The ramblings of a somewhat bawdy, opinionated, pop-culture-loving thirty-some-year-old woman who feels like sharing her random thoughts with the world.
People measure time by moments. They remember when things were done by another memory or life event it coincides with. "I met so-and-so when I started high school." "I bought those shoes when I was a freshman in college." It's just the way our brains work.
Now when someone asks me a question like when did I stop singing in the community choir, I think for a little bit, and then respond, "Oh yeah, I stopped two years ago because I was starting chemo," I'm greeted with a look like this and a quick change of subject.
People also share stories of previous experiences to add to conversation. It's the way we relate to each other, laugh at situations and at ourselves, and sometimes share more of who you are.
When the ladies at work were talking about winter and the joys of not having to shave their legs as often, I mentioned that the one thing I enjoyed about being on chemo was the fact that I didn't have to shave. Seriously, it was awesome! I was being light-hearted and joking around with the rest of them, but I got this and people made their way into other conversations.
I do not bring up my past diagnosis and treatment as a means of making you feel sorry for me. I don't bring it up to remind you of what I went through. It was just a part of my past. No, it wasn't the most pleasant thing in the world, but it's just fact. I'm fine with it and can talk about it because I've moved on. I'm comfortable with it. Why isn't anyone else?
I know there are many people out there who hate the fitness and exercise tracking apps that post to Facebook. I'm not sure why they hate them, maybe it makes them feel bad that they're not exercising? I honestly don't know. Personally, I'm all for them! I like cheering my friends on and enjoy the cheering in turn.
Unfortunately, since I've gotten so out of shape during the past year, I feel like these apps aren't really including the little milestones that I make on a daily basis. I'd love to get some "likes" for these:
*Passed up a piece of office birthday cake.
*Somehow made it through 25 mundane minutes on the treadmill. (Can it please warm up outside?)
*Finally had the strength in my arms to do girly pushups.
*Made it up the stairs without getting winded.
*Walked past the scones and muffins in the cafeteria without grabbing a single one.
*Didn't destroy my alarm clock when it went off at the butt-crack of dawn so I could get up and exercise.
*Realized that, though green, pistachio fluff does not count as a vegetable.
Come on, don't you think this would be helpful? I wonder if I know any app developers, I could make millions!
I made the mistake today (and yesterday) of reading the comments sections of internet articles. Apparently I never learn, but that's what happens when boredom gets the best of me. It's amazing how the most innocent of subjects turns into a heated political argument with vile words and tired sound bites.
Come on, people! Why are you so angry? Why must you make an argument out of everything? Why do you keep going on and on and on as if the other people you're arguing with are going to change their minds because of a comment?
I mean, really. I can see things getting heated in the comments section of an article about politicians or Supreme Court decisions because those are...well...political. They're setting themselves up for that kind of talk. But stories about good deeds turning into ugly political arguments because of tangents that other commenters have gone on? Can't you just leave things be?
Sometimes there arguments within arguments or five arguments going on at the same time, and they're all so ugly. I don't get the anger out there. I really don't.
And when words don't work, they resort to meme wars, because they have to be pissy about that too.
I just don't get it. It's stuff like this that makes me get fed up to the point where I unplug for a while. (Not that that's a bad thing...)
Then I wonder what these people are like in real life - out from behind the safety of the computer monitor. Are they just as angry? Are they always shoving their opinions around where they're not needed? Are they the people who you wish you never started a conversation with at parties?
Breathe in...breathe out... I'm hoping this is just a small, but far too vocal section of humanity and they'll wear their voices out sooner rather than later, because if these voices only gain strength, I'd hate so see what the world becomes.
Oh, Facebook. How I have a love/hate relationship with that dreaded social media site. I love being able to keep in contact with my friends so easily, but at the same time there's so much other crap filling up my news feed that I just have to get away from it for a little while. Oh, I've hidden people from my feed, I've unfriended a few others. (You keep "liking" every photo that God Is Not Dead posts because the world is going to Hell and proclaim you don't believe in evolution when you want to work with animals? Buh-bye.) There are too many things that I can't hide though that have pushed me to the breaking point. Again.
A lot of it centers around this dang diagnosis. I completely admit it. Every time someone "likes" or reposts some online article about how some little kid had cancer and went into remission but then a few years later was blindsided with the disease again and died and, Oh hey - look at this awesome funeral they had! (Yeah - that's what I want to read about, thanks!) Or post another "miracle" cure for cancer. (People, read up on your facts on sites other than cannabisrulesmedicinesucks.com before posting yet another story). Or someone compares having such-and-such an unseen disease to cancer again. (Can we just come to the happy yet unhappy conclusion that every disease is unique and one is not like another?)
But that's not all of it. Once again, the political posts, the religious posts, the I'm not judging you but I'm totally judging you posts, the bragging, the vaguebookers, the attention seekers....I just can't right now. There's so much more to life than that and I'd rather see the best parts of it than the worst.
I will be back...again....most likely at the end of June when I finish up my chemo. I'll come back on to celebrate a bit and see what I've missed. Hopefully you, my friends, won't forget about me by then. :)
SDCC was last weekend, (that's San Diego Comic-Con, for those of you not in the know), and with so much going on in the world of sci-fi and fantasy, the "geek" label is thrown around like a frisbee at
Bonnaroo. Who's a geek, who's not geeky enough, girls and fake geekery, yadda yadda yadda...
So, now "geek" is something that's exclusive as well? In that case, I don't know if I'm a geek or not. I know I'm pretty dang geeky when it comes to some things, but whether or not I fit into the new definition of the "geek" label is beyond me.
I grew up not only playing with Barbies and My Little Ponies, but also with Transformers and Star Wars figures. When I watched TV, my favorite shows were Wonder Woman, He-Man and Super Friends. I had a crush on Christopher Reeve as Superman and David Bowie in Labyrinth. These were in the mainstream, not fringe entertainment.
The same can be said for entertainment today. We're in the land of 80's remakes like Transformers and GI Joe and not only that, but comic book characters rule the world of movies and cartoons. Avengers, Superman, Spider-Man, Batman, (Green) Arrow, sadly still no Wonder Woman though...they're everywhere. It's rare that you find anyone who doesn't watch any of these.
So, I guess where my confusion lies is if all of these characters and story lines are so mainstream, when does a fan cross into the "geek" category? Are we all geeks or are there certain criteria that need to be adhered to?
I've read that they now have geek clubs in schools where you have to answer certain questions in order to be accepted. Seriously? Geekdom is something you can be excluded from now? Something you have to study to attain? I just do not get this.
And there are throngs of women/girls who feel like they're not accepted. That they're being labeled as "fake geek". How can you be fake geek? I just can't wrap my head around this. This whole issue has been summarized in one music video by The Doubleclicks....
So, here I am... You know what my interests were when I grew up. I still love watching the original sci-fi & fantasy movies I watched as a kid, I'm a huge fan of the new Marvel movies, still strive to be Wonder Woman, but I've never owned a comic book (well, until this year), never got into role playing games, Dungeons & Dragons (except for the 80's cartoon), and I don't know the names of the aliens sitting behind Jabba the Hut's throne in Return of the Jedi. To throw everyone for a loop, let's also throw in the fact that I greatly enjoy watching football as well. (*gasp*) Where do I fall on the geek scale?
And does it really matter?
Just be yourself, my friends! Like what you like, be okay with what you don't like. Don't feel like you have to conform to standards to be accepted, and most important of all, always follow Wheaton's Law:
Today is my first full day off of Facebook - I deactivated my account yesterday evening. Jaws dropped across the land when I warned them of my impending departure. You see, I was always on Facebook. No matter where I was, work, home, car, and it was sucking the life out of me! Even if I wasn't posting anything, it was on somewhere in the background, frequently refreshed, so I wouldn't miss a minute of what was going on.
And what was going on anyway?
Not a whole lot.
Most of the people who I really wanted to see updates on fell into two categories: They rarely ever posted or they also posted things via Twitter, Instagram and/or blogs. And yet I kept hitting refresh. I'd keep getting frustrated by the things I was seeing from other people- the memes, the reposting without researching, the constant outrage, the incessant need for attention. And I'd keep refreshing. I'd go for periods of days without posting anything, but I just. kept. refreshing.
A few months ago, I came to the realization that this wasn't a productive way to spend my time (ya think?) and knew that I wanted to let it go completely, but I couldn't just yet. I was in the midst of planning a class reunion and that was our main means of communication, so instead of leaving completely, I drastically reduced the number of people on my friends list by about half, only keeping my classmates, close family, and the few closer friends I wanted to try to keep in touch with. The purge gave me a great feeling. I wasn't done yet, but at least it was a start.
Once the reunion was over a couple of weeks ago, I was ready to leave completely. Any responsibilities I had on there, I was sure to give to other completely competent people. Any pages I was watching on Facebook for news or information I found on Twitter and started following them there instead. Those friends who fell into the "also posting on Twitter/Instagram/blog" category, I made sure to follow on those other sites. I started a new blog which I'd actually give my family the link to (as opposed to this one) to keep them up to date on pictures of events and non-events. I put all of my contact information on my page for a few days so that people would have the time to jot it all down or add me to their bookmarks before anything I posted disappeared.
Last night, when I was sure I had done all I could, I deactivated my account. This is no simple task. You have to go through three different security measures and on top of it all, they throw up a page with 5 random friends on it saying how much they are going to miss you when you're gone. Of the people they listed, I might agree with one, but seriously? They play the guilt card? I finally made it through the gauntlet of "are you sure"s and was free.
I'm hoping to stay off forever. My husband and close friends laugh at me - they're pretty sure I can't do it.
My friend sent this to me. I thanked him for his vote of confidence.
Barring any type of emergency where I need to get in touch with two hundred people at once or the need to keep up with something going on that I can only do via that medium, I think I can probably do this. Sure, it's going to be difficult, but I have other things that can occupy my time and I have pretty good willpower. And hey, maybe my hubby and I will have actual conversations at night now instead of both of us sitting there, laptops on our laps, hitting refresh every 5 minutes.
Oh boy - what events have transpired in the past week. This has got to be the end of the world now, right? The Pope resigned, lightning struck St. Peter's, a meteor exploded over Russia, an asteroid came whizzing past the planet, and some poor cruise ship passengers were stranded for a few days. (Okay, maybe that one's not so scary if you're not on the ship.)
I didn't even know a Pope could quit. I'm sure I'm not in the minority on that one. I mean, think of poor Pope John Paul toward the end of his career. You had to hold him up with a stick and he still kept going. Benny gets a kink in his neck and he's like, "That's it, I'm outta here!" Two things about this. One - apparently the big dude in robes in the sky wasn't so keen on the idea because he sent out a little message:
Methinks someone is not pleased.
And two - this brings forth a new doomsday prophesy. According to something written back in the Twelfth Century, the good ol' Last Judgement is supposed to happen during the time of the 112th Pope. Guess what?! The next Pope is #112. Welcome aboard! Please, read more about it here.
So then there's this little ship that had a little fire and people aboard it got stuck with no electricity and no working plumbing and it got stinky and people weren't happy and now they're back on land and all is well. Moving on...
Then, the event that we knew was coming - the arrival of the asteroid 2012 DA14. A beautiful name, isn't it? It came a mere 17.000 miles near us. That's 5,000 miles closer than our orbiting satellites. We saw it coming, we knew we were safe, and thought it was cool. You could even watch it online and see it whizz by. Bye bye DA14! Yay, science!
But then there was the unexpected event that many of us woke up to reading about -the meteor that exploded over Russia. For us watching it on YouTube and the news and reading stories on the internet, it's simply fascinating. Just think about what the people who lived it were thinking. For those who saw it, was it a meteor, some sort of missile, Superman? But the sonic wave it caused...my lord!
Here you are, going about your daily business and this wave of sound blows out your windows and scares the living begeezus out of you. No wonder there were over 1,000 people injured - nobody saw it coming. A bit of a wake up call to remind us that we're just one little insignificant speck in an enormous universe so vast that it makes my head hurt just trying to think about it. Ouch.
So...is the end of the world nigh....again? Are we all going down sooner than later? Are we in for a disaster of Biblical proportions? Shall we be expecting the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse for high tea?
I think I need a drink. Anyone have four teacups I can borrow?
I don't have a lot of money to give gifts this year. (Heck, I never have money for gift-giving, what am I talking about?) I did come up with the perfect gift for quite a few people though, and I wish it was possible. I'd love to give them the ability to be compassionate human beings. I'm encountering into more and more people who seem to be lacking it.
Some of my gifts of compassion would go to the following people:
Our General Manager: One of my co-workers told him that she hasn't been able to sleep because she's stressed over our the increase in the cost of our health insurance. She doesn't know if she can continue to pay for the insurance that will now cost her $75 more per paycheck while it covers less, or if she'll have to drop down to the mini-insurance that is more affordable but only somewhat helpful in emergencies, and hope that she and her son stay healthy. His response was, "Well, you had the chance to voice your opinion when you voted in November."
People Who Turn Any News Story Into An Excuse To Spew Hateful Words To Other People: Of course, the current point would be the mass-killing in Connecticut. It didn't even take a full day before all of the political finger pointing and name calling ensued. Some of the things I read broke my heart apart into even smaller slivers than it already was - especially when it came from people who I at some point considered to be friends. No listening, no reasoning, no solutions, just hate for anyone who doesn't think the same way as they do. And speaking of...
The Westboro Baptist Church: I don't think I need to elaborate on that one.
The Mother At The Band Concert: She had a child who was talking somewhat loudly at the beginning of my son's middle school band concert. Because the child was wearing a padded helmet, I'm guessing that she probably has special needs of some sort and possibly isn't very good at controlling her volume. Instead of taking the child out of the room to let off a little steam, she proceeded to swear at her, telling her to "Shut the fuck up" and keep her "goddamn mouth shut because the concert was starting" and we "didn't want to listen to her shit" in a volume that was two times as loud as the child's. I understand that all of us parents have our moments of weakness, (gods know I have), but sometimes you can just tell when it's a common occurrence.
Myself: I usually think of myself as a compassionate person, but there are times I know I'm lacking it, especially when dealing with the people I've already listed. It's not something I'm proud of, but I know it and am working on it.
Since we can't actually give the ability to be compassionate as a gift, we need to be the compassionate ones and lead by example or fill the gaps left by those who are lacking. It's the best we can do for everyone.
I know you've all been waiting for my opinion on the big discussion going on in the area today:
Clay Matthews' new sack celebration.
When we saw it live, my husband and I both cocked our heads to the side like confused puppies and said in unison What the hell was that? Apparently my dear Mr. Matthews was watching Magic Mike and taking notes during his five weeks off.
This might come as a surprise to many of you, but I can't say I'm a fan of it. Maaaaybe if they had shown more than from the torso up it would have been a little more interesting, but that view just made it look like he was really getting into showering himself. Can't say that does anything for me. We missed out on the most important element and even then...nah.
I doubt he'll be doing that dance again anyway as he probably got quite a few jabs from his teammates for it and I'm sure the Packers inbox is full of emails from outraged mommies saying things like, "My 4-year-old daughter just loves you and I had to cover her eyes when you grinded your pelvis like that. You should be ashamed of yourself." You know - kind of like the whole Elvis hullaballoo.
Anyway, there's my two cents about that. As-is - no, though I'd be willing to give it another chance if we could see the whole package. No pun intended.
A very wise teacher of mine has said many times (and I'm paraphrasing here) that life is a movie and it's up to us as the viewer what we want it to be - comedy, drama, tragedy or farce. Plainly stated, life is what we make of it. If you can change something you don't like, then do so; and the way you react to the things you can't change can make all the difference in the world.
I know people with lives full of wealth and material items where things come easily to them, but they overreact to the smallest hiccup. The common cold completely ruins the fourth luxury cruise that they're on this year or the hi-tech gizmo that they just bought isn't working quite right and it will take a couple of days to get it back. Oh the horror! And they're always depressed and life is hell and you want to slap them upside the head and show them just how easy they have it and how much happiness they're missing out on.
I also know people who have had immense hardships in their lives who have smiles on their faces most of the time and try to make those around them smile as well. They have suffered tremendous losses, either personally or financially, and still try to make the best out of everything. They try not to dwell in the negative, they move on with what they have and try to give to those who have things even tougher than they do. They don't have the money to travel, so they find beauty in the things around them that they see every day. They can't buy everything they want (and sometimes the things that they need), but they don't whine about it, they keep working...keep moving forward. And if they're missing someone, they try to remember the happy times and they laugh. They laugh a lot.
I choose to live my life as a musical full of song and dance numbers, a love story where the boy and girl grow old together, a comedy where even when times are hard laughter can be found, and an action adventure where when the bad guys are coming after me, I can build an elaborate trap, watch them fall into it and get away with a witty one liner and a smirk.
What genre does your life fall into? Do you need a script rewrite?
Am I the only adult in the world who has never smoked pot? Good lord! And now all this hullabaloo about Colorado and Washington making recreational use legal and now everybody's coming out of the woodwork saying, "Road trip to Colorado!" Really? I mean really? What's so awesome about it?
Don't get me wrong. If states want to legalize it, by all means, let them. I've read and heard the arguments for it and I get it. I just personally don't want to do it myself. I mean, I never tried it because 1) It's illegal and I don't like getting in trouble 2) I don't wanna get paranoid and get the munchies which is not at all conducive to weight loss and 3) I really don't want to inhale smoke - especially that stinky stuff. Blech! If I went to one of those states where it was legal, it would knock one of the three reasons off of my list, but the other two would remain. (Oh and for those of you who don't get paranoid but get mellow. I'm already mellow. If I were to get any more mellow, I'd be asleep.) It just doesn't appeal to me.
So am I a goodie-goodie for never trying it? I don't think so. (I'm not that wholesome...trust me.) Sure, being a child of the Just Say No generation, that's how my decision against it started. Now it's just a personal preference. I don't think I've really missed out on anything by not trying it other than getting the humor in Pineapple Express. That's not a big loss. Do you think it's something I should experience some day just to say I did it? Some twisted bucket list item? Nah. I'm content without it, thanks. If anything I'll just go to a Dave Matthews concert and get a contact high someday.
This is just a little list of things that I want to have or have happen. I don't ask for much...usually.
A cheap alcohol that doesn't give me a headache. Why is this such a hard thing to find?
One of those soul-bearing conversations where you start opening up and just keep going until it all comes out. Then you feel 20 times lighter and you say, "I can't believe I just said all that," but it's okay because it's with one of your best friends and they don't judge - they just understand.
Any manager at work to offer to buy me a cup of coffee the same way they ask the other managers, or ask me if I want something from one of the places they take hour-and-a-half lunches at, or bring in a treat for the whole office. They have the money to do it...I don't.
A day to myself where I can watch whatever I want to watch or have the TV off all day, I can listen to music, sing along, dance, meditate, read, nap....mine to do with as I please.
A body like Peta Murgatroyd. I mean, come on!
I want her body.
Wait..not like that.
Speaking of coffee, a white chocolate mocha, no whip, sounds really good right now. I want one of those too.
A vacation paid for by someone else. Obviously this is the only way I'm going to be taking one any time soon.
A new wardrobe - of course, this should probably wait until after I have the body as shown above. I wouldn't want to spring for a new wardrobe now only to have to turn around and do it again when I'm a size 2. Ha! What am I talking about? My hip bones would never fit into a 2. Let's go with a 4. And that weight loss would have to be instantaneous because I don't want to have to waste money buying the sizes in between.
Laughter. Belly-aching, cheek-straining laughter. I chuckle, I giggle. I want a good laugh.
To be in control of time. It should speed up when I want it to, slow down when things are good, and sometimes even stand still. Why hasn't anyone figured this trick out yet?
For everyone to be happy. Is that really too much to ask for?
I don't know what made me think of it yesterday, but someone mentioned a librarian and my mind just started on a roll. A small part of me always wanted to be a librarian. They're stereotypically smart, quiet, somewhat mean and have a very naughty streak. If the shoe fits... They wear glasses, have their hair pulled up, wear long-sleeved, button down shirts and long skirts and walk around telling people "Shhhhh!" And the crazy thing is men have fantasies about these women. Of course, men's fantasies never make much sense.
But then I thought about the librarians at the small rural library in the town I grew up in. Sure, the somewhat mean part of the librarian lore held true, but visually these librarians were nowhere near that picture. They were all middle-aged, wore appliqued vests and matching turtlenecks, and pleated khaki pants or those non-denim mom jeans. They basically looked like they were going to a bad sweater party, but were dead serious about their ensemble. I think most of their clothing came from the Blair Boutique or McCall's patterns. And they always seemed confused by my questions. I guess the subject matter I was looking for was a little off the "norm" for them.
Not the most welcoming of people or places. I think it's time for a change.
With the advent of things like the Kindle and the Nook, people are downloading their books. If you don't want the latest bestseller, the classics are free. School papers are now researched online instead of encyclopedias and stacks of books. Bookstores have places to sit and read and coffee and snack shops.
Why don't we combine it all...and throw in some helpful, friendly, librarian-looking librarians?!
The library I grew up with was two stories (main level and basement), so I'm going to work off of that basic structure .
Main Level:
Welcome to the library! One side of the main level is set up for research and work. Non-fiction books, long wooden tables with desk lamps, computers with internet access, reference books, encyclopedias, microfilm, etc.
The other side is where you relax. The fiction section, magazines, comfortable chairs, fireplace. It's cozy and inviting. You can start a book here before you decide whether or not you want to check it out, or check it out and then read it from cover to cover.
By the way, this level is still the quiet zone. Those breaking the rule will be given a stern Shhhhhhh!
Lower Level:
This is kind of a multi-use level, but it all ties in. First off, a coffee shop. It's a great way to bring more people in and how about you add the fact that it's only open to those who have library cards. Good quality fair trade organic coffee, pastries, soups, seating for groups and singles. And it's NOT Starbucks or Caribou or any other chain. Privately owned by local business-folk.
The children's book collection. Beanbag chairs, murals on the walls, puzzles, activities, places for reading and daydreaming.
Finally a multi-use room for readings, book clubs and lectures.
And to tie it all together, the friendly knowledgeable staff of librarians. They love what they do, love books, they're not early twenties hipsters and not too old to know how to do a Google search. They can suggest a great classic or let you in on the latest new release and they'll probably know of that rarely-heard-of magazine that has an article that would clinch the "A" on your research paper. I'd be happy to volunteer to be the first one...long skirt, glasses and all.
It would be an inviting place to go. A place you wanted to spend your time. The more time you spend there, the more books you read. The more books you read, the more time you spend there. It's a great idea! We'd get more people with the coffee, the right atmospheres for the different functions of a library and we might even get a few extra guys who are looking for the librarians. How could we lose?
Does anyone want to help me out with this? We'll need more librarians...
I was finally able to watch The Muppets last night. You know, the new(ish) movie starring Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, and the whole Muppet gang. I'd been waiting to see this ever since the first word of it was published. Conditions never really came together to make it happen until last night.
It was wonderful seeing new Muppet adventures. I loved the nostalgia. I loved seeing the Muppet Show recreated. I loved how happy it made me feel.
But at the same time, something was missing. It was like it was too much. It was more cheesy than heartfelt. Don't get me wrong - I could completely tell that the people who made this did it out of love. The happiness was just a little over the top. Something that you didn't see in the original movies.
Because we look back at the movies and shows that we watched for the first time as kids, we do so with the emotions that we felt back then. We were young and lived in our perfect(ish) childhood bubbles and they made us smile and laugh and think and it was pure. We didn't get the hidden meanings of the things that our parents did. We didn't understand all of the satire and commentary and double entendres that made our parents love the show just as much as we did. It was fun. Pure and simple. We liked the songs they sang, the jokes made us laugh, we knew some of the special guests that would be on the show or in the movies, and that was all we needed. We were happy and carefree and everything was perfect. Much like what the world was like in the new movie...singing and dancing and "Life's A Happy Song." Aha! That's where it came from.
Finally when I saw the cast come together to sing "Rainbow Connection" it came to me. The one thing that was missing. It was the one thing that could never possibly be added...
Jim Henson
The spark, the heart of it all was missing. It was still fun and entertaining and nostalgic, but without him at the helm...it seemed almost empty.
I doubt I'll ever be able to watch any new Muppet shows/movies without feeling like they're not quite right, but at the same time a new generation of kids will be able to watch them and have that same feeling of bliss and escape that we felt back in the day. They have a new voice...just like Kermit. They will be able to laugh and learn and feel like anything is possible too. And that is all a fan of Jim Henson could ever want.
Ah, television. Personally, I feel there's a whole lot more crap on it than good stuff, but that's just me. I can't even say I'm completely against reality shows because I've somehow become hopelessly addicted to Full Metal Jousting. Well, I'm pretty sure I can figure out why, but still...
Anyway, over the years the networks have decided to stop running some of my favorite shows. For whatever reason - on for a long time, can't find the right audience, too expensive to continue producing, just stupid network executives - they were gone and a little part of me was gone with them.
Here are the top four shows that I would be ecstatic to have back:
1. The Tick
I don't think the powers that be knew who to market this to. It was shown for quite a while on Saturday mornings but more adults watched it than kids. The humor was awesome. I've seen every episode many times and have worn them out. I need something new! Spoon!
2. Deadwood
I was never really into the whole Western thing, so when this series was recommended to me I put it on my Netflix queue doubting I'd get past the first disk. I loved it! There's humor, there's blood and sex and drama. The dialogue is incredible and the profanity is woven in like golden silk. After three seasons it stopped. Not even any ending to the story. We were left hanging off of a very high cliff with no help in sight. Even if we could just get a couple more episodes to tie up the many loose ends we'd be satisfied. Just give us resolution! (The video below is not for those with weak ears...and this scene is pretty tame.)
3. Rome
My favorite show of all time. Beautiful sets, amazing dialogue, history, humor, sex, intrigue, Rome, Egypt, Caesar, Cleopatra, Antony, Pullo, Vorenus...I could go on forever. Unfortunately the show lasted anything but. We only had two seasons of this amazing show and then it was pulled because production costs were too high. I'm thankful that they actually tied up all of the plot-lines at the end, but the Roman Empire lasted for hundreds of years - there are so many more stories that could be told. This show paved the way for others like The Tudors and Spartacus, but it still has yet to be beat.
4. The Muppet Show
Sadly there's no way in the world this could ever happen. Sure, they could have a show on at night starring the Muppets, but it would never be the same without Jim Henson holding the reins. He could reach children and adults, make them laugh, cry, learn and be entertained all in one hour. I loved it as a kid, and watching the shows now that I get all of the adult humor and references, I love it even more.
All I wanted to do on my lunch break today was soak in the sunshine, get 25-minutes-worth of fresh air, feel the breeze blowing through my hair, and read a book written by a great Buddhist lama about living to the best of my abilities while being a benefit to others. (I had just finished my book about the great Zombie War the night before.) That wasn't too much to ask, was it?
I did get to experience that in snippets, but for a good chunk of the time all I could hear was the corporate jargon flying from the mouth of some frustrated middle-aged white man in a polo shirt and khakis on the other side of the block. He was talking on his cell phone to someone who apparently works with him and had some bad news because this guy meant business...all business. "We'll have to wipe the slate and revisit the issue when it becomes more lucrative to move forward!" In other words, "We'll forget about it until the time is right!" "Unless the CFO gives the signoff by COB tomorrow, we lose the positive momentum and we'll have to table the issue." Seriously?
What prevents people from using common everyday language when talking to other people at work? I'm bombarded with this non-speak at work all of the time. I work in an office in a very small town at a place that employs maybe 150 people during the winter months, only 20 of whom have contact with the "suits" Do we really need to hear that crap when 20 people (at the most) are listening and don't want to hear it anyway. I'm sick to death with hearing terms like thinking outside the box, in the year for the year, moving forward, benchmark, comp set, and on and on and on... Do people think it makes them sound smarter? More educated? I can tell you for a fact it's not true. Trust me.
Do these people speak like this at home too? "While I appreciate the initiative you've shown in putting on that lacy negligee in order to facilitate a night of romantic pursuits, I'm afraid that we'll have to table that idea until I've gotten through my copy of Trump's latest book. Let's touch base again SOD tomorrow to see where we stand."
It's gotten so monotonous, all I can hear when they talk is the sound of an adult talking in a Charlie Brown cartoon.
Come on people, let's use regular old words like good idea, bad idea, thank you, let's talk about it later, and my favorite - You've done such a great job around here, how about an extra week of vacation and a $2.00 an hour raise?! Okay, I guess I shouldn't dream too big.
(Forgive the blah-ness of this post. I started it when I was in a very left-brained frame of mind and no matter how much tweaking I try to do to it today, it's still very dry. Please read on and don't hold it against me. It's too important of a topic for me to leave in my draft folder.)
I think almost all of us were bullied at some point in our childhoods. Whether it be name-calling in grade school, pushing in middle school, or getting beat up in high school, most of us have been there. If you weren't bullied at some point, there's a good chance you were the one doing the bullying.
Me - well, I was mainly picked on in middle school. Face it, middle school sucks for everyone. Hormones, puberty, new people to deal with, trying to figure out who you are and who you want to be. It's rough! There were only a couple of people who picked on me, but it was frequent...and predictable. One of the popular girls in our class would always come up with some way to make fun of whatever clothing I was wearing that day. I'd hear a new nickname for each new outfit. (Sorry, my parents couldn't afford the Guess jeans and t-shirts (remember the Guess nerd?) that were popular at the time. I didn't care, but apparently she did...go figure.) I remember wearing a sweatshirt with a zebra on it one day (I was into animals and the safari look was in at the time), getting in line to play four square, and there she was...all decked out in her Guess, perfect hair, makeup to the hilt, and her attitude. I sighed. I knew what was coming. As soon as she saw me, she started, "Oh look - here comes..." and then I interrupted her.
..."Zebra girl, right?"
She didn't know what to say at first and then giggled. "You're so lame." It's exactly what she was going to say - what she had just called lame was what was going to come out of her mouth.
The outright name-calling stopped after that, but her tactics changed. She enlisted help in the strangest of places. In 7th grade, I joined the basketball team. I was pretty good at it, was great at defense, started in almost every game. It was the practices that I despised. Not only was miss popular on the team, but the coach - our PE teacher - had a habit of laughing at me. The popular chick would make some comment about me and the coach would back her up on it. I distinctly remember the two of them standing there, the girl's arm around the shoulder of the coach, laughing at some greatly exaggerated thing that I had supposedly done. It continued into 8th grade when I decided to be the manager instead of playing. Nothing I did was right. Unfortunately, I was happy for the season to be over.
Now my son is in middle school. He's going through the same sorts of things, but a bit harsher. Kids these days are harsher. (My gosh, it's amazing how many kids his age are being expelled these days!) He gets called names, has been pushed a couple of times. Nothing terribly extreme, but it wears on a kid. And he's had it. Now, the kid doesn't have a very thick skin, that comes with time and maturity. He's eleven. Not there yet. Mind you, he's one step away from being a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, but he won't use it. Not unless he absolutely has to.
Why does he get picked on? Because he's an introvert the same way that I was? He wears clothes from Wal-Mart and Old Navy? He wears glasses? He likes to draw and play the trumpet? He doesn't hang out with a big clique? Any of these could be the reasons, but who knows how a bully picks his/her target.
He's not just sitting and taking it though. He's reported incidents to his teachers and his guidance counsellor. Fortunately the school that he attends, the same one that I went to, is now very aware of bullying issues and basically has a no-tolerance policy towards it. Whenever anything comes up, I am contacted as well as the parents of the kids who are doing the bullying. I sometimes fear that my son will be known as a tattle-tale and weak, but his teachers and counsellor applaud him for having the strength and courage to actually say something as so few kids do. I know I never did. (A small part of me hopes that some day he will just snap and kick a little butt, but there's no way I'd say that to him.) They're hoping he joins the anti-bullying group and peer facilitators next year. Hopefully his experiences will help other kids going through the same issues.
Bullying has really become a hot topic in recent years. I suppose it's because of the extremes that some kids have taken when they get to that breaking point. School shootings, suicides. Where we had anti-drug groups in middle school, they now have anti-bullying groups. Songs written, videos all over YouTube. Kids certainly shouldn't feel alone in their pain any more. That's a very helpful thing.
This is my son's new favorite song. I'm not fond of the line, "No one's gonna crie on the very day you die" as I think many kids who were bullies at one point grow out of it with maturity, but nonetheless...
A movie is just about to be released nationwide called Bully. This looks like an amazing documentary that could really do some good if kids are allowed to see it, but unfortunately the MPAA has slapped it with an "R" rating because of language. (Really? Have you seen what they can get away with in PG-13 movies these days?) They're in the process of appealing the decision. Hopefully kids all over will be able to see this and learn from it. Watch the trailer for the movie below.
I have to say, the only issue I have with the recent movement is how centered it is on the gay and lesbian kids who get picked on. Now, I know that they get terribly picked on and I'm not trying to diminish the pain they go through, but they're not the only ones. Let's not forget those kids who are just the unfortunate targets of bullies just because they don't fit into some mold that the person thinks is the "norm."
Looking back on the bullying from an adult perspective, I know that it made me a bit stronger in some respects, but it also gave me extremely low self-esteem for a long time. I'm hoping that because my son and others like him are able to voice their feelings, they won't be as hurt by it all in the long run. In the meantime, it's hard to be a parent watching it all and not being able to do anything but encourage and support him for who he is.
Do you have any strategies on how to deal with bullies? Are you still bullied as an adult? Do you have a bully at work that you have to deal with? What ever happened to the people who bullied you as a kid? What's your story?
Ah, Valentine's Day. The day for love, flowers, over-priced dinners, cards, cupids, and mush to make you want to choke. Can't you feel the forced romance?
I ran across this wonderful article on Discovery.com which uncovered some of the origins of this cute and cuddly holiday. Trust me, it was anything but cute and cuddly.
It began in Ancient Rome as Lupercalia. Being a lover of almost all things Roman Empire, I decided to do a little more investigating on the almighty Wikipedia:
"The Lupercalia festival was partly in honor of Lupa, the she-wolf who suckled the infant orphans, Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome,explaining the name of the festival, Lupercalia, or 'Wolf Festival.' The festival was celebrated near the cave of Lupercal on the Palatine Hill (the central hill where Rome was traditionally founded), to expiate and purify new life in the Spring."
Romulus & Remus and their "Mom"
Okay, that sounds pretty normal. Let's continue...
"The festival began with the sacrifice by the Luperci...of two male goats and a dog. Next two young patrician Luperci were led to the altar, to be anointed on their foreheads with the sacrificial blood, which was wiped off the bloody knife with wool soaked in milk, after which they were expected to smile and laugh."
Goat and dog blood on my head. Hm...Yeah, that wouldn't really make me laugh. Of course, back then
sacrifices and blood were all pretty passe.
"The sacrificial feast followed, after which the Luperci cut thongs from the skins of the victims, which were called februa, dressed themselves in the skins of the sacrificed goats, in imitation of Lupercus, and ran round the walls of the old Palatine city, the line of which was marked with stones, with the thongs in their hands in two bands, striking the people who crowded near. Girls and young women would line up on their route to receive lashes from these whips. This was supposed to ensure fertility, prevent sterility in women and ease the pains of childbirth."
Yeah! It's the festival of getting whipped by bloody goat-hide thongs wielded by men wearing next to nothing! Now that's a holiday!
Leave it to those boring "chaste" Christian Romans to put a damper on the party. The pope put an end to the festival in the 5th Century.
Over the centuries, it morphed into this fluffy, pink, chocolaty, female pissing contest.
Ewww...too much fluffy cuteness.
I think we should just go back to the ways of the Romans. Well, kind of.
How about we just give and receive orgasms? I would be all over that celebration.
Another presidential election year is upon us. Oh gods above, below, and in all directions please help us. Time to be inundated with political commercials about nothing but how bad the other candidates are, news hours, internet space, and plenty of ink devoted to each and every candidate, letting us know what they said, how they flubbed, what they ate for dinner, and what color undershirt they prefer, but not telling us where they really stand on any issue. The spin, the soundbites, the mud-slinging, the Vaseline-coated smiles...
Last night, I received eight - EIGHT - "Breaking News" updates in my email about the Iowa Caucuses. They were coming in "With 50% of the votes in..." followed a little while later with, "With 67% of the votes in..." etc. What? Couldn't they just tell me who won when it was all over with?
Today I had three "Breaking News" updates about Bachmann...First one at 9:26am "Source close to Michele Bachmann campaign: No 'viable way forward' after sixth-place finish in Iowa."
The second at 9:42am "Rep. Michele Bachmann will announce Wednesday she's suspending her GOP campaign for president, a source tells CNN."
The third at 10:36am "Michele Bachmann announced today she is dropping out of the presidential race, saying 'I have decided to stand aside.'"
It was then that I decided once and for all that CNN and I have very differing views on what Breaking News really is, and I unsubscribed.
Front runners are determined a year before the election even takes place? Debates become a show of who can throw out the right soundbites as opposed to giving straight answers? How is anyone supposed to make informed decisions in this overly-packaged swamp of "coverage?"
In the perfect election year in my head, the candidates would give you the information you want. They would give interviews, only being asked questions about policy and where they stand on issues, they would only be allowed to answer the question as asked and not mention where their political rivals stand. Same goes with public debates. The only news coverage given to the candidates would be these interviews, debates, and election results (when the votes have all been counted). There would be no Super PACs, no "I'm so-and-so and I endorse this message," no phone calls during dinner. Simple yard signs, bumper stickers and the like would be it. We, the voters, would have the information we need to make intelligent decisions based on our own opinions - and we wouldn't have to sift through all the waste to get to it.
Oh that sounds so refreshing.
Unfortunately it's my little dreamworld and it's nowhere near reality. I guess I'll be fast-forwarding through every commercial, rolling my eyes at the internet headlines, and trying desperately to find the information I need to make a sound decision. And I'll stay well-stocked on whiskey.
Ummm...she's old. Very old. Isn't she in her nineties? And why are you popping up on my breaking news feed?
Yes, I made the mistake of putting entertainment news headlines on my internet home page, but that's because I like reading about movies and music...not celebrities. There should be a difference.
I don't care if Susan Sarandon made a comment about Nazis. I don't care if Lindsay Lohan is going to jail, drinking again, or posing for Playboy. I didn't follow the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, I don't keep up with the Kardashians, and I really don't care what Donald Trump has to say about anything.
What is the fascination that the world has with celebrities' lives? Why does it matter who they marry or date or go to a party with and why should anything they say about anything other than their own area of expertise have any bearing on our day-to-day lives? I just don't get it!
Even if you're like me and don't watch E! or Bravo to know what's going on with these people 24/7, all you have to do is go to any supermarket checkout counter and you're bombarded with headlines about cheating spouses, tv stars' weight loss tricks, the latest celeb baby. Ugh! (I miss the days of the Weekly World News and Bat Boy. At least that was entertaining.)
I guess I'll have to remove the entertainment headlines from my homepage and just get my movie/tv/music news somewhere else. Well, for that matter I need a place where I can find news in general that isn't full on sensationalism , celebrity and spin. Any suggestions?
