Feels like Friday....

I don't know why, but I've been a day off all week. I keep thinking today is Friday; maybe because I'm only coming in to work for a half day tomorrow - I must be in a "long weekend state of mind...."

I've got no big plans for all of this time off. Outside of birthday parties this weekend, it's going to be pretty quiet in my neck of the woods. Maybe a small cookout on the 4th, I'm not sure. I've got to get working on my daughter's birthday party invitations! The party is July 22d, so I've got to come up with a concept and get those out in the mail. Looks like a trip to Office Max over the weekend will be coming up.... I just have to decide, are we doing an "Elmo" party, or "Bear in the Big Blue House"...? Decisions, decisions....

You Are Big Bird

Talented, smart, and friendly... you're also one of the sanest people around. You are usually feeling: Happy. From riding a unicycle to writing poetry, you have plenty of hobbies to keep you busy. You are famous for: Being a friend to everyone. Even the grumpiest person gets along with you. How you life your life: Joyfully. "Super. Duper. Flooper."

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

No tolerance for intolerance...

I use Craigs List occasionally, for posting open positions at the store - or for viewing tickets for sale in the local area for concerts and shows. I very rarely venture into other areas of the board because there are most definitely some freaks that are out there. And honestly - I so don't want to know any of them.

But I was bored one night, surfing around - and stepped into the "rants and raves" section. What a bunch of lunatics that are out there. People who are so perverse - some of the things that people will say behind a veil of "anonymity" that Craigs List provides for them - just amazes me. And what amazes me even more - are the ones who post their photos around - and are looking for sexual favors. What is wrong with you people?!?!?!?

But what really disgusts me - is the racism. I have never seen or heard so many ignorant people say the stupidest things. It's disturbing to think that these people are actually walking around town. And what's so funny, is that most of it I've noticed has been posted of people who are of Middle Eastern descent, not so much Caucasian people. I disagree with racism period, and I couldn't resist responding to a few of the posts.

Alot of these posts were written about women. I responded to one such post. What I found so very interesting, is that while I didn't divulge my race or gender - this person I addressed assumed I was a man. And it was funny to see how ignorant he was when I called him out to challenge what he said. He couldn't post one intelligent arguement to support his views. And I mean truly intelligent - not just my biased opinon of what would be intelligent.

I got a good laugh out of it - and I'm anxiously awaiting his next response. But I have to tell you, I won't be visiting that section again once this conversation with my little "friend" is over. It's too easy for me to prey on the weak minded, and honestly - I find it far too disappointing to see that lack of humanity that is out there.

Random thoughts for Monday....

So as of last night, Massachusetts has received an average of something like 22.25 inches of rain between the months of May and June. You know what the average is? 6.75 inches. Clearly, we've shattered that record! And guess what the weather report is for the next 6 days.....rain. Well, at least it's warm.

I'm so very dissapointed with Major League Baseball and it's stance on domestic abuse. Clearly, after this weekend's escapade in Boston with Phillies' pitcher Brett Myers there is a tolerance level that I wouldn't have expected. Just another circumstance where it shows that "celebrities" and such types are treated differently than the "average joe". I tend to think that if any man, beat his wife in public and was a high profile representative of his company - his company would have him take some "time off" until things cooled down. Maybe not terminate him, but definitely some "time off". Not the MLB my friends. Wonder how guys like Gabe Kapler and Curt Shilling for example, feel about this one....?

While I've been really disgusted with the Dixie Chicks for a variety of reasons, and thought their last album was lousy - their latest one is excellent. Well worth picking up if you haven't already. Which reminds me that I can't believe I haven't picked up Christina's new one. Her new single "Aint no other man" has really grown on me. (WAIT.....there's a glimmer of sun breaking through the clouds!!!! Someone, take a picture!!! Ohhh. It's gone... )

I've not been very good about working out. Partly because I've been so busy...and partly because I've been so lazy! But I think....tonight I'm going to show up at class. Sensai will probably yell at me, or have a heart attack in shock and surprise, hahaha. But while I'm still feeling good about how I appear - I don't feel as good as I do when I work out. And for me, I'm all about feeling good. I've been too bored to run on the treadmill at home. So, back to class I'm hoping to go. I guess it will all depend on how I feel come 7:00 this evening!

I've noticed that alot of blogging regulars (myself included) have slowed down a little on posting, more than likely due to the summer. Not such a bad thing I think! We spend so much time (at least here in the North East) being cold and dark, it's fun to be out in the fresh air and doing things - rather than sitting in front of the computer.

Speaking of which - someone I work with just asked if I knew anyone who could use two tickets for todays Red Sox game...it was rained out yesterday. Normally I'd jump at the chance, but unfortunately I have too much to do today.

Damn that work - it always gets in the way!

Warning: Girly Crush Post!

So last night I attended a charity fundraiser for Pitching in for Kids - sponsored by my crush: Jason Varitek. (And Tim Wakefield, but he's not a crush!)

I had a great time. We got to interact with them a little bit, which was nice. And we had great seats right by the stage which was good too.
But most importantly, we got to interact with them a little bit.

Mike Timlin (who I also love, not on a crush level - he's just clutch) was there, as well as Doug Mirabelli. Who is surprisingly thinner in person! And, he's quite handsome, which I hadn't expected because he doesn't look nearly as cute in uniform.

There were lots of laughs as it was at the Comedy Connection in Fanueil Hall - and while we didn't get to eat any food because for some reason it was set up outside of the room - we did have enough to drink! And the people that sat at our table were really nice. They weren't stalkerish crazy people (you know how Red Sox fans can get!), and they clearly were pretty well off, because two of them at the table bid on some rather pricey items! One couple bid $6000 for a trip to Italy and won. Another bid $5700 for their two sons to be batboys for the Sox at one game. Clearly - they're a little better off financially than I am!

I don't get out very often without the kids or my husband, and since I have to miss out on Girls Weekend with all my girlfriends at Marshfield due to an endless amount of birthday parties and showers to attend, I really enjoyed this night to just relax, laugh and have a drink with one of my girlfriends.

And of course, gaze a bit at.....sigh......Jason.

Is it possible....

Life before birth is an interesting concept. When pregnant, we're often told to "read to the baby", or "play music for the baby" because it's believed that babies while in utero have the capability to hear and have thought processes that can be enhanced by such interaction. I do subscribe to this theory - just as I believe that a baby in utero can sense when their mother is calm, or stressed - as it triggers a physical reaction that can affect the baby's environment. While the baby can't differentiate peace from chaos - that's far too complex a thought - it can tell a difference in it's physical surroundings.

I often refer to my son as an "old soul". He often talks about the "old days", or "remembering" music that is from another era, such as the 1940s. Does he really remember it? I truly don't know. But I do know that shortly after my daughter was born, he blew me away with a "memory" of his. We were sitting on the couch together, with my daughter - and he very casually said to me "I remember being in your belly". I said, "you do, do you?". And he said "uh-huh. It was dark, and I could hear you, but I couldn't see you...so I kicked, and kicked, and then I was out". Funny thing is, my son was 4 weeks early, born the day after my baby shower. My water broke the morning after the shower, first thing when I woke up. I don't remember him being overly active previous to it happening - but, it was an interesting enough comment he made, I didn't know what to say. Did he really remember it? It was such a casual, matter of fact statement he made - I thought that maybe we do really remember things but like all memories, they fade as we get older. Or we're told that it's "our imagination" and sort of chided into "forgetting".

A few nights ago, as I put my daughter to bed - I sang her a song. I've never done it before, but I thought she's at a good age to start that sort of routine. I've sung to my son before bed since roughly the same age, so I figured why not. She's always gone to bed earlier than my son. She's never, ever heard me put my son to bed. I sang to her the same song I sing to him, "You are my Sunshine". She had the most amazing reaction - she laughed, and giggled - and kept saying "thank you". I've sung it every night since, and she just giggles and beams. One of the biggest smiles I've seen her give.

I sing songs to her all the time. Random songs, funny silly songs. But I'd never sung at bedtime - nor have I ever sung that song in particular to her. Ever.

It sort of makes me wonder if she could hear me when I was pregnant - and remembers....?

Happy Monday!

Funny page in my daily calendar today. I've taped it up in my cubicle at work:

Note to Self:
Try to be more of an imperfectionist.
Acceptance is the key to thinner peace.
Your brain is always your best outfit.
Must dress better in personal fantasies!

Love it!

Driving me crazy.....

I've got a list of complaints for today that I thought I'd share.

1. "A unhandled exception has occured: Error code C0000005". You know what Microsoft - piss off. It's some stupid javascript conflict I've got going in my PC that prevents me from viewing any page that has any type of scripting in it. Now mind you - if I refresh my screen about 8 times, I can sometimes get it to work. Sometimes. I clearly need a new PC, but you know what, there's always something else that I can spend $1500 on that's more important!!! So bear with me if you haven't seen me around. I'm often lurking - just unable to post to your site.

2. Where the flip is my Avatar?! My pseudo image disappeared from view yesterday. And for some reason - I can't seem to get Yahoo to function properly on my PC anymore. Oh wait - it's that silly unhandled exception. Which - for the record Microsoft, you're using improper grammar on your notification. It should read "An unhandled exception has occured"...but I digress.

3. My work is suddenly blocking anything that uses Flash. WTF!?!?!?

4. The weather is being a little schizophrenic lately. It was so hot and humid all day and night yesterday; yet I just had to shut off my AC and turn on the heat a tad - because now it's too cold in here since the temperature dipped a bit. It's still warm, but the humidity is so high that it's actually chilly. Climate control is all I'm looking for here folks. Either it's summer - or it's not. But please God, pick one!

5. Rudy Seanez. Julian Tavarez. Matt Clement. Keith Foulke. Need I say more???

And no, I'm not hormonal today. Just had a little to get off of my chest - and now I feel better!

I'm off to finish making my dinner of herb crusted oven roast, brown rice sauteed with garlic, fresh basil and portabella mushrooms - and a nice salad. Topped off with a crisp glass of wine.

I feel better already!

What I've been listening to....

I know James Blunt has been out for a while, but if you've been on the fence because the song "Beautiful" was just too sensitive sounding - don't be fooled. This cd is fantastic. He's an amazing lyricist, and this cd is absolutely a "must have". Check out "Goodbye my Lover", and "Tears and Rain". This cd is worth it if for nothing other than those two songs. Something about him reminds me slightly of David Gray....

Jules Shear has a new cd out that is excellent. "Dreams don't count" is a beautiful, poetic cd that makes you long for sitting in a coffee house with a good latte, and watching the rain beat down against the windows. This is no Starbucks coffee house I'm talking about either...I mean a down home, good ol' fashioned coffee house from "back in the day".

Sonya Kitchell - who IS a Starbuck's "darling" is definitely a good take. And, I think she's from Masschusetts as well, so just another reason for me to like her. ;)

Check them out and let me know what you think!

....For sentimental reasons.....

I finally found an antique restoration and repair shop nearby. I have had my Grandmother's hope chest for three years now, and hadn't been able to find anyone to restore it for me. It needs to be stripped and refinished - and the legs need repair and possibly even replacement. It's a gorgeous chest, I think it's Mahogany - and I've wanted it ever since I was a little girl. I always said I'd store my photo albums in it and make it a time capsule of sorts. I still plan on doing that.

I also decided that I'm going to place my Grandmother and Grandfather's wedding picture on it, surrounded by antiqued photos of both mine and my sister's weddings, and photos of our children. I think it's rather fitting, since in some ways our whole family was created by the giving of that chest.

Also this past week, I got back all the photos from my son's birthday party. I always order three sets when I order pictures: 1 set for our photo album, 1 for his/her scrapbooks, and 1 for giving to people or putting in frames - or for collecting for a master photo album I'm hoping to put together.

A few years ago, one of my husband's aunts gave us a photo album of my husband's father's side of the family. It starts with the great-great grandparents down to our wedding. It's got a few pictures of each cousin and includes just about everyone on his father's side of the family. Then, I've also got a box of photos that my father-in-law left here of my husband and his sisters from when they were younger. I'd like to get some from his mother - and then some from my parents of our family - and make one master photo album of our families, in chronological order to date. I think it's important to have family photos to reflect on, and especially in todays world where families aren't as close as they use to be - both in geographical location as well as in general - I think it's important for children to have a sense of family. Even if they can't always reach out and touch them.

Who am I kidding - it's important for me too. Maybe even more so....

Pondering Love...

Is it possible that you can have more than one "soulmate"?
Is it possible to be in love with more than one person at a time....
Is it possible to never get over someone you were once "in love" with...
Is it possible that you let the right love walk away for the wrong reasons...
Is it possible that you stayed with the wrong person for the right reasons...
Does true love never die....?

A friend of mine was questioning their current romantic situation, or lack thereof.
These were her questions. To which I couldn't really answer for her.
But all of them valid, I would say.

Aren't we all Perfect in our own way?

An acquaintance of mine is going to become a grandmother in September. She was absolutely thrilled when she found out. Her son and daughter-in-law live out of state, which really saddens her - but they hopefully will be moving back to Massachusetts at some point in the near future.

She emails me periodically, to stay in touch - and of course to give updates about the pending arrival of her grandson.

Last week, I received a long email from her in which she was clearly saddened and anxious. When having the ultrasound of the baby, it was determined that there was something wrong with the baby's face - definitely a cleft palate - but to what extent they did not know. Immediately, they were advised to have an amniocenteses to determine if there were any genetic disorders present that a cleft palate may be associated with. Fortunately - the results came back negative, but they were able to determine that his chin and palate were open, and that he will require surgery to close it. They think his chin will be a normal size as he gets older, and his scarring will be minimal. At the end of her email, it was clear that she was optomistic and upbeat - and of course thankful that while his beginning in life may be a little challenging, in the big scheme of things he's healthy and should lead a happy life.

It's funny....babies are perfect, amazing creatures. They are so strong and so resilient - and when there is a situation for them medically, fortunately - they often do not know that they are different from anyone else until we point it out to them. It's funny how we seem to get weaker as we get older, mostly because our minds get the best of us. Children have the grace of innocence to shelter them from that - and they are able to bounce back from most situations that they are in. Sometimes I think their differences and struggles make them that much more beautiful and special.

Bada Bing!

So, I anxiously awaited the season finale of "The Sopranos" last night.
I was very, well....dissapointed.
It was a lukewarm - at best - finale.

While I thought this season was one of my favorites, I was really sort of let down with the lack of a cliffhanger. There are only 8 episodes left to this show - and there are so very many possibilities of what could happen.

We DVR'd the finale of Big Love. The previews looked like it's going to be rather dramatic, so I'm looking forward to watching that at some point this week.

Best of all - next Sunday is the season premiere of "Deadwood" and "Entourage". That's one of the great things about HBO television. You don't get that big let down when a show ends - because another one starts right up. It's year round entertainment!

In honor of the finale - and the long, painful wait for the final season - the following are my favorite "Soprano-isms".

A friend of ours: mob shorthand for introducing one made guy to another made guy.
"A friend of mine" is just another jamook on the street.
Buon' anima: salutation meaning rest his soul.
Che peccato: what a pity, what a shame.
Goomah (sometimes pronounced "goomar"): a Mafia mistress; also comare.
Moe Green Special: Getting killed with a shot in the eye, like the character, Moe Green, in The Godfather. One form of "sending a message."
Oobatz: u'pazzu—crazy
Stugots: from stu cazzo or u' cazzu, the testicles. Tony Soprano's boat is The Stugots.
Tax: to take a percentage of someone's earnings.
Va fa napole: "Go to Naples" (i.e., "Go to hell.").
Wearing it: showing off one's status in the organization by dressing the part. "Wearing it" usually involves an Italian suit, a pinky ring, a hankie in the breast pocket, gold cufflinks, and other ornamentation. Silvio has his own inimitable way of wearing it.
Whack: to murder; also clip, hit, pop, burn, put a contract out.
Wiseguy: a made guy.

Kinda makes you feel like eating a bowl of pasta faglioli, doesn't it?
Salut!

Food for thought....a Lunch time rant!

It is so cold in here, that I bought one of those deyhdrated "Suddenly Soups" at our little snack area - and made it for lunch. It's surprisingly palatable, it's a Southwestern Corn Chowder - still though, not something I'd prefer to eat on a regular basis. But given the absolute sub zero temperature my office is holding, I figured a little extra sodium wouldn't kill me. As I was reading the directions, I noticed that the third and final step was to "remove the bowl from the microwave carefully, using two hands - and let sit for 2 minutes". (yes, the word carefully was italicized.) Are you kidding me? You have to tell me to use two hands and be careful!?!?!?

Same thing about Mc Donalds & Dunkin' Donuts having a warning on their coffee cups: "Caution: This beverage is extremely hot". No, you don't say?
You've GOT to be kidding me.

Its because of stupid people and nonsense lawsuits. For an example, the woman who burned herself because she "didn't know" the hot coffee she ordered was actually hot, and promptly placed it in her lap while driving, burning her. Dumbass.

Or like people suing McDonalds and Burker King because they're obese. I'm sorry....you're obese because you have poor eating habits in general (DISCLAIMER: assuming they're not suffering from a medical condition that causes them to have difficulties with weight. I don't like to discuss weight because so many people struggle with it - this is targeted specifically towards the people who are trying to take advantage of the system.), poor impusle control, and probably no interest in exercising. No one held a gun to your head and told you to order three Big Macs, four fries, an apple pie and a Diet coke at one sitting!

You know what irritates me about the movie "Supersize Me"?
It is so skewed. I was so annoyed watching that movie, I was yelling at the TV - telling the guy he deserved to be as sick as he was. Normal people do not eat McDonalds three times a day - plus snacks - and gorge on it even when they're full. This lunatic forced himself to eat when he wasn't hungry, as well as sustain an unnatural diet of fast food for 30 days. No wonder his weight increased, he felt sick, his cholesterol shot up and his kidneys were shutting down. Who lives that way???

And then he denounces McDonalds as being an unhealthy and life threatening source in America's lifestyle. Give me a break.

Yes, obesity in children is a growing issue - but that's also an issue regarding a lack of parenting and interaction. I think the breakdown in the family structure has more to do with what's wrong with society today including diet - than people are willing to admit. Lets be honest. If you have poor eating habits, you have poor eating habits; if you gorge on organic treats from Whole Foods - are you any healthier??? I think gorging is the issue, not necessarily the food you're gorging on - though that does play into it.

I'm not saying that fast food should be a way of life by any stretch. But I do think that if one goes to a fast food restaurant, there are choices with regards to foods ordered, amounts eaten, and frequency of which dining is done there. And I do think that there are a slew of lazy, ignorant, opportunistic people who are looking to sue anyone and everyone over the stupidest of things.

When you have to be told on the directions of a soup to "be careful, use both hands and remember it's hot"; or you walk into your local Wendys or McDonalds and see a sign that says "warning: you may gain weight if you eat here" - what the heck is the world coming to?