that's left, is in the bank, and there is no way I'm going out to get money at this hour. Hmmm, wonder if they'll still believe in the tooth fairy if the dollar comes in pennies? Guess we'll find out.  Maybe if I roll them, it'll be more believable? Or I could tell them the truth, but what's the fun in that?  

Really, they might be too old to believe in any imaginary figure at this time, but after spending a decade coming up with every possible story to keep the beliefs alive, there is no way I'm giving it up that easy!  I'll be the one proud mother with kids going in to high school still firm believers in the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, and the Easter Bunny. Unless they actually try to sneak money out of my wallet, where by now I have quite the collection of  teeth....I always wondered how that would look if I got stopped by the police and they for whatever reason wanted to go through my purse. "Ma'am, who do these teeth belong to?"  "Well officer, I keep those as a warning to my children...You know: "Just try to mess with me, and I'll knock yours out too"...

What is totally missing in my house though, is mistletoe. That must be the problem!   No wonder I'm sitting here in the company of me, myself and I. With all these cute delivery guys from Fedex, UPS and the postal service, I've let numerous opportunities pass by, just by failing to put up mistletoe in the door way....still time. They work tomorrow too, and I'm still missing a couple of deliveries :-)

But Santa, if that fails, in addition to my wine and the winning lottery ticket, it wouldn't hurt to bring the perfect guy!  Just in case you're still working on my list...

Merry Christmas Baby!

I would sing for you, but Bruce Springsteen does it so much better!!  Wishing you all a very Merry Merry Christmas!!  Hopefully you all ended up on the good list :-)

All I Want for Christmas...

Thanksgiving weekend, as I was still feeling a bit like the stuffed turkey from over indulging in the Thanksgiving dinner, and leftovers, I spent some time thinking about what I really am, or should be thankful for.  It is the season.

Every year, I start around November, as the holiday decorations start popping up around town, by digging a little deeper in my spiritual self, giving thanks for my friends and family, opportunities I have received, and the grace of God that I feel surround me. Then I move on to Christmas, and truly celebrate the reason for the season.  As much as I enjoy the decorations, food and gift giving,  Christmas has always been a very important spiritual season for me; a time when I spend much more time than usual reflecting over my faith, my beliefs and my spiritual well being.  However, this year, I've struggled to find any joy in preparing for the holidays at all. 

Unlike most who complain about the stress and strains of the holidays, I usually love it all.  This time a year is actually my favorite time for shopping, because every purchase is to brighten someone else's day. It has happened that I got so wrapped up in finding the perfect gift at the mall, that I forgot where my car was...(OK, maybe that is a blond thing...) This year on the other hand, I can't get out of the stores fast enough, and the "perfect" has not been a very big focus.  I really just want to get them wrapped and out of my closet.

As I've gone through the motions and put up decoration, baked cookies, sent out cards and presents, attended holiday shows with the kids and so on, John Grisham's book, "Skipping Christmas" has played in the back of my head and all the time seemed like a good idea. Obviously not an option with kids, but one can wish. 

Photo by Michael Marcol / Freedigitialphotos.net

Then, as the "scroogeness" was really setting in, and all I could think of was getting the holidays done and over with, a couple of phone calls, a good hug and innocent words of a child changed it all.  

 "Mortal! We Spirits of Christmas do not live only one day of our year. We live the whole three-hundred and sixty-five. So is it true of the Child born in Bethlehem. He does not live in men's hearts one day of the year, but in all days of the year. You have chosen not to seek Him in your heart. Therefore, you will come with me and seek Him in the hearts of men of good will." Spirit of Christmas Present, A Christmas Carol

A friend of a friend lost her battle with cancer, leaving behind children whose Christmas cannot be made perfect, and whose table will have an empty seat.  My Christmas will be perfect as my house is filled with family.  Count my blessings, I know all too well how hard it is to lose a parent right before the holidays.  Let me make sure my children know how much I love them, and that my biggest gift is to spend my time with them. Nothing beats a good "squeezy hug" accompanied by "you are the best mom!  I love you!"

Phone calls from girlfriends who are going through some hard times, made my heart ache for them, as there is so little I can do other than listen. But how lucky I am to be one they feel close enough to and trust enough to confide in.  Count my blessings. I know all to well how precious life can be and how fast it can end. Let me make sure they know how much I value and enjoy our friendships, and how much joy they bring to my life.  

Little advent gifts have been under our tree since December 1st. Seeing the excitement it brings to my kids every day, even though they know very well there is probably nothing that cost more than a dollar or two, I can't wait to see their little faces as they open their presents on Christmas. Even more fun is their doubt that Santa is real, but "just to play it safe, let me send him a letter". Count my blessings. I am able to give them gifts, and they receive many more from family. More importantly, they have no bigger worries in life than whether or not they have been good enough to get what they want for Christmas.

"There is never enough time to do or say all the things that we would wish. The thing is to try to do as much as you can in the time that you have. Remember Scrooge, time is short, and suddenly, you're not here any more." The Ghost of Christmas Present, A Christmas Carol

Obviously I have found my Christmas spirit.  Though I'm not so concerned about "perfect" this year.  I'll survive some dust and clutter (someone said dust-bunnies are the angels' slippers, so lets not leave them with cold feet!), and will redefine the perfect holiday.  Surrounded by family and friends who make my life so full and enjoyable, who are there to support me through hard times, and share laughs with me during good times.  Who could care less what my house looks like, because spending time together is what is important. Good food (I'm cooking...that could be a stretch...), great friends, wonderful family and time to truly enjoy each others company.  That is all I want for Christmas. Count my blessings - it is what I will have.

All American, But Not If You Are Muslim?

I was really going to stay out of this one, but when I saw who filed the complaint causing Lowe's to pull their commercials on the new reality show "All American Muslim", I just couldn't help myself. 

The show airing on TLC, "is an eight-part series that follows five Muslim families living in Dearborn, Michigan. Each episode offers an intimate look at the customs and celebrations, misconceptions and conflicts these families face outside and within their own community," TLC said in the description. 

With so many misconceptions surrounding this religion, and  the "media-Muslims" getting all the attention and making it worse for the many millions of ordinary, peace loving Muslims, it sounds like a good idea, doesn't it? But no, not to right-wing Christians. 

According to CNN, the controversy, and Lowe's decision to pull their spots, followed a complaint by the Florida Family Association. The group warned Lowe's in a letter that the show "is attempting to manipulate Americans into ignoring the threat of jihad and to influence them to believe that being concerned about the jihad threat would somehow victimize these nice people in this show."  

  

According to their website, Florida Family Association is standing up to "a coalition of people with an assortment of strong viewpoints who stand against traditional, God fearing Americans. This bloc of people is commonly referred to as secular progressives." From the information they list, these progressives apparently include everybody who is not right wing christian - and especially those who tolerate/accept homosexuality, believes in equal rights for gays and lesbians, thinks pornography is OK, believes in women's right to choose, believes in freedom of religion and speech, or as they say "fundamental socialists, who are hostile toward Christianity and traditional American values.  They are committed to dramatically changing America to look like the godless, socialistic Western Europe."

Obviously David Caton and his followers have made up their mind about homosexuality being horribly wrong, to the point where they seem to be afraid "to catch it" if they get too close, or actually got to know a gay person.  Now it seems they feel the same way about Muslims.  In a country  built on religious freedom, it doesn't seem to matter  to FFA that  these are "All AMERICAN Muslims." FFA seems afraid we may actually learn something about their culture and thereby not shun all Muslims in our fear of jihad. 

I checked their site for a campaign targeting "The Sister Wives" - a man having sex with and living with more than one wife must certainly be considered "hostile toward Christianity and traditional American values", I thought, but they seem to be OK with that concept. Maybe because the family (or as I like to say, family with the extra three women he is cheating on his wife with) in that show is based on some odd interpretation of the Bible, not the Koran?

Photo by David Castillo Dominci/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Now I wonder, what would America look like if we were like the "godless, socialistic Western Europe".  Most of those countries have state religions, yet it seems they not only allow religious freedom, but also monetarily support other religions. They also teach religion in public schools (!)  What a concept!  Teaching children about other religions so that they may actually learn about, and thus learn to accept each others cultures and backgrounds? Why don't we do that here? I'm sadly afraid that would not work in America.  As much as right wing Christians seem to want the right to pray and practice their religion in schools, I am convinced they would push to have only Christianity taught in school, as we of course would not want our school system to manipulate American children into ignoring the threat of jihad and to influence them to believe that being concerned about the jihad threat would somehow victimize the other kids in their class...

MoveOn.org also ran the story of Lowe's pulling their ad on the show, and I am borrowing one of the comments to their article which really says it all:  I'm a Conservative, Tea party, Republican and I kinda have to agree that Lowe's made a bad call in pulling that ads. I honestly don't see how this show can be manipulative and hiding Islamic agenda. The group that filed such a claim with Lowe's should retract their statement or complaint. I mean come on this show is just showing a Muslim American perspective. Key WORD is AMERICAN!!!  ... To my many Conservative friends on Move on there is no way to defend this. This group that filed the claim filed a baseless claim. I do encourage people to watch this show and see America from a different perspective. I mean we are all Americans here ... Progressives and Conservatives alike have one thing in common that no one can argue against. Were all Americans...!!!!

As a footnote, I want to say I don't disagree with everything FFA does, nor do I think they are all ignorant,  bad people.  I think their fight to stop pornography is good, as I too find the treatment of women in that industry so degrading, and I certainly support their campaigns to have what might appear as honor killings properly investigated by the police.  That being said, I wish FFA and their supporters would be more open minded and see that not everything "different" is bad, and that they may actually find common ground with some of the groups they continuously fight against, if they just bothered to listen. Religion should be the basis for creating peace, not conflicts and wars!

If I'm Rich and Successful, You're Too Old!

Here I was regaining faith in men, and their ability to see beyond looks; thinking they, as most women do, are seeking a full partner to share their lives with. And then while hanging out with friends and their friends, this guy tells the story of him and his friends going out for lunch, and him making the remark that "if my business takes off now, and I strike it rich, you will be too old to be my friends". What?  He goes on to say that (even though he is in his mid-forties), if he had the money, he would live it up with the 24 and younger crowd...I thought he was kidding, but he made it quite clear he was not, and all I could think, was "what a sad example of a man..."

What on earth would be fulfilling about hanging out with a crowd of people 20 years younger?  Would you really want to be known as the "old guy"?  I get that 24 year old women most often have a much better body, and of course look younger than the 40+ crowd, but I just don't understand how not having anything in common could make for a good match. I could see excitement for about a week or so before it would get boring and then annoying....young, pretty girl and much older, not so attractive man...yep, he must have money...why not go for a healthy, good looking, well established woman closer to your own age?  First of all, you'd avoid all the stigma surrounding dating the much younger women, second, it might actually evolve to a real relationship, and third, she would probably not date you just for your money. I told the guy this, but he didn't care.  Good looking 24 year old, that's the dream...

Please tell me this one was the odd one out, and not the norm when it comes to the 40+ men? I know women too date younger men, but the term "sugar daddy" is much more widely used than "sugar mama"... yes I know, older women would be considered a cougar regardless of whether she had money or not. My point is, I have never heard a woman make the statement that if she was wealthy, she would date younger men.  

For me, the cutoff on a man's age, is when I want to lie about my own age.  I am usually the proud "40+ and fabulous",  but having gone out with a certain someone whom I knew was younger, just not how much younger, I found myself totally eluding the answer to the age question. He knows I am older than him, and doesn't care. I on the other hand would be stuck on "I'm 30 something" until he caught up to my age...It doesn't really matter how cute or nice he is, or how much money or success career wise, I might have. If it makes me lie about something so basic as my age, he is too young! 

So here's to the 40+ crowd.  Self confident, successful (or getting there), sure of themselves and their beliefs, sexy (yes we are!), and fabulous.  That's who I want to mingle with, whether poor or rich.

Am I asking too much?

Yes, I'm picky when it comes to men. Why shouldn't I be?  Being single is not a bad thing, and I'm not giving it up for just anybody....

So when this popped in my inbox, I found it quite fitting. Maybe I've gone a little overboard, but why settle for less....?

Holiday Pictures

It is the season, and although I haven't gotten very much done so far, the Christmas cards (from those who want to make the rest of us look bad...) has started to arrive.  So having seen a fair share of the awkward photos and cards over the years, let's take a look and try to avoid some of these mistakes:

Aaahhh....OK?

Really?? They didn't notice until after the pictures were done?

OK, I have to admit, I find all the crying babies on Santa's lap funny. I wonder if we were just as scared of him as today's kids?

...and let's all sing along....

I wonder what her mom and dad said when this arrived in the mail box.

Some times, just regular, store bought cards might be a better idea....

really!!

 

 

Then of course there are all the holiday photos that has to be taken at every event.  Apparently dressing appropriately and behaving nicely is not always enough to avoid those really awkward moments:

Let this serve as the warning to really pay attention to where you stand in the picture....especially at the office party.

Kidnapper Sues Victims for $235K

You gotta love the legal system in this country!!  Here you can sue for anything and everything as proven by Jesse Dimmick. 

The Colorado man who is serving a nearly 11 year sentence for kidnapping a newlywed Kansas couple, stealing a vehicle and fleeing from police in 2009 is now suing his former hostages for breach of contract, according to Huffington Post. 

While fleeing police, Dimmick crashed a stolen vehicle in their yard before breaking into Jared and Lindsay Rowley's home, where he held them at knife point. He states they agreed to hide him from the police for an unspecified amount of money, thus entering into a "legally binding oral agreement".  The Rowleys were later able to escape unharmed when he fell asleep, and Dimmick was woke by the police. While ordered to lay face down, the police officer's rifle accidentally discharged and shot him in the back. 

According to the lawsuit, the Rowleys' breach of contract, caused Dimmick to be found by the police and subsequently shot in the back.  He is seeking $160K for his medical bills and $75K for pain and suffering. The lawsuit is filed in response to a suit filed by the Rowleys seeking $75K for home intrusion and causing emotional distress.  

Even though he should have quite the network of attorneys already being convicted of kidnapping, and now charged with murder, he luckily has been unable to find an attorney to represent him....

Live Today, You Never Know What Tomorrow Will Bring

Although I might be a very loud (and yes, some times obnoxious) soccer mom, I am not a big soccer fan.  The only player over the age of 12 that I know the name of, is David Beckham, and no, it was not his soccer skills that drew my attention.  Nonetheless, this article about Wales Manager Gary Speed drew my attention.

According to Fox News, Gary Speed was found dead in his home yesterday morning, at the age of 42. As I am sitting there smoking a cigarette, still feeling a bit stuffed from overeating the entire weekend, I am reading about the former Leeds and Newcastle United player, who by the looks of his pictures, looked to be in great shape, but still died suddenly at the age of 42.

So I promptly put out my cigarette.  Took a couple of deep breaths to make sure oxygen was flowing properly and the heart was beating normally....it was, but reading stories like this makes me wonder if I truly am just mid-life.  One would think well trained men like Mr. Speed would live a long, health and happy life, yet his ended abruptly at such a young age, as have so many others.

I finished reading the article, and besides his career accomplishments, what struck me was the descriptions of Mr. Speed's character. He is described as a great team mate and friend, a star in the true sense and a well balanced, lovely and genuine person.  It shines through that those who knew him, truly loved him.  So after finishing the article, I thought "he did it right".  He was a good, genuine person. He accomplished a lot career wise, but will probably be remembered more for who he was and how he lived his life. 

Photo by Markuso/FreeDigitialPhotos.net

Isn't that really all we can expect?  We don't know what tomorrow will bring, or if we even get a tomorrow. So should we not make sure that every day counts? Would it not be worthwhile to spread some joy, while living life to the fullest and truly enjoying what we have, not just materialistically, but more importantly our friends and family?  I guess the big question is, how do you want to be remembered?  Figure that out and live your life accordingly.

Have a blessed week!

Blah Day

Thanksgiving weekend, and I should probably be grateful for so many things. Instead I'm having quite the blah day. The "I don't care" attitude has taken over.  Not quite true.  I do care.  I'm just tired of trying to figure it all out, and never quite getting the results I want.  So with a good portion of self pity, I'm allowing myself a blah day!

I'm purposely ignoring all feelings - good and bad. For once I will not analyze my life, decisions I've made (among them quite the portion of mistakes), love affairs gone bad, career status and so on.  Leaving it all perfectly tucked deep in my blah box.  I can feel another day.

On with my "I don't care day" I go....(emotional and somewhat hyper as I am, this should last at least another 20 minutes...)

Happy Thanksgiving!

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

The Green Thing

 I recycle and reuse, and teach my children as best I can about not being wasteful, and taking care of the environment. But maybe they did better before there was a name for it...

 

Photo by Digitalart/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

At the check out in the store, the cashier told an older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.

The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day."

The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment."

He was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day.

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks. But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day. 

Photo by Africa/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that old lady is right; we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana . In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she's right; we didn't have the green thing back then. 

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. But we didn't have the green thing back then.

Photo by Digitalart/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus, and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

Nazi-naming Parents Lose Custody of Child Number Four

The New Jersey couple Heath and Deborah Campbell, made headlines in 2009 when a supermarket refused to decorate a birthday cake for their son, Adolf Hitler.  Adolf Hitler, along with his siblings JoyceLynn Aryan Nation and Honszlynn Hinler were removed from the home by the state due to claims of prior violence  at the Campbell home. 

An appeals court last year ruled that parents would not regain custody because both suffered from unspecified physical and psychological disabilities that put the children at serious risk, according to the NY Daily News.

Now they are back in the news after state welfare officials took custody of their fourth child, Hons, just hours after he was born on Thursday.  As they continue their battle with the state to regain custody of their other three children, they are now also fighting to get their new baby back.  The parents (who despite having the house decorated with swastikas, and giving their children Nazi inspired names, deny being neo-nazis ?!), state there is no evidence of abuse, and that the children were taken due to their names. 

So here are my two cents;  there are certain names that are not suitable for any children. Adolf Hitler, would be one of those.  Osama bin Laden, another....Karl Otto Koch, Josef Mengele, Joseph Stalin, Idi Amin, Saddam Hussain, Muamar Ghadhafi...all names to stay away from when naming your new baby. 

Whether Christian or not, no one in their right mind would name their child Judas (Google it, there are no-one with that name any more), because no matter how you look at it, that name represents betrayal. So why on earth would names of some of the most horrific people this world has seen be an option? Actually giving any of these names to your child, will give the clear impression you sympathize with what that person stood for. If you do agree with anything any of these people stood for, you should be labeled as having psychological disabilities that will put the children at risk.  If your parenthood starts off with such an idiotic decision, you shouldn't be allowed to make any more decisions for that child!  That's just my opinion, but I'm glad to see the courts actually seem to agree.

Raising a Tech Generation

I read an article about young Thomas Suarez, a sixth-grader who at his young age, already has developed several phone apps, started an app-club at his school, and by Yahoo News is being named "a pre-teen tycoon in training". As young Suarez points out, today's generation often has better computer skills by the time they reach their teens than most of us parents ever will have. Which they should. They grow up with computers and technology we never had.

I remember when our schools and offices had no computers, and certainly a time without cellphones.  Remember the ancient pager?  When those first came out, I thought it was so awful that people would want to be reachable at all times. "You can call me at home. If I'm not there, I'm busy with something else, and probably don't have time to talk to you anyway" was my thing. Now I will turn around and go back home if I left my cellphone...how times change.

Photo by Tina Phillips/FreeDigitalPHotos.net

As much as I think it's good that today's children learn technology, I am starting to think we are over doing it.  A study done by AVG last year, found that children as young as two can play games on phones and computers; before they learn basic life skills.  I think a lot of good can come from playing games on the phone and computer (although I will admit if I was allowed to sensor games, a lot of today's games would not be on the market!), but is it not imperative that they also learn to dress themselves and put shoes on? 

Learning new technology is all well and good, but it is just as important that they develop social skills as well as problem solving skills involving people, not characters on a screen?  The skills a toddler learns on a playground is invaluable, and cannot be taught by any technology.  The physical skills they develop by riding a bike, hiking, swimming, climbing trees and running around in a park - again, cannot be learned through technology.  Say what you want about the benefits of Wii games, in my mind, it will never measure up to what they learn naturally by playing outside. 

My kids grew up with playing outside every single day, rain or shine, and still love it. We ride our bikes occasionally, walk a lot, and they can run around playing for hours. So imagine my reaction when we had their friends over for a day, and as we were getting ready to go to the park, their friends asked me to pack their Nintendo games so they wouldn't be bored (?!). Or when we brought another boy to the park, and he could barely manage to run the length of a football field. Or, when at the age of 12, their friend still doesn't know how to swim. What are we doing to our kids?

Photo by Arvind Balaraman/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

"Technology free weeks" at our house, are usually the best ones. Rather than sitting in front of the computer, watching TV, playing video games or talking/texting on the phone; the kids are forced to activate themselves by using their toys (which by then they usually have forgotten about), playing board games (or "bored games" as they call them) - and discover that spending time together doing so, is actually a lot of fun. They use their craft kits and create a lot of fun stuff - which they proudly present to grandparents, aunts and uncles and neighbors; they create their own imaginary games (really? Kids still have imagination?), and they write letters....imagine that!  I don't even write letters any more, but a handwritten note is so much more special than an email! And they are always rewarded by either a return letter or a phone call to thank them.  So as much as our days without technology can be trying (....yes, there is a fair portion of whining and arguing the first couple of days), I still think it is so good for them to get away from it all for a few days. 

Photo by Pixomar/FreeDigitialPhotos.net

I don't want to go back to a time without the technology we have today, I am just saying that teaching our children basic life skills, and helping them develop good social skills...and lets not forget basic manners..., as well as making sure they develop healthy physical habits and skills is just as important. All of which require actual human interaction, not technology.

We All Have Our Dreams Project

You may have seen Prince William and Kate on the news this week, helping out at Unicef's Emergency Supply Centre in Copenhagen to shed some much needed light on the crisis in East Africa. And a crisis it truly is!  As heartbreaking images of children with their bloated bellies and bones sticking out, many so weak they could barely keep their eyes focused were flashing across the screen, we are reminded of a poverty on quite a different level than we have in our country. 

Photo by Africa/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In Florida, a local musician, Jan Hinton, decided to use her talents to help these children.  She has written a song - "We All Have Our Dreams" to raise money for the cause. How can you help?  By downloading the song on I-Tunes, $.70 from each download will go to the cause. You can also make donations directly to the project, or buy the CD.  All information on the project, including a link to the download is available on their website.

$1,- is all it takes for you to help.  I hope you will take the time to do so.

11/11/11

Well here it is.  11/11/11.  But besides the number being pretty cool, is there any significant meaning to the day?  Well that apparently is still up for discussion.  

 Fox News reports that  "perhaps the most intriguing 11/11/11 mythology to pop up is the number's link with the supposed 2012 Mayan Apocalypse. The ancient Mayan long-count calendar ends on Dec. 21, 2012, and some people believe that this date will usher in a new spiritual era, or even doomsday. Nov. 11, 2011 most likely became linked with Dec. 21, 2012 when believers noticed that the U.S. Naval Observatory had set the exact time of the 2012 winter solstice for 11:11 Universal Time on Dec. 21, according to John Hoopes, a scholar of Maya history at the University of Kansas.

"It's essentially based on the notion of synchronicities," Hoopes told LiveScience. Synchronicities are meaningful coincidences, he said. And while everyone has a psychological tendency to find minding in random patterns the subcultures that believe in 2012 mythology tend to be those that dabble in psychedelics and cannabis, drugs that increase feelings of synchronicity.

"If it seems like the 2012 mythology was thought up by people on drugs, it's because it was," Hoopes said." 

And when you find yourself looking at the clock at exactly 11:11, it might be because a group of higher beings or angels are using it to bring themselves in to human awareness, according to the website 2012rising.com .

Another website, Paradigmsearch, states there is no basis for believing that anything significantly bad or good will happen today. Yet, 47% of their readers believed something good will come of today, and only 13% believed something bad will happen. 

Do we really need scientific proof of whether this day is significantly good or bad?  I am determined to make it a good one! If nothing significant happens, well, I get to spend the whole day with my kids, so that should make it a well worth day anyway.  And when the angels make me look at my watch at 11:11, I will make a great wish.  Because whether it comes true or not, making the wish will certainly not hurt anyone.

Baby Messes With Telemarketer

Are you still getting those annoying calls from telemarketers?  Well, here's an idea of how to handle it:

Hopefully this is so frustrating, they don't call back :-)

Some Times Happiness Is Found in Letting Go

There are so many wonderful sayings about living in the moment, getting the most out of each and every day, loving and appreciating the people you surround yourself with, being thankful for friends and family and so on. However, as much as you may appreciate someone's presence in your life, some times, more joy will come from letting them go than to force their continued presence. 

Photo by Danilo Rizzuti/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

We all serve a purpose in each others lives. But some times, we are only needed for brief periods.  We grow apart, move away, change our life situations etc., and the memories from our encounters will live on, but our time together may not. Is that a bad thing?  Not at all.  

Our every day is enriched by new people and new experiences, while we still hold on to the solid core in our lives.  For children that is most often their parents. However, as adults, while we still respect and cherish our parents, we also have our own family and our own homes; our own core built on our own beliefs and standards.  Some times people fit in to our lives and serve a purpose for a while - as a friend, co-worker, lover, neighbor; and then it is time to let them go.  No hard feelings, we have just served our purpose in each others lives.

That sounds a lot easier  than I think it is. I find myself over and over again fighting the letting go part.  It is as though I have become the "hoarder of the heart", wanting to fill my life with all the people I care about, whether they want to be part of it or not.  Mostly because I truly value their friendship, and believe we still serve a purpose in eachother's lives, but some times, I have to admit, it is because I don't want to be left behind. Maybe because I want to be appreciated and loved, or because I always think I can fix every situation. But it might also be because I often am afraid to move on. As if letting go will somehow make my life less valuable. As much as I talk about change, that word often scares me.

Photo by Evgeni Dinev/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I know I am not the only one to feel that way.  Many of us hold on to relationships passed their due dates, because we think we can fix them; we hold on to jobs we are unhappy in, because we don't think we can do better, or deserve better; we continue to follow the same paths in life,  because we think that is the only way. But enough is enough!  

As much as change scares me, there is one thing I truly believe I deserve, and that is happiness.  In pursuit of happiness, I see that there are many areas in my life I need to "clean out". I know what I believe will make me happy, and I know what I believe I truly deserve. But I also intend on enjoying the journey of pursuing my goals. With that in mind, it's time to find the path less traveled, and I will no longer allow anybody and everybody to be part of my journey, at least not up close and personal.

I Just Want to Sleep

Positive thinking can get you far, but constant lack of sleep takes a bigger toll than I thought possible.  

I'm not talking baby and toddler lack of sleep, where you are consistently woken up in the middle of the night, or  the wee hours of the morning.  That time is far gone, luckily. No, I'm talking the stressed out, mostly from thinking and over-thinking too many things and situations and staying up too late...to think, dealing with kids and their homework and endless activities; not to mention their constant arguing over the stupidest things, bickering, unwillingness to do chores etc. etc. etc.  Where is Dr. Phil when you need him?  I don't need for them to agree on everything, but it could probably do us good to learn a polite way to say "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard" among favorite phrases around here...and I thought siblings were supposed to love and care for each other...

Photo by Michal Marcol/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Maybe I can't blame it all on the younger generation in the house, even though they do at times make me want to run away - or at least take a weekend trip to a secret, secluded location with no phone or internet connection and a fully loaded bar!! Sounds good doesn't it?  Sadly at this point, I think I would arrive, have one glass of wine and fall asleep for the rest of the weekend...I dream of sleep....mostly daydream, since I can't seem to get to bed on time, ever.  

Daylight savings time was great, but three hours after getting up, I wanted to take a nap again.  Apparently actually getting a full eight hours of sleep just made me want more.  Why are we like that?  You have a bit of chocolate, you crave more.  One drink often leads to another.   You cheat once, you are more likely to do it again...actually I have no idea if that is true, it just sounded good.  But why do we always want more?

There I am going off on tangents again. I am telling you,  staying focused on anything other than getting more sleep seems impossible right now. This is probably why you should have kids in your early twenties: so you actually have the energy to deal with the no sleep issue until they move out.  Missing a night's sleep at 22 was no big deal; today on the other hand, it takes me a week or two to catch up.  Maybe there is more to this age thing than I thought?

Well, here's to another good night sleep!  Hopefully that will get me back to my old self, and I'll be ready for one great week starting bright and early Monday morning!

Good night y'all!  

OMG - it is 7:23PM and I'm ready to go to bed....God do I feel old now!

Devil Found in Detail of Giotto Fresco in Italy's Assisi

I guess devils are everywhere, some times even in churches.  After restoring one of the most famous artworks by Giotto in the basilica in the convent where St. Francis is buried, a devil figure was discovered in the clouds Reuters reports. 

It is not easy to see from the floor of the basilica,  but emerges clearly when seen up close. Or so they say...I still have a bit of trouble seeing it.  Does that mean I'm a little devilish?

 The chief restorer of the basilica stated the master probably did not want the image to be a big part of his artwork, and painted it among the clouds to have some fun. He may have wanted to spite someone he knew by portraying him as a devil in the artwork.That's how they did it in the 13th century. Maybe we should take lessons about being a little more subtle...

Keep the Braincells Working

Obviously I think I am much too young to be talking about loosing my memory and letting my braincells go to waste, but to be certain that doesn't happen, I am starting a "brain training" program.  If I am going to "transform myself to fabulous", the brain better be in tip top shape as well.

Photo by Salvatore Vuono/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

....now where was I? Oh yes, apparently exercising the braincells, will not only help our mental focus as we get older, but can also help improve our basic cognitive skills.  I have always enjoyed brainteasers, IQ tests etc., but considering my IQ had declined by 4 points since I got my Facebook account (according to the IQ test on Facebook - I know...very scientific proof...on the other hand, I'm convinced spending too much time on Facebook will do that to you), I figure it's time to start a little braincell boot camp too.  I enjoy playing chess against the computer, which is a pretty good strategy exercise. Problem is, I can't seem to get good enough to beat the doggone thing without using the "undo" button. Obviously something to work on...but for now, I'll be happy with a win even if I have to redo half my game.

After searching for websites where I can "exercise my brain", I picked two sites to try - Lumosity and Brainmetrix. So today I have been clicking on birds, collecting pieces for puzzles, matching squares from previous pictures and completed "speed training"...I got a score, but have no idea if it was good or bad, or if I'm where I should be according to my age or not, but at least now I have something to compare to, and just in case they are really bad, I will keep my scores private. Frankly I'm a little afraid to find out exactly what they mean...it would be really depressing if my braincells are working at the speed of an average 60 year old...

Maybe if I ever catch up on sleep, it will be just a little bit easier to focus (and why don't they ask that as a beginning question?). I started a brain creativity teaser too, but after reading the instructions three times and still not being clear on what I was supposed to do, I figure I'll leave that for tomorrow....after a good night sleep.

S.C. Sheriff Encourages Women to Carry Guns in Fanny Packs

USA Today reports that SC sheriff, Chuck Wright, encourages women to carry guns in their fanny pack while discussing an attempted rape at a local park. He suggested a .45-caliber weapon, because "you don't have to be accurate, you just have to be close" to a target, and goes on to say the suspect "was fortunate someone with a gun didn't hear the victim's screams and put the "animal" down. That would have fixed this." He goes on to say, "Ladies, walk in groups. Get a concealed weapons permit. I don't want you to go for the mace; I want you to go for the concealed weapons permit. Gun control to me is when you can get your barrel back on the target quick."

Photo by Roland Darby/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 Did Mr. Wright get stuck in the Wild West?  I am all for protecting one self, but for a law officer to go out and discourage non-deadly methods and encourage citizens to get concealed weapons permits so that we can "barrel back on the target quick" is a little much. 

So as soon as I feel threatened, I should just shoot? Or does the person actually have to attack me first?  If so, I'm not sure I would be able to get the gun out of the fanny pack fast enough...so should I run with a holster instead?  And what if I made a mistake, and the person I felt threatened by was also working out, and not running after me, will I still go free, since I am following the advice of a law enforcement officer of "barreling back at the target quick"?

Then there is that moral issue of killing.  If I use mace or a taser, it should stop the perpetrator long enough for me to get away, but he will still be alive, and I don't have to live with the fact that I killed someone. He might actually get caught and have to go through the justice system...oh wait, isn't that why we have the justice system?  Fair trial for everyone? Or is that only reserved for people, not "animals"?

People like Mr. Wright scares me, especially when they are sheriffs. 

And Then There Were 7 Billion

Sunday night baby girl, Danica May Camacho was born in Manilla's Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in the Philippines. The family was presented with gifts including a scholarship for Danica May, and a livelihood package to enable the family to start a general store according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Also there to witness the arrival of baby number 7 Billion, was Lorrize Mae Guevarra, who was declared the world's symbolic 6 billionth baby in 1999 and is now in the sixth grade.

Where it took over a century to grow from 1 billion in 1804, to 2 billion in 1927, the population growth exploded in the 20th century, and we reached 3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1975, 5 billion in 1987 and 6 billion in 1999.  Now at 7 billion, Worldometers shows it is expected that the population growth will slow down, and that we will not reach 8 billion until 2027, then 9 billion in 2046. However, since little Danica May's arrival, the world has already welcomed over another 177,000 babies.

As we pass 7 billion, we also face challenges. UN Secretary-General  Ban Ki-moon stated last week that

"Seven billion will clearly be a serious challenge. But depending on how we address this, in a comprehensive manner it can be both an opportunity and challenge."  Ban said he suspected the 7 billionth citizen would face "a world of contradiction -- plenty of food, but still a billion people going to bed hungry every night. Many people enjoy luxurious lifestyles, but still many people are impoverished."

Ban said the milestone was "clearly a clarion call to action," not just for the United Nations and national governments, but also for "local communities, civil community leaders, non-governmental organizations, faith leaders -- we have to have a combined solidarity to address this issue."

My suggestion?  Like Ted Turner states on CNN, I believe strongly that voluntary family planning, and full access to BIRTH CONTROL needs to play a big role in how we address our future challenges with population growth. I know some faiths consider that wrong, but is it less wrong to have mothers die in childbirth so that the children grow up without a mother?  Is it less wrong for an already impoverished family to bring another child into the world whom they cannot afford to feed, when if given the choice, they might have chosen to wait? 

When nearly all projected growth is expected to occur in developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, is it not time to give them the option not to have any more children?  According to the World Health Organization, pregnancy and childbirth complications are the leading cause of death for women in developing countries during childbearing years.  If given information and the choice, there is no question in my mind that many of these women would choose to space out and time the birth of their children, like most of us do here. And I am convinced such easy solution actually will have the biggest impact as we continue to grow. Should I dare to point out that it is in countries where women for the most part are given less rights and often considered substandard to men, that we have the biggest problems?  So maybe it is time to change that too, and give women better control over their own lives.