Tonight we were watching "This is It." First of all, I now understand why it is so easy for my younger son to dance along with the music coming from his toys because I felt the same way while watching this movie. I was even singing along at times! Secondly, it made me reminisce about growing up with Michael Jackson's music in my life soundtrack. It started with my parents getting me his "Thriller" album as one of my first cassettes ever. I liked every song on it and played it constantly. I even made my dolls dance to his songs. I saw the "Thriller" movie when I was in 2nd grade and it didn't really scare me other than the werewolf part at the beginning. My sister (who was 4 at the time) referred to the zombies as "sunbeams." The first concert I ever went to was for his "Thriller" tour. It was at the old Comiskey park. I saved the souvenir program at the time and would look at it every day.
As I got older, I had a fading interest in his music. If it was on the radio, I'd listen. I just wouldn't make an effort to get the albums. Later, there were all the rumors that started when he had plastic surgery and just kept plaguing him and making him out to be a media spectacle. It got really old after a while and I was actually glad when he was found not guilty (of stuff he was rumored to be doing with young boys) in 2005.
When I was 12, I saw "Captain EO" at Epcot Center. It was very enjoyable and also the last time I had seen a 3D movie up until this year. There was a cool song at the end of the movie.
In 2000, my friend loaned me a tape she recorded from MTV of 80's music videos. The video for "Say Say Say" (the one he performed with Paul McCartney) was on it. That brought back memories of watching this video as a kid. However, this time I really liked the song.
"Thriller" had some new life breathed into it when they did the dance in "13 Going on 30." My husband and I would try to do the dance after watching it. At one point, my husband told me he wanted to take a picture of me doing the dance and later transformed the picture into me doing a hula dance and put it on my 30th birthday cake for a Hawaiian-themed party.
Last summer, I went to a carnival with my husband and sons and then we stopped off for dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. During dinner, my parents called to tell me the news of Michael Jackson's death. It was shocking, but I was relieved for him, in the hopes that his song "Leave Me Alone" would finally come to pass. However, there's always going to be speculation surrounding a celebrity's death and MJ was no exception.
In the meantime, "This is It" was released in theaters, and I finally saw it tonight on DVD. It is the movie with which we "broke in" our new TV. I was very impressed with the movie and thought that concert would have been really cool to see if he had lived to do a tour with it. There was so much hard work put into every song. As I said before, it was impossible not to sing and dance along with all the songs I remember from my youth. Way to go out in style, Jacko!
Despite all the rumors surrounding his life and death, I would still play his music for my kids. He was and will always be a pop icon, equivalent to what Elvis was for my parents' generation. His music is fun to listen, dance and sing along to. I see no reason why they can't enjoy it and I don't plan to share the ugly stories about him. Let's allow a new generation to hear his songs and watch his music videos with no stigma attached. Maybe my sons will also think that he's singing about matzah during "Wanna be Startin' Something." (My husband and I still think he is.)
To end this blog, I invite all readers to comment with their favorite MJ songs. Mine are "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Pretty Young Thing," "Say Say Say," "Human Nature," and, of course, "Thriller."
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
A survey...just because
1. What is your occupation right now? Administrative Assistant
2. What color are your socks right now? Black
3. What are you listening to right now? "(500)Days of Summer" soundtrack, dryer
4. What was the last thing that you ate? Edy's peppermint ice cream with magic shell and whipped cream
5. Can you drive a stick shift? Do cars even have that anymore. It scares me to even think about trying.
6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? One of my friends to find out about a crazy subject line she posted.
7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? She's a close friend of mine
8. How old are you today? 33
9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? I don't watch sports on TV all that often.
10. What is your favorite drink? Iced tea, hot cocoa, hot tea, lemonade, orange juice, soda
11. Do you dye your hair? Not anymore
12. Favorite food? Chinese food, pizza, pasta, ice cream, hamburgers, cheese fries from Ben Yehuda, chocolate, chicken, vegetable soup my husband makes using the recipe from (the late and great) Journey's End
13. What is the last movie you watched? "Paper Heart". It was fun and cute.
14. Favorite day of the year? My birthday because it celebrates another year of my life.
15. How do you vent anger? I get all snarky and yell a lot.
16. What was your favorite toy as a child? All my Barbies, Love-a-Lot bear, my Cabbage Patch Kids
17. What is your favorite season? Autumn
18. Cherries or Blueberries? I won't eat either on their own. I like them baked into things such as pies or muffins. I also like cherry ice cream or a maraschino cherry on top of a sundae.
19. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? Did you not read my blog about friendship?
20. Who is the most likely to respond? Anyone who has too much time on their hands. LOL!
21. Who is least likely to respond? My friend who sent this to me, duh!
22. Living arrangements? A 4 bedroom 60's split level in a cozy suburb.
23. When was the last time you cried? Either today or yesterday when I was reading a Kristin Hannah novel.
24. What is on the floor of your closet? Shoes and boxes.
25. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending to? My BFF will be the most likely to read this since we check out each other's blogs a lot and we've been friends for almost 23 years.
26. What did you do last night? Played around on the Internet
27. What are you most afraid of? Death, diving into a body of water, gross looking insects
28. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Plain unless they are a soy or veggie burger and then I get cheese on top. My friends who do not keep Kosher should not have to apologize to me for liking a good old-fashioned cheeseburger. I used to love them!
29. Favorite dog breed? Beagle
30. Favorite day of the week? Friday because it leads into Shabbat and I just love lighting candles at the end of a long day and then knowing I can relax.
31. How many states have you lived in? I never thought I'd leave IL but now I've lived in 3 states.
32. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds.
33. What is your favorite flower? Lily
34. Your favorite color? Blue
35. Favorite past-time? Reading
2. What color are your socks right now? Black
3. What are you listening to right now? "(500)Days of Summer" soundtrack, dryer
4. What was the last thing that you ate? Edy's peppermint ice cream with magic shell and whipped cream
5. Can you drive a stick shift? Do cars even have that anymore. It scares me to even think about trying.
6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? One of my friends to find out about a crazy subject line she posted.
7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? She's a close friend of mine
8. How old are you today? 33
9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? I don't watch sports on TV all that often.
10. What is your favorite drink? Iced tea, hot cocoa, hot tea, lemonade, orange juice, soda
11. Do you dye your hair? Not anymore
12. Favorite food? Chinese food, pizza, pasta, ice cream, hamburgers, cheese fries from Ben Yehuda, chocolate, chicken, vegetable soup my husband makes using the recipe from (the late and great) Journey's End
13. What is the last movie you watched? "Paper Heart". It was fun and cute.
14. Favorite day of the year? My birthday because it celebrates another year of my life.
15. How do you vent anger? I get all snarky and yell a lot.
16. What was your favorite toy as a child? All my Barbies, Love-a-Lot bear, my Cabbage Patch Kids
17. What is your favorite season? Autumn
18. Cherries or Blueberries? I won't eat either on their own. I like them baked into things such as pies or muffins. I also like cherry ice cream or a maraschino cherry on top of a sundae.
19. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? Did you not read my blog about friendship?
20. Who is the most likely to respond? Anyone who has too much time on their hands. LOL!
21. Who is least likely to respond? My friend who sent this to me, duh!
22. Living arrangements? A 4 bedroom 60's split level in a cozy suburb.
23. When was the last time you cried? Either today or yesterday when I was reading a Kristin Hannah novel.
24. What is on the floor of your closet? Shoes and boxes.
25. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending to? My BFF will be the most likely to read this since we check out each other's blogs a lot and we've been friends for almost 23 years.
26. What did you do last night? Played around on the Internet
27. What are you most afraid of? Death, diving into a body of water, gross looking insects
28. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Plain unless they are a soy or veggie burger and then I get cheese on top. My friends who do not keep Kosher should not have to apologize to me for liking a good old-fashioned cheeseburger. I used to love them!
29. Favorite dog breed? Beagle
30. Favorite day of the week? Friday because it leads into Shabbat and I just love lighting candles at the end of a long day and then knowing I can relax.
31. How many states have you lived in? I never thought I'd leave IL but now I've lived in 3 states.
32. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds.
33. What is your favorite flower? Lily
34. Your favorite color? Blue
35. Favorite past-time? Reading
My "friendship" with Jodi
Around this time, 6 years ago, I was introduced to an author named Jodi Picoult by way of “The Pact.” I could not put that book down and immediately recommended it to everyone I know. At the time, I thought her last name was pronounced “Pih-coolt”.
A few months later, I read “Perfect Match” and thought that was really interesting too. After that, I was drawn into her world of captivating novels about issues most authors are afraid to touch. I saw the movie of “Plain Truth” on Lifetime so I didn’t read that book (I don’t like reading books after I’ve already seen the movie, no matter how different they are). However, I am proud to say that I’ve read all her books aside from that one. I also started pronouncing her last name as “Pih-colt.”
My favorites are: “Keeping Faith,” “The Pact,” “Second Glance,” “Salem Falls” and “Change of Heart.”
My least favorites are: “Harvesting the Heart,” “Picture Perfect” and “The Tenth Circle.” TTC was also made into a movie on Lifetime, but it shouldn’t have been. The book was slow and had an annoying outcome overall. The movie took a lot away from the book. The only thing I liked about the book was the art in the comic book sections of the story. I also heard that “My Sister’s Keeper,” while a good, but depressing story, was totally twisted around for the movie and changed to the point where I refuse to see it.
The rest of her books fit in the middle of my “like or dislike” spectrum. They all deal with controversial issues where one side isn’t entirely right. Some stories don’t feature court cases though, but still deal with moral or ethical issues. “Second Glance” was more supernatural in nature and felt like an episode of “Cold Case” without the music. It was a beautiful story though. “Songs from the Humpback Whale” was told in three voices and one of the voices told it in reverse. The next book she has coming out is about a kid with Aspberger’s who is accused of murder. That should be interesting and I know she will twist it around so the readers don’t know what to expect, as she usually does. Her stories definitely keep me on my toes and allow me to look at different sides of a huge issue. When I read “Nineteen Minutes,” I felt bad for the kid who was picked on to the point of opening fire at his classmates and I felt bad for the classmates who were innocent victims of his rage (where they weren’t involved at all in bullying him). It made me pray that my kids are neither being bullied or bullying others when they go to school.
Overall, I think Jodi Picoult is a great author and I hope she continues to produce intense stories like the ones I’ve already read and enjoyed so much. And by the way, her last name is pronounced “Peeko.”
A few months later, I read “Perfect Match” and thought that was really interesting too. After that, I was drawn into her world of captivating novels about issues most authors are afraid to touch. I saw the movie of “Plain Truth” on Lifetime so I didn’t read that book (I don’t like reading books after I’ve already seen the movie, no matter how different they are). However, I am proud to say that I’ve read all her books aside from that one. I also started pronouncing her last name as “Pih-colt.”
My favorites are: “Keeping Faith,” “The Pact,” “Second Glance,” “Salem Falls” and “Change of Heart.”
My least favorites are: “Harvesting the Heart,” “Picture Perfect” and “The Tenth Circle.” TTC was also made into a movie on Lifetime, but it shouldn’t have been. The book was slow and had an annoying outcome overall. The movie took a lot away from the book. The only thing I liked about the book was the art in the comic book sections of the story. I also heard that “My Sister’s Keeper,” while a good, but depressing story, was totally twisted around for the movie and changed to the point where I refuse to see it.
The rest of her books fit in the middle of my “like or dislike” spectrum. They all deal with controversial issues where one side isn’t entirely right. Some stories don’t feature court cases though, but still deal with moral or ethical issues. “Second Glance” was more supernatural in nature and felt like an episode of “Cold Case” without the music. It was a beautiful story though. “Songs from the Humpback Whale” was told in three voices and one of the voices told it in reverse. The next book she has coming out is about a kid with Aspberger’s who is accused of murder. That should be interesting and I know she will twist it around so the readers don’t know what to expect, as she usually does. Her stories definitely keep me on my toes and allow me to look at different sides of a huge issue. When I read “Nineteen Minutes,” I felt bad for the kid who was picked on to the point of opening fire at his classmates and I felt bad for the classmates who were innocent victims of his rage (where they weren’t involved at all in bullying him). It made me pray that my kids are neither being bullied or bullying others when they go to school.
Overall, I think Jodi Picoult is a great author and I hope she continues to produce intense stories like the ones I’ve already read and enjoyed so much. And by the way, her last name is pronounced “Peeko.”
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
My Tribute to "Ugly Betty" (Contains spoilers)
While watching the series premiere of "Ugly Betty," my husband kept saying that it was "The Devil Wears Prada." He still does. I'm sure that he's amused at how devastated I am over the news that "Ugly Betty" is done at the end of this season. He's been calling it "Devil Wears Prada" this whole time. Yeah, the first episode was about Betty as a new assistant at Meade Publications and her boss, Daniel, putting her through the ringer. But then...they reached some sort of understanding and the show shed its DWP status. From there on out, "Ugly Betty" was the show to watch for me. I never missed an episode. I adored Henry in the first season and so wanted him and Betty together. Then Charlie (played by Jayma "Emma Pillsbury" Mays) entered the picture and I loved hating her. The love triangle was so intense. I always liked Betty's family: Her older and more fashionable sister, Hilda; her flamboyant Broadway loving nephew, Justin; and her father, Ignacio, who always knew the right things to say and tried to use common sense when everyone else didn't. I was a wreck after the first season finale, when Hilda's fiance was shot while en route to Justin's school musical performance and Henry was en route to Arizona with Charlie, who may or may not have been the mother of his baby at the time.
There was also the staff at Meade. I've had a crush on Daniel since I remembered that Eric Mabius played Steve in "Welcome to the Dollhouse" and he looked even hotter with short hair. Once he and Betty reached an understanding, he was a great boss to her and they built up a special working relationship from there. I still think they have sexual tension between them and would love to see that resolved by the time the season ends. (Sorry, Matt!) Next, there's Wilhelmina, who is painted out as a "villain," even though she also has a vulnerable side. Marc, Wilhelmina's assistant, is as gay as they get, and snarky to boot. Amanda, the receptionist, started off as someone to hate, but she too showed a vulnerable side and became nice and funny after a while. I love the dynamic between her and Marc. It reminds me of the dynamic I have with one of my gay guy friends whom I used to work with (and now live a lot closer to). We can't forget Christina, one of Betty's only allies in the beginning. I loved her accent too. She even had her own storyline after a while and I'm glad things worked out for her in the end, even though she left the show. After a while, Claire Meade appeared on the scene, played by Judith Light (Angela from "Who's the Boss?"). She had this glamorous and witty personality and was definitely a match for Wilhelmina.
We can't forget love interests. First, Betty went from Walter (the guy she started out dating on the show) to Henry (who ended up actually being the dad of Charlie's baby, after all) to Gio (the hottest guy on the show next to Daniel, in my opinion) and then to Matt, who she was on again/off again with, and he was her boss at one point as well. I don't know if Matt will be back before the series ends, but I hope he stays in Africa so Betty and Daniel can finally hook up. :) There were Hilda's love interests: Santos (Justin's father whom she got engaged to until the fateful day of Justin's show), the coach (I forgot his name, but he was still married anyway), Archie (a politician played by my favorite "Karate Kid") and now Bobby (who is 3rd hottest after Daniel and Gio). Daniel was a player for a while but had a stint with Wilhelmina's sister until she went crazy and married Molly, but lost her to cancer. There was also a time he dated a magazine editor played by Salma Hayek, but she was actually playing him in order to write an article. Ignacio even had some romance in his life, with the nurse who was taking care of him for a while.
There were some crazy plot lines, but if "Glee" can thrive on its ridiculous moments, "Ugly Betty" should be able to do the same. It made the show funny and kept things interesting.
The more I watched the show this season, the more I continued to love it. And now the carpet is being ripped from under its feet. I knew something like this would happen when they moved it to Friday night. Moving it back to Wednesday just confused viewers. I thought it would have to compete with "Glee" anyway. (And as much as I love "Glee", there's a part of me that loves "Ugly Betty" just a little more.) I am sad to see it go and hope that the writers will give it a series finale to blow all other series finales out of the water. It deserves that much justice, at the very least! I'll miss Betty, the Suarez family, Marc, Amanda, Daniel and dare I say it, even Wilhelmina. I'm glad I had the opportunity to get addicted to this show in the first place. Thanks for entertaining me for the last 4 years, "Ugly Betty." Go out in style!
There was also the staff at Meade. I've had a crush on Daniel since I remembered that Eric Mabius played Steve in "Welcome to the Dollhouse" and he looked even hotter with short hair. Once he and Betty reached an understanding, he was a great boss to her and they built up a special working relationship from there. I still think they have sexual tension between them and would love to see that resolved by the time the season ends. (Sorry, Matt!) Next, there's Wilhelmina, who is painted out as a "villain," even though she also has a vulnerable side. Marc, Wilhelmina's assistant, is as gay as they get, and snarky to boot. Amanda, the receptionist, started off as someone to hate, but she too showed a vulnerable side and became nice and funny after a while. I love the dynamic between her and Marc. It reminds me of the dynamic I have with one of my gay guy friends whom I used to work with (and now live a lot closer to). We can't forget Christina, one of Betty's only allies in the beginning. I loved her accent too. She even had her own storyline after a while and I'm glad things worked out for her in the end, even though she left the show. After a while, Claire Meade appeared on the scene, played by Judith Light (Angela from "Who's the Boss?"). She had this glamorous and witty personality and was definitely a match for Wilhelmina.
We can't forget love interests. First, Betty went from Walter (the guy she started out dating on the show) to Henry (who ended up actually being the dad of Charlie's baby, after all) to Gio (the hottest guy on the show next to Daniel, in my opinion) and then to Matt, who she was on again/off again with, and he was her boss at one point as well. I don't know if Matt will be back before the series ends, but I hope he stays in Africa so Betty and Daniel can finally hook up. :) There were Hilda's love interests: Santos (Justin's father whom she got engaged to until the fateful day of Justin's show), the coach (I forgot his name, but he was still married anyway), Archie (a politician played by my favorite "Karate Kid") and now Bobby (who is 3rd hottest after Daniel and Gio). Daniel was a player for a while but had a stint with Wilhelmina's sister until she went crazy and married Molly, but lost her to cancer. There was also a time he dated a magazine editor played by Salma Hayek, but she was actually playing him in order to write an article. Ignacio even had some romance in his life, with the nurse who was taking care of him for a while.
There were some crazy plot lines, but if "Glee" can thrive on its ridiculous moments, "Ugly Betty" should be able to do the same. It made the show funny and kept things interesting.
The more I watched the show this season, the more I continued to love it. And now the carpet is being ripped from under its feet. I knew something like this would happen when they moved it to Friday night. Moving it back to Wednesday just confused viewers. I thought it would have to compete with "Glee" anyway. (And as much as I love "Glee", there's a part of me that loves "Ugly Betty" just a little more.) I am sad to see it go and hope that the writers will give it a series finale to blow all other series finales out of the water. It deserves that much justice, at the very least! I'll miss Betty, the Suarez family, Marc, Amanda, Daniel and dare I say it, even Wilhelmina. I'm glad I had the opportunity to get addicted to this show in the first place. Thanks for entertaining me for the last 4 years, "Ugly Betty." Go out in style!
Friends 'til the "end"
A friend of mine was telling everyone today how her friendship with another friend of hers ended. There weren’t a lot of details involved, but I guess she was being taken for granted or the friendship just went in one direction and not the other.
I’ve been thinking about this in regards to some of my friends just disappearing off the face of the planet with no explanation as to why. I guess it would have been nice to have some closure. It could be attributed to the whole “friends for a reason, season, or lifetime” concept that people send around on the Internet. However, I don’t feel like those friendships fit into any of those categories, unless the reason was one sided. Sometimes it’s just about how much effort one puts into the friendship. A friend could give up on another friend if they’re not making much effort to stay in contact.
Sometimes there are toxic friendships which people are glad to end. I had one of those toward the end of senior year of HS and was more than happy to drop complete contact with the offending friend. This girl tried to tell me who could ride in MY car and she would play with my radio while I was driving. She tried to drive a wedge between me and my sister (mega FAIL on her end!) and tried to manipulate some of my closest friends. I was the first to see her evil ways, even though I was starving for friends at the time and didn’t want to lose my other friends if I told her to take a hike. However, another friend realized this about a month later and it led to a disaster weekend that led me to finding a whole new set of friends in an interesting place. I still hung out with this girl because my friends were doing so, and then the three of us had an epiphany one weekend when she wasn’t around and we all washed our hands of her toxicity. A year or so later, I found out that she did something really inappropriate in the school library and was SO glad that she was out of my life by then. Sometimes I wish I could have really told her off, but I think I was scared of her for a while. She was so awful when she wanted to be. I think I was just scared that my other friends would take her side against me. I guess she managed to give them a run for their money too.
On the other side of the coin, I had a great friendship with a girl I connected with during the end of my first senior year of college. We had so much in common and so much to talk about. We’d e-mail all the time and even tell each other stuff that was deeply personal. During the summer before my last year of college, she moved out to my neck of the woods, so I tried to connect her with some people to make her adjustment that much easier. One attempt was to introduce her to a guy as a potential love interest. That was a minor fail because she fell for his friend and they got married about 2 years later. For a while, we still had stuff to talk about, but less in common as she was embarking on this whole grown up, career-driven, married, suburban life and I was still at home with my parents after graduating college and having trouble finding jobs while in a dead end dating relationship. Later, I was in a better place in my life and she became a mom around that same time. Things were good for a while, but then about a year later, she disappeared off the face of the planet. I was also friends with her sister and she disappeared at around the same time. I made efforts to stay in touch but they were not reciprocated and I eventually decided not to invite either of them to my wedding or any parties leading up to it. I’m disappointed that we lost contact and that I never had an explanation as to why. I guess that’s their choice and I’ve made so many other good friends since then. (Around the time they dropped contact, I became friends with someone I had even more in common with.)
After I got married, my BFF and I had a huge argument and then didn’t talk for a while. The reason is between us and has been addressed and resolved since that time. We took time off from one another and reconnected the following spring when we both had big news to share and had to hear each other’s news secondhand. I’m glad she gave me another chance and our friendship is tighter than ever now. I think the time apart was good for both of us. I had taken time off from a different friend when I was in college (for an entirely different reason) and then we reconnected and things were a lot better in our friendship since that time. We had a lot more to talk about and enjoyed each other’s company more. I wasn’t ignoring her during the time off, but she wasn’t making any effort either.
Nowadays, I treasure the friendships I have with my “friends for a lifetime.” Sure there will be “friends for a reason/season.” I make efforts in the friendship and if they can’t be reciprocated, I move on. I’m not saying that we have to exchange gifts or do favors for each other. I just like to know that you are able to send an e-mail or pick up the phone to say hi. We’re in such a high tech communication era that unless you’re living in a cave, there’s no reason you can’t stay in contact with me. I’ll admit that I’m bad about e-mailing and I’m a horrible phone person. I still find ways to reach out, whether it’s acknowledging someone’s birthday, inviting them to a party, sending an e-mail or writing a facebook post to check in, etc. Just saying “hi” and “how are you” is all it takes to make the initial connection. And if you think I’m bad (as I think I am) about staying in touch, then call me on it. I will respond. Just like the phone works both ways, so does a friendship with me. I’m always open to making new friends, as long as I know I can trust them. If the friendship isn’t meant to be, it will dissipate if you are not making the effort. I can only do so much from my end. As they say at the beginning “The Golden Girls”: “Thank you for being a friend…”
I’ve been thinking about this in regards to some of my friends just disappearing off the face of the planet with no explanation as to why. I guess it would have been nice to have some closure. It could be attributed to the whole “friends for a reason, season, or lifetime” concept that people send around on the Internet. However, I don’t feel like those friendships fit into any of those categories, unless the reason was one sided. Sometimes it’s just about how much effort one puts into the friendship. A friend could give up on another friend if they’re not making much effort to stay in contact.
Sometimes there are toxic friendships which people are glad to end. I had one of those toward the end of senior year of HS and was more than happy to drop complete contact with the offending friend. This girl tried to tell me who could ride in MY car and she would play with my radio while I was driving. She tried to drive a wedge between me and my sister (mega FAIL on her end!) and tried to manipulate some of my closest friends. I was the first to see her evil ways, even though I was starving for friends at the time and didn’t want to lose my other friends if I told her to take a hike. However, another friend realized this about a month later and it led to a disaster weekend that led me to finding a whole new set of friends in an interesting place. I still hung out with this girl because my friends were doing so, and then the three of us had an epiphany one weekend when she wasn’t around and we all washed our hands of her toxicity. A year or so later, I found out that she did something really inappropriate in the school library and was SO glad that she was out of my life by then. Sometimes I wish I could have really told her off, but I think I was scared of her for a while. She was so awful when she wanted to be. I think I was just scared that my other friends would take her side against me. I guess she managed to give them a run for their money too.
On the other side of the coin, I had a great friendship with a girl I connected with during the end of my first senior year of college. We had so much in common and so much to talk about. We’d e-mail all the time and even tell each other stuff that was deeply personal. During the summer before my last year of college, she moved out to my neck of the woods, so I tried to connect her with some people to make her adjustment that much easier. One attempt was to introduce her to a guy as a potential love interest. That was a minor fail because she fell for his friend and they got married about 2 years later. For a while, we still had stuff to talk about, but less in common as she was embarking on this whole grown up, career-driven, married, suburban life and I was still at home with my parents after graduating college and having trouble finding jobs while in a dead end dating relationship. Later, I was in a better place in my life and she became a mom around that same time. Things were good for a while, but then about a year later, she disappeared off the face of the planet. I was also friends with her sister and she disappeared at around the same time. I made efforts to stay in touch but they were not reciprocated and I eventually decided not to invite either of them to my wedding or any parties leading up to it. I’m disappointed that we lost contact and that I never had an explanation as to why. I guess that’s their choice and I’ve made so many other good friends since then. (Around the time they dropped contact, I became friends with someone I had even more in common with.)
After I got married, my BFF and I had a huge argument and then didn’t talk for a while. The reason is between us and has been addressed and resolved since that time. We took time off from one another and reconnected the following spring when we both had big news to share and had to hear each other’s news secondhand. I’m glad she gave me another chance and our friendship is tighter than ever now. I think the time apart was good for both of us. I had taken time off from a different friend when I was in college (for an entirely different reason) and then we reconnected and things were a lot better in our friendship since that time. We had a lot more to talk about and enjoyed each other’s company more. I wasn’t ignoring her during the time off, but she wasn’t making any effort either.
Nowadays, I treasure the friendships I have with my “friends for a lifetime.” Sure there will be “friends for a reason/season.” I make efforts in the friendship and if they can’t be reciprocated, I move on. I’m not saying that we have to exchange gifts or do favors for each other. I just like to know that you are able to send an e-mail or pick up the phone to say hi. We’re in such a high tech communication era that unless you’re living in a cave, there’s no reason you can’t stay in contact with me. I’ll admit that I’m bad about e-mailing and I’m a horrible phone person. I still find ways to reach out, whether it’s acknowledging someone’s birthday, inviting them to a party, sending an e-mail or writing a facebook post to check in, etc. Just saying “hi” and “how are you” is all it takes to make the initial connection. And if you think I’m bad (as I think I am) about staying in touch, then call me on it. I will respond. Just like the phone works both ways, so does a friendship with me. I’m always open to making new friends, as long as I know I can trust them. If the friendship isn’t meant to be, it will dissipate if you are not making the effort. I can only do so much from my end. As they say at the beginning “The Golden Girls”: “Thank you for being a friend…”
Musicology
Last night, I organized my closet to the “Clueless” soundtrack and then got some sewing done to Nirvana’s “Nevermind” album (if we can even call them “albums” anymore…in this case it was a cassette). It got me thinking about how varied my music tastes are. “Nevermind” always makes me think of the summer between sophomore and junior year of high school. I brought it with me to England and listened to it almost every day. The “Clueless” soundtrack reminds me of the summer between freshman and sophomore year of college, when I saw “Clueless” and fell in love with it. Both “albums” are timeless and I could listen to them over and over.
Lately, my music of choice is Adam Lambert’s CD in the morning and the Top 5 at 5 on WINC FM in the evening (to stay up to date with pop music or the latest rock songs). I can’t get enough of either, even though WINC plays some annoying songs sometimes.
I am into country music and was over the moon about once again living in an area that has a good country station.
There were no country stations in NJ or NY. I got into country music during senior year of college, when I was working with a woman who enjoyed listening to it. After that, I was buying country CDs (mainly Shania Twain, Faith Hill and Dixie Chicks) and listening to the country station on the radio. For a while, I slipped away from country music for my love of the 80’s station and then for dance club hits. Later, I got back into it by finding a good station online to listen to quietly at work. By then, there were some new singers and groups that I started to like, such as Rascal Flatts and Brad Paisley. I also started paying more attention to Sara Evans and Martina McBride. I like almost anything by Leann Rimes and Carrie Underwood, as well these days.
Another musical interest of mine is from the Rat Pack era. I love anything by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, etc. They sing a lot of Gershwin and Cole Porter tunes. Lately, the songs have been covered by Robbie Williams, Michael Buble, Harry Connick Jr., Peter Cincotti, Jamie Cullum, etc. So I enjoy listening to them too.
Finally, I love Broadway showtunes. I could listen to a whole Broadway original cast recording over and over. I slip into phases based on the musicals I’m interested in. I can always go for “Rent,” “Les Miz,” or “Miss Saigon” though. Lately, my Broadway passion has been over “In the Heights.” I sing the songs around the house all the time. Before that, it was “Legally Blonde” and “Spring Awakening.”
Some of my music tastes have changed a lot over time, but others have remained constant. I am always interested in 80’s and 90’s music whenever it comes on. It’s fun and makes me feel all nostalgic. Even songs from the early half of the 00’s do that for me now. I’m not into rap or death metal at all. I went through a classical phase in college, but have aversions to it now. I think the only time I don’t mind it is when I’m browsing around Barnes and Noble (if that’s what they even play anymore). I’m usually open to listening to new artists, but it depends on my mood and how much they are able to impress me. One such example is Ingrid Michaelson. I heard “Maybe” on the Top 5 at 5 and was instantly drawn to her voice. I also learned about Orianthi that way. My friends sometimes send me song or album suggestions on Lala.com. I’m sure if the new season of “American Idol” has some good contenders, they could draw me into their music too. Speaking of which, I heard Danny Gokey’s new song and was not impressed. It’s a good song, but more for Taylor Swift. Danny can really work with his voice and belt out tunes. This song inhibits him from doing so and doesn’t bring out his true talent. I’ve also listened to Brooke White’s album and it’s nice for some light background music. I like David Cook and Daughtry’s albums a lot though.
What are your all time favorite music styles or songs?
Lately, my music of choice is Adam Lambert’s CD in the morning and the Top 5 at 5 on WINC FM in the evening (to stay up to date with pop music or the latest rock songs). I can’t get enough of either, even though WINC plays some annoying songs sometimes.
I am into country music and was over the moon about once again living in an area that has a good country station.
There were no country stations in NJ or NY. I got into country music during senior year of college, when I was working with a woman who enjoyed listening to it. After that, I was buying country CDs (mainly Shania Twain, Faith Hill and Dixie Chicks) and listening to the country station on the radio. For a while, I slipped away from country music for my love of the 80’s station and then for dance club hits. Later, I got back into it by finding a good station online to listen to quietly at work. By then, there were some new singers and groups that I started to like, such as Rascal Flatts and Brad Paisley. I also started paying more attention to Sara Evans and Martina McBride. I like almost anything by Leann Rimes and Carrie Underwood, as well these days.
Another musical interest of mine is from the Rat Pack era. I love anything by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, etc. They sing a lot of Gershwin and Cole Porter tunes. Lately, the songs have been covered by Robbie Williams, Michael Buble, Harry Connick Jr., Peter Cincotti, Jamie Cullum, etc. So I enjoy listening to them too.
Finally, I love Broadway showtunes. I could listen to a whole Broadway original cast recording over and over. I slip into phases based on the musicals I’m interested in. I can always go for “Rent,” “Les Miz,” or “Miss Saigon” though. Lately, my Broadway passion has been over “In the Heights.” I sing the songs around the house all the time. Before that, it was “Legally Blonde” and “Spring Awakening.”
Some of my music tastes have changed a lot over time, but others have remained constant. I am always interested in 80’s and 90’s music whenever it comes on. It’s fun and makes me feel all nostalgic. Even songs from the early half of the 00’s do that for me now. I’m not into rap or death metal at all. I went through a classical phase in college, but have aversions to it now. I think the only time I don’t mind it is when I’m browsing around Barnes and Noble (if that’s what they even play anymore). I’m usually open to listening to new artists, but it depends on my mood and how much they are able to impress me. One such example is Ingrid Michaelson. I heard “Maybe” on the Top 5 at 5 and was instantly drawn to her voice. I also learned about Orianthi that way. My friends sometimes send me song or album suggestions on Lala.com. I’m sure if the new season of “American Idol” has some good contenders, they could draw me into their music too. Speaking of which, I heard Danny Gokey’s new song and was not impressed. It’s a good song, but more for Taylor Swift. Danny can really work with his voice and belt out tunes. This song inhibits him from doing so and doesn’t bring out his true talent. I’ve also listened to Brooke White’s album and it’s nice for some light background music. I like David Cook and Daughtry’s albums a lot though.
What are your all time favorite music styles or songs?
My new favorite author
I’ve been on a Kristin Hannah book marathon lately. I started with “Firefly Lane” last summer and loved how smoothly the story flowed and how easy the characters were to connect with, no matter how similar or different they were to/from me. I still get emotional when I think about it. Then I saw some other books of hers at a library book sale and a local thrift shop and decided to check them out too. So far, I’ve enjoyed each one: “Between Sisters” and “On Mystic Lake.” I’m reading “The Things we do for Love” now, and have already gotten misty-eyed a few times. I just want to read more and more of her books and have been looking diligently for them at the store.
There was a romance author to whom I was addicted back during my college days and the earlier half of this century. Her name is Katherine Stone. She has stopped producing novels for some reason and I definitely miss reading her stories now. Kristin Hannah’s writing style is very similar and I connect with her books the way I connected to Katherine Stone’s books in the past. She’s just that good! I definitely recommend checking her novels out sometime. Just keep a box of tissues nearby.
There was a romance author to whom I was addicted back during my college days and the earlier half of this century. Her name is Katherine Stone. She has stopped producing novels for some reason and I definitely miss reading her stories now. Kristin Hannah’s writing style is very similar and I connect with her books the way I connected to Katherine Stone’s books in the past. She’s just that good! I definitely recommend checking her novels out sometime. Just keep a box of tissues nearby.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
I am what I wear....and how I dress
I got my subject line from "My Strongest Suit," a song from the musical "Aida." I thought about this line while at a style event tonight. Before coming to the event, I took a quiz that was sent to me by the style consultant who was going to be speaking. The answers pointed to 5 different fashion personality types and the predominant one was the one I should relate to most in picking out my wardrobe. I ended up with "Bohemian." It mostly was lots of denim, leather, suede and floral prints. The suggestion was to shop at ethnic stores and the overall look was organic in nature. There was a different style that I felt I could relate to more: "Whimsical." Lots of fun and creative style arrangements. Very colorful, as well. It also mentioned buying lots of clothes on discount or at thrift stores. That's so me! :) The overall topic of the event got me thinking back to how I used to dress and how that has changed or stayed the same. In high school, I wore long sleeved shirts under t-shirts with either jeans or shorts combined with leggings. I'd also wear long skirts with long sweaters or blouses. After I graduated, I spent lots of time in t-shirts and jeans with imitation Birkenstocks and a flannel over my t-shirt. That look carried me into college. I eventually started wearing skirts and dresses toward the end of my college years. As an adult, I started wearing work clothes and spending weekends in the usual jean/t-shirt motif. My work clothes mostly consisted of pants and nice shirts, with some skirts tossed into the mix every so often. I think I still dress that way for work, so not much has changed. On the casual end, I still wear jeans, but mostly with a plain or patterned shirt instead of a t-shirt (which are saved for working out or sleeping). I dress business casual for Shabbos and wear a head covering (hat or scarf) whether or not we have guests over for meals.
When I first met my husband, I decided not to dress up like I had done for dates in the past. I wanted to be casual and also show him the real me. I showed up to meet him in jeans, one of my favorite Neo-Futurarium T-shirts, and my favorite comfy black sweater (that could be worn with or without a belt). I also had little black boots on and pulled my hair back using a black scarf as a headband. It worked though! On our first real date (bowling and dinner), I wore this long sleeved t-shirt with a cat on it, coupled with a black fleece sweater and jeans. Again, no complaints from him. I think the first time I dressed up for him was when we went to shul together. Even then, I was able to get away with pants because it was a conservative shul.
I used to subscribe to fashion magazines. Mainly "Cosmopolitan" and "Glamour." I mostly glanced over the fashion and looked more at the articles and stories. Nowadays, I subscribe to mommy magazines, although I also got a subscription to "Redbook" this year to shake things up a bit. It's more about what I'm interested in than what I have to do for my kids. I like the mommy magazines, but it's nice to have magazines that talk about pop culture and issues important to women. There are some fashion sections, but it's not the main reason I read them. It's a step up from "Family Circle" or "Women's Day", which I mainly got for the recipes.
As I mentioned in a previous blog, I have become very thrifty lately and would prefer to spend my money on multiple items at Value Village instead of just one or two items at New York and Company (one of my favorite stores from the past) these days. In the last year or so, you would have heard the opposite statement coming from me. I think my environment has to do with that. Living by NY meant a lot of pressure in the fashion department. I was afraid to show up at shul in the same outfit twice. Here, people are more laid back and there are so many different fashion types that it doesn't even matter. I'm not saying everyone in NJ was stuck up, but sometimes the women's section in shul felt like a fashion show. There was one time a few summers ago, after I lost most of my post-baby weight, that I went to New York and Company one afternoon for a little shopping spree. I felt like I could relate to Romy or Michele's comment about Julia Roberts (in "Pretty Woman") when they said "she finally got to shop!" It was nice to put on clothes that didn't define me as just a mom. The clothes were totally me and I enjoyed trying them on and checking myself out in the mirror. When I go to the thrift store, I don't try anything on. I just guess that it will fit and I'm usually right. I've bought some fashionable items (that have received positive comments) for 80-90% of the cost I normally would have paid in the past. I've even found cute things on the clearance racks at Target and have returned home proud of my purchases and the fact that I was able to get such a good deal. I also get hand-me-downs from my mother-in-law, who has a "Chic" or "Classic" way of dressing. She gave me some suits to wear for interviews and a few nice Shabbos outfits. I absolutely love this one shirt that is black and has red flowers connected with green stems trailing all over it. It's so pretty and modern looking.
Do I think my wardrobe could use a makeover? Yes and no. I like some of my clothes and they look just right on me. However, I am hoarding clothes I never wear when I should be making room for the "new" items I enjoy wearing instead. I still have clothes from college. I think my oldest item is a light gray "jacket" that is missing a button. I used to wear it to work in the summer when the office was cold to make up for the heat outside. I think it's buried somewhere in my closet right now. I don't claim to know everything about fashion and am impressed that the style consultant was able to categorize so many items so easily and give fashion advice so freely. I just don't know that I could be completely pigeon-holed into any of those five categories. I dress in clothes that express my personality and that's all that matters in the long run.
When I first met my husband, I decided not to dress up like I had done for dates in the past. I wanted to be casual and also show him the real me. I showed up to meet him in jeans, one of my favorite Neo-Futurarium T-shirts, and my favorite comfy black sweater (that could be worn with or without a belt). I also had little black boots on and pulled my hair back using a black scarf as a headband. It worked though! On our first real date (bowling and dinner), I wore this long sleeved t-shirt with a cat on it, coupled with a black fleece sweater and jeans. Again, no complaints from him. I think the first time I dressed up for him was when we went to shul together. Even then, I was able to get away with pants because it was a conservative shul.
I used to subscribe to fashion magazines. Mainly "Cosmopolitan" and "Glamour." I mostly glanced over the fashion and looked more at the articles and stories. Nowadays, I subscribe to mommy magazines, although I also got a subscription to "Redbook" this year to shake things up a bit. It's more about what I'm interested in than what I have to do for my kids. I like the mommy magazines, but it's nice to have magazines that talk about pop culture and issues important to women. There are some fashion sections, but it's not the main reason I read them. It's a step up from "Family Circle" or "Women's Day", which I mainly got for the recipes.
As I mentioned in a previous blog, I have become very thrifty lately and would prefer to spend my money on multiple items at Value Village instead of just one or two items at New York and Company (one of my favorite stores from the past) these days. In the last year or so, you would have heard the opposite statement coming from me. I think my environment has to do with that. Living by NY meant a lot of pressure in the fashion department. I was afraid to show up at shul in the same outfit twice. Here, people are more laid back and there are so many different fashion types that it doesn't even matter. I'm not saying everyone in NJ was stuck up, but sometimes the women's section in shul felt like a fashion show. There was one time a few summers ago, after I lost most of my post-baby weight, that I went to New York and Company one afternoon for a little shopping spree. I felt like I could relate to Romy or Michele's comment about Julia Roberts (in "Pretty Woman") when they said "she finally got to shop!" It was nice to put on clothes that didn't define me as just a mom. The clothes were totally me and I enjoyed trying them on and checking myself out in the mirror. When I go to the thrift store, I don't try anything on. I just guess that it will fit and I'm usually right. I've bought some fashionable items (that have received positive comments) for 80-90% of the cost I normally would have paid in the past. I've even found cute things on the clearance racks at Target and have returned home proud of my purchases and the fact that I was able to get such a good deal. I also get hand-me-downs from my mother-in-law, who has a "Chic" or "Classic" way of dressing. She gave me some suits to wear for interviews and a few nice Shabbos outfits. I absolutely love this one shirt that is black and has red flowers connected with green stems trailing all over it. It's so pretty and modern looking.
Do I think my wardrobe could use a makeover? Yes and no. I like some of my clothes and they look just right on me. However, I am hoarding clothes I never wear when I should be making room for the "new" items I enjoy wearing instead. I still have clothes from college. I think my oldest item is a light gray "jacket" that is missing a button. I used to wear it to work in the summer when the office was cold to make up for the heat outside. I think it's buried somewhere in my closet right now. I don't claim to know everything about fashion and am impressed that the style consultant was able to categorize so many items so easily and give fashion advice so freely. I just don't know that I could be completely pigeon-holed into any of those five categories. I dress in clothes that express my personality and that's all that matters in the long run.
Time will tell
I managed to survive without a watch for a month and a half. Don't ask me how that was possible. It drove me crazy to not be able to conveniently check the time. (Especially when the clocks in certain conference rooms at my office building didn't work.) I have a thing about punctuality and timeliness. It was hard to manage without a watch. On the other "hand," time seemed to speed by when I wasn't able to constantly check it. It's a strange feeling to not have a watch though. I felt naked without it. Now that it's back and looking pretty like it used to, I feel so much better. I don't check it as obsessively as I used to, but it's nice to have the option again.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The start of my first knitting project
This is 2 weeks worth of work (I haven't been doing it that religiously though).
Win a cookbook!
A cool giveaway for a mom like me who likes to live out of their freezer. :) All readers are encouraged to enter this too!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Crazy 8's
Got this idea from a friend of mine and thought I would do it too:
8 TV shows I watch:
*Glee: The new "it" show for the 2009-2010 season
*Desperate Housewives: While it's continuing to jump the shark, it still cracks me up and keeps me guessing.
*The Office: It's funny whether or not I'm working in an office during the time I'm watching it.
*American Idol: I just love hearing what Simon says and it's nice to have a few good voices to vote for.
*Ugly Betty: I LOVE this show! Love it, love it, love it!
*90210: I am starting to like it more than the original series.
*My Boys: It's such a cute and fun show. I love that it takes place in Chicago.
*Curb Your Enthusiasm: This past season started off horribly wrong, but then it got funnier and funnier. I liked the Seinfeld reunion.
8 Food or beverage items I enjoy
*Chinese food
*Pizza
*Hot cocoa
*Ice cream
*Hamburgers
*Cheese fries from Ben Yehuda
*Chocolate
*Vegetable soup my husband makes using the recipe from (the late and great) Journey's End
8 Things I look forward to:
*My kids' birthdays
*My anniversary
*My birthday (even though Tisha B'Av is on the same day this year)
*Shabbos
*When new books by my favorite authors are released
*Going to Chicago for 4th of July
*The birth of some of my friends' babies this year, along with a new niece or nephew (B'shaah Tovah to all)
*"Glee" coming back in April
8 Things that happened yesterday:
*I worked
*I took the kids grocery shopping
*I cleaned the house in preparation for our cleaning service
*I watched "American Idol"
*I made a kugel for a family who recently had a baby in our community (as part of the meal for them)
*I knitted while watching AI
*I did some laundry
*I made pizza and corn for dinner
8 things I love about Winter
*Snow days when I don't have to work
*An excuse to drink as much hot cocoa as I want
*Seeing the kids play in the snow and all their delight
*Great photography opportunities
*A reason to stay inside with the fireplace on while wearing warm pajamas
*Hanukkah
*Valentine's Day
*I met my husband in February, so winter always reminds me of that
8 Things on my wish list
*TV shows that I don't have to wait a day to watch online (i.e. my husband ordering basic network channels now that his one idea didn't work)
*Lots of books
*A real vacation to a warm place with swimming pools, a beach, etc.
*Someone to put away all my laundry for me and attend to all dirty dishes
*For my older son to be less picky about food
*For my family to move out to our neck of the woods
*For plane fares to cost less so I can visit family and friends more easily and often
*To be really talented at something and be able to make a living off that talent
8 Things I am passionate about:
*My husband
*My kids
*My family
*My friends
*Judaism
*Reading
*Singing (mostly to myself and my kids, but I just love it)
*Pop culture trivia
8 words I often use (they might also be phrases)
*Insane
*We'll figure it out
*Sounds good
*Kaynehore (It shouldn't happen to you)
*Whatever
*Totally
*In a minute
*Like (even though a friend's mom tried to break me of using that word outside of favoring something)
8 things I learned from the past:
*It's okay to admit I was a nerd
*You can't control how people think or feel
*How to be in a good relationship
*If you don't use it, you lose it
*Not to rent a house from a shul
*Always look completely over a contract before signing it
*Not to be taken advantage of as a friend
*That I'd eventually become more observant with Judaism
8 Things I want/need
*A mouse that doesn't freeze up for no reason at all (need)
*Another trip to Vegas (want)
*To get back into an exercising groove (both)
*To be more organized at home (need)
*More shoes (both)
*Ben Yehuda's cheese fries (want)
*More time to get things done each week(both, even though I get Fridays off from work)
*More sleep (need)
Feel free to do this in your own blog and then comment in my blog and I will check it out. Have fun with this! I did, even though it required a lot of thinking late at night!
8 TV shows I watch:
*Glee: The new "it" show for the 2009-2010 season
*Desperate Housewives: While it's continuing to jump the shark, it still cracks me up and keeps me guessing.
*The Office: It's funny whether or not I'm working in an office during the time I'm watching it.
*American Idol: I just love hearing what Simon says and it's nice to have a few good voices to vote for.
*Ugly Betty: I LOVE this show! Love it, love it, love it!
*90210: I am starting to like it more than the original series.
*My Boys: It's such a cute and fun show. I love that it takes place in Chicago.
*Curb Your Enthusiasm: This past season started off horribly wrong, but then it got funnier and funnier. I liked the Seinfeld reunion.
8 Food or beverage items I enjoy
*Chinese food
*Pizza
*Hot cocoa
*Ice cream
*Hamburgers
*Cheese fries from Ben Yehuda
*Chocolate
*Vegetable soup my husband makes using the recipe from (the late and great) Journey's End
8 Things I look forward to:
*My kids' birthdays
*My anniversary
*My birthday (even though Tisha B'Av is on the same day this year)
*Shabbos
*When new books by my favorite authors are released
*Going to Chicago for 4th of July
*The birth of some of my friends' babies this year, along with a new niece or nephew (B'shaah Tovah to all)
*"Glee" coming back in April
8 Things that happened yesterday:
*I worked
*I took the kids grocery shopping
*I cleaned the house in preparation for our cleaning service
*I watched "American Idol"
*I made a kugel for a family who recently had a baby in our community (as part of the meal for them)
*I knitted while watching AI
*I did some laundry
*I made pizza and corn for dinner
8 things I love about Winter
*Snow days when I don't have to work
*An excuse to drink as much hot cocoa as I want
*Seeing the kids play in the snow and all their delight
*Great photography opportunities
*A reason to stay inside with the fireplace on while wearing warm pajamas
*Hanukkah
*Valentine's Day
*I met my husband in February, so winter always reminds me of that
8 Things on my wish list
*TV shows that I don't have to wait a day to watch online (i.e. my husband ordering basic network channels now that his one idea didn't work)
*Lots of books
*A real vacation to a warm place with swimming pools, a beach, etc.
*Someone to put away all my laundry for me and attend to all dirty dishes
*For my older son to be less picky about food
*For my family to move out to our neck of the woods
*For plane fares to cost less so I can visit family and friends more easily and often
*To be really talented at something and be able to make a living off that talent
8 Things I am passionate about:
*My husband
*My kids
*My family
*My friends
*Judaism
*Reading
*Singing (mostly to myself and my kids, but I just love it)
*Pop culture trivia
8 words I often use (they might also be phrases)
*Insane
*We'll figure it out
*Sounds good
*Kaynehore (It shouldn't happen to you)
*Whatever
*Totally
*In a minute
*Like (even though a friend's mom tried to break me of using that word outside of favoring something)
8 things I learned from the past:
*It's okay to admit I was a nerd
*You can't control how people think or feel
*How to be in a good relationship
*If you don't use it, you lose it
*Not to rent a house from a shul
*Always look completely over a contract before signing it
*Not to be taken advantage of as a friend
*That I'd eventually become more observant with Judaism
8 Things I want/need
*A mouse that doesn't freeze up for no reason at all (need)
*Another trip to Vegas (want)
*To get back into an exercising groove (both)
*To be more organized at home (need)
*More shoes (both)
*Ben Yehuda's cheese fries (want)
*More time to get things done each week(both, even though I get Fridays off from work)
*More sleep (need)
Feel free to do this in your own blog and then comment in my blog and I will check it out. Have fun with this! I did, even though it required a lot of thinking late at night!
Nifty and Thrifty
I have a confession to make…I love shopping at the thrift store. I was there on MLK day and they had a 50% off sale on EVERYTHING. I shopped like crazy! They have cute items in good condition. Why should I have to spend a fortune when I can get name brand clothes at 90% off the retail price. I don’t care that it has been used, I just run it through the washer or have it dry-cleaned. They have incredibly good deals on books and videos (for adults and kids), toys, bags, etc. I introduced my mom to the store a few months ago and she wants to go back when she comes to visit. I will definitely accompany her on that trip! Aside from thrift stores, I love freecycling. What’s better than getting something I want for free. I’ve received so many clothes, toys, movies, and other items I wanted that way. Recently, I got a webcam through Freecycle and it’s been helpful for Skype. :) In this economy, I’m not ashamed to say that I am saving a fortune and still making myself, my husband and my kids very happy.
Sisterly love
*Recently, I was on a friend’s Facebook page and saw a comment made by her sister-in-law that used a nickname her brothers gave her. The nickname does not sound like how it is spelled, but it’s an inside joke between them.
*The other day, I took my sons to play skee-ball and they teamed up to get the balls in the holes. My younger son would start it off and then my older son would take the ball and throw it the rest of the way. They had so much fun together.
*I’m almost finished reading “Between Sisters” by Kristin Hannah and totally love the relationship between the two main characters.
These three things (amongst others) had me thinking about my relationship with my sister. I am fortunate that she and I are only 3 years apart and grew up as playmates and best friends. Sure, we drove each other crazy and had our share of fights. However, we also would have crazy inside jokes and spend hours in the basement playing Barbies and Cabbage Patch Kids. We’ve grown up with similar tastes in movies, music, books and theater. We’ve even shared our friends. We were in Indian Princesses together and went on campouts with our dad. I’d mostly hang out with her at these campouts. We went to overnight camp together one summer and day camp together for countless summers. Senior year of HS, we were on speech team together (she was a freshman). I had 8th hour free during first semester, but I helped with a class in order to fill the time so that I could drive my sister home at the end of the day (I even met a friend-who is now close with both of us-through that class). In the mornings, we’d listen to our favorite radio station and laugh about it together. We shared a babysitting job and later she and I worked at the same restaurant (we were only there together for a short time though). While she and I did a lot of the same things, I never felt like she was shadowing me. She had her own life and interests too. Now we’re both adults and while we have different lifestyles, we still have similar interests and we talk all the time. She’s an awesome aunt to my boys, who totally adore her. I only hope for good things to happen in her life and I hope I can help her celebrate them in some way or another. She’s an amazing sister and I am very fortunate to have grown up with and always stayed close with her. (I’m not just saying all this because she’s reading my blog, I really do feel this way.) I only hope my boys feel this way about each other 30 years from now. :)
*The other day, I took my sons to play skee-ball and they teamed up to get the balls in the holes. My younger son would start it off and then my older son would take the ball and throw it the rest of the way. They had so much fun together.
*I’m almost finished reading “Between Sisters” by Kristin Hannah and totally love the relationship between the two main characters.
These three things (amongst others) had me thinking about my relationship with my sister. I am fortunate that she and I are only 3 years apart and grew up as playmates and best friends. Sure, we drove each other crazy and had our share of fights. However, we also would have crazy inside jokes and spend hours in the basement playing Barbies and Cabbage Patch Kids. We’ve grown up with similar tastes in movies, music, books and theater. We’ve even shared our friends. We were in Indian Princesses together and went on campouts with our dad. I’d mostly hang out with her at these campouts. We went to overnight camp together one summer and day camp together for countless summers. Senior year of HS, we were on speech team together (she was a freshman). I had 8th hour free during first semester, but I helped with a class in order to fill the time so that I could drive my sister home at the end of the day (I even met a friend-who is now close with both of us-through that class). In the mornings, we’d listen to our favorite radio station and laugh about it together. We shared a babysitting job and later she and I worked at the same restaurant (we were only there together for a short time though). While she and I did a lot of the same things, I never felt like she was shadowing me. She had her own life and interests too. Now we’re both adults and while we have different lifestyles, we still have similar interests and we talk all the time. She’s an awesome aunt to my boys, who totally adore her. I only hope for good things to happen in her life and I hope I can help her celebrate them in some way or another. She’s an amazing sister and I am very fortunate to have grown up with and always stayed close with her. (I’m not just saying all this because she’s reading my blog, I really do feel this way.) I only hope my boys feel this way about each other 30 years from now. :)
It's a zoo in here!
I was looking through some coupons online today and almost selected one for cat treats. I guess it’s a force of habit after having a cat for almost 10 years. This is the first time in my life (aside from college where pets were not allowed in dorms or my apartment “building”) that I have not had any pets. While it’s a strange feeling and I do think of our cat from time to time, I can’t say it’s a bad thing. Our house is clean, our older son’s eyes are no longer red and itchy, I don’t have to worry about changing litter on garbage day, our younger son isn’t getting scratched because he tried to pull the cat’s ears, people who also have cat allergies can actually stay in our house now, etc. I checked in on our cat after my husband found her a new home (I can’t take the credit for that, even though I tried) and she is doing well. She’s the queen of her new “castle.” I thought she wouldn’t be able to adapt to other pets, but it turns out that she bosses them around. She’s getting a lot of attention and is allowed to sleep in the bedroom. This is the life for her. I always thought my home would feel empty without a pet around, but it’s different with kids. Never a dull moment and lots of cuddles all the time. I can’t complain. If I need a cat fix, I can just live vicariously through my parents and all their stories and pictures. Their cats even visit with us on Skype. :)
I want to briefly share our pet “history”. I am not counting any cats my parents got after I moved out:
When I was a baby, my parents had a West Highland Terrier named Fluffy. She was very sweet and easygoing. She died when I was 7, on Christmas. My parents then tried to fill the void with other dogs. We had a puppy (Bichon Frise) named Frisky for a few days before my parents decided that we were too young to handle having a puppy around. I was sad about that because he was really cute. Then they got a dog named Dusty (some type of mutt that had an underbite). He was so mean! He bit people and barked really loud all the time. His stay with us was short-lived. Later, we got another Westie named Willy. I think we named him for my sister’s Cabbage Patch Kid. He was nice, but was destroying our wallpaper and furniture. I think my parents gave him to someone in my uncle’s building. After that, we got our first cat, T.J. (the name she came with at the shelter). I didn’t know what to make of her at first, but she was really sweet. She managed to gain a lot of weight and our visitor from England called her “massive.” Another friend called her a “Mama Pillow Kitty.” We got another dog to be her companion. His name was Fluffy II, as he was also a Westie. He was okay, but we gave him a new home after he bit me (and I did nothing to warrant it other than sitting by him and petting him). The following year after we got T.J., we saw a kitten that looked similar to her at the same shelter. We decided to adopt her too and named her Cassie (because of “A Chorus Line.”) She was very cute and sweet, but a nervous wreck. This was brought to light when we got a beagle named Buddy (the summer I turned 12). Buddy was crazy, but we managed to keep him around for a long time. He also was huge and my sister called him “Fatticus”. Despite the fact that he drove my mom crazy, he was my faithful friend. I took him on walks all the time and loved playing with him. He did things to embarrass me in front of my friends, but that’s okay. It made for interesting conversations later. :) Anyway, Cassie would hide under my bed and Buddy knew she didn’t like him. He’d come in my room and howl at the bed. I think he needed a new distraction. In the spring of my freshman year of HS, we got Velvet, a black kitten. She was nice and extremely vocal at times. We had these 4 pets until I graduated high school. Then we got another cat (just because we were browsing at a shelter and he liked my dad) and named him Kitty (so original…not my idea). My grandpa thought we had too many pets at the time so we pretended that he was really Cassie. We couldn’t trick him though. Kitty was a match for Buddy. This little cat could intimidate him out of his own food or keep him away from my parents’ room. In 1997, my parents found a new home for Buddy because it wouldn’t work out to have him at the raised ranch townhome we were moving to (no place for him to run outside and he woke up neighbors on our street with his howling, let alone someone whose house was attached to ours). Later that year, T.J. died from diabetes. The following fall, Cassie met T.J.’s same fate. Velvet died from a brain tumor in 2002. Kitty is still alive but has diabetes. He’s almost 17 years old. In the meantime, I moved into a condo in 2000 and got two cats a week later. I had some allergy problems with Dixie (a tabby), which I ignored until my husband also developed allergic reactions to her. We gave her to some friends who gave her to some other friends. Winnie stuck around until this past summer, due to our older son’s allergies (which weren’t tested until last spring). Now my parents have 4 cats again (I think they’re taking back my sister’s cat) and we have none. While it would be fun to get a dog again someday (I’d love another beagle), I don’t know if they’ll bother people (including our children) with allergies and I’m not ready for that responsibility on top of raising kids right now. We’ll enjoy our friends’ and cousins’ dogs in the meantime.
I want to briefly share our pet “history”. I am not counting any cats my parents got after I moved out:
When I was a baby, my parents had a West Highland Terrier named Fluffy. She was very sweet and easygoing. She died when I was 7, on Christmas. My parents then tried to fill the void with other dogs. We had a puppy (Bichon Frise) named Frisky for a few days before my parents decided that we were too young to handle having a puppy around. I was sad about that because he was really cute. Then they got a dog named Dusty (some type of mutt that had an underbite). He was so mean! He bit people and barked really loud all the time. His stay with us was short-lived. Later, we got another Westie named Willy. I think we named him for my sister’s Cabbage Patch Kid. He was nice, but was destroying our wallpaper and furniture. I think my parents gave him to someone in my uncle’s building. After that, we got our first cat, T.J. (the name she came with at the shelter). I didn’t know what to make of her at first, but she was really sweet. She managed to gain a lot of weight and our visitor from England called her “massive.” Another friend called her a “Mama Pillow Kitty.” We got another dog to be her companion. His name was Fluffy II, as he was also a Westie. He was okay, but we gave him a new home after he bit me (and I did nothing to warrant it other than sitting by him and petting him). The following year after we got T.J., we saw a kitten that looked similar to her at the same shelter. We decided to adopt her too and named her Cassie (because of “A Chorus Line.”) She was very cute and sweet, but a nervous wreck. This was brought to light when we got a beagle named Buddy (the summer I turned 12). Buddy was crazy, but we managed to keep him around for a long time. He also was huge and my sister called him “Fatticus”. Despite the fact that he drove my mom crazy, he was my faithful friend. I took him on walks all the time and loved playing with him. He did things to embarrass me in front of my friends, but that’s okay. It made for interesting conversations later. :) Anyway, Cassie would hide under my bed and Buddy knew she didn’t like him. He’d come in my room and howl at the bed. I think he needed a new distraction. In the spring of my freshman year of HS, we got Velvet, a black kitten. She was nice and extremely vocal at times. We had these 4 pets until I graduated high school. Then we got another cat (just because we were browsing at a shelter and he liked my dad) and named him Kitty (so original…not my idea). My grandpa thought we had too many pets at the time so we pretended that he was really Cassie. We couldn’t trick him though. Kitty was a match for Buddy. This little cat could intimidate him out of his own food or keep him away from my parents’ room. In 1997, my parents found a new home for Buddy because it wouldn’t work out to have him at the raised ranch townhome we were moving to (no place for him to run outside and he woke up neighbors on our street with his howling, let alone someone whose house was attached to ours). Later that year, T.J. died from diabetes. The following fall, Cassie met T.J.’s same fate. Velvet died from a brain tumor in 2002. Kitty is still alive but has diabetes. He’s almost 17 years old. In the meantime, I moved into a condo in 2000 and got two cats a week later. I had some allergy problems with Dixie (a tabby), which I ignored until my husband also developed allergic reactions to her. We gave her to some friends who gave her to some other friends. Winnie stuck around until this past summer, due to our older son’s allergies (which weren’t tested until last spring). Now my parents have 4 cats again (I think they’re taking back my sister’s cat) and we have none. While it would be fun to get a dog again someday (I’d love another beagle), I don’t know if they’ll bother people (including our children) with allergies and I’m not ready for that responsibility on top of raising kids right now. We’ll enjoy our friends’ and cousins’ dogs in the meantime.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Ain't that grand?!?
I've been thinking a lot about grandparents lately. My older son asks about how my parents and grandparents are related to him and is finally learning about what it means to be a great-grandparent. He sometimes asks about his great-grandfather (who recently passed away) and I usually trail the conversation back to his great-grandmothers instead. I haven't told him that my grandpa passed away because he doesn't understand much about death yet. I sometimes tell him that my maternal grandparents live with Hashem and then he doesn't ask anything more. I am glad that my sons have great-grandparents to remember at all. (Although they haven't seen one of their great-grandmas since my older son was 5 months old. :P) I only had one living great-grandmother when I was growing up. She lived until the summer I turned 18. I mostly remember her as really old and sick. I have a hard time imagining her as the spunky lady who told a bus driver that her dog was blind and she was his eyes. Or the lady who rode a canoe across a lake to visit her son at camp (from what my late great-uncle told me). I'm talking about my dad's grandma. I never met my mom's grandparents, as I was named for them.
I still think about my late maternal grandma a lot. I think of what she'd be like if she didn't have Alzheimer's (or a stroke) and lived a lot longer. I think she would have totally kvelled over my sons. She would have still made matzo ball soup and would have supported my newfound interest in knitting. She would still read books and sit kibbitzing with her lady friends at the pool. The last coherent thing I remember that she said to me was "good for you" when I told her about dating my (now) husband and how he was a nice Jewish boy. She was adorable and told all my friends to call her Mama Mollie. At her funeral, the Rabbi talked about how she was everyone's Mama Mollie. She was a balabusta and loved taking care of us and our friends. My sister and I would beg her to stay overnight at our house and we'd have countless sleepover parties at her condo (which is now my sister's condo). I got her to read V.C. Andrews books and we'd discuss them. When I was a kid, I'd play bingo with her and her lady friends. She taught me how to make matzo balls and now I'm a pro at making the matzo balls the way she used to. She also had strong Jewish roots and I am now trying to carry those on and raise my kids with those values. She loved going to shul with us. It was so important and meaningful to her. She was as much a part of our lives as our parents were. She practically raised us along with our mom. I could go on and on, but I think I summed up how special she was. I named my older son after her, as her Hebrew name was Esther.
I don't remember much about my late maternal grandpa. He died when I was 6 1/2. I know he would imitate Popeye to make me laugh when I was younger. He even had a corncob pipe. He was a gentle soul who loved my grandma very much. Despite the fact that I miss my grandma, I'm glad they are able to be together again. I know she missed him dearly in the 20+ years they were apart. My younger son's middle name is in his honor. I really need to ask my mom more about what he was like when she was growing up and even what he was like as a grandpa when I was too young to remember much.
Back to what started this thought process: My late paternal grandfather, Papa Morrie. I'm fortunate to have had him in my life for over 30 years. I'm also thrilled that he had the opportunity to meet and get to know his great-grandsons before he passed on. My dad had asked me for some memories to share at his funeral. The big ones that stood out were "Oldsmobile candy" (a.k.a. Ande's mints), him singing along with musicals and "Farmer Brown" stories. We called Ande's mints "Oldsmobile candy" because he worked for an Olds dealer and would give us those candies every time we visited him there. He'd also bring them to our house. "Farmer Brown" was some character he would tell stories about every time we got Brown's chicken. I don't even know what happened in the stories anymore, but we liked them. He was big into Sinatra and other Rat Pack music. He liked going to Vegas a lot. When I called, he was always excited to hear my voice, no matter how near or far I lived from him. Once I called him at the hospital when I was in college. That's the only real thing he remembered (he was quite delirious at the time). My sister and I would play Hi-Q (a peg jumping game) and try to trick him into thinking we won. He'd always be on to us and would make us show him how it was done. Like my maternal grandpa, Papa Morrie also adored his wife (my only living grandparent). He took care of her all the time. They were very sweet together, even when they were arguing. We called them "The Costanzas." And like my maternal grandma, he was always very nice to my friends. He was able to make friends wherever he went. That was just his nature. I have some funny stories from his later years, such as when he borrowed CDs from the library, thinking they were DVDs. Then he couldn't figure out why there was no picture coming up when he tried to play them on his DVD player. His answering machine outgoing message was funny too. He sounded like he was reading from a script while my grandma was nagging him in the background. I miss him a lot and am sad that I didn't get to say goodbye or even go to his funeral. However, I'm glad I got to see him earlier last summer, not knowing that time would be my last with him. He enjoyed seeing his great-grandsons too. They made him smile a lot. Like my dad said at the funeral (which I saw on DVD, oddly enough), he was always making sure his great-grandsons had toys to play with at his condo, just like he did when when my sister and I were little.
I'm glad I have memories to cherish and stories to pass along. I'm also glad that my kids have such wonderful grandparents in their lives, no matter how far away they live. They're always involved with our kids and love talking to them on the phone and spending time with them in person. Now that we have Skype, it has opened up a whole new line of communication between our kids and their grandparents. They really love their grandparents and talk about them all the time. It's so nice that they have such a connection and I hope our parents (both mine and my husband's) live a long time so that our kids can continue to have this connection and one day have their own stories to pass along to future great-grandchildren (whom our parents, B"H, will be able to meet someday).
I still think about my late maternal grandma a lot. I think of what she'd be like if she didn't have Alzheimer's (or a stroke) and lived a lot longer. I think she would have totally kvelled over my sons. She would have still made matzo ball soup and would have supported my newfound interest in knitting. She would still read books and sit kibbitzing with her lady friends at the pool. The last coherent thing I remember that she said to me was "good for you" when I told her about dating my (now) husband and how he was a nice Jewish boy. She was adorable and told all my friends to call her Mama Mollie. At her funeral, the Rabbi talked about how she was everyone's Mama Mollie. She was a balabusta and loved taking care of us and our friends. My sister and I would beg her to stay overnight at our house and we'd have countless sleepover parties at her condo (which is now my sister's condo). I got her to read V.C. Andrews books and we'd discuss them. When I was a kid, I'd play bingo with her and her lady friends. She taught me how to make matzo balls and now I'm a pro at making the matzo balls the way she used to. She also had strong Jewish roots and I am now trying to carry those on and raise my kids with those values. She loved going to shul with us. It was so important and meaningful to her. She was as much a part of our lives as our parents were. She practically raised us along with our mom. I could go on and on, but I think I summed up how special she was. I named my older son after her, as her Hebrew name was Esther.
I don't remember much about my late maternal grandpa. He died when I was 6 1/2. I know he would imitate Popeye to make me laugh when I was younger. He even had a corncob pipe. He was a gentle soul who loved my grandma very much. Despite the fact that I miss my grandma, I'm glad they are able to be together again. I know she missed him dearly in the 20+ years they were apart. My younger son's middle name is in his honor. I really need to ask my mom more about what he was like when she was growing up and even what he was like as a grandpa when I was too young to remember much.
Back to what started this thought process: My late paternal grandfather, Papa Morrie. I'm fortunate to have had him in my life for over 30 years. I'm also thrilled that he had the opportunity to meet and get to know his great-grandsons before he passed on. My dad had asked me for some memories to share at his funeral. The big ones that stood out were "Oldsmobile candy" (a.k.a. Ande's mints), him singing along with musicals and "Farmer Brown" stories. We called Ande's mints "Oldsmobile candy" because he worked for an Olds dealer and would give us those candies every time we visited him there. He'd also bring them to our house. "Farmer Brown" was some character he would tell stories about every time we got Brown's chicken. I don't even know what happened in the stories anymore, but we liked them. He was big into Sinatra and other Rat Pack music. He liked going to Vegas a lot. When I called, he was always excited to hear my voice, no matter how near or far I lived from him. Once I called him at the hospital when I was in college. That's the only real thing he remembered (he was quite delirious at the time). My sister and I would play Hi-Q (a peg jumping game) and try to trick him into thinking we won. He'd always be on to us and would make us show him how it was done. Like my maternal grandpa, Papa Morrie also adored his wife (my only living grandparent). He took care of her all the time. They were very sweet together, even when they were arguing. We called them "The Costanzas." And like my maternal grandma, he was always very nice to my friends. He was able to make friends wherever he went. That was just his nature. I have some funny stories from his later years, such as when he borrowed CDs from the library, thinking they were DVDs. Then he couldn't figure out why there was no picture coming up when he tried to play them on his DVD player. His answering machine outgoing message was funny too. He sounded like he was reading from a script while my grandma was nagging him in the background. I miss him a lot and am sad that I didn't get to say goodbye or even go to his funeral. However, I'm glad I got to see him earlier last summer, not knowing that time would be my last with him. He enjoyed seeing his great-grandsons too. They made him smile a lot. Like my dad said at the funeral (which I saw on DVD, oddly enough), he was always making sure his great-grandsons had toys to play with at his condo, just like he did when when my sister and I were little.
I'm glad I have memories to cherish and stories to pass along. I'm also glad that my kids have such wonderful grandparents in their lives, no matter how far away they live. They're always involved with our kids and love talking to them on the phone and spending time with them in person. Now that we have Skype, it has opened up a whole new line of communication between our kids and their grandparents. They really love their grandparents and talk about them all the time. It's so nice that they have such a connection and I hope our parents (both mine and my husband's) live a long time so that our kids can continue to have this connection and one day have their own stories to pass along to future great-grandchildren (whom our parents, B"H, will be able to meet someday).
Movie Mania
I had images from three movies in my head on my drive to work this morning. All three movies were from the late 80’s/early 90’s and all three had surreal stories:
"Big": What I liked about this movie was its originality and humor. How Tom Hanks played an adult with the mind of a 12 year-old boy and how it affected his interactions. The famous FAO Schwarz scene. Yelling “I get to be on top” when he invites his female coworker to sleep over. And who could forget him eating baby corn like it was corn on the cob? It’s such a classic movie and fun to watch both as an adult and as a kid.
"Groundhog Day": I totally love this movie! I think it came to mind because the guy who plays Sandy on “Glee” was none other than Ned “watch out for that last step, it’s a dooooozy” Ryerson. And maybe I thought of it because the holiday is coming up soon. I love how he learned about the people around him and used his time warp situation to help them. The whole story is so funny and makes one think about what they’d do if they had to live one day of their life over and over until they got it right.
"Defending Your Life": Cute Albert Brooks flick that makes me think about all the situations in my life that I’d probably have to defend if I were in his shoes. I like the way purgatory seemed like a whole city of its own (almost like Monstropolis, if you think about it). The “past lives pavilion” was very clever. It was a sweet and romantic story over all and I get all teary-eyed when I watch it. Meryl Streep plays a great role too.
I know there are a lot of other surreal movies that have been made since then. I thought "13 Going on 30" would be a female version of “Big”, but it was more of a time travel story. Still fun to watch and you can’t forget the “Thriller” scene. I also liked "Click." It was funny, clever and made me think. Also sad at times. I’m sure I’m missing a bunch between the early 90’s and now. Does anyone want to share their own favorite surreal movies?
"Big": What I liked about this movie was its originality and humor. How Tom Hanks played an adult with the mind of a 12 year-old boy and how it affected his interactions. The famous FAO Schwarz scene. Yelling “I get to be on top” when he invites his female coworker to sleep over. And who could forget him eating baby corn like it was corn on the cob? It’s such a classic movie and fun to watch both as an adult and as a kid.
"Groundhog Day": I totally love this movie! I think it came to mind because the guy who plays Sandy on “Glee” was none other than Ned “watch out for that last step, it’s a dooooozy” Ryerson. And maybe I thought of it because the holiday is coming up soon. I love how he learned about the people around him and used his time warp situation to help them. The whole story is so funny and makes one think about what they’d do if they had to live one day of their life over and over until they got it right.
"Defending Your Life": Cute Albert Brooks flick that makes me think about all the situations in my life that I’d probably have to defend if I were in his shoes. I like the way purgatory seemed like a whole city of its own (almost like Monstropolis, if you think about it). The “past lives pavilion” was very clever. It was a sweet and romantic story over all and I get all teary-eyed when I watch it. Meryl Streep plays a great role too.
I know there are a lot of other surreal movies that have been made since then. I thought "13 Going on 30" would be a female version of “Big”, but it was more of a time travel story. Still fun to watch and you can’t forget the “Thriller” scene. I also liked "Click." It was funny, clever and made me think. Also sad at times. I’m sure I’m missing a bunch between the early 90’s and now. Does anyone want to share their own favorite surreal movies?
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Two new things in one week
Yesterday, I went to a spa night event from our local Chabad. Originally, I thought someone would be giving back massages, but I guess that got taken out of the agenda last minute. In the meantime, there was a lovely woman who spoke about acupuncture and relaxation. In the end, she tried acupuncture on anyone who was interested. Given that I've received two epidurals in my life, a small needle in my shoulder area didn't scare me. So I let her try it on me. It wasn't too bad. There was some pressure at first, but then I barely noticed it. I don't know that one needle did anything for me physically, but now I can say I've had my first experience with acupuncture. In the meantime, they also had hand treatments (sea salt scrub and lotion from Arbonne) that felt really nice on my weather worn hands. Too bad it didn't last more than just that evening. It was a nice experience overall. I got to see some friends I hadn't seen in a while and made a new friend too. The funny thing that sticks out from that evening is that when I was eating some watermelon, an older woman came up to me and said "Is that yummy?" I know how my kids feel when I ask them the same thing while they're eating. LOL! It was cute though.
Standing Idol-y by.
The new season of “American Idol” kicks off tonight! I am excited to watch, but also apprehensive this year over what will be different. First of all, it has been confirmed that this is Simon’s last season. While he is brash and cutthroat at times, I really like his opinions and I know he is sincere when he actually likes someone’s performance. I plan to watch this season, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to enjoy it as much when he’s gone. Next, Ellen DeGeneres is replacing Paula Abdul. While I like Ellen and think she’s funny, I don’t know what she’ll be able to contribute to the show. Maybe she’ll talk so much that it will cut into Kara’s time. I’d rather hear Ellen than Kara anyway. Finally, no season will ever be the same as the one from last year, and that is because Adam Lambert is not going to be on (other than as a guest performer, hopefully).
I went into last season rooting for Danny and not really liking Adam for his showmanship, but curious as to what he’d do next. Then Adam sang “Mad Mad World” and suddenly he changed the entire course of the show for me. He was all I could watch and I just loved hearing him sing. He was so modest when he received positive feedback and he didn’t act like a baby when he received criticism. After the shocking results finale show, I still remained interested in him and waited 6 long months for his album to come out. When it did, I rushed out to buy it and was pleased with my purchase. He truly does not disappoint. There will be other performers like Kris, Danny, Allison, and all the other people who slipped through the cracks. (Whatever happened to Chikezie from season 7?) There can be only one Adam and anyone who dares to try performing like him this year is a complete poser. (The ironic thing is that I thought Adam was trying to be the next David Cook, but they are truly different.) That’s all I have to say on that.
I went into last season rooting for Danny and not really liking Adam for his showmanship, but curious as to what he’d do next. Then Adam sang “Mad Mad World” and suddenly he changed the entire course of the show for me. He was all I could watch and I just loved hearing him sing. He was so modest when he received positive feedback and he didn’t act like a baby when he received criticism. After the shocking results finale show, I still remained interested in him and waited 6 long months for his album to come out. When it did, I rushed out to buy it and was pleased with my purchase. He truly does not disappoint. There will be other performers like Kris, Danny, Allison, and all the other people who slipped through the cracks. (Whatever happened to Chikezie from season 7?) There can be only one Adam and anyone who dares to try performing like him this year is a complete poser. (The ironic thing is that I thought Adam was trying to be the next David Cook, but they are truly different.) That’s all I have to say on that.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Beginner's luck
I went back to the yarn store tonight and got my needle replaced. It was a manufacturing defect. Another lady there helped start me up again. I was able to successfully knit a few rows on my own when I got home. :)
My friend mentioned that I was claiming the store was only for advanced knitters. I know she was kidding, but I didn't mean to make it sound that way. It is beginner friendly there, as they advise on what type of yarn to use, which type of needles are best and they even help teach virgin knitters like myself. Initially, I meant to convey the same image to portray someone who is not athletic in a sporting goods store or someone who isn't an avid reader in a book store. All stores can be user friendly, but it also depends on the knowledge of the user. It is understandable for a beginner to look at all that yarn and panic. However, my friend and the women who work there made me feel a lot better. They were very patient and understanding. I applaud them all for their efforts to make me into a knitter. My BFF will be thankful to them for this. :)
My friend mentioned that I was claiming the store was only for advanced knitters. I know she was kidding, but I didn't mean to make it sound that way. It is beginner friendly there, as they advise on what type of yarn to use, which type of needles are best and they even help teach virgin knitters like myself. Initially, I meant to convey the same image to portray someone who is not athletic in a sporting goods store or someone who isn't an avid reader in a book store. All stores can be user friendly, but it also depends on the knowledge of the user. It is understandable for a beginner to look at all that yarn and panic. However, my friend and the women who work there made me feel a lot better. They were very patient and understanding. I applaud them all for their efforts to make me into a knitter. My BFF will be thankful to them for this. :)
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Knitwit
I went to my friend's yarn store today and learned how to knit. It was an interesting experience. Her store is really nice, except it's meant for people with lots of knitting background and experience. I had to admit that I was a knitting "virgin." I bought inexpensive yarn and needles (until I get good enough for this to become a hobby, that's all I can really afford to get). Then my friend and some of the ladies working at her store showed me how to knit. I thought I had the hang of it. Then it all unraveled at home. So my husband sent me an online video on the basics of knitting. From that, I learned how to cast and start my first row. I was able to get through that much before one of my needles BROKE! I am not giving up though! I reminded myself of how I learned to ride a bike when I was 12 years old (yes, it took me that long not to be afraid of falling) and my determination not to give up till I got it right. I know I can do this. I just need someone who is patient enough with me to get me to a good spot where I can really take off. I don't know that I'll take it on as a future hobby, but I want to at least make one thing. I'm going for a scarf for my older son. It probably won't be ready until next winter at the rate I'm going, but that's okay! It's funny how I feel so out of my element in the knitting realm. It almost seems like discovering a new religion that everyone else gets except for me. There's a huge learning curve. Wish me luck!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Say "Uncle!"
A friend introduced me to Uncle Jay last week. He's funny and explains the news in an interesting way. Enjoy!
I've converted my parents!!! Bring out the tzitzis and sheitels!
Just kidding, but I really think that my growth with Judaism has inspired them in their own ways. They found a shul that they really like attending. They go to services more than just on high holidays. They made a pact with their Rabbi that they would light candles, make kiddush and eat challah every Friday night for Shabbos. (We got them a kiddush cup for their anniversary to celebrate this decision they made.) And tonight, for the first time ever, they baked their own challah! I don't expect them to get two sets of plates or give up their Saturday shopping trips, but I also think they are less likely to roll their eyes at the stuff we take pleasure from in our observance of Judaism. I am very proud of how much they've grown over the last few years and that it brings them even closer. I got all verklempt hearing how excited they sounded over making the challah. It was just beautiful to hear it in their voices and know that it was something they enjoyed doing together. Mazel Tov, Mom and Dad!
The "Ugly" Truth
I was watching "Ugly Betty" tonight and it was about Betty feeling like her boyfriend was smothering her because they spent all their time together and he was sending her flowers and cards with his voice in them when she wasn't there with him. So she decided to get his art in a show in order to inspire him to rekindle a lost interest. However, that backfired for both of them. The good news is that her boyfriend realized that he did need to find other interests aside from just Betty.
I totally agreed with the premise of this episode...it is so important that two individuals in a relationship still be able (and allowed) to pursue their own interests or engage in their own hobbies. There is nothing wrong with having some separate interests. I am a book-aholic and my husband is a video game addict. That's something that helps us unwind and also keeps us connected because it is healthy to have separate interests. A few weeks ago, I went to see a play that I used to be addicted to. He got to watch "Star Trek" (the recent one that came out) with another guy friend. When I got home, we had a lot to talk about and were happy that I didn't drag him to do something he didn't want and that I didn't have to see a movie I had no interest in. We do have things that we love doing together such as observing Shabbos, bowling, watching movies (we're both interested in seeing), playing board games, eating cheese fries (from our new favorite pizza establishment), going mini-golfing and, of course, being with our kids. I feel that since we moved out here, we've been able to explore our own interests even more and still have fun together. It helps us feel even more connected at the end of every day and week.
I totally agreed with the premise of this episode...it is so important that two individuals in a relationship still be able (and allowed) to pursue their own interests or engage in their own hobbies. There is nothing wrong with having some separate interests. I am a book-aholic and my husband is a video game addict. That's something that helps us unwind and also keeps us connected because it is healthy to have separate interests. A few weeks ago, I went to see a play that I used to be addicted to. He got to watch "Star Trek" (the recent one that came out) with another guy friend. When I got home, we had a lot to talk about and were happy that I didn't drag him to do something he didn't want and that I didn't have to see a movie I had no interest in. We do have things that we love doing together such as observing Shabbos, bowling, watching movies (we're both interested in seeing), playing board games, eating cheese fries (from our new favorite pizza establishment), going mini-golfing and, of course, being with our kids. I feel that since we moved out here, we've been able to explore our own interests even more and still have fun together. It helps us feel even more connected at the end of every day and week.
What's wrong with the world? I mean, really?!?
There are a lot of sweet, pretty, intelligent women in this world who have trouble getting so much as a date, and yet some guy out there is actually interested in this girl!
My BFF told me about this show called “Tough Love”, which I was able to access through VH1’s website. This girl, Taylor, is a piece of work. That’s all I’ll say. I basically told my BFF that if I were around Taylor at all, I’d slap her just for being completely nauseating. And that’s putting it nicely! Some people should get a license to be an adult!
My BFF told me about this show called “Tough Love”, which I was able to access through VH1’s website. This girl, Taylor, is a piece of work. That’s all I’ll say. I basically told my BFF that if I were around Taylor at all, I’d slap her just for being completely nauseating. And that’s putting it nicely! Some people should get a license to be an adult!
Hoarde fest
I inherited a trait from my late maternal grandmother….being a pack rat. When she moved out of her condo into assisted living in 2000, we spent days cleaning out the place to make it livable for me. She had so many chotchkies, little papers with notes on them, things she had put aside “for good”, etc. I hoped I would never become this way.
However, I was trying to put aside some baby clothes for a family in need and had a hard time parting with a lot of the items. I plan to eventually have one more kid (nothing in the works yet, I promise!) and I’m guessing it will be another boy, so I want to hold on to the stuff until then. I also like being able to loan clothes to friends who have new babies. I just worry that after I’m done with them a third time, will I want to keep them in case my sister one day has kids? Would she even want the clothes? I was also looking through books to see if there were any I wanted to give away. I have all these books in boxes in case I might someday want to read them. Why wouldn’t they be on my shelf, if that were the case? I should remind myself that I can get them from the library if I really want to read them. Third thing is my own clothes. I have things I never wear and I can’t seem to give up. I keep thinking I’ll need to wear them someday. Finally, I am so disorganized with papers that I receive. I try to put them in easily accessible places, but they still get out of hand. I keep thinking I’ll need to refer to them at some point or another. I don’t know why it’s easier to pick and choose what to keep from my kids’ artwork than it is to pick and choose from my own stuff. You’d think that would have the most sentimental value.
However, I was trying to put aside some baby clothes for a family in need and had a hard time parting with a lot of the items. I plan to eventually have one more kid (nothing in the works yet, I promise!) and I’m guessing it will be another boy, so I want to hold on to the stuff until then. I also like being able to loan clothes to friends who have new babies. I just worry that after I’m done with them a third time, will I want to keep them in case my sister one day has kids? Would she even want the clothes? I was also looking through books to see if there were any I wanted to give away. I have all these books in boxes in case I might someday want to read them. Why wouldn’t they be on my shelf, if that were the case? I should remind myself that I can get them from the library if I really want to read them. Third thing is my own clothes. I have things I never wear and I can’t seem to give up. I keep thinking I’ll need to wear them someday. Finally, I am so disorganized with papers that I receive. I try to put them in easily accessible places, but they still get out of hand. I keep thinking I’ll need to refer to them at some point or another. I don’t know why it’s easier to pick and choose what to keep from my kids’ artwork than it is to pick and choose from my own stuff. You’d think that would have the most sentimental value.
Too many board games in one week
I make lists in the blog about my kids about all the cute things they say or do. I figure I can make some here to recap the past week. I probably wouldn’t include any personal inside jokes between my husband and myself, as no one would get them anyway and someone would probably be offended. So, here goes:
*Hot dog fingers!
*The Rachel and Leah card always wins
*Is it Axel or Axle?
*“Pocahontas” in space
*Hearing someone refer to lingerie as “lingery.”
*Is “blog” a noun or verb?
*It’s Cameron Frye!
*Free pizza for doing my job
*Hot cocoa and ice cream should not go together!
*Freecycle “fails”
*Mixing up “The Shawshank Redemption” with “Remember the Titans”
*Lower traffic rate this week giving me a false sense of security
*Hot dog fingers!
*The Rachel and Leah card always wins
*Is it Axel or Axle?
*“Pocahontas” in space
*Hearing someone refer to lingerie as “lingery.”
*Is “blog” a noun or verb?
*It’s Cameron Frye!
*Free pizza for doing my job
*Hot cocoa and ice cream should not go together!
*Freecycle “fails”
*Mixing up “The Shawshank Redemption” with “Remember the Titans”
*Lower traffic rate this week giving me a false sense of security
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
If you can't be as good as John Hughes, don't even bother
Last night, we watched “I Love You, Beth Cooper.” We were looking for a light comedy and that’s what we chose. However, it was not all that funny. I maybe laughed out loud twice. I was more amused that Alan “Cameron Frye” Ruck played the kid’s dad. Anyway, the whole premise of the movie was awkward and the main kid was probably the worst actor ever (or the best if he’s good enough to convince me that someone could be THAT much of a dork). It made me think of “Welcome to the Dollhouse” and how I squirmed while sympathizing with the main character at the same time. However, I didn’t sympathize with the main character at all this time. I just squirmed! I liked his friend (who was supposedly gay). His knowledge of movie quotes was great and he was funnier than the movie itself. The kid who played his friend as a kid was even funnier. Anyway, I do NOT recommend this movie. I don’t know if it was on the Rotten Tomatoes 100 Worst Movies (of the last decade) List, but it should be! “Miss March” was on that list and even that movie was funnier than this one. I really hope other teen movies don’t go downhill like this one did. I think I only kept watching it in hopes that it would get better somehow. (Now I understand why my husband made us stay for the second half of “Uncle Broadway” even though the first half was awful!)
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Public Property
I've been going back and forth over my decision to make this blog more public. I don't expect people to flock to it, but I have come to realize that it's a blog, not a diary. I'm not airing my private thoughts in it. I'm just sharing my opinions and observations in a forum outside of a networking site. So many people have blogs these days for so many reasons. I doubt any of them are keeping theirs a secret. If I want to say something to a tighter crowd, I'll go back to livejournal. I think blogging publicly will keep me on my toes as far as not being offensive or mean-spirited. I mainly want to blog about things I think about now or even from my past, as well as about pop culture. That's really all there is to it. If I think someone has the chance of reading this, I'm not going to say anything that could potentially be perceived as negative about them or someone they know. I think this will put me in a good frame of mind, for the most part. Yes, I'll probably vent, but it will be stuff that most people can relate to. It's almost like writing a column for a newspaper...just sharing my thoughts as I see fit. I said it earlier and will say it again: This is a blog, not a diary.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Flashmob central
I never knew what a flashmob was until the last week or so. I was at a performance of "Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind" in DC and one of the plays was called "My Life Would Suck Without a Flashmob." During one of the plays, an actor tore down that number from the clothesline and yelled "KELLY CLARKSON!" Then a bunch of people in the middle rows started singing "My Life Would Suck Without You." It was pretty amusing, but I still didn't get the concept. Then my husband explained to me what a flashmob was this past weekend. Tonight, I found a video through "Glee's" Facebook page about a flashmob in Italy doing these dances to "Glee" songs. It would be fun to get a flashmob together for some crazy reason or another. Maybe one to spread the word about how awesome Adam Lambert's CD is. :) I'd be up for that! The flashmobs I've seen and heard about so far have been non-threatening. My husband told me that some could be done for political reasons too. At least that's what I think I heard.
All time favorite music era
I was on my way home and heard "I Know" by Dionne Farris. It took me back to a time when I liked almost all the songs that were played on the radio...1994-1995. It was at a time when I was graduating high school and starting college. I was discovering myself in college and was still somewhat innocent at the time. The music was just fun, trendy, easy to listen to and always gives off that feel of being in that time and place again, every time I hear it. I also like "As I Lay Me Down" by Sophie B. Hawkins, "Stay" by Lisa Loeb and 9 Stories, "Rain King" by Counting Crows, "Fall Down" and "Something's Always Wrong" both by Toad the Wet Sprocket, "In the House of Stone and Light" by Martin Page and "You Gotta Be" by Des'ree. It was when Blues Traveler, Hootie and the Blowfish, Dave Matthews Band and Alanis Morissette first became well known. I even liked the alternative groups that had songs out during those years. They also brought back some memories of college. I still have a tape I made during that era and I enjoy listening to it every so often. I enjoy listening to pop music nowadays, but haven't really come across a year (or cluster of years) where I liked almost every single song on the radio like I did back then.
Let's make a resolution
I haven’t made any new year’s resolutions in a while. I know I’m not going to keep them, so it’s not even worth the attempt. I tried 2 years ago with the simple resolution of flossing my teeth every night. I even had a reminder post-it note in the bathroom (with Dwight Schrute on it, no less). I was really good at keeping up with it, and then I had a baby. I still floss my teeth, but not as regularly as I should.
I could resolve to diet, exercise more, be better organized, stay in touch with friends more often (not like I don’t already, thanks to Facebook), give up bad habits, etc. I just don’t want to make promises I can’t keep.
I have decided to take some friends up on a challenge this year. I am going to learn how to knit. I don’t think it will become a major hobby, but I want to say I at least tried. I figure it’s something that could keep me busy during the boring parts of “American Idol.” I have a friend who owns a yarn store in town and told me a while ago that she could teach me how to knit. I’m going to take her up on that and see what happens. I’m only sticking to one item and that’s it. Another friend told me that she is learning and that it’s taking her forever just to start on a scarf.
Other things I’d like to be able to do this year: volunteer (and potentially teach my kids about mitzvot in the process), go on more dates with my husband, develop all the pictures of my sons and put them in albums, iron all the wrinkled clothes in the utility room closet, read all the books on my shelf before purchasing more (that’s a laugh!), sign my kids up for some type of lesson or sport, get a manicure and pedicure, catch up on “Cold Case” from the last season and this season (a girl can dream) and learn how to cook a brisket. I’ll have to see how many of those things I actually accomplish this year.
I could resolve to diet, exercise more, be better organized, stay in touch with friends more often (not like I don’t already, thanks to Facebook), give up bad habits, etc. I just don’t want to make promises I can’t keep.
I have decided to take some friends up on a challenge this year. I am going to learn how to knit. I don’t think it will become a major hobby, but I want to say I at least tried. I figure it’s something that could keep me busy during the boring parts of “American Idol.” I have a friend who owns a yarn store in town and told me a while ago that she could teach me how to knit. I’m going to take her up on that and see what happens. I’m only sticking to one item and that’s it. Another friend told me that she is learning and that it’s taking her forever just to start on a scarf.
Other things I’d like to be able to do this year: volunteer (and potentially teach my kids about mitzvot in the process), go on more dates with my husband, develop all the pictures of my sons and put them in albums, iron all the wrinkled clothes in the utility room closet, read all the books on my shelf before purchasing more (that’s a laugh!), sign my kids up for some type of lesson or sport, get a manicure and pedicure, catch up on “Cold Case” from the last season and this season (a girl can dream) and learn how to cook a brisket. I’ll have to see how many of those things I actually accomplish this year.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Am I getting old or what?!?
Today we were hanging out with some friends who were born in the early half of the 80's. I was telling one of them about "The Karate Kid" (from 1984) and then had to remark to her that she was probably a baby when it came out. Later, she was telling me that she first saw "Titanic" in 8th grade. I was a senior in college! Of course, I had to mention this out loud too. Despite the huge age gap, my husband and I feel connected to this couple, as well as another couple who is around the same age as them. We always have lots to talk about with them.
Is there a name for the generation that went to college in the early to middle half of this past decade? I know the one I am in is called Generation X. Is the next group Generation Y, or was that just a working title until something that sounded better came along? It's funny to talk about stuff from the 80's and realize that some people never got to experience them...or at least not in the same way we did. It's also weird to think that my children never experienced a century prior to this one. Where does the time go?
What I love about living in the DC area is seeing all the history everywhere. I've never been that much into history, but it was one of the first things that really struck me as profound about Washington DC overall. We went to the Newseum a few weeks ago and I was amazed at all the history that could be seen there, in comparison with any other museum. Newspapers really show it all. It was cool to see. It's interesting to think about stuff that happened even during the time my parents and grandparents were growing up. There's so much out there that is even beyond my grasp.
Finally I wanted to share that I was listening to a top 40 countdown on the radio this evening. One of the stations broadcasts old countdowns done by Casey Kasem. This one had to have been from the late 80's. I could tell from the feel of the music. Despite all I hated about my junior high years, the music was a lot of fun. Someone even pointed out today that "The Humpty Dance" came out 20 years ago. I was in 8th grade at this time 20 years ago. Unbelievable!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Won't you be my neighbor?
I've always had a thing about neighbors, in that you should have some good ones in your corner (of your street, building, etc.). When I was growing up, we lived on a fun cul-de-sac that threw block parties every summer until I turned 13. I found some of my neighbors from that street on Facebook in the last year or so. I even have lots of fun book discussions with one of them. :)
When I lived in the condo, it was mostly myself and a lot of old people. Most of them were cranky and complained about ridiculous things (when I should be able to use the washing machine, that I was walking too loud, etc.). I had one set of neighbors on my floor who were really nice. They even helped me out when I locked my keys in my car on a freezing cold February morning.
When my husband and I moved to a townhouse, we didn't really know our neighbors all that well for about a year or so. We had the Russian couple below us who would say hi and tell our friends "Police move car" when they were on their driveway instead of ours. (They meant to say "please", not "police.") After my first son was born, another neighbor came out of hiding with her baby and we became friends. She helped me get involved in a local mom's meetup group. We're still in touch even though we've both moved out of that townhouse complex. I even got to see her during one of my visits to Chicago.
When we lived in NJ, our first next door neighbor was the shul we were attending. It was convenient, but the house we were in wasn't worth the 2-second walk. It's now the kiddush hangout. Then we moved to a house about a 15 minute walk from shul. A little over half a year later, some friends of ours from shul moved next door. We hung out with them every so often when they lived in the opposite direction from us. After they moved next door, we became much closer with them and hung out all the time. Our kids became close too. It was a perfect next door neighbor arrangement. My wish for them is that whomever moves into that house next will appreciate having such awesome neighbors.
And here we are in our new home. We have some great families on our street. We've become friends with the other Jewish couples and their kids. Next door to us on one side is a Rabbi and his wife. They're nice, but I haven't seen them that much lately. I haven't been inside their house yet, but my husband said it's very nice. On the other side of our house, there was a house that had gang activity going on for a while and was a mess on the inside. Then a nice Jewish family bought it and now they are our new next door neighbors. We had them over for dinner last night and enjoyed talking to them. They have some kids close in age to our older son (one of them is a girl ;)). The husband came back over after the kids were in bed and we were all up playing Apples to Apples till after midnight. I got to walk with the wife and kids to shul this morning. I'm definitely going to enjoy this new next door neighbor arrangement. :)
There's still another house on our street for sale. The neighbors on both sides of it are really cool.... (Hint, hint...)
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