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!!