It's Monday, I Can Feel It!!

Happy Monday....OK, I'm dragging a little this morning, but giving it my best shot.

Where I feel a little more like this:

I am doing my best to catch on to that chirpy feeling that Melanie Fiona seems to have about the start of the week...

Have a marvelous Monday!!

Commercials That Never Aired

Best to start the day with a laugh.  Here from Mock The Week with commercials that never aired.  Enjoy!

Tense Tarmac Moment

Governor Jan Brewer of AZ greeted President Obama as he stepped off Air Force One in Phoenix, AZ yesterday, and handed him a letter before engaging him "intensely" for several minutes, including pointing her finger at him, according to ABC News.  The discussion was apparently over her book, "Scorpions for Breakfast: My Fight Against Special Interests, Liberal Media and Cynical Politicos to Secure America's Border," in which she describes an Oval Office meeting with President Obama in 2010 in rather unflattering terms. 

Please feel free to disagree with the President.  But as the leader of our country, has he not earned the respect not to have a finger pointed in his face?  Or have someone state on the radio that "I thought he was kind of a dick yesterday", or have a reporter interrupt his speech with a loud "you lie!"?  Why on earth do we allow our president to be treated that way?

Obama is not the first president to be ridiculed and disrespected.  His predecessor George Bush, heard it too. But to my recollection, not as publicly, and not so "in his face".  However, he certainly endured quite the collection of demeaning posters in demonstrations, ridiculing internet posts and critique in media and Congress. Ringo's Pictures posted this collection of pictures from the Bush era.  President Bush also endured being booed  during his 2004 State of the Union address as well as at Obama's inauguration.  Really? We booed the president? Even after comparing him to Hitler and Osama Bin Laden?

I am all for free speech, but that does not mean we should forget common courtesy and manners. How do we expect other countries to respect the US and it's president, when we so publicly show that we have no respect for our own leaders.  I certainly hope this was the end of inappropriate behavior and comments towards President Obama, and that we going forward can learn to treat the President and his office with the respect he deserves. Or as Debbie Hines stated in her post last year about this issue,  "I do hope that more people will come to the defense of the office of presidency and the man in the office...(...)...  I was always taught that if you don’t respect yourself, no one else will. As Americans, we need to respect our president and the office of the presidency, as others abroad do."

Say Yes to the Dress

One of my favorite shows to watch with my daughter is "Say Yes to the Dress" on TLC.  That and "Four Weddings".  We critique the dresses, their taste, the weddings, venues and food, pick our favorites and cross fingers that our picks are the winners.  

Photo by Photostock/Freedigitalimages.net

Having never had a chance to plan a wedding....I got married on a whim, decided to do so on Wednesday and got married on Saturday - not a whole lot of time for planning, or changing one's mind; I find it fascinating to watch these brides-to-be prepare for their big day, so does my daughter.  I guess her big day will be the one I hopefully will also get a chance to participate in planning for, though not for many years yet. At this time, it is just a distant dream, but as most young girls, she dreams of the day she can walk down the isle dressed as a princess, or at least she did.  Apparently she has given the marriage thing a little bit of thought, and has concluded that "till death do us part" as often as not, is more like "till I can't stand being with you anymore".  

While I was cleaning up the kitchen one evening after we had just watched these brides-to-be pick their perfect dresses,  she walks in and says; "You know, one day, I really would like to have a nice, big wedding, with a perfect dress and flowers and all that, but I don't think I'm gonna bother, 'cause I really don't want to go through the divorce". What?  My preteen daughter has given up on marriage before she has even gone on her first date?

Her statement totally caught me off guard.  And my first thought was, "what have I done wrong?"  Falling in love, getting married and having a family is supposed to be part of every girl's dream, isn't it? So we talked.  About how her parents' failed marriage (and apparently every one of her friends' parents marriages) should not discourage her from trying to find her prince charming - the one she wants to spend her whole life with.  We talked about how true love is possible to find, but that so many just give up too easy. "Like you and daddy?"  I should have seen that one coming...but no, we didn't give up too easy.  We got married without knowing each other, gave it our very best shot, and when he walked out 13 years later, all I could feel was relief. We just weren't meant to be together. 

Photo by Photostock/Freedigitalphotos.net

So has she changed her mind about marriage?  Maybe, but it certainly is not high on her list of things to accomplish in life.  Excelling career wise; in several careers, is on top of her list. Traveling to see the world and exploring the wonders she loves to read about is next.  One day having her own BIG house so she can house all the pets she is not allowed to have now is third.  Becoming a mother is on there somewhere, and I do hope she chooses to get married first, and bring children in to a family. But having spent the majority of her life in a single parent household, and seeing both me and her friends' parents handling things just fine on our own, to her, that no longer seems to be a prerequisite for becoming a parent. 

Evidently I am raising a quite independent, strong minded, young lady, but eliminating the need for, or wish for a family with two adults, is not quite what I strived for. Hopefully that will all change when she one day falls in love.

Serial Dater No More...

Well, that was a short lived stunt.  Online dating is definitely not for me!  In a week, I encountered the very young, the very old, and the creepy guy (does there always have to be one of those?) amid a few seemingly interesting ones.  I found something "wrong" with most of them too, but mustered up courage and interest enough to actually meet one of them. For lunch. Daylight, time limit...yeah, that works for me.

Photo by Renjith Krishnan/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

However, I have a long way to go to reach the level of "serial dater." One requirement for making that work, I believe, would be to actually show up for dates, rather than cancel each and every one of them.  But why waste my time? At this point, I see no reason to give up my very limited free time for anybody unless my interest has truly been peaked. And certainly not for anyone who makes me feel uncomfortable before we have even met. There is a slight possibility I am being overly picky, but that is my prerogative. And I find that spending an evening out with girlfriends can be a whole lot more rewarding than a date with a stranger!

 

Then there was that one I actually would have liked to meet, but he told me my communication skills were sorely lacking....what?! Me, who have a hard time shutting up about anything, and can barely find time in the day to get it all out, is lacking communication skills? OK, he was right...not all communication was on top of my list to get done. Note to self, taking three days to answer a text message is not considered "reasonable time"... 

Oh well. I gave it a shot. Admittedly not my best one, but I tried. However, if my love horoscope for the year is to come true, I think it'll have to happen the old fashion way of meeting people face to face.

"Maybe some women aren't meant to be tamed. Maybe they just need to run free till they find someone just as wild to run with them."  - Sex in the City

Yours truly and still oh so very single,
Ms. Pink.

Keep the Dream Alive

Martin Luther King Jr. said "discrimination is a hell-hound that gnaws at Negroes in every waking moment of their lives to remind them that the lie of their inferiority is accepted as truth in the society dominating them."  Sadly, over 40 years after his death, I believe many still feel discriminated against in their every day life. Obviously we have seen great improvement from 1968, but we seem to still have a long way to go. 

Growing up in Europe, with American movies and books as my only reference to the current American society, I saw this country as the true melting pot of every color and culture.  I truly believed that racism was a part of this country's past, and was utterly amazed to see how segregated this country still was - not by law, but, I guess, rather by choice, when I arrived here as a teenager. What amazes me even more, is the intense awareness of their color and race so many children seem to be brought up with, even today. Don't get me wrong - I too think ones heritage is important, and something one should be proud of; however, there are many things I find much more essential to teach young children. 

My experience is, that children will not even notice the color of one's skin unless they have been taught to do so. They will describe people by their eye color, hair and height/weight without ever mentioning the color of the skin.  Maybe if we stop teaching the children so much about our differences, they will grow up seeing everyone as equals...just a thought. 

More important though, I find it is long overdue that some words are eliminated from our language. The N-word is on the top of my list.  Get rid of it! Stop using it!  I don't care what color you are, it is not and never will be a good or endearing word, no matter which way it is spelled. Not in every day speech, not in a rap song (or any other song), not anywhere.  Don't take it from me, but please listen carefully to what young Jonathan McCoy said.  Over a million people watched the video of him deliver his speech to the congregation at his church; hopefully the other 306 million in this country will follow suit. 

I wholeheartedly agree with young McCoy, and had Dr. King Jr. been alive, I am certain he would too!

Turn Off Your Phone!!

There is nothing more annoying than a cellphone ringing in the middle of a movie, a speech, or a great music performance.  Apparently orchestra music director Alan Gilbert of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra thinks the same; and being the conductor, well, then he can do something about it.

According to Daily Mail Online, when a cellphone started ringing during their performance of Mahler's Ninth Symphony, he brought the music to a halt, waited for the ringing to stop, then asked the unfortunate man if he was quite finished, and apologized to the remaining audience before resuming the concert.  I love it! Pretty sure that guy will forever make sure his phone is turned off before entering a theater or concert hall again.

Listening to the orchestra though, I don't blame Mr. Gilbert.  This piece (an any other for that sake), should be enjoyed without the interruption of modern day cellphone ringtones...  Here with Leonard Bernstein. Enjoy!!

Making It BIG!!

There is no sweeter revenge than success!  That definitely rings true for Gurbacksh Chahal, who was bullied in school and struggled to fit in as an immigrant from India in East San Jose, California.

Not that he seems to spend much time thinking of those who made his childhood tough.  Who would when you at 20-something,  have built and sold two companies at a total price of $340 million, employ 120 people and continue to grow your business to an international level? Impressive!!

Photo by Tungphoto/Freedigitalphotos.net

Reading about this young entrepreneur, I really like his outlook on life, and how he seems to have turned everything around to a positive:

On breaking free from bullies: My focus was to think: 'OK, I'm not going to have the most friends, be prom king or the most popular student — but so what?' I fell in love with the Internet, with business and the idea of being in control and knowing that my destiny was in my own hands. I became more determined than ever to succeed.

 When faced with rejection … embrace it. This will change the entire way you look at life. Whenever someone says they're not interested in working [for me] or buying [from me], it fuels my competitive side. It may not be today or even next year, but I will carefully design a strategy to get a "yes." And when a "yes" fuels you more than the actual deal or opportunity, you can embrace rejection in a much more competitive way.

With exception of his dropping out of school at 16, I hope my children and many others of the younger generation will look to this young man for inspiration and motivation!  Obviously most will never reach his level of success,  but learning to change negatives into positives and live with the determination Mr. Chahal seems to have, would make a huge difference in everyone's life.  His book is definitely on my reading list (the one that keeps on growing, but I can't quite seem to find time to conquer...)You can read more about him and his success story at MSN Business on Main.  

Serial Dater

I did it!  I know I swore I never would, but I signed up for internet dating.... Here's how it happened; 

I was reading my love horoscope for 2012, thinking my love life was lacking so badly in 2011, it must get better this year.  It said "you will date several men this year, one of whom will not be right for you". OK, I thought, and where am I supposed to meet these men? And wait?! Only one is not right for me?  So I get to pick and choose?  Having just talked to my girlfriend, who is happily engaged to the man she met online, and who tells me one in four new relationships are now formed online, I got curious.  So I went on one of the sites to "spy". To my surprise, there are some quite handsome men on these sites, most of whom also seem to have both brains and personality. One in particular caught my attention, so I signed up just to be able to send him a message....hey, it was free, and he was really cute!

What happened next was a little unexpected.  24 hours later, not only the one I contacted, but another 46 men had sent me a message, including one inviting me to Vegas to get married by Elvis. Needless to say I had quite the boast in confidence :-) At least until I read the messages. One was 19 and "liked older women", one was 58 and although seemingly quite interesting - a little out of my dating range.  Most were shorter than me (and for the first few hours, they all were, since I entered 6'3" as my height, thinking it was the ideal height I was looking for...).  I finally saw where I could set restrictions on whom I wanted to be contacted by (and fixed my height!), and am amazed that I am still receiving messages after all the restrictions I put in (now we're getting somewhere).

Then I politely started answering messages.  But  I was really just interested in the guy I contacted, and I never intended to spend hours writing men I have no interest in meeting (and why did I sign up then, you ask...?), so I set some new standards. If their profile did not specify they expected an answer, or they asked for one in their message, if the message was a one liner, or their profile picture was without a shirt (I didn't even bother to read their profiles...) - no response.  Much quicker to just delete. For the rest, with exception of very few, I'm becoming a master in politely turning down requests to get to know me. 

When I was finally done, I checked my emails, just to find one from the dating site with tips on how to improve my profile so I would get a better response...

By now, I have obviously read a multitude of profiles. What I find most interesting, is how people describe themselves. What a tell-tale of how they feel about themselves, and what they think the opposite sex is looking for.  I checked out some women's profiles too, just to see what we say...and apparently we all "see the glass as half full", can take care of ourselves, and have our lives in order. Men love to point out they can cook, but I didn't see a single one who likes to clean and do laundry (that would be the ideal candidate!!), and they are all looking for drama-free women.  Hello!  I can be THE Drama-Queen, MRS. Bitch and so on, and 47 of them contacted me, like I will actually admit to that in my profile(?!).

Then there was the one comment I found odd.  This man was not interested in meeting a "serial-dater". Really?  He signed up for a dating site.  It is a little like a buffet....try a little of everything until you find what you really like.  If I can just find the time, I am most certainly going to be the new "serial dater" in town. Get ready Cupid, you'll be busy! Fulfilling my horoscope for the year, I intend to have the dating of "several men" out of the way in the beginning of the year (did I mention I am goal oriented?), starting with a home cooked meal tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Bitches 'til the End!

Nothing like starting off the year with a good laugh.  So tasteless or not, here's my joke of the day:

 

The doctor, after an examination, sighed and said, 'I've got some bad news. You have cancer, and you'd best put your affairs in order.'

The woman was shocked, but managed to compose herself and walk into the waiting room where her daughter had been waiting.

'Well, daughter, we women celebrate when things are good, and we celebrate when things don't go so well. In this case, things aren't well. I have cancer. So, let's head to the club and have a martini.'

After 3 or 4 martinis, the two were feeling a little less somber. There were some laughs and more martinis. They were eventually approached by some of the woman's old friends, who were curious as to what the two were celebrating. 

Photo by Artzamui/freedigitalphotos.net

 

The woman told her friends they were drinking  to her impending end, 'I've been diagnosed with AIDS.'

The friends were aghast, gave the woman their condolences and beat a hasty retreat.

After the friends left, the woman's daughter leaned over and whispered, 'Momma, I thought you said you were dying of cancer, and you just told your friends you were dying of AIDS! Why did you do that?'
'Because I don't want any of those bitches sleeping with your father after I'm gone.'
And THAT, my friends, is what is called, 'Putting Your Affairs In Order.'