Has anyone else seen the photos and article in the November issue of Glamour magazine? If you haven’t here’s the link...go NOW! http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/about/body-image I cannot tell you how happy I am to see these photos and read the article! It’s probably the first time I can remember seeing women in a “mainstream” magazine that I could physically relate to. I am 36 yrs old, 5’10, wear an 18/20 and weigh 235 pounds. I’ve been always been an outgoing chick and never thought that my weight or size held me back. Yes, I knew it wasn’t totally healthy to be overweight, but I was always happy with myself, never felt unattractive. I’ve always been comfortable in my own skin. I know other women who weren’t (and still aren’t) as comfortable. I can’t take credit for this attitude; I was one of the luckiest girls in the world. Mama who's always thought I was fabulous, an Aunt who thought I was beautiful and a Granny who thought I was as strong has her Mama. How did I know these things? Because they never missed the opportunity to tell me. Yeah, I was one lucky girl!
I won’t get on a soapbox about how the fashion industry and Hollywood have distorted the idea of what women are supposed to look like and created body image issues for generations of women. That road has been taken so many times the pavement’s worn out. Yes, they do bear a good part of the blame, but you can’t lay all of the blame on magazines, the movies, models, fashion or anyone else. It’s your body, no one else’s. There comes a time when you have to be accountable for your actions and behavior. Unless you have a medical condition, the only person who is responsible for you being overweight and out of shape is you. You’ve got two choices; 1) Change it. Jill Conner Brown (THE Sweet Potato Queen) said "If you aren't loving life, change it," and to me that means ANY aspect 2). Deal with it. Stop complaining, stop blaming. Own your life and all that it entails. If you're happy with yourself and your life and you're basicly healthy, to hell with any and everyone else and their opinions.
I’ve been overweight since I was about 10 yrs old. The pictures and video from Mama & Pop’s wedding that year, I looked like I was smuggling basketballs! When I was real little, I was such a picky eater and I guess they were so happy I was eating, they didn’t think there was a problem. By the time we all realized I was fat (I’m not scared of the word), I was old enough to do something about it myself and I tried...sort of. I have been on all kinds of crazy diets; when I was about 14 two cousins and I decided to go on the diet they put patients on before heart surgery! I lasted all of 1 day...could not stomach the beets or the tuna. I’ve counted fat, calories, carbs, portions you name it. I’ve drank teas, taken prescription diet pills, OTC diet pills, you name it. I’d lose weight but I’d abandon the diet not because I wasn’t dropping pounds but just because I wasn't dropping them fast enough, I was lazy and it wasn’t that big of a deal to me. I liked myself, I was happy with my life the weight wasn’t really in the way so why make myself crazy. Well, in Oct. of 2008 it became a big deal.
I’d gotten bronchitis again and started popping all kinds of OTC cold meds. When it didn’t work I finally gave up and went to the doctor where my blood pressure was sky high and at 273, my weight was higher than it’s ever been in my life! Knowing the history of heart disease and strokes on Mama’s side of the family, the blood pressure scared me big time, but the nurse said that was probably because of the cold meds. I went back a week later and it was a little high (a couple of points) but nothing to worry about. But the weight was still a health issue. Maybe because I was 35 – just 5 months from my 36th birthday – I realized that if I didn’t do something now, I was in serious trouble. I knew something had to change, but I also knew from past experience that pills and fad diets were not the path for me.
First I had to eat right. The couple of bags of chips, you know the ones that say on the label that it’s actually 3 servings – I snacked on at work had to stop. I had to start exercising and walking to the elevator did not count. Eating as much or more than my Pop at dinner was not a good thing. When I thought about everything I had to change I was totally discouraged. There was no way in the world I was gonna do that. What did I do? Get a pint of mint-chocolate chip ice cream and settle in to watch an old movie. There on my television was one of the most beautiful women EVER and one that I’d always wanted to look like – Rita Hayworth. There she was; driving Glenn Ford insane, singing and dancing in “the black” dress...mocking me and my ice cream. Then I had an epiphany...who said I had to change everything at once? Where is it written?
So once I was sure I wasn’t going to die of consumption (still fighting bronchitis), I put the ice cream in the freezer and decided to use yogurt to feed a craving for something sweet. I switched the Doritos for Sun Chips or pretzels. A couple of weeks later, I started eating a kinda-sorta breakfast burrito instead of cereal or leftovers. Then I changed from the frozen lunches I was eating (actually, eating 2 for lunch) to soups. Next step was abandoning the “at work” snacks. That was easier than I thought.
New Year’s Day I got on the scales – I hadn’t even looked at scales since I left the doctor’s office that day in mid-October – and I was 265. That’s the day I started walking. Barely half a mile later and I thought, no, I was sure that my lungs were going to explode, my legs were going to fall off, I was going to die and they could bury me where I dropped. A few weeks later, I added weights and crunches. Did I exercise every day? No, but at least 3 days a week I did something. (I haven't been as) dedicated lately) I took the stairs at work. If I had something for someone, I didn’t use interoffice mail I walked it over to them. Before I knew it, clothes were fitting looser. Pants that I had been wearing comfortably required a belt. I’d bought a pair of jeans for a concert the first week of November. They were a 22 and they fit perfect! I put them on one Saturday afternoon...and they were baggy! BAGGY! I could put them in the dryer and they’d be good for a few hours and after a few months, even that didn’t work. They would literally fall down about mid-hip. I haven’t been able to wear them – even with a belt since July. The last jeans I bought were 18’s. I always envied my Granny because the woman could drop weight simply by deciding to do so and it looks like I may be more like her than I thought.
This is just the first blog here. I’m going to post my “progress” (maybe with pictures) as I go. I don’t have a goal weight, however, I’ve got a pair of 38/32 men’s Wrangler’s hanging up in my bedroom as inspiration. I used to joke that if I got smaller than a size 16, I’d move into Jimmy’s (it’s a 50+ yr old diner here in town) until I got back, but the closer I get, the more I think I might have to reevaluate. I don’t wanna be skinny, not by any stretch of the imagination. I never have. I guess that’s because when I was growing up, I didn’t wanna look like a supermodel. The women I thought were the most beautiful; the ones I wanted to look like weren’t on a runway. I wanted to look like Susan Seaforth Hayes, Suzanne Rogers and Deidra Hall from Days of Our Lives, Rita Hayworth in Gilda, and Jane Russell in anything. Yes, they are women two and three generations before me, but they were gorgeous. They didn’t look like boys or pre-pubescent girls...they looked like women and they had curves for God’s sake!
Do I think that only “real women have curves”? No. And if you do, you’re just as out of your mind as all of those people who think that skinny or thin is "always" healthy. Every woman, every person, is different and will not fit into the same mold. To think so is insane. I’ve lost almost 40 pounds since this time last year because I finally decided to stop dieting and focus on getting healthy instead of losing weight, and that's what I should have done all along. As long as you’re healthy and happy with yourself, the number on the scales or the tag in your clothes shouldn’t matter. Trisha Yearwood released a song a few years back called "Real Live Woman" and the lyrics are...well...perfect. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cn9d8Xi_Cw
REAL LIVE WOMAN (Trisha Yearwood)
I don't buy the lines in magazines
That tell me what I've gotta be
Don't base my life on a movie screen
Don't fit the mold society
Has Planned
I don't need to be 19 years old
Or starve myself for some weight I'm told
Will turn men's heads, been down that road
And I thank God I finally know
Just who I am
I ain't a movie star
May never see the view from where they are
And this old town may be as far as I'm goin'
But what he'll hold tonight in his hands
He swears is so much better than
Anything this old world
Can show him
Cause I'm a real live woman
In love with this man I see lyin' here next to me
Lost in the way that he's holdin'
This real live woman
In the arms of a man where
I'll fall asleep knowin' there's
Nothin' on earth he loves more than
This real live woman
I work 9-5 and I can't relate
To millionaires who somehow fate
Has smiled upon and fortune made their
Common lives a better place to be
Cause I'm a real live woman
In love with this man I see lyin' here next to me
Lost in the way that he's holdin'
This real live woman
In the arms of a man where
I'll fall asleep knowin' there's
Nothin' on earth he loves more than
This real live woman
And I no longer justify
Reasons for the way that I behave
I offer no apologies
For the things that I believe and say
And I like it that way
Cause I'm a real live woman
In love with this man I see lyin' here next to me
Lost in the way that he's holdin'
This real live woman
In the arms of a man where
I'll fall asleep knowin' there's
Nothin' on earth he loves more than
This real live woman
Friday, October 30, 2009
My Ramblings
I've been posting stuff on MySpace for a while now so I thought I'd pull some over here. Some are funny, some are political and all are personal opinions. I'll post the date I posted them elsewhere in the subject/title.
Brandi
Brandi
More to Love/Reality TV (Aug. 2009)
Reality shows are the worst thing to happen to television EVER! I won’t say that I don’t watch reality shows, but usually only if something/someone catches my eye. I watch Dancing with the Stars if there’s someone on there I like (as far as I’m concerned, do-overs to sooth a bruised male ego do not count and Kelly Monaco is and always will be the first DWTS champ and Laila Ali was robbed!) and Survivor after the merge. Unless there’s a really hot guy (Boo Bernis from Fiji comes to mind), then I’m all in. Yes, I’m shallow, but not about important things.
In my opinion, one of the worst of them all has to be the Bachelor/Bachelorette. I’ve watched one episode of The Bachelor and I’ve never watched an episode of The Bachelorette. I could not believe that I was watching these women cry in front of the camera for millions of people to watch, talk about how they’re looking for true love and companionship, who honestly think they can find it in this venue and end up sobbing and miserable when a virtual stranger doesn’t give them a rose. I refuse to blame men, the public, or anyone else for women embarrassing themselves like this and allowing a man to pick them like cattle at auction or a sandwich in a cafeteria line. Don’t they have any pride? Are they so desperate for a man that they humiliate themselves like this?
What does it say about the people who make it appointment viewing? I read somewhere that this highest demographic that watches The Bachelor/Bachelorette is women! My question to them is this; do you enjoy watching other women humiliate themselves? Why? Do you actually think that you can find “twuue wuuve” under these circumstances? Look, I read Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, etc when I was a kid, those were fairy tales. How many marriages have come from these shows? One I think. It’s like the stories of young women who became hookers after watching Pretty Woman because they actually thought they’d find a man like the Richard Gere character who’d “save them”.
Now there’s another show in this vein – More to Love. I know some folks are all excited about this because it’s about plus sized/real sized women, but I don’t think having a dating show about big chicks is necessarily a great thing. It’s only putting them into the same self-demeaning light as every other woman who puts herself on one of these shows. They were acting just like the "skinny girls" on The Bachelor -- crying and all but begging this guy to notice them. When the first five were sent home on the first episode, one girl was sobbing because she felt such a stong connection and knew she could really fall in love with him. WHAT? You just met him! You spent maybe 3 hours in the same room with him and like 15 other women? How can you know you could fall in love with him? I guess the only thing more “entertaining” that watching skinny beautiful women debasing themselves is watching overweight beautiful women do the same. I watched the first episode and was so embarrassed for these women. There were a couple of the women on the show who didn’t come across as so desperate to get a man they’d do just about anything, but I’m guessing that will soon change or they won’t “get the ring back”. In the spirit of full disclosure, I am plus-size, full-size, real-size, BBW, whatever you want to call it. I am about 5’10, weight 240 pounds (down 25 pounds/almost 3 sizes since November) and wear a size 18/20. There were women on this show who were both bigger and smaller than me. I’m comfortable enough with myself that on occasion, I call myself a big-ol-girl and even .. a fat-chick! Mama calls me her farm hand and Amazon.
Yes, dating is harder for women who aren’t “typical”. Basically, if you’re considered overweight, for the most part, you can cast your line in the Lake of Love, and you’re gonna get very few nibbles. The stereotype of an overweight girl/ woman desperate for a boyfriend/husband is prevalent enough do we really need a show like this to make it worse?
Now I’ve never thought of myself as a feminist, but maybe in some ways I am. There is no logical reason why men and women shouldn’t be treated equally in pay, rights and responsibilities. To state that in 2009 seems kind of ludicrous, but I’ve become surprised lately. If I do the same job as a man, have the same educational background and experience, I should get paid the same. Even though my personal beliefs are completely against it, I believe that Roe-v-Wade should stand. I am perfectly capable of taking out my own garbage, killing bugs (for the exception of one that will cause me to do harm to myself trying to get away), moving something, hanging something, changing a tire, and pumping my own gas. I’ve even hung blinds, fixed a sink AND a toilet. All of that having been said, if there’s a man around, I’m going to see if I can get him to do it first! I (and other women my age) tend take for granted some things that generations of women had to fight for; the right to own property, birth control, education, and, the one I feel is most important, the right to vote. I guess you could say I’m a kinda-sorta Feminist...or is that like being a little pregnant?
I don’t have a boyfriend (that sounds so jr. high ). I’d like to have one (that sounds even more jr. high ), but as I've said before, it’s not the prime directive of my existence. Maybe I’m too picky. I've been told by several people who know me that I am Shakespeare’s Beatrice (Much Ado About Nothing), and I take that as a compliment. We watched the movie this weekend and it’s even more obvious now than then! Maybe I have too much pride, but I just can’t imagine myself going on national television and having the man that, in theory, I’m going to spend the rest of my life with, chose me playground style! I would rather spend the rest of my life single than to do that!
My grandmother and all but one of her sisters were born without the right to vote. I can’t imagine that! My point is (yes, there is one) is that in the almost 90 years since women were given the right to vote, we have gotten to the point in front of millions for their entertainment, we will grovel for the attention of a man? What are shows like these teaching our daughters – or our sons for that matter – about love and relationships?
Pig in Cool Mud (April 2009)
There are folks in my life who seem preoccupied with my finding Mr. Right. Though I appreciate their concern, I’m curious. When I’m clearly happy doing what I’m doing and living my life why are they so vexed by my continued single status? For the exception of not finding a new job (looking only because of wanting more money) and buying a house, I’m really pretty much happy as a pig in cool mud. Why? How is that possible…there’s no man in my life? Well, here’s some of the reasons I'm so happy;
· I have a job that, though it doesn’t pay a boat load of money, it’s a heck of a lot more than I used to make and for both of those things, I am thankful. 9 days out of 10 I love going to work, have fun doing what I do, and I enjoy the people I work with.
· I have a car that I love!! It’s in my name and I pay for it. The Dixie Pixie (yes, I’ve named my car) gets amazing gas mileage and looks great to boot! I road trip it with a couple of friends to concerts when the mood and event suit me/us. It’s usually an average 4 hour drive and a cost about $50 each including gas, hotel, tickets and food. True, of late the road trips usually involve going to see Jimmy Wayne, Bucky Covington, Jason Michael Carroll, next month we’re adding Billy Currington to the list and I'm waiting for Joe Nichols to hit the road again (memories and images of shows past, shows to come…someone pass me a bib, a fan and a glass of ice water ). We have a ball and the lion’s share of the fun happens on the way to and from. As it turns out, the shows are just an excuse.
· One of the above mentioned shows I was supposed to be accompanied by a cousin who couldn’t make it and instead of backing out entirely, I went solo and made some great friends that I actually have contact with, if not every day then at least a few times a week. Not just email, online, MySpace, etc, we actually have conversations that don’t require a keyboard and revolve around something other than the shows we’ve been to, are going to, or the people we’ve gone to see. Shocking, I know, but it’s true!
· I AM SINGLE! I come and go as I please, I don’t have to ask permission/clear it with someone to go somewhere, do something, buy something, or make plans. All I really need to worry about is making the room in my budget and/or getting the day off. If that’s done, I am good to go!
· I don’t have to worry about being with someone who shows me blatant disrespect, talks to or treats me like a second class citizen or berates me for what I do or what he thinks I should be doing.
· I have a crown that I made for myself because I deserved it. According to “THE Sweet Potato Queen” Jill Conner Brown – and I have no reason to doubt her -- every woman deserves a crown. You can buy one, but then you run the risk of someone that you don’t know or, even worse, someone you don’t like, having one like yours. Do what I did…get the stuff and make it your ownself. Then you can be sure that unless you make one for someone else, you’ll have the only one like it. Just like a smile on your face -- if you don’t have a crown it’s your own fault.
For as long as I can remember, people who love me have busied themselves with me having or getting a husband or why I didn’t have a boyfriend or husband to the point of once even signing me up for…wait for it…a dating service! I’m sure all the talk about me finding Mr. Right is rooted in a desire for me to be happy, but why is my getting married such a big deal for them? Would I like to have “someone”? Yeah, sure, I don’t think anyone aspires to be single forever, but having a man attached to me has never been the end all/be all of my life and probably never will be. To be honest, when I look at the men I meet as well as the past and present husbands/boyfriends of some of the folks who are constantly telling me to find Mr. Right, I think I’d rather be single than have to deal with some of the crap I see or have to put up with what they’ve been through. I know all men aren’t pigs or punks, but let me tell you, the pickings are mighty slim and mostly what I’ve encountered is what the wise and wonderful Prothro would call “chofer lips”.
Maureen Dowd, an op-ed write for the New York Times (I can’t believe I’m quoting a writer from the NYT) said “The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for.” Well, I’m 36 years old and I refuse to do something life changing simply because it’s expected. To me, that would be settling. I came close to it before and I don't plan to do it again. I didn’t, and won’t get married because it’s what I'm supposed to do by a certain age, to get out of the house or any other reason except because it’s what I want, because in my mind, that would be settling.
Maybe I sound selfish, self-centered or something else of that nature, but the fact of the matter is that the most important thing is that right now, for me anyway, is that I‘m happy with the way things are. I do thank you for your love and concern for my happiness and if you love me as much as I know you do, you should be tickled pink that I’m as happy as I am and be just as happy for me. When I stop being happy, rest assured…then I’ll do something about it. Until then worry not, loved ones, I am just fine!
· I have a job that, though it doesn’t pay a boat load of money, it’s a heck of a lot more than I used to make and for both of those things, I am thankful. 9 days out of 10 I love going to work, have fun doing what I do, and I enjoy the people I work with.
· I have a car that I love!! It’s in my name and I pay for it. The Dixie Pixie (yes, I’ve named my car) gets amazing gas mileage and looks great to boot! I road trip it with a couple of friends to concerts when the mood and event suit me/us. It’s usually an average 4 hour drive and a cost about $50 each including gas, hotel, tickets and food. True, of late the road trips usually involve going to see Jimmy Wayne, Bucky Covington, Jason Michael Carroll, next month we’re adding Billy Currington to the list and I'm waiting for Joe Nichols to hit the road again (memories and images of shows past, shows to come…someone pass me a bib, a fan and a glass of ice water ). We have a ball and the lion’s share of the fun happens on the way to and from. As it turns out, the shows are just an excuse.
· One of the above mentioned shows I was supposed to be accompanied by a cousin who couldn’t make it and instead of backing out entirely, I went solo and made some great friends that I actually have contact with, if not every day then at least a few times a week. Not just email, online, MySpace, etc, we actually have conversations that don’t require a keyboard and revolve around something other than the shows we’ve been to, are going to, or the people we’ve gone to see. Shocking, I know, but it’s true!
· I AM SINGLE! I come and go as I please, I don’t have to ask permission/clear it with someone to go somewhere, do something, buy something, or make plans. All I really need to worry about is making the room in my budget and/or getting the day off. If that’s done, I am good to go!
· I don’t have to worry about being with someone who shows me blatant disrespect, talks to or treats me like a second class citizen or berates me for what I do or what he thinks I should be doing.
· I have a crown that I made for myself because I deserved it. According to “THE Sweet Potato Queen” Jill Conner Brown – and I have no reason to doubt her -- every woman deserves a crown. You can buy one, but then you run the risk of someone that you don’t know or, even worse, someone you don’t like, having one like yours. Do what I did…get the stuff and make it your ownself. Then you can be sure that unless you make one for someone else, you’ll have the only one like it. Just like a smile on your face -- if you don’t have a crown it’s your own fault.
For as long as I can remember, people who love me have busied themselves with me having or getting a husband or why I didn’t have a boyfriend or husband to the point of once even signing me up for…wait for it…a dating service! I’m sure all the talk about me finding Mr. Right is rooted in a desire for me to be happy, but why is my getting married such a big deal for them? Would I like to have “someone”? Yeah, sure, I don’t think anyone aspires to be single forever, but having a man attached to me has never been the end all/be all of my life and probably never will be. To be honest, when I look at the men I meet as well as the past and present husbands/boyfriends of some of the folks who are constantly telling me to find Mr. Right, I think I’d rather be single than have to deal with some of the crap I see or have to put up with what they’ve been through. I know all men aren’t pigs or punks, but let me tell you, the pickings are mighty slim and mostly what I’ve encountered is what the wise and wonderful Prothro would call “chofer lips”.
Maureen Dowd, an op-ed write for the New York Times (I can’t believe I’m quoting a writer from the NYT) said “The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for.” Well, I’m 36 years old and I refuse to do something life changing simply because it’s expected. To me, that would be settling. I came close to it before and I don't plan to do it again. I didn’t, and won’t get married because it’s what I'm supposed to do by a certain age, to get out of the house or any other reason except because it’s what I want, because in my mind, that would be settling.
Maybe I sound selfish, self-centered or something else of that nature, but the fact of the matter is that the most important thing is that right now, for me anyway, is that I‘m happy with the way things are. I do thank you for your love and concern for my happiness and if you love me as much as I know you do, you should be tickled pink that I’m as happy as I am and be just as happy for me. When I stop being happy, rest assured…then I’ll do something about it. Until then worry not, loved ones, I am just fine!
RIP: Ed, Farrah & Michael (June 2009)
I'm doing something I don't normally do when I post something...just free write. As a rule, I start with an idea of how I want it to sound, where I want it to go then I write it, check it, edit it, etc. I'm not doing that tonight because I just wanted to put it out there. No, I am not emotional distraught over the deaths of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson. Upset yes, Distraught, no. These wre people I grew up watching that in some shape or fashion had an impact on my life. One thing I hate when a celebrity dies is that by the time the funeral comes around, they're nearly ready to be nominated for sainthood. I so hate that. they were imperfect, flawed and human.This is gonna be one of those days, especially for folks of my generation, as a “do you remember” day. Not on the scale of 9/11 or Hurricane Katrina or something, but a day that will stick with us. There are a very few celebrities that I can remember where I was when I found out they died. Bette Davis, Rita Hayworth, River Phoenix, Brandon Lee, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Michael Landon are the ones that come to mind. I remember the day Elvis died as if it were yesterday. I was 4 but it is so clear in my mind I runs like a movie. Aside from Elvis, the day Katherine Hepburn died sticks with me. I grew up wanting to be just like her; confident, strong minded, opinionated.
Like everyone else, I’m still trying to absorb the events of the day. After a lousy night’s sleep, I started the day at about half power and as I walked out the front door heading to work, my sunglasses fogged up and I tripped and fell into the front of my car and I thought, can this day get any worse? Well, it did. By the end of the day and within a few hours two icons –Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson – were gone just days after Ed McMahon. I grew up watching the Tonight Show and stealing Johnny’s jokes and even Ed’s comebacks because as everyone knows, no funnyman is funny without a great straight man and Ed McMahon was the best. All I can think now is that Johnny’s pretty happy to have his old friend on his right side and that Fred De Cordova is producing a new episode of “The Tonight Show” with a couple of special guests.
I can't say I was surprised when Ed died. The last few times I’d seen him, he looked pretty rough, he was up there in age so it was, in a way, expected. The Labor Day Telethon on't be the same this year without him. I didn’t expect Farrah to die. Ok, let me rephrase that. I didn’t want her to die. Even though they’re scarce, I’d really hoped and prayed for a miracle for her. She was the “It” girl of the 70’s and everyone in the world has seen “the poster”. Her hair was more famous that Jennifer Aniston’s hair. If you think about it, Farrah’s hair was more famous than Jennifer! When she married Lee Majors in, 73 or 74, they were the super couple, and in the “I Am Woman” vibe of the decade, I don't think the feminists were happy when she changed her name to Farrah Fawcett-Majors. Unfortunately, she became known more for her hair and her looks instead of for something that people who considered themselves fans knew about—her talent. Don’t believe me? Watch The Burning Bed, Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story, or Margaret Bourke-White. The woman had chops and I watch her every chance I get. When Michael Landon announced that he had cancer my uncle said “Oh he’ll be fine, he’s got plenty of money.”Cancer is something that no one is safe from, no one is immune and anyone can succumb to it, and now Farrah Fawcett is another name added to that list.
The one that no one saw coming, that has shocked everyone was the death of Michael Jackson. I can remember staying up to watch the premier of the video for Thriller, not on MTV, but on – you might wanna sit down for this– Friday Night Videos! Yes, kiddies, back in the day there were other video outlets besides MTV. Friday Night Videos, Night Tracks, I think there was another one too. (Those were the days when videos were actually about the song or the group/singer and not a challenge to see how many half-nekkid bodies they could get in a single shot, but I digress).When they released “The Making Of Thriller” it was a party at our house. I'm pretty sure it was Spring Break weekend and Aunt Katie rented it and we piled up in the living room (because granny was just as big of a Michael Jackson fan as we were), ordered pizza and watched it all weekend. We rented it several times and in spite of the fact it was one of the most popular video rentals, Manuel always seemed to have a copy when we wanted it. I’ve always suspected he kept a secret copy behind the counter for us, but I can’t be sure. I can’t believe I’m about to use these words, but in the early days of music videos there were 2 powerhouse acts you knew without a doubt would deliver the best video possible and Michael Jackson was one of them (Duran Duran being the other). He was one of the organizers and writers of We Are the World he was involved in Live Aid. Michael Jackson was at the center of music and pop culture in the 80’s. Period, end of sentence. I don’t know a girl who wasn’t crazy about him, a boy who didn’t wanna dance like him (we all saw those boys trying desperately to moonwalk down the halls in school).That having been said, I haven’t been a fan of his newer music in a very long time. I think the last thing he did that I enjoyed was Bad. I don’t know what happened to him. I don’t think anyone does, and I hated it. His influence is undeniable and it will forever be felt.
Once the radical plastic surgeries began, it seemed like not only could we not recognize Michael, he couldn’t recognize himself. Sometimes I thought that maybe that was the plan…he didn’t want to see himself. To call to mind the title of one of his songs, maybe he was trying to hide from the man in the mirror. I felt sorry for Michael Jackson. Here he was; one of the richest men in the world, He had fame, he had fortune and he could buy anything in the world he wanted and I felt sorry for him. Because the one thing he couldn’t buy, even with all of the money he had, was the ability for his life to be his own. From the time he was a child, he was famous. I can’t imagine living like that, and he knew nothing else.
The comparisons are being made to Elvis and on one hand it drives me crazy because there never has been, never will be another Elvis. But when I look at it objectively, I can understand. They both changed music in their own way. They had someone managing their careers (for the most part) who didn’t just manage it, they controlled it and by extension, controlled Elvis and Michael respectively. They reached and sustained a level of fame and adoration that few, if any, do. They both got caught up in their fame and had no way out. They were prisoners of that fame and adoration. Kenny Chesney said in an interview once that if his life became like Elvis’ he’d just get on his boat and float away, “…That's all Elvis needed -- a boat." Maybe instead of buying Neverland Michael Jackson should have just bought a boat.
Like everyone else, I’m still trying to absorb the events of the day. After a lousy night’s sleep, I started the day at about half power and as I walked out the front door heading to work, my sunglasses fogged up and I tripped and fell into the front of my car and I thought, can this day get any worse? Well, it did. By the end of the day and within a few hours two icons –Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson – were gone just days after Ed McMahon. I grew up watching the Tonight Show and stealing Johnny’s jokes and even Ed’s comebacks because as everyone knows, no funnyman is funny without a great straight man and Ed McMahon was the best. All I can think now is that Johnny’s pretty happy to have his old friend on his right side and that Fred De Cordova is producing a new episode of “The Tonight Show” with a couple of special guests.
I can't say I was surprised when Ed died. The last few times I’d seen him, he looked pretty rough, he was up there in age so it was, in a way, expected. The Labor Day Telethon on't be the same this year without him. I didn’t expect Farrah to die. Ok, let me rephrase that. I didn’t want her to die. Even though they’re scarce, I’d really hoped and prayed for a miracle for her. She was the “It” girl of the 70’s and everyone in the world has seen “the poster”. Her hair was more famous that Jennifer Aniston’s hair. If you think about it, Farrah’s hair was more famous than Jennifer! When she married Lee Majors in, 73 or 74, they were the super couple, and in the “I Am Woman” vibe of the decade, I don't think the feminists were happy when she changed her name to Farrah Fawcett-Majors. Unfortunately, she became known more for her hair and her looks instead of for something that people who considered themselves fans knew about—her talent. Don’t believe me? Watch The Burning Bed, Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story, or Margaret Bourke-White. The woman had chops and I watch her every chance I get. When Michael Landon announced that he had cancer my uncle said “Oh he’ll be fine, he’s got plenty of money.”Cancer is something that no one is safe from, no one is immune and anyone can succumb to it, and now Farrah Fawcett is another name added to that list.
The one that no one saw coming, that has shocked everyone was the death of Michael Jackson. I can remember staying up to watch the premier of the video for Thriller, not on MTV, but on – you might wanna sit down for this– Friday Night Videos! Yes, kiddies, back in the day there were other video outlets besides MTV. Friday Night Videos, Night Tracks, I think there was another one too. (Those were the days when videos were actually about the song or the group/singer and not a challenge to see how many half-nekkid bodies they could get in a single shot, but I digress).When they released “The Making Of Thriller” it was a party at our house. I'm pretty sure it was Spring Break weekend and Aunt Katie rented it and we piled up in the living room (because granny was just as big of a Michael Jackson fan as we were), ordered pizza and watched it all weekend. We rented it several times and in spite of the fact it was one of the most popular video rentals, Manuel always seemed to have a copy when we wanted it. I’ve always suspected he kept a secret copy behind the counter for us, but I can’t be sure. I can’t believe I’m about to use these words, but in the early days of music videos there were 2 powerhouse acts you knew without a doubt would deliver the best video possible and Michael Jackson was one of them (Duran Duran being the other). He was one of the organizers and writers of We Are the World he was involved in Live Aid. Michael Jackson was at the center of music and pop culture in the 80’s. Period, end of sentence. I don’t know a girl who wasn’t crazy about him, a boy who didn’t wanna dance like him (we all saw those boys trying desperately to moonwalk down the halls in school).That having been said, I haven’t been a fan of his newer music in a very long time. I think the last thing he did that I enjoyed was Bad. I don’t know what happened to him. I don’t think anyone does, and I hated it. His influence is undeniable and it will forever be felt.
Once the radical plastic surgeries began, it seemed like not only could we not recognize Michael, he couldn’t recognize himself. Sometimes I thought that maybe that was the plan…he didn’t want to see himself. To call to mind the title of one of his songs, maybe he was trying to hide from the man in the mirror. I felt sorry for Michael Jackson. Here he was; one of the richest men in the world, He had fame, he had fortune and he could buy anything in the world he wanted and I felt sorry for him. Because the one thing he couldn’t buy, even with all of the money he had, was the ability for his life to be his own. From the time he was a child, he was famous. I can’t imagine living like that, and he knew nothing else.
The comparisons are being made to Elvis and on one hand it drives me crazy because there never has been, never will be another Elvis. But when I look at it objectively, I can understand. They both changed music in their own way. They had someone managing their careers (for the most part) who didn’t just manage it, they controlled it and by extension, controlled Elvis and Michael respectively. They reached and sustained a level of fame and adoration that few, if any, do. They both got caught up in their fame and had no way out. They were prisoners of that fame and adoration. Kenny Chesney said in an interview once that if his life became like Elvis’ he’d just get on his boat and float away, “…That's all Elvis needed -- a boat." Maybe instead of buying Neverland Michael Jackson should have just bought a boat.
Birthday Blog (March 2009)
IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!! I don’t usually make a big production out of my birthday, and this year’s no different. No party, no big hoo-haa. But if you feel moved to do something special to mark the day, plug in some Cher or Elvis and dance around in my name. Also, gift cards to Lane Bryant are always adored!
When your birthday rolls around, do you think about where you were and what you were doing on your birthday last year? How things, and you, have changed in the last year? I do. It’s been a great year. Ok, 90-95% great, but really, who has a perfect anything. Unless you’re Deidra Hall, but she’s like Elvis; they shouldn’t factor in with the rest of us mere mortals…throws off the curve. Besides, I can’t be her and I’ll never find a copy of him, so I’ve given up on both. I guess with some age does come some wisdom.
In all seriousness, even though there have been some not-so-great events, I’ve really had a ball this past year. Part of the not so great part is that I was told by an honest mortgage broker (yes they’re out there, call me I’ll give you his number) that I’ve got to get a different job before I can buy a house, and right now, there’s not much out there, so no new house for Brandi in the near future.
Also under the seriously not-so-great heading, Patrick is in either Iraq or Afghanistan and has been since the end of January. Unlike before, there’s no computer hook up where he’s at so that means no emails, no im’s to let me know my baby brother is ok. I love that little imp and I can’t wait to get him home.
Most of ya’ll know that Daddy died in December. Sis told me that I needed “closure” with Daddy and all the stuff that had happened, or rather, had not happened, over the years and she said that when it was over, I’d wish I had. I thought, well, maybe, but I doubt it. Either way, I’ve made my decision and Vashti will not budge once her mind is made up. Hate to disappoint you, but I know myself better than you do (shocker huh) and I’m good. Rest assured, if the fates prove you right and someday I wish I had, I’ll let you know.
Even though it didn’t “hit me” like everyone swore it would, it did affect me. My step-mother lost her husband, my sister and brother lost their father, my aunts & uncles lost their brother, my cousins lost their uncle…people I care about lost someone they loved. My heart hurt for Uncle Ralph and Uncle Jim when they talked about not just losing a brother-in-law, but a friend, Uncle Ralph especially because they had been so close for so long. I will admit though, it was funny how in talking about his children they talked about Patrick and Brittany, but somehow, I got left out. C’mon gentlemen…I’m a big ol’ girl…how can ya miss me!
As cold as it may sound, the thing that worried me the most about Daddy’s condition was knowing that Patrick was about to be deployed, and that he’d be sent into a war zone wondering if his father was going to die. But fate stepped in and he was home got to spend time with Daddy before the end and for that I am eternally grateful. I loved Daddy because he was my Daddy. But the bottom line is that we weren’t close and the responsibility for that, to a certain degree, lay at both our feet. He was my Daddy and I see that, every time I look in the mirror. I have my father’s eyes. Besides, he gave me 2 of the best things ever…a great kid brother and an amazing head of hair.
Ok, now onto the good stuff!
We’ve officially started on the house! The slab was poured this past weekend and the living room is gonna be huge – 2, maybe 3 times the size of the living room nowIt’s a family reunion year! I’m really excited about that. I’ll admit that I love the actual event more than pretty much anything, but the planning is a lot of fun. A lot of work, but a lot of fun.
I have turned into a road trippin’ fool – the Pixie had had some miles put on her and there’s more in the future – 2 coming up in this month. On the first one in November, I met some folks and made some great new friends. One of which, I’m trying to figure out how even though we grew up totally different, how we have so much in common. There’s about 15 pounds less of me than there was in November – those cute jeans I bought to wear to the Peanut Festival that fit so good now look like a family of illegal aliens moved out – and there’s probably even more less (does that make sense) of me than there was on my last birthday. In fact, I’m sitting here in my “Elvis” jeans – black jeans with rhinestones on the legs that I haven’t work in about 4 1/2 – 5 years. Getting into these jeans was my goal #1. I don’t have a goal #2 because I had no idea when I’d get to goal #1.
Sis was telling me the other day about a conversation they had with Kayleigh’s counselor and from what I understood, not only would she be able to graduate a year early (she’s not, wants to grad with her pals) but because of her grades, she’s eligible for all kinds of scholarships and can pretty much write her own ticket. This only confirms what I’ve always believed…the kid’s the sharpest knife in the drawer. I am so proud of her it’s not funny. The idea that in less than year, she’s going to be 18 just blows my mind. I could have sworn we took her to her first day of kindergarten last August (I was a wreck that day). Aunt Katie (Kayleigh’s Grandmother) sent me a card and she said, “I can't believe how fast you girls are passing by the birthdays.” Yep…I get it now.
I know some folks who worry about getting older, but we’ve often quoted my Aunt Myrtle, “I can’t help getting older, but I don’t have to get old.”I said something the other day at work about being 36 and one of the students who was standing around said, “I can’t believe you just said that?” I asked what, and he said, “ Most women get cagy about how old they are, but you just put it out there.” Well why not? Forget this 18 or 21 years old with ___ of years experience. Nope, I’m here and like the old ladies I grew up watching, I’m just getting better. It’s usually women who fret about it, but I’ll never forget when Alan turned 30. Me, being me and loving Big Al like I do (and I mean that), came home with black balloons, I think a black cake was involved…and he looked at me and said, “You’ll be 30 one day too.” To which I replied, “Yeah Al, but you’ll be 35!” He didn’t but I swear he wanted to smack me, at the least throw something at me. How did what started out being an “All About Me” post turn out to be about everybody else? Easy. Even though it’s my birthday this year wouldn’t have been what it was, for better or worse, because of all ya’ll.
Do I have a plan for this year…you betcha! I’m gonna have the time of my life. I promise you, I will have an even better year and the “year in review March 2010” will be the icing on the cake only to be topped by “year in review March 2011”. I plan to put a bow in my hair, a crown on my head and do my best to have the best stories to tell in the old folks home when the time comes. Why not?
The thing to remember is that we’re gonna get old and when we do all we’ll have are the memories we make now, and not just the ones we make for ourselves, but the ones we leave with others. We’re all gonna die someday and when you die, the people – especially the kids in your life – you leave behind need to remember 3 things; how much you loved them, the things you taught them, and how much you loved life. Except for coffee cups, neither Granny nor any of the old ladies left me anything tangible but everyone of them; Granny, Mother, Granny Webb, Aunt Myrtle, Aunt Abbie, Aunt Helen Evans, Aunt Cedar, Aunt Dorice and God knows Aunt Mary – left me with the best memories of a bunch of old girls who would do or say anything (only Aunt Dorice tried to be kind all of the time), who told what was right and wrong, but most of all, that they loved me. Someday, when I kick off, I hope I can leave any of the kids who call me Buddy or Aunt Brandi with memories that are half as happy, crazy, loving or sweet as the ones I have, then I’ve done my job and I’m good to go.
When your birthday rolls around, do you think about where you were and what you were doing on your birthday last year? How things, and you, have changed in the last year? I do. It’s been a great year. Ok, 90-95% great, but really, who has a perfect anything. Unless you’re Deidra Hall, but she’s like Elvis; they shouldn’t factor in with the rest of us mere mortals…throws off the curve. Besides, I can’t be her and I’ll never find a copy of him, so I’ve given up on both. I guess with some age does come some wisdom.
In all seriousness, even though there have been some not-so-great events, I’ve really had a ball this past year. Part of the not so great part is that I was told by an honest mortgage broker (yes they’re out there, call me I’ll give you his number) that I’ve got to get a different job before I can buy a house, and right now, there’s not much out there, so no new house for Brandi in the near future.
Also under the seriously not-so-great heading, Patrick is in either Iraq or Afghanistan and has been since the end of January. Unlike before, there’s no computer hook up where he’s at so that means no emails, no im’s to let me know my baby brother is ok. I love that little imp and I can’t wait to get him home.
Most of ya’ll know that Daddy died in December. Sis told me that I needed “closure” with Daddy and all the stuff that had happened, or rather, had not happened, over the years and she said that when it was over, I’d wish I had. I thought, well, maybe, but I doubt it. Either way, I’ve made my decision and Vashti will not budge once her mind is made up. Hate to disappoint you, but I know myself better than you do (shocker huh) and I’m good. Rest assured, if the fates prove you right and someday I wish I had, I’ll let you know.
Even though it didn’t “hit me” like everyone swore it would, it did affect me. My step-mother lost her husband, my sister and brother lost their father, my aunts & uncles lost their brother, my cousins lost their uncle…people I care about lost someone they loved. My heart hurt for Uncle Ralph and Uncle Jim when they talked about not just losing a brother-in-law, but a friend, Uncle Ralph especially because they had been so close for so long. I will admit though, it was funny how in talking about his children they talked about Patrick and Brittany, but somehow, I got left out. C’mon gentlemen…I’m a big ol’ girl…how can ya miss me!
As cold as it may sound, the thing that worried me the most about Daddy’s condition was knowing that Patrick was about to be deployed, and that he’d be sent into a war zone wondering if his father was going to die. But fate stepped in and he was home got to spend time with Daddy before the end and for that I am eternally grateful. I loved Daddy because he was my Daddy. But the bottom line is that we weren’t close and the responsibility for that, to a certain degree, lay at both our feet. He was my Daddy and I see that, every time I look in the mirror. I have my father’s eyes. Besides, he gave me 2 of the best things ever…a great kid brother and an amazing head of hair.
Ok, now onto the good stuff!
We’ve officially started on the house! The slab was poured this past weekend and the living room is gonna be huge – 2, maybe 3 times the size of the living room nowIt’s a family reunion year! I’m really excited about that. I’ll admit that I love the actual event more than pretty much anything, but the planning is a lot of fun. A lot of work, but a lot of fun.
I have turned into a road trippin’ fool – the Pixie had had some miles put on her and there’s more in the future – 2 coming up in this month. On the first one in November, I met some folks and made some great new friends. One of which, I’m trying to figure out how even though we grew up totally different, how we have so much in common. There’s about 15 pounds less of me than there was in November – those cute jeans I bought to wear to the Peanut Festival that fit so good now look like a family of illegal aliens moved out – and there’s probably even more less (does that make sense) of me than there was on my last birthday. In fact, I’m sitting here in my “Elvis” jeans – black jeans with rhinestones on the legs that I haven’t work in about 4 1/2 – 5 years. Getting into these jeans was my goal #1. I don’t have a goal #2 because I had no idea when I’d get to goal #1.
Sis was telling me the other day about a conversation they had with Kayleigh’s counselor and from what I understood, not only would she be able to graduate a year early (she’s not, wants to grad with her pals) but because of her grades, she’s eligible for all kinds of scholarships and can pretty much write her own ticket. This only confirms what I’ve always believed…the kid’s the sharpest knife in the drawer. I am so proud of her it’s not funny. The idea that in less than year, she’s going to be 18 just blows my mind. I could have sworn we took her to her first day of kindergarten last August (I was a wreck that day). Aunt Katie (Kayleigh’s Grandmother) sent me a card and she said, “I can't believe how fast you girls are passing by the birthdays.” Yep…I get it now.
I know some folks who worry about getting older, but we’ve often quoted my Aunt Myrtle, “I can’t help getting older, but I don’t have to get old.”I said something the other day at work about being 36 and one of the students who was standing around said, “I can’t believe you just said that?” I asked what, and he said, “ Most women get cagy about how old they are, but you just put it out there.” Well why not? Forget this 18 or 21 years old with ___ of years experience. Nope, I’m here and like the old ladies I grew up watching, I’m just getting better. It’s usually women who fret about it, but I’ll never forget when Alan turned 30. Me, being me and loving Big Al like I do (and I mean that), came home with black balloons, I think a black cake was involved…and he looked at me and said, “You’ll be 30 one day too.” To which I replied, “Yeah Al, but you’ll be 35!” He didn’t but I swear he wanted to smack me, at the least throw something at me. How did what started out being an “All About Me” post turn out to be about everybody else? Easy. Even though it’s my birthday this year wouldn’t have been what it was, for better or worse, because of all ya’ll.
Do I have a plan for this year…you betcha! I’m gonna have the time of my life. I promise you, I will have an even better year and the “year in review March 2010” will be the icing on the cake only to be topped by “year in review March 2011”. I plan to put a bow in my hair, a crown on my head and do my best to have the best stories to tell in the old folks home when the time comes. Why not?
The thing to remember is that we’re gonna get old and when we do all we’ll have are the memories we make now, and not just the ones we make for ourselves, but the ones we leave with others. We’re all gonna die someday and when you die, the people – especially the kids in your life – you leave behind need to remember 3 things; how much you loved them, the things you taught them, and how much you loved life. Except for coffee cups, neither Granny nor any of the old ladies left me anything tangible but everyone of them; Granny, Mother, Granny Webb, Aunt Myrtle, Aunt Abbie, Aunt Helen Evans, Aunt Cedar, Aunt Dorice and God knows Aunt Mary – left me with the best memories of a bunch of old girls who would do or say anything (only Aunt Dorice tried to be kind all of the time), who told what was right and wrong, but most of all, that they loved me. Someday, when I kick off, I hope I can leave any of the kids who call me Buddy or Aunt Brandi with memories that are half as happy, crazy, loving or sweet as the ones I have, then I’ve done my job and I’m good to go.
New President (Jan. 2009)
Well, by the time this is posted, we’ll have a new President. I didn’t watch the Inauguration, but then again, I don’t make a habit of watching them. I didn’t vote for him, but he’s my President just the same. One thing that annoyed me to no end were the Bush haters who walked around, “I didn’t vote for him, I didn’t choose him…he’s not MY President.” How stupid is that? You’re an American citizen, he is your President. You may not like him, you may not agree with all or any of his policies, but as long as you are an American citizen, yes, jackass, he IS your President.
I don’t believe that Pres. George W. Bush, thought not blame free, is completely to blame for the current situation our country is in. There were others involved – both Democrat and Republican – who either blocked or passed regulations and policies that got us to the point we’re in today. And just as one man isn’t responsible for getting us into our current hole, one man cannot get us out. The idea that President Obama will save us from the crisis we’re in and solve all of our problems and have us living in Utopia quicker than you can sing “We Are the World” is ludicrous, but there are folks who think, believe and KNOW he can. As my Granny used to say, “Mark my words…”, they, not the McCain supporters, not even the far right, will be the first ones to complain about what President Obama has not done, what campaign promises he failed to keep or how he’s changed his position on a “critical issue” and crossed over to the dark side. He will be disparaged by those who prior to his swearing in, we’re singing his praises the loudest.
I have all the respect in the world for President Barack Obama. He’s an intelligent, educated man who has chosen to put his not only life, but the lives of his family, on the line to hold this office. To be our hero when things are wonderful and be the whipping boy for the country when things are in the crapper. Like every other man elected to the Office of the President, Barack Obama will have to, as Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet,”… suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune…”
Like I said, I didn’t vote for Obama, I don’t agree with his platform or plans he has said that he has for this country, and I’m hoping that the combination of the advice of the group of people he’s chosen for his cabinet and common sense will override his Socialist/Communist leanings and he will do what is truly best for this country. Change is his buzz word, but what kind of change? Is change just for the sake of change a positive thing? Losing your job, your home, your family is a change, but is it a good one.
I can appreciate the history of this past presidential race and especially this moment. I know what it means for this country. For the first time, we had a woman (though I didn’t agree with her either) running for the Office of the President. I think about the fact that my Granny and all of her sisters, were born without the right to vote. Can you imagine being told that you can’t have a voice in who your leaders are? That you have to live and obey the laws of the land, but you have no say in what those laws and policies are that you're required to live by? I can’t. Very few, if any at all, can. Like it or not, agree with it or not, but now because of this election and because of the events of this day, there is no excuse for anyone to say,” I can’t because…”
Our job as Americans is to support and pray for our country and her leaders. Disagree with them, challenge them, question them, hold their feet to the fire, but the bottom line is that for this country to succeed and survive, we must, not should, but MUST support our leaders. That having been said…good luck and God bless MY President, Barack Obama, and God bless the USA!
I don’t believe that Pres. George W. Bush, thought not blame free, is completely to blame for the current situation our country is in. There were others involved – both Democrat and Republican – who either blocked or passed regulations and policies that got us to the point we’re in today. And just as one man isn’t responsible for getting us into our current hole, one man cannot get us out. The idea that President Obama will save us from the crisis we’re in and solve all of our problems and have us living in Utopia quicker than you can sing “We Are the World” is ludicrous, but there are folks who think, believe and KNOW he can. As my Granny used to say, “Mark my words…”, they, not the McCain supporters, not even the far right, will be the first ones to complain about what President Obama has not done, what campaign promises he failed to keep or how he’s changed his position on a “critical issue” and crossed over to the dark side. He will be disparaged by those who prior to his swearing in, we’re singing his praises the loudest.
I have all the respect in the world for President Barack Obama. He’s an intelligent, educated man who has chosen to put his not only life, but the lives of his family, on the line to hold this office. To be our hero when things are wonderful and be the whipping boy for the country when things are in the crapper. Like every other man elected to the Office of the President, Barack Obama will have to, as Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet,”… suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune…”
Like I said, I didn’t vote for Obama, I don’t agree with his platform or plans he has said that he has for this country, and I’m hoping that the combination of the advice of the group of people he’s chosen for his cabinet and common sense will override his Socialist/Communist leanings and he will do what is truly best for this country. Change is his buzz word, but what kind of change? Is change just for the sake of change a positive thing? Losing your job, your home, your family is a change, but is it a good one.
I can appreciate the history of this past presidential race and especially this moment. I know what it means for this country. For the first time, we had a woman (though I didn’t agree with her either) running for the Office of the President. I think about the fact that my Granny and all of her sisters, were born without the right to vote. Can you imagine being told that you can’t have a voice in who your leaders are? That you have to live and obey the laws of the land, but you have no say in what those laws and policies are that you're required to live by? I can’t. Very few, if any at all, can. Like it or not, agree with it or not, but now because of this election and because of the events of this day, there is no excuse for anyone to say,” I can’t because…”
Our job as Americans is to support and pray for our country and her leaders. Disagree with them, challenge them, question them, hold their feet to the fire, but the bottom line is that for this country to succeed and survive, we must, not should, but MUST support our leaders. That having been said…good luck and God bless MY President, Barack Obama, and God bless the USA!
End of the year (Dec 2008)
I’m sitting at my desk thinking about the fact that 2008 is all but over and it just blows my mind. I know it’s December 16th, so it may be a little early to be talking about the end of the year, but we’re less than 2 weeks from Christmas which means the end of the year is almost here…where has it gone! Since Kayleigh was born in ’91, time has seemed to just fly by. Sometimes I wonder if it’s just me.
When you realize how fast the year has gone by, you start to wonder (at least I do) what did you do with it. Are you happier now than you were last year? Did you have more fun in 2008? If not, then what are you gonna do in 2009 to answer yes to those questions this time next year? I don’t mean New Year’s resolutions because those are forgotten by the end of January…mid-February if you’re really careful. I’m not talking about changing the whole world, just yours.
Maybe asking are you happier/did you have more fun come across as shallow, but think about it, if you’re not happy, it doesn’t matter where you go, where you live, how much money you make, or what kind of stuff you have, you’re not happy, so what’s the point. Also, not to sound like I’m about to break in to a chorus of Kum Ba Yah, but the happier you are, I can guarantee you, things will seem better, even if they’re not it’ll be easier to get through. Not only that, the people around you will be in a better frame of mind. It’s hard to stay grumpy when you got someone in front of or around you that’s laughing, smiling and sprinkling virtual Pixie Dust all over the place. Don’t believe me? Ask the people I work with, I drive them nuts sometimes.
For the record, yeah, I’m happier and I’ve had more fun. I’d hoped that I’d be ringing in the new year in my own house, but that didn’t happen. So, I’ve got to find a new job (not as easy as I’d hoped it would be), so maybe it’ll happen next year, that’s the plan anyway. Then again, we make plans and God laughs, so we’ll see how that goes. The reunion is set for next November and I’m hoping that the turnout is as big, if not bigger, than the last one. A couple of road trips are in the works with some new a friend and if past experience is any indication, it should prove to be quite memorable, and I’m hoping to make new friends along the way. Can’t have too many friends, can you?
When you realize how fast the year has gone by, you start to wonder (at least I do) what did you do with it. Are you happier now than you were last year? Did you have more fun in 2008? If not, then what are you gonna do in 2009 to answer yes to those questions this time next year? I don’t mean New Year’s resolutions because those are forgotten by the end of January…mid-February if you’re really careful. I’m not talking about changing the whole world, just yours.
Maybe asking are you happier/did you have more fun come across as shallow, but think about it, if you’re not happy, it doesn’t matter where you go, where you live, how much money you make, or what kind of stuff you have, you’re not happy, so what’s the point. Also, not to sound like I’m about to break in to a chorus of Kum Ba Yah, but the happier you are, I can guarantee you, things will seem better, even if they’re not it’ll be easier to get through. Not only that, the people around you will be in a better frame of mind. It’s hard to stay grumpy when you got someone in front of or around you that’s laughing, smiling and sprinkling virtual Pixie Dust all over the place. Don’t believe me? Ask the people I work with, I drive them nuts sometimes.
For the record, yeah, I’m happier and I’ve had more fun. I’d hoped that I’d be ringing in the new year in my own house, but that didn’t happen. So, I’ve got to find a new job (not as easy as I’d hoped it would be), so maybe it’ll happen next year, that’s the plan anyway. Then again, we make plans and God laughs, so we’ll see how that goes. The reunion is set for next November and I’m hoping that the turnout is as big, if not bigger, than the last one. A couple of road trips are in the works with some new a friend and if past experience is any indication, it should prove to be quite memorable, and I’m hoping to make new friends along the way. Can’t have too many friends, can you?
Getting Spanxed (Oct 2008)
I've been hearing about Spanx for the last couple of years. If you don't know what Spanx are, let me tell you…it's "shape-wear", which is a fancy new name for girdle. There's full on pantyhose, body slimers, and something called a power panty. Supposedly, they're a wonder of science that hides, smoothes, and keeps everything where it should be…or at least where you want it.
Well, Mama and I went to Lane Bryant this weekend and I was thinking about getting some and when I saw the sales girl, who's a fair bit bigger than I am, demonstrate how wonderful they work by folding down her "Higher Power" and showing, almost proudly, how much she had slipped into it…I was on deck. She assured me that they won't bunch up or roll down. So I tossed the package on the counter with my other purchases (2 bags of bras that Mama has assured me really isn't that many when you consider that one side could served as a serving bowl...thanks Mama!) and took everything home.
When I got home I was ready to be wowed and I was everything but. I decided that I'd gotten the wrong size so I took them back yesterday and got the size smaller. I tried on the new ones and realized something. Even though the girl at Lane Bryant told and showed me with wonders of Spanx, what she didn't tell me was the effort that would go into getting them on! If you're 5 pounds over or want to look smooth under a snug blouse, great. But if you've got the ample figure that the women these kinds of things are marketed to, there should be a warning on the package: Please do not attempt until you've gone into some kind of training, have a breathing apparatus handy or you are a professional wrestler! I worked up a sweat getting it on. However, it was well worth it. Mission accomplished. That settled it, Monday would be a wear your Spanx to work day.
Well, I woke up and picked out my outfit for the day and remembering what I went through last night, when I started to get I coated myself in baby powder knowing this would make it easier, and it did, but only a little. But that was ok. I'm just shallow enough for it to be well worth the aggravation to look a little better. I'm a healthy girl, everyone knows that, and I don't look like I'm 4 sizes smaller, but definitely an improvement. However, what I didn't factor in was, how can I put this delicately? Ok, never mind, I can't. I didn't think about having to go to the bathroom with this thing on. I figured after a couple or three hours, it'd be easier to maneuver. Well, I'm sure that in my 35 years, I've been more wrong but sitting here right now, at this moment in time, I cannot remember when. I decided this morning that even thought I like the look, Spanx would not be part of my everyday attire, I'm just too lazy and the benefits don't outweigh that. I will keep them around for special occasions…occasions where want something to fit better, not show off certain attributes…when I don't drink so much.
Well, Mama and I went to Lane Bryant this weekend and I was thinking about getting some and when I saw the sales girl, who's a fair bit bigger than I am, demonstrate how wonderful they work by folding down her "Higher Power" and showing, almost proudly, how much she had slipped into it…I was on deck. She assured me that they won't bunch up or roll down. So I tossed the package on the counter with my other purchases (2 bags of bras that Mama has assured me really isn't that many when you consider that one side could served as a serving bowl...thanks Mama!) and took everything home.
When I got home I was ready to be wowed and I was everything but. I decided that I'd gotten the wrong size so I took them back yesterday and got the size smaller. I tried on the new ones and realized something. Even though the girl at Lane Bryant told and showed me with wonders of Spanx, what she didn't tell me was the effort that would go into getting them on! If you're 5 pounds over or want to look smooth under a snug blouse, great. But if you've got the ample figure that the women these kinds of things are marketed to, there should be a warning on the package: Please do not attempt until you've gone into some kind of training, have a breathing apparatus handy or you are a professional wrestler! I worked up a sweat getting it on. However, it was well worth it. Mission accomplished. That settled it, Monday would be a wear your Spanx to work day.
Well, I woke up and picked out my outfit for the day and remembering what I went through last night, when I started to get I coated myself in baby powder knowing this would make it easier, and it did, but only a little. But that was ok. I'm just shallow enough for it to be well worth the aggravation to look a little better. I'm a healthy girl, everyone knows that, and I don't look like I'm 4 sizes smaller, but definitely an improvement. However, what I didn't factor in was, how can I put this delicately? Ok, never mind, I can't. I didn't think about having to go to the bathroom with this thing on. I figured after a couple or three hours, it'd be easier to maneuver. Well, I'm sure that in my 35 years, I've been more wrong but sitting here right now, at this moment in time, I cannot remember when. I decided this morning that even thought I like the look, Spanx would not be part of my everyday attire, I'm just too lazy and the benefits don't outweigh that. I will keep them around for special occasions…occasions where want something to fit better, not show off certain attributes…when I don't drink so much.
Fonzie (Sept. 2008)
Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows that in my opinion, the greatest show ever produced for television – past, present or future – is Happy Days. I can watch less than a minute of any episode and can tell you which episode it is and give you about 75% of the dialog. And of all the characters on television, the greatest EVER is Fonzie. I even know his full name – Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli.
Considering the world we live in, I think Fonzie would be a great role model today, maybe even more so than in the 70's when the show was in production. Look at his life; he was abandoned by his father, his mother died, he was raised by his Grandma Nussbaum, he dropped out of high school and joined gangs. While he was in one of those gangs, he met Richie Cunningham and because of that friendship, he decided to turn his life around. He left the gang, got his high school diploma and became a teacher. His idol was The Lone Ranger. Authority was respected, even Officer Krik. Who never believed that Fonzie had turned his life around was always looking for a reason to bust him. Yes, they made fun of him and his attitude, but when it came down to it, Fonzie even defended him against Mork. He loved and counseled his friends, stood up for the little guy, worked on a political campaign ("I like Ike. My bike like's Ike"), and even though he had a hard time saying he was wrr…wro…not always right, he never lied. He ate is veggies, respected others, fought and beat the Devil AND an alien!
I loved Fonzie more than any of the others because I related to him. My Daddy left when I was 4 and that was pretty much that. Mama had to go to work and Granny took care of my cousins and I when our Mama's were working. I wanted to be just like Fonzie when I grew up and I did repeat one of his mistakes – I quit school when I was 16, but like my hero, I went back to school. But that wasn't being like Fonzie, it was about being a role model for someone else.
Sadly, I don't think a show like Happy Days would fly today. It's too sweet…too good. Howard Cunningham wasn't an idiot, the kids and their friends weren't self-centered smart-mouthed know-it-alls who thought that parents were clueless. Joanie wasn't a brainless tramp, there was no foul language, no one was walking around half-naked, and no one had a drinking or drug problem…except one time Richie got drunk (H.C.: How many of those little drinks did you have son? R.C.: Se-ven-ty-two) and he paid for it the next day. There was no grey…there was right and wrong and in the episode with Melvin Scratch – the Devil, there was good and evil. Right and good always won. Do kids even watch Happy Days now?
Considering the world we live in, I think Fonzie would be a great role model today, maybe even more so than in the 70's when the show was in production. Look at his life; he was abandoned by his father, his mother died, he was raised by his Grandma Nussbaum, he dropped out of high school and joined gangs. While he was in one of those gangs, he met Richie Cunningham and because of that friendship, he decided to turn his life around. He left the gang, got his high school diploma and became a teacher. His idol was The Lone Ranger. Authority was respected, even Officer Krik. Who never believed that Fonzie had turned his life around was always looking for a reason to bust him. Yes, they made fun of him and his attitude, but when it came down to it, Fonzie even defended him against Mork. He loved and counseled his friends, stood up for the little guy, worked on a political campaign ("I like Ike. My bike like's Ike"), and even though he had a hard time saying he was wrr…wro…not always right, he never lied. He ate is veggies, respected others, fought and beat the Devil AND an alien!
I loved Fonzie more than any of the others because I related to him. My Daddy left when I was 4 and that was pretty much that. Mama had to go to work and Granny took care of my cousins and I when our Mama's were working. I wanted to be just like Fonzie when I grew up and I did repeat one of his mistakes – I quit school when I was 16, but like my hero, I went back to school. But that wasn't being like Fonzie, it was about being a role model for someone else.
Sadly, I don't think a show like Happy Days would fly today. It's too sweet…too good. Howard Cunningham wasn't an idiot, the kids and their friends weren't self-centered smart-mouthed know-it-alls who thought that parents were clueless. Joanie wasn't a brainless tramp, there was no foul language, no one was walking around half-naked, and no one had a drinking or drug problem…except one time Richie got drunk (H.C.: How many of those little drinks did you have son? R.C.: Se-ven-ty-two) and he paid for it the next day. There was no grey…there was right and wrong and in the episode with Melvin Scratch – the Devil, there was good and evil. Right and good always won. Do kids even watch Happy Days now?
Reverand-Gate (May 2008)
I'm sure everyone's heard about the Reverend-Gate from the Obama Campaign. If you haven't here's a link to it on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H11x6bMu4Y (for the record, there's also a video of him defending Rev. Wright and defending as well as calling Farrakhan Biblical Scholar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjJlsGrlbUs).
"Rev.Pfleger: … "Well, don't hold me responsible (gesticulating) for what my ancestors did. But you have enjoyed the benefits of what your ancestors did and unless you are ready to give up the benefits (voice rising), throw away your 401 fund, throw away your trust fund, throw away all the money you put into the company you WALKED INTO BECAUSE YO' DADDY AND YO' GRANDDADDY AND YO' GREATGRANDDADDY–(screaming at the top of his lungs)–UNLESS YOU'RE WILLING TO GIVE UP THE BENEFITS, THEN YOU MUST BE REPSONSIBLE FOR WHAT WAS DONE IN YOUR GENERATION 'CUZ YOU ARE THE BENEFICIARY OF THIS INSURANCE POLICY! (Wild gestures, wild applause).
We must be honest enough to expose white entitlement and supremacy wherever it raises its head. I said before I don't want this to be political because, you know, I'm very un-political (mocking tone, huge laughter). …When Hillary was crying (gesturing tears, uproarious laughter from audience)–and people said that was put on–I really don't believe it was put on.
I really believe that she just always thought 'This is mine' (laughter, hoots). 'I'm Bill's wife. I'm WHITE. And this is mine. And I jus' gotta get up. And step into the plate. And then out of nowhere came, 'Hey, I'm Barack Obama.' And she said: 'Oh, damn!' WHERE DID YOU COME FROM!?!?! (Crowd going nuts, Pfleger screaming). I'M WHITE! I'M ENTITLED! THERE'S A BLACK MAN STEALING MY SHOW. (SOBS!) SHE WASN'T THE ONLY ONE CRYING! THERE WAS A WHOLE LOTTA WHITE PEOPLE CRYING!"
To borrow a word from my sometimes-wise-beyond-her-years-niece...this guy's a wigger.
No, this isn't a sign of the apocalypse and you're not in the Twilight Zone, I am actually about to side with Hilary Clinton.
Imagine, if you will, a white preacher, in a white church, making comments like this. But instead of talking about Hillary Clinton and being white, they're talking about Barack Hussein Obama (yes, I used his full name…what of it?) and black people feeling entitled? The NAACP and the ACLU would be all over them and would an apology be enough to satisfy the appetite of monster of political correctness? Do you think that Hillary, denouncing them would be enough to calm the torch and pitchfork toting mob? NO! They'd be calling for the good reverend's defrocking, demanding they be thrown out of their church and they'd be publically humiliated.
Look what happened to Don Imus? The man made an inappropriate and tacky comment on his radio show and even though the women's basket ball team he'd made the comment about forgave him, he was still publically flogged by the likes of Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson and other members of the National Association of Attack Caucasian People, or NAACP. You can say anything negative about white folks you want to…it's protected under freedom of speech, but you say something about someone who's not white, and the Wrath of the Political Correct God…or Gods, or Allah, or the There Is No God, How Dare You Inflict Your Archaic Oppressive Belief's On Me group, will rain down upon your head. Greg whose site http://rhymeswithright.mu.nu/, made the statement, "If Michael Pfleger were black and were to (spout) such venomous comments about blacks from the pulpit of a white church, he would probably be called, with some justification, a self-hating Uncle Tom by the black community." I couldn't agree more. The first part his tirade reiterates the general complaint that all white people in this country are descended from former slave owners and all black people are descended from their former slaves and because of that we, meaning white people, are responsible for the ills of the blacks in America today. What about the blacks who owned slaves? (Don't say it didn't happen, because it did) Aren't they too responsible? I wonder if there was an candidate who was part Indian, meaning Native American, would there be someone making the same claims about what the "White Man" took from the "Red Man", doubt it. I've said before, no other race has been infringed upon or beaten down in this country than the American Indian.
I hate to, and can't believe I'm about to say this, but Hilary Clinton hasn't been treated equally in this election. When Hilary became emotional (faked or sincere) she was lambasted as "playing the gender card". However, if Obama is asked a hard question (did that happen…can't be sure), his experience or record is questioned, it was done, not because he's inexperienced or because people want to know where he stands, it's because people are being hard on him because he's black. When the Rev. Wright rant was made public Obama supporters said it was done just to discredit him because the public was racist. Doesn't that sound like playing a race card? But if you bring that up, guess what? That's right the scream, "You're a racist!!". Is genderist a word? It is now.
Hillary has not been allowed to aggressively campaign against Obama because her opponent was black comments were held to a different standard by the politically correct world we live in, which, in all honesty is a bonfire built and stoked pretty much exclusively by the modern Democratic party…her party. If her opponent was a white man it wouldn't have been an issue. Or, and here's a novel concept, if they actually campaigned on the issues and not race or gender. The kick in the head is, if the Democratic Party had been logical like the Republican Party in regards to the early elections (seating only half the delegates) this probably would be an issue because Hillary won Florida and even if counting the "non-committal" votes in Michigan for Obama, she won that state as well.
If they do the half-delegates and/or by some chance, Hillary is named the nominee, I wonder what the public reaction will be? Some folks are concerned about riots and such. I'm curious to see what happens in the general election if (when) Obama is crowned the Democratic nominee. Will they try to use the same "you're a racist" tactics against John McCain? Will they accuse him of playing the war hero card"? Will they play the age card?
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama both keep saying it's not about race and it's not about gender. But the fact of the matter, when you look at how they're campaigning, that's all it's been about.
"Rev.Pfleger: … "Well, don't hold me responsible (gesticulating) for what my ancestors did. But you have enjoyed the benefits of what your ancestors did and unless you are ready to give up the benefits (voice rising), throw away your 401 fund, throw away your trust fund, throw away all the money you put into the company you WALKED INTO BECAUSE YO' DADDY AND YO' GRANDDADDY AND YO' GREATGRANDDADDY–(screaming at the top of his lungs)–UNLESS YOU'RE WILLING TO GIVE UP THE BENEFITS, THEN YOU MUST BE REPSONSIBLE FOR WHAT WAS DONE IN YOUR GENERATION 'CUZ YOU ARE THE BENEFICIARY OF THIS INSURANCE POLICY! (Wild gestures, wild applause).
We must be honest enough to expose white entitlement and supremacy wherever it raises its head. I said before I don't want this to be political because, you know, I'm very un-political (mocking tone, huge laughter). …When Hillary was crying (gesturing tears, uproarious laughter from audience)–and people said that was put on–I really don't believe it was put on.
I really believe that she just always thought 'This is mine' (laughter, hoots). 'I'm Bill's wife. I'm WHITE. And this is mine. And I jus' gotta get up. And step into the plate. And then out of nowhere came, 'Hey, I'm Barack Obama.' And she said: 'Oh, damn!' WHERE DID YOU COME FROM!?!?! (Crowd going nuts, Pfleger screaming). I'M WHITE! I'M ENTITLED! THERE'S A BLACK MAN STEALING MY SHOW. (SOBS!) SHE WASN'T THE ONLY ONE CRYING! THERE WAS A WHOLE LOTTA WHITE PEOPLE CRYING!"
To borrow a word from my sometimes-wise-beyond-her-years-niece...this guy's a wigger.
No, this isn't a sign of the apocalypse and you're not in the Twilight Zone, I am actually about to side with Hilary Clinton.
Imagine, if you will, a white preacher, in a white church, making comments like this. But instead of talking about Hillary Clinton and being white, they're talking about Barack Hussein Obama (yes, I used his full name…what of it?) and black people feeling entitled? The NAACP and the ACLU would be all over them and would an apology be enough to satisfy the appetite of monster of political correctness? Do you think that Hillary, denouncing them would be enough to calm the torch and pitchfork toting mob? NO! They'd be calling for the good reverend's defrocking, demanding they be thrown out of their church and they'd be publically humiliated.
Look what happened to Don Imus? The man made an inappropriate and tacky comment on his radio show and even though the women's basket ball team he'd made the comment about forgave him, he was still publically flogged by the likes of Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson and other members of the National Association of Attack Caucasian People, or NAACP. You can say anything negative about white folks you want to…it's protected under freedom of speech, but you say something about someone who's not white, and the Wrath of the Political Correct God…or Gods, or Allah, or the There Is No God, How Dare You Inflict Your Archaic Oppressive Belief's On Me group, will rain down upon your head. Greg whose site http://rhymeswithright.mu.nu/, made the statement, "If Michael Pfleger were black and were to (spout) such venomous comments about blacks from the pulpit of a white church, he would probably be called, with some justification, a self-hating Uncle Tom by the black community." I couldn't agree more. The first part his tirade reiterates the general complaint that all white people in this country are descended from former slave owners and all black people are descended from their former slaves and because of that we, meaning white people, are responsible for the ills of the blacks in America today. What about the blacks who owned slaves? (Don't say it didn't happen, because it did) Aren't they too responsible? I wonder if there was an candidate who was part Indian, meaning Native American, would there be someone making the same claims about what the "White Man" took from the "Red Man", doubt it. I've said before, no other race has been infringed upon or beaten down in this country than the American Indian.
I hate to, and can't believe I'm about to say this, but Hilary Clinton hasn't been treated equally in this election. When Hilary became emotional (faked or sincere) she was lambasted as "playing the gender card". However, if Obama is asked a hard question (did that happen…can't be sure), his experience or record is questioned, it was done, not because he's inexperienced or because people want to know where he stands, it's because people are being hard on him because he's black. When the Rev. Wright rant was made public Obama supporters said it was done just to discredit him because the public was racist. Doesn't that sound like playing a race card? But if you bring that up, guess what? That's right the scream, "You're a racist!!". Is genderist a word? It is now.
Hillary has not been allowed to aggressively campaign against Obama because her opponent was black comments were held to a different standard by the politically correct world we live in, which, in all honesty is a bonfire built and stoked pretty much exclusively by the modern Democratic party…her party. If her opponent was a white man it wouldn't have been an issue. Or, and here's a novel concept, if they actually campaigned on the issues and not race or gender. The kick in the head is, if the Democratic Party had been logical like the Republican Party in regards to the early elections (seating only half the delegates) this probably would be an issue because Hillary won Florida and even if counting the "non-committal" votes in Michigan for Obama, she won that state as well.
If they do the half-delegates and/or by some chance, Hillary is named the nominee, I wonder what the public reaction will be? Some folks are concerned about riots and such. I'm curious to see what happens in the general election if (when) Obama is crowned the Democratic nominee. Will they try to use the same "you're a racist" tactics against John McCain? Will they accuse him of playing the war hero card"? Will they play the age card?
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama both keep saying it's not about race and it's not about gender. But the fact of the matter, when you look at how they're campaigning, that's all it's been about.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Christmas 2007
It's Christmas morning, all the presents are unwrapped, the turkey's in the oven and I hope everyone has had as wonderful of a morning as I have. First of all, we're all feeling human again after everyone in the house having what Aunt Annie calls "The Creepin' Crud". The best part was having Uncle Willard and Aunt Nooie here…it's been so long since we've spent Christmas with them.
My Christmas morning started early this year--around 5 AM, but not with HO HO HO the Jolly Old Elf, but the confusion of one not-so-jolly old elf. It seems that Uncle Willard woke up about 4 AM and when he looked into a mirror, he noticed something didn't look right and upon closer inspection, he realized his teeth, that he was sure he had in his mouth when he went to bed, we no longer there!
He woke Aunt Nooie up announcing he had lost his teeth and the search was on. They searched the living room -- moving cushions and turning over chairs. They then turned to the bedroom tearing everything off the bed, looking under the bed and still, nothing. They repeated the process and during the second search of the bedroom, Aunt Nooie recalled that she had heard on Ripley's Believe it Not, that someone had actually swallowed their false teeth. The more he thought about it, he began to feel a lump in his throat and decided that he had indeed swallowed his top plate! Then the panic began.
It was now 4:30 AM and he woke up Mama and Pop saying, "Rene, get up, you gotta take me to the hospital.". "What's the matter", Pop asked. "I swallowed my teeth." Well, they figured, it being Uncle Willard -- the man who sent his mother to the store to buy dehydrated water -- that he was joking and they laid back down and began to doze back off, only to be woken up a few minutes later buy an even more panicked Uncle Willard urging them to get up. Mama said, "You were serious?". "Yes I'm serious, I swallowed my teeth!" Pop then got up and began dressing at his usual speed and, much to Uncle Willard's amazement, started making a pot of coffee and made Mama a cup of coffee and took it too her. While making the coffee, a thought occurred to Pop and he asked Uncle Willard, "How are you gonna pass that?" to which Uncle Willard replied, "With great difficulty."
Luckily, before they actually left the house, Aunt Nooie found his teeth under the mattress on his side of the bed. When he went to bed, he complained that his mouth was dry and in his sleep he apparently pulled them out and tucked them under the mattress for safe keeping. Unfortunately, I slept through the whole ordeal (I guess if Pop can sleep through a car nearly driving through the house, I can sleep through this). I didn't have a front row seat, but when I woke up about 5:30 in desperate need of coffee, Aunt Nooie asked if they'd woken me up. I said no and she was surprised and told me the story. My reaction? Ya'll know me, what do you think? Let's just say, I'm glad I was standing in a doorway, otherwise I'd have been sitting on the floor. Like Mama said, we may not have had a tree up this year, but is a Christmas morning that will live on forever. Merry Christmas Ya'll!
Elvis - 30 years Gone (August 2007)
As most of you know, today is the 30th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley and anyone who's known me for very long knows what a huge fan I am. I was raised on his music –Granny said his voice was "pure music". Mama and I have made 2 pilgrimages to Graceland, bith have been amazing and bordered on religious experiences. Being there with Mama was perfect. The first trip we spent my birthday at Graceland and the second trip was for her birthday.
I was 4 years old and I can actually remember the newsbreak making the announcement. I used to think that when you heard someone singing on the radio, they were actually at the radio station. So when I heard him on the radio the next day, I was sure that everyone had lied to me. That's when I learned the cold hard truth – that the dj's were playing records just like I did, I was crushed – he was really dead.
I guess my favorite Elvis song (if I had to pick one) is the American Trilogy. Being Southern to the bone, it's an obvious choice, but it's more personal. I always loved how the song "sounded" like Elvis; born in Mississippi in January (For Dixieland, that's where I was born/Early Lord one frosty morn), died in Tennessee (…to live and die in Dixie). He was so patriotic and as Ronald Regan said "He epitomized America".
Oh I wish I was in the land of cotton~~Old times there are not forgotten~~Look away, look away, look away Dixieland~~Oh I wish I was in Dixie, away, away~~In Dixieland I take my stand to live and die in Dixie~~For Dixieland, that's where I was born~~Early Lord one frosty morn~~Look away, look away, look away Dixieland~~Glory, glory hallelujah~~Glory, glory hallelujah~~Glory, glory hallelujah~~His truth is marching on~~So hush little baby~~Don't you cry~~You know your daddy's bound to die~~But all my trials, Lord will soon be over
Another reason I love this song so much is that it's always played during the July 4th shin-dig downtown and Uncle Hollie and I were usually perched on the back of his truck in lawn chairs with a cooler of Dr. Pepper between us and, much to the dismay of our family, would sing our hearts out. About the only time Uncle Hollie and I didn't fight is when we were listening to music – usually Elvis, usually loud and we were usually singing. One night in particular, my Mama and baby cousin Katrina were walking back to the truck and heard us singing (from quite a distance I might add) and looked up at Mama and said, "Aunt Jan, do we have to go back over there now?" Mama told her no. It was during this song that we sang the loudest and the only time I ever saw my uncle get "misty" or shed a tear. I imagine he's tailgating with The King and Brother Ray.
Here are some quotes by and about Elvis…
Elvis Quotes
"When I was a child, ladies and gentlemen, I was a dreamer. I read comic books, and I was the hero of the comic book. I saw movies, and I was the hero in the movie. So every dream I ever dreamed has come true a hundred times...I learned very early in life that: 'Without a song, the day would never end; without a song, a man ain't got a friend; without a song, the road would never bend -- without a song.' So I keep singing a song. Goodnight. Thank you."
From his acceptance speech for the 1970 Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation Award. Given at a ceremony on January 16, 1971.
"You only pass through this life once; you don't come back for an encore."
"Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine."
"I've never gotten over what they call stage fright. I go through it every show. I'm pretty concerned, I'm pretty much thinking about the show. I never get completely comfortable with it, and I don't let the people around me get comfortable with it, in that I remind them that it's a new crowd out there, it's a new audience, and they haven't seen us before. So it's got to be like the first time we go on." -From a 1972 taped interview used in MGM's documentary "Elvis on Tour.
"Man, I was tame compared to what they do now. Are you kidding? I didn't do anything but just jiggle." -From the press conference prior to his record-breaking Madison Square Garden shows in New York City, 1972.
"I ain't no saint, but I've tried never to do anything that would hurt my family or offend God...I figure all any kid needs is hope and the feeling he or she belongs. If I could do or say anything that would give some kid that feeling, I would believe I had contributed something to the world." -Elvis commenting to a reporter, 1950's.
Quotes About Elvis
"He epitomized America, and for that we shall be eternally grateful. There will never be anyone else like him. Let's all rejoice in his music."~~ Ronald Reagan
"He was the firstest with the mostest." ~~Roy Orbison
"There is something magical about watching a man who has lost himself find his way back home...He sang with the kind of power people no longer expect from rock 'n' roll singers." John Landau~~Review of Elvis, (1968 TV Special).
"So what it boils down to was Elvis produced his own records. He came to the session, picked the songs, and if something in the arrangement was changed, he was the one to change it. Everything was worked out spontaneously. Nothing was really rehearsed. Many of the important decisions normally made previous to a recording session were made during the session. What it was was a look to the future. Today everybody makes records this way. Back then Elvis was the only one. He was the forerunner of everything that's record production these days. Consciously or unconsciously, everyone imitated him. People started doing what Elvis did." ~~Bones Howe, Recording Engineer, AS Elvis, A Biography.
"Elvis is the greatest cultural force in the twentieth century. He introduced the beat to everything, music, language, clothes, it's a whole new social revolution - the 60's comes from it." ~~Leonard Bernstein, 1960s.
"A lot of people have accused Elvis of stealing the black man's music, when in fact, almost every black solo entertainer copied his stage mannerisms from Elvis." ~~Jackie Wilson
"Elvis Presley's death deprives our country of a part of itself. He was unique, irreplaceable. More than twenty years ago, he burst upon the scene with an impact that was unprecedented and will probably never be equaled. His music and his personality, fusing the styles of white country and black rhythm and blues, permanently changed the face of American popular culture. His following was immense. And he was a symbol to people the world over of the vitality, rebelliousness and good humor of this country." ~~President Jimmy Carter, 1977. His official statement following Elvis' death.
"He was an instinctive actor...He was quite bright...he was very intelligent...He was not a punk. He was very elegant, sedate, and refined, and sophisticated." ~~Walter Matthau, who co-starred with Elvis in King Creole (1958). From a 1987 interview.
"Elvis was the king. No doubt about it. People like myself, Mick Jagger and all the others only followed in his footsteps." ~~Rod Stewart
"It's rare when an artist's talent can touch an entire generation of people. It's even rarer when that same influence affects several generations. Elvis made an imprint on the world of pop music unequaled by any other single performer." ~~Dick Clark
"I remember Elvis as a young man hanging around the Sun studios. Even then, I knew this kid had a tremendous talent. He was a dynamic young boy. His phraseology, his way of looking at a song, was as unique as Sinatra's. I was a tremendous fan, and had Elvis lived, there would have been no end to his inventiveness." ~~B.B. King
"Describe Elvis Presley? He was the greatest who ever was, is or ever will be."~~Chuck Berry
"Without Elvis, none of us could have made it."~~ Buddy Holly
"Elvis Presley is like the 'Big Bang' of Rock 'n' Roll. It all came from there and what you had in Elvis Presley is a very interesting moment because, really, to be pretentious about it for a minute, you had two cultures colliding there. You had a kind of white, European culture and an African culture coming together - the rhythm, okay, of black music and the melody chord progressions of white music - just all came together in that kind of spastic dance of his. That was the moment. That's really it. Out of all that came the Beatles and the Stones, but you can't underestimate what happened. It does get back to Elvis."~~Bono of U2
"If life was fair, Elvis would be alive and all the impersonators would be dead."~~Johnny Carson
"Nothing really affected me until I heard Elvis. If there hadn't been an Elvis, there wouldn't have been the Beatles."Before Elvis there was nothing."~~ John Lennon
Praise for Sheriff Frank McKeithen (May 2007)
I want to praise Sheriff Frank McKeithen and the Bay County Sheriff's Department for their recent actions regarding illegal aliens. This is a problem, not just in Bay County, but also across the nation. In Howard County, Maryland, on Thanksgiving night of 2006, Eduardo Raul Morales-Soriano, an illegal alien – I'm sorry – illegal immigrant, killed Marine Cpl. Brian Mathews and Jennifer Bower while they were at a stoplight. Cpl. Ma In March Andrew Stear, a 21 year-old here on Spring Break was run down on Panama City Beach by Hugo Rodriguez Colindrez. In Virginia Beach, Alison Kunhardt, and Tessa Tranchant, were killed when Alfredo Ramos slammed into their car while they were stopped at a red light. In April, Dacus Lamont Sims, a 32 year-old man was killed in North Carolina by an Luciano Melendres, while he (Sims) was crossing the street! Here's the kick in the head. All of them; Morales-Soriano, Colindrez, Ramos and Melendres were all illegal aliens and all but Hugo Rodriguez Colindrez had previously been arrested! The question to ask is not why weren't they detained, but why were they still in this country? Why weren't they deported?
However immigration attorney Richard Alvoid has the nerve to say, ""That is a blatant violation of constitutional rights," What constitutional rights? They aren't citizens of the United States, therefore, how can they be entitled to any of the rights of this country? If they chose to become legal citizens of this country, then I'm all for protecting their rights because, as citizens, they have them. But why should they make the effort to become United States citizens? They sneak into the country, break the law and go virtually unpunished, receive medical care and other services due citizens and now their so-called constitutional rights are being taken into consideration. Like the old saying goes, why buy the cow when you get the milk for free?
Think of it this way. What would you do if someone broke into your house? Would you feed them, clothe them and add them to your medical insurance? NO! You'd call the police. Why? Because they are breaking the law! That's exactly what illegal aliens, illegal immigrants, undocumented workers, undocumented citizens, or whatever politically correct term is in the wind today, are doing – breaking the law! If they were not breaking the law, then why, like the incident on the bridge last week, do they scatter when they see a law enforcement vehicle? Why do they run when the Sheriff Deputies arrive? Just the term ILLEGAL says it all.
Are illegal aliens the only people who kill? No, but if Eduardo Raul Morales-Soriano, Alfredo Ramos, and Luciano Melendres had been deported when they committed any of their prior offenses, then their victims – 21 year-old Marine Cpl. Brian Mathews, 24 year-old Jennifer Bower, 17 year-old Alison Kunhardt, 16 year-old Tessa Tranchant, and 32 year-old Dacus Lamont Sims would still be alive. If Hugo Rodriguez Colindrez had been prevented from entering this country, then 21 year-old Andrew Stear would have returned to his family after Spring Break.
Sheriff McKeithen, keep up the good work, and when you run for office again – and I pray that you will – you can count on my vote!
However immigration attorney Richard Alvoid has the nerve to say, ""That is a blatant violation of constitutional rights," What constitutional rights? They aren't citizens of the United States, therefore, how can they be entitled to any of the rights of this country? If they chose to become legal citizens of this country, then I'm all for protecting their rights because, as citizens, they have them. But why should they make the effort to become United States citizens? They sneak into the country, break the law and go virtually unpunished, receive medical care and other services due citizens and now their so-called constitutional rights are being taken into consideration. Like the old saying goes, why buy the cow when you get the milk for free?
Think of it this way. What would you do if someone broke into your house? Would you feed them, clothe them and add them to your medical insurance? NO! You'd call the police. Why? Because they are breaking the law! That's exactly what illegal aliens, illegal immigrants, undocumented workers, undocumented citizens, or whatever politically correct term is in the wind today, are doing – breaking the law! If they were not breaking the law, then why, like the incident on the bridge last week, do they scatter when they see a law enforcement vehicle? Why do they run when the Sheriff Deputies arrive? Just the term ILLEGAL says it all.
Are illegal aliens the only people who kill? No, but if Eduardo Raul Morales-Soriano, Alfredo Ramos, and Luciano Melendres had been deported when they committed any of their prior offenses, then their victims – 21 year-old Marine Cpl. Brian Mathews, 24 year-old Jennifer Bower, 17 year-old Alison Kunhardt, 16 year-old Tessa Tranchant, and 32 year-old Dacus Lamont Sims would still be alive. If Hugo Rodriguez Colindrez had been prevented from entering this country, then 21 year-old Andrew Stear would have returned to his family after Spring Break.
Sheriff McKeithen, keep up the good work, and when you run for office again – and I pray that you will – you can count on my vote!
Ilegal Aliens (May 2006)
I’ve got to weigh in on the immigration bill that’s causing so much of a stir. First of all, I know this is a nation of immigrants, a melting pot and all that I got it. But what burns my butt is the fact that they sneak into our country, reap the benefits of earning a living, not paying taxes (don’t tell me you do, it’s impossible if you don’t have a social security number), their children take part in our educational system, and refuse to learn even enough of our language to communicate! My cousin is a corrections officer and they need to take Spanish classes to be able to communicate with the prisoners who can’t/won't speak English. Some activist in my home state of Florida said many immigrants were concerned about recent federal raids, in which hundreds of immigrants with criminal backgrounds were rounded up in Florida and throughout the Midwest. Let me see if I understand this they broke the law coming into this country, they have a criminal background and they’re concerned that they may be corralled and punished? Oh dear God what is this world coming to when criminals are punished!!!
A man called into a Dr. Shane's (morning DJ on 92.5 WPAP FM) show this morning and said that he works for a national company based in Texas and they require their managers, supervisors and foreman to learn Spanish in order to communicate with their non-English speaking employees. The gentleman refuses to take the classes. They haven’t fired him, but they won’t to promote him. Tell me what other country in this world that you can move to, get a job and function and not learn the language? Worse yet, you expect the natives to learn your native tongue to make your life easier. There is a quote by Theodore Roosevelt that ring especially true during this time; "Every immigrant who comes here should be required within five years to learn English or leave the country."
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti-immigration. My problem is not immigrants, what gets to me are the illegal aliens, and that’s what they are illegal aliens NOT illegal immigrants. Attach whatever term you like, the fact of the matter is that they are here illegally. Allow me again to quote President Theodore Roosevelt, "Obedience of the law is demanded; not asked as a favor." I fully believe that the fiber of this great country of ours is enriched by people from other countries/cultures; it’s what created the country and culture that is The United States of America, but don’t expect us to change our country to be more like the one you left. If it was so all fired great, why’d you steal away into this one? Why don’t you go back? I’ll tell you why, because like the immigrants that gave birth to this country you came here for freedom from the oppression and misery you were suffering in your homeland. Did they continue to speak only they’re language or learn the language of the land? I think it’s a fabulous idea to teach children the languages of their heritage keep it alive. Keep the culture alive, it’s their legacy, part of who they are, but when you come to this country to become an American citizen, you’re an American. To become a naturalized citizen, you have to take this oath:
I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God. In acknowledgement whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.
A man called into a Dr. Shane's (morning DJ on 92.5 WPAP FM) show this morning and said that he works for a national company based in Texas and they require their managers, supervisors and foreman to learn Spanish in order to communicate with their non-English speaking employees. The gentleman refuses to take the classes. They haven’t fired him, but they won’t to promote him. Tell me what other country in this world that you can move to, get a job and function and not learn the language? Worse yet, you expect the natives to learn your native tongue to make your life easier. There is a quote by Theodore Roosevelt that ring especially true during this time; "Every immigrant who comes here should be required within five years to learn English or leave the country."
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti-immigration. My problem is not immigrants, what gets to me are the illegal aliens, and that’s what they are illegal aliens NOT illegal immigrants. Attach whatever term you like, the fact of the matter is that they are here illegally. Allow me again to quote President Theodore Roosevelt, "Obedience of the law is demanded; not asked as a favor." I fully believe that the fiber of this great country of ours is enriched by people from other countries/cultures; it’s what created the country and culture that is The United States of America, but don’t expect us to change our country to be more like the one you left. If it was so all fired great, why’d you steal away into this one? Why don’t you go back? I’ll tell you why, because like the immigrants that gave birth to this country you came here for freedom from the oppression and misery you were suffering in your homeland. Did they continue to speak only they’re language or learn the language of the land? I think it’s a fabulous idea to teach children the languages of their heritage keep it alive. Keep the culture alive, it’s their legacy, part of who they are, but when you come to this country to become an American citizen, you’re an American. To become a naturalized citizen, you have to take this oath:
I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God. In acknowledgement whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.
This brings me to another bone of contention the National Anthem translated/sung in Spanish. Would any other country take it as a sign of patriotism to sing their national anthem in English? What if we were to change the words, and thereby the meaning of the song? Doesn’t that make it a Song based on the Star Spangled Banner? Sounds like a job for Weird Al Yankovic or Cledus T. Judd to me. The Spanish version of The Star Spangled Banner, called "Nuestro Himno" or "Our Anthem." (they even changed the name!) was released on Friday by music producer, Adam Kidron, and get this HE'S BRITISH!! Fine, he’s been a resident not citizen, but a resident of the United States for 16 years, but he’s BRITISH! We left your country a few hundred years ago wonder why? Note to Mr. Kidron this is AMERICA not ENGLAND! Re-write God Save the Queen in any language you like Spanish, German, or Klingon and leave us alone. The song is performed by, among others, Wyclef Jean, hip-hop star Pitbull and Puerto Rican singers Carlos Ponce and Olga Tanon. Who are these people? What gives them the impression that they can fiddle with OUR national anthem?
When asked about this, President Bush said, "I think the national anthem ought to be sung in English, and I think people who want to be a citizen of this country ought to learn English and they ought to learn to sing the national anthem in English." Its moments like this that I am so happy I voted for him and not some warm and fuzzy, why can’t we all just get along, lets bend over backwards to make everyone happy except the larger majority of American people liberal. President Bush heavily favored a bipartisan bill that would strengthen border security, but also provide illegal aliens a path toward citizenship and a guest-worker program. But guess what stalled in the U.S. Senate.
On Ellis Island, where millions of immigrants came through, stands the Statue of Liberty, one of the symbols of freedom this country holds dear, herself surrounded by symbols of what our nation stands for; the chains of oppression around her feet are broken, the tablet in her left hand is inscribed with the signing date of the Declaration of Independence, and the torch in her right hand is a beacon lighting the way to freedom for all those seeking a better life than the one they had escaped. Craving a better future for their children and their children. Everyone is welcome! No one better captured this than Emma Lazarus who wrote the now famous words that she imagined coming from the lips and heart of Lady Liberty, " Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me; I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" The people who passed through the gates of Ellis Island gave up everything to get here. They came to this country, as huddled masses yearning to breathe free and they worked, toiled and sacrificed, learned the language and the culture and contributed to both, became Americans and wove the fabric of this great nation. Would someone please, please, explain to me, what makes these illegal immigrants better than these folks?
For those of you who want to read the bill (HR4437) itself in its entirety, you can go to Entire HR 4437 or for a summary, go to Summary or Summary link 2
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