Today is my Friday, oh how I have missed you, I longed for Tuesday to be Friday, but it was not to be, i have now subjected myself to the once a week Friday. Granted it is coming a day earlier than most people’s, but still, only one Friday a week for me.
Tomorrow will be spent picking up Tess from school, I have something special planned for her, I am so excited! Ok, so, I bought her this pink furry coat and I am in such a quandary, do I give it to her now, or wait until Christmas. If we get a real cold front she could wear it now, well not September but perhaps the end of October, November, get more use out of it. Plus I would get to have the joy of giving it to her and take pictures of her. Elizabeth Anne had a fuzzy coat when she was little, I can hardly wait to give Tessa hers! Ok, so tomorrow is new coat day as well!
I found a new place to take her, CooCoo’s, I have checked them out and they look so fun! I know she and I will have a blast.
Ok, so, Facebook, I decided that when I first created a profile on Facebook that it would only be for friends and family. I went beyond that and started playing those games and accepting requests from people who I really wasn’t comfortable having on there. So, I decided to clean up my Facebook account, I started deleting people who in the world we would not be friends, we would never hang out together, I really didn’t want to be apprised of their thoughts, their daily habits, as I am sure they had no interest in mine. I announced that I would no longer being playing any games, such as Castleville, Cityville, Mafia Wars and Yoville and if anyone wanted to delete me, please feel free.
I really wanted my Facebook to keep up with people I don’t get to see every day, people who I do see, however don’t get to hang out with after work, and for long-lost friends, family, relationships of that nature. Thanks to the games I do have some people who I have gotten to know and they stuck around, deleting people is hard work, but I shall persevere and keep cleaning.
Today is Starbucks day, I am very happy, I shall be indulging, I hope everyone has a great Friday, oh I mean Thursday.
The Music of our Generation
I’m so glad I grew up listening to groups like America, Kiss, The Bay City Rollers, The Commodores, Alice Cooper, Michael Murphy, Todd Rundgren, Johnny Cash and a host of other groups and singers. Music has been the biggest influence in my life, if no one has ever heard the song Daisy Jane by America; I suggest you give it a listen. It is a delight, the perfect blend of harmonies and tones, I could listen to it over and over, and I have.
I listen to all genres of music, from orchestra to rap, some country thrown in; music has been there in my heartbreak, my girlish dreams, my victories in life, the birth of my children. Every aspect of my life has its own background music, its theme songs and the songs I have cried to, the ones that spoke my life story even before I knew what it was.
For as long as I can remember music has been there, waiting for me to discover something new or go back to something old. Music has the magical qualities that allow me to indulge in time travel, to lift me up or to allow me to wallow a little in self pity.
The music being made today (and I still love it) is not the same, however, every generation has its voice, its theme music. I just don’t know how, in thirty years, an adult will be proud that Justin Beiber sang the soundtrack to their life. I just don’t know how they will hold their heads up; I guess we will see if he holds to the test of time. Don’t get me wrong, I love Brittney Spears, Pink, Backstreet Boys and several others, even those have been around about 15 years. I am not loving some of the current ones, however I find myself really loving Elle Goulding, her song lights is a wonder.
I rarely put someone down for their musical tastes, instead I ask them to share and see if there is a common ground. Typically, anyone who truly loves music can find something in common, a melody, a chorus, an arrangement, or just the pure love of music. It is able to sooth the savage beast, tame the wildest heart, calm a crying child, and help a 16 year old girl through her first heartbreak. Music has magical properties that we mere humans will never completely understand.
Wild Weekend
Monday morning is upon us, and it is truly a Monday for me,no pseudo Thursday, tomorrow is not Friday, my new Friday will be Thursday and I only have one a week now, however I will have three days off in a row. Still spoiled. I am hoping to make some day trips to Oklahoma this fall to see my cousins, very excited about that. I will have to check with them to see if they want my company.
Well this weekend was spent really kinda lazily, Saturday I went errand running with a friend, then lunch at Mi Cocina, which I love and had not been in a while.
It was so nice we sat on the patio, I became fascinated with the fish and ducks in the little pond, I fed them almost all of our chips. Part of the main meal as well, it was just so fascinating to watch them all converge upon the offering, then to almost fight over it. It was like my very own Hunger Games happening right there.
Sunday was very lazy, I should have done laundry, I did not, instead Alex came over and we spent several hours debating politics, religion and a host of other subjects. Completely enjoyable! I love that, I have such a different relationship with each of my children, Jeffrey and I agree on almost every subject, Alex and I disagree on a lot, Elizabeth couldn’t give two cents worth for politics or religion, we shop and talk of other things.
Another happening is I have begun using the new Mary Kay TimeWise Repair skin care system, it is amazing! I am already loving it, I credit Mary Kay and good genetics for my youthful appearance, I have been using Mary Kay since Elizabeth Anne was 6 months old and she is 23 now, I do not look my age at all. So, run ladies, don’t walk, and get this fabulous new product.
Well that is all I have for now, completely tired from my do nothing weekend, will be going in to work and helping all the people. Call us for tech support! We are there to help!
Actions result in Consequences
Facebook is a double-edged sword, it allows for old friends and family members to reconnect and forge new friendships. It allows us a window into the lives of ones we love, like and sometimes despise. However the dark side of Facebook is that it allows people to behave badly. Well, really the internet in general does this, although, on Facebook it seems to be prevalent.
Men and women both are behaving badly these days, no one seems to have any morals left, I find this shocking. To be honest it is people my age behaving in shocking manners, women messaging men who are married, engaged or obviously in a relationship, the men, flattered, respond and it takes off from there.
I was raised by a strict code of morals, by people who were not animals and believed that in a civilized society one must maintain a certain amount of decency. I still abide by this set of rules given to me as a child, don’t steal, don’t lie and don’t behave in such a way that the people who love you the most would get hurt.
I firmly believe that God, karma, life, whatever you want to call it, will get you, if you break these rules, then watch out. You will be found out every time and the world will turn against you, God will turn his back on you until you repent and make amends.
Amends, redemption, always a big part of the Joss Whedon world, I think that is why I have such an affinity for it. The worlds he creates call to me, beckon me to a place where there are consequences for ones actions, most of the time the consequences are swift and sure, other times it takes several episodes. While I know that life is not a perfectly written script, there is some truth to what he writes, although justice is rarely swift it is always sure.
Quantum Leap
As most of you know by now, there are certain songs that take me back and I have a little bit of time travel. Time travel is something I have always been fascinated with, Dr Who does it, Marty McFly did it, Sam Beckett did it. When I think about me traveling through time I tend to think about Sam Becket in Quantum Leap. I loved that show, the premise, to me, was more realistic and founded in science.
One could travel through time within ones own lifetime, leaping from person to person, now Sam was righting wrongs, I dont’ believe I would be doing that.
If I could travel within my lifetime I do believe I would go back and see the first moon landing again, I saw it the first time, however I was a child. I would want to leap into an adult this time, oh maybe even an astronaut.
Sam could never right the wrongs within his own family, he could not save his brother, no matter how hard he tried. He did go back at the end and save Al from years of being a POW, he got to go back to Beth the love of his life.
I don’t know if I have that in me, to be able to save someone, I don’t know who needs saving, in my timeline.
I would love to go back and see my grandparents, my great-aunt Effie, my parents, aunts and uncles who have gone home. That would be truly amazing, as for historical happenings, so many, the first time the Beatles played on the Ed Sullivan show, the birth of the Jackson 5. The civil rights movement really happened before my birth, so I could not go back and see the march on Washington.
For now I will stick to this time period, there is a lot to do here, and I would miss my children.
Make a Difference
Last night was the DNC (Democrat National Convention) Bill Clinton was the main speaker, in his speech he said success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives. While in theory, I get that, I understand that, in reality I don’t think he is the one that needs to say that.
The people who are grabbing that and running with it, at least on twitter, are actors, actresses, singers and other people who are highly successful in their fields. What have they been successful at? Making money. I don’t see Katy Perry making a difference in anyone’s life in a significant manner. She makes pop songs, she does give joy to people for the moment they are listening and singing along, but I don’t see her going down to Mississippi and helping the people there.
If you want to grab onto that, please, go help people, give half of your money to help people, here, in the United States. I am so fed up with these famous people going to Africa and Uganda (examples) to help children there when there are so many children and families here in the United States to help. At least Brad Pitt is helping in New Orleans; however, I would like to see him and his woman adopt a few American kids that need help.
Make a difference by all means, but if you are not doing this, stop grabbing at that, while I am on the subject, Bill, give some of your money to help out. I see you make public announcements asking others to help, but I don’t see you doing it.
I give the current sitting President a failing grade, he gives himself an incomplete, seriously? Wow, admit it, the only thing that you have done, that you promised was repeal don’t ask, don’t tell. This health care bill is going to cost the American public an inordinate amount of money. Well, those of us that actually have a job. If you really want to do something, then make it mandatory if one is on welfare that they go to job training classes. Then help them get a job, teach them how to write a résumé, fill out an employment form, dress for an interview, teach them how to speak in an interview. This is what we should be doing, job programs, welfare with a time stamp.
Let’s all make a difference that I agree with let’s start in our hometowns, our neighborhoods, our own food banks. Let’s start with the elderly, give them rides to doctor’s appointments, hair appointments, take them dinner. Let’s start with the single parent, offer to run errands, take them dinner on a busy week day evening. Let’s start at home, let’s make a difference, let our voices be heard in November and put someone in office that actually can make a difference and not go on an apology tour for America. Let’s stand strong and choose to seriously make a change don’t choose rhetoric, choose action.
Dean Cain
Last night was the finale to Stars Earn Stripes, it was a nail biter, I am still stressed over it! I so wanted Dean Cain to win, he was in the top three, alas he did not win in the end. However, he did acquit himself very well.
He conquered his fears and proved over and over why I love him so much, not just because he is pretty, but because he is fearless. He is also gracious and generous, he was there for the other people on the show, encouraging them to do their best as well. Dean, if you need comforting after your loss, call me, I can be very sympathetic and the Irishman said it is ok with him if we hang out.
In other news this weekend, Rene Baio (aka @MrsScottBaio) participated in the Disney 1/2 Run to raise money and awareness for her and her husbands charity The Bailey Baio Angel Foundation. Please go to the website http://www.baileybaioangelfoundation.com to find out more information. It really is commendable how this couple took an episode of their life, a false health scare regarding their newborn, and turned it into something positive. They have created a foundation to raise money and awareness for screening newborns for a specific disease. I am not going to go into detail here as it is their story and they tell it very well on their website. I have decided to make them my charity of choice when giving money. I have a couple of others, but they will be my main one, I admire so much people who take the negative and use it to champion others.
Taking a negative and making a positive, interesting choice, they could have easily said oh our child is healthy, see ya later. Instead they chose to use their celebrity for good instead of partying and being skanky and rude. Good for you Baio family, good for you!
Sophistication
I was reading a book where one of the characters is sophisticated, beautiful and always in control of herself. She is not the heroine of the story, rather the bad guy, however, this is the character I have always wanted to be. Not the bad guy, just the sophisticated and beautiful and in control of my every move person.
Needless to say that is not me, I am by turns awkward, gauche, loud, obnoxious and well not beautiful. My mother was kind, gentle, gracious, a lady by the very definition of the word. I would love to be more like her as well, if I could be sophisticated and gracious that would be a bonus. I don’t think it is going to happen at this late date in my life.
Elizabeth Anne can regale one for hours with stories of my clumsiness, as she has been a witness to the majority of my embarrassing moments. It never fails something always happens to the delight of Elizabeth. I am very happy I can amuse at least one member of my family. How many glass doors have I walked into now? Too many to count.
I often wonder what people think of me, if they laugh behind my back because of my shortcomings. Or if they feel bad for me due to my lack of any social graces.
I have friends who exude sophistication, I am so envious of them, I don’t know how they pull it off. It begs the question, is one born with that particular gift? Or is it a learned behavior? If it is learned, can someone please teach me? Although I admit I am a little old to learn, and I will never be beautiful without the help of a good surgeon. I need to win the lottery because I have about $100,000.00 worth of procedures that need to be done. I am a mess.
On an upside, this weekend has been filled with books and television, I really believe I could be a hermit. I did go to a friends Saturday night for a glass of wine and looting, I looted her shoe closet. I stole two pairs.
One Person Making a Difference
The other day I was having a conversation with Elizabeth Anne, the topic turned to voting, as I steered it there. I told her I fully expected her to vote in the upcoming presidential election. She said, “mom, one person can’t make a difference” I said oh yes they can, a whole lot of one person voting can make a difference. I heard a sigh, felt the eye roll, along with the placating words of yes mom, ok mom, just to get me to shut up.
I want to tell everyone that one person can make a difference, shall we start with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, her Declaration of Sentiments, which she presented at the first women’s rights convention held in 1848, is said to be the instrument used to initiate the first organized woman’s rights and woman’s suffrage movements in the United States. One person making a difference so women in this country could vote, a right not afforded to them. Women at that time were thought of as property, first of their father’s and then of their husbands. They could be raped, beaten, discarded and even killed by the men in their lives and nothing was done about it.
Women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton changed that, gave women voices, they could vote, they could keep their children when divorcing an abusive husband. It all changed because one woman stood up and said enough.
In this country I believe that women especially should vote, due to the fact that reason we can vote is because women endured imprisonment, beatings and some even died so we could go to a voting booth and make our voices heard.
I will be at that voting booth on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, I will make my voice heard, my choice known and I will remember why I have this right in the first place. One woman making a difference.
Angie World 