Tuesday, August 31, 2010

I spent the weekend...

...waxing nostalgic. A friend of mine has a home in Delaware County, NY. It is in an area as rural as the one I grew up in. As a kid I couldn't wait to get out of there, as an adult I appreciate the serenity the solitude provides.

Growing up, I craved the excitement of a big city, the culture, the arts, the food. Having lived here for nine years I was comforted by the peace and quiet of the country, although the food did leave a lot to be desired.

We always want what we don't have.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Yesterday I happened...

..to remember a song so lovely I cannot for the life of me figure out how I had ever forgotten it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0TInLOJuUM

Widen your circle of friends and allow more joy into your life through books, movies, art, sports, food, wine. Step outside your little world, there is a lot to see.

My favorite author: Dean Koontz. Yours?

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

I have concluded...

...that most of my followers don't read, and most of my readers don't follow.

Why does everything in my life so typically bassackwards?

Figures.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

I have often...

...reflected that truly great writers are able to evoke emotion in their readers without the benefit of intonation or facial expression. Apparently, even with these aides, I am unable to vocalize my thoughts in such a manner that people understand my meaning.

During a recent conversation a friend indicated to me that he had only just realized what I had been trying to say some weeks earlier. He had misconstrued my intent and labored under false pretenses for some time.

I consider myself to be a straightforward person, and have been told to soften the truth on more than one occasion. Although I do not consider myself a great communicator, it confounds me that someone is capable of hearing something other than what I am saying.

I find that more often than not when people argue, they are actually saying the same thing in different words. How is it that we are capable of saying the same things and interpreting them differently?

We're still not paying attention, class. Listen up!

Monday, August 23, 2010

Every boday says....

...the only bad mistakes we make in life are the ones we do not learn from. For every one who has ever asked about my tattoo....

DON'T!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Suspicion is...

...cancerous. It eats away at us and causes us to lose focus. It gnaws at the recesses of our minds and allows our fears to run rampant.

Never accuse a person of saying, doing or being something without concrete proof.

It is almost always terminal.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

NYC is more...

...superficial than an airbrushed Playboy centerfold. It is full of posers wannabes and predators. Some NYers wouldn't give you the time of day if you stole their watches. It is important here to identify the good guys and stick closely to them.

Keep your friends close, who needs enemies?

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Many years ago...

...I made the mistake of dating a man considerably more attractive than myself. It got so bad that one day, while at lunch, the waitress was flirting with him so shamelessly that I had to tell her I was picking up the check and she should be nicer to me. It was embarrassing. I had forgotten that lesson.

So, if you think you want the whole "package" just remember if your partner makes you laugh, supports you emotionally, and pleases you psychically you already have it all.

The rest is extraneous.

Monday, August 16, 2010

On Friday I was....

...reminded that laughter truly is the best medicine. I heard a story that made me laugh so hard I cried, my cheeks and my abs hurt, and I nearly..well, if you're a woman, you know.

As a result of this, I concluded that in my lifetime I have been, and am currently, surrounded by people who have been kind to me rather than those who have not. Yet as dictated by human nature, I have had a tendency to focus on the negatives thereby causing myself missed opportunities through behavior learned by pain rather than joy.

Although a slow and arduous process, I am happy to realize I am learning to let go of the sorrow, as I have sorely missed the simple pleasure of laughing. Thank you to all the friends and family who lifted and held me up recently.

The future has regained some of its promise and I am looking forward to it.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

The first time I was ever....

...blessed in my life was when I was born to my mother. The second was when my eldest son was born.

Happy Birthday, Charles. I hope someday you are blessed with the love of a child.

I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday, August 9, 2010

Prompted by....

...a recent posting, a friend suggested to me that if he were not aware of my chosen profession he would have never guessed what I do for a living. Based on sentence structure and vocabulary I obviously sound more refined and intelligent than my profession would suggest. Poppycock (I am no word smith but that's another word that's fun to say)!

This archaic thinking is a lot more common than most people realize. I have worked with someone holding a law degree, many who speaks several languages, and almost all who would never assume anything regarding a person's degree of intelligence or integrity based on their profession.

Yet we continue to encounter the bias that we are all too stupid to hold other jobs. Most people are polite and appreciative of good service, yet there are those who are dismissive and downright rude. You probably thought prejudice only applies to race, creed, religion, age, sex, and national origin.

Maybe I'll just to show y'all a thing or two.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Ever hear of....

Hick Hop? It's fun!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUPK9z59yUc

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Roger Waters is...

.. a much better poet than Bob Dylan. Just listen to Wish You Were Here and Learning To Fly. I would normally include the link here, but for some reason they do not survive the publishing process. Here are the addresses to copy and paste: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGpnP0LYfjM and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb-Nacm-pKc

He brings tears to my eyes.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Nothing enthralls me like...

...the power of the printed word. Unlike the mighty sword, words can amuse and educate. They touch our souls and break our hearts. They encourage and scathe us. They bolster our confidence and humble us. They give us perspective and allow us to see through another's eyes. They can reach into the darkest corners of our minds. They hold an endless fascination for me.

During some recent conversations I have been challenged to recall words that are simply fun to say and to use. Here is a partial list: rapscallion, hobgoblin, doppelganger, lollygagging, lackadaisical, loquacious, superfluous.

Roll one off your tongue today.

Monday, August 2, 2010

I have mentioned before...

..that I am currently blessed with the best crew I have ever worked with or for. Although I include the management and owners 1000% in that statement, I am mostly referring to the staff I work with five nights a week.

This staff treats me with the utmost respect, genuine affection and appreciation, and forgive me my occasional temper tantrum. This staff is supportive and caring and professional. They work hard and they consist of guys from Romania, Croatia, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Cuba.

I genuinely love these guys, so in a small effort to show my appreciation for them I have risen in the early hours of the past few Saturday mornings to make the trip out to Flushing Meadows Park in Queens to watch them play soccer. They organized themselves and play with strangers looking for fun and relief. They even play well together, and it's a pleasure to root for them.

So you can imagine how sickened I was to learn that a hate crime had taken place against a foreign national in that very park after such an event. I can't begin to explain my disgust at American stupidity. We all came from somewhere else, how is it feasible to hurt someone based on their nationality?

You don't deserve to call yourself an American.