March ... Bring It !!

March? 2011?

What happened to December 2010, January, February 2011? Was my life so busy and full that I didn't have a moment to write ... or was I in such a mid life winter funk that I just didn't have much to say?

With today's bright sun and tomorrow being the first of March, I am beginning to feel like mama bear coming out of hibernation.

This past Saturday, Sandi, Kim, and I decided to ignore the snow and have a much needed girls night out. We ended up dancing the night away to the awesome sound of Big Will and the 360 Degree Band.

(That's not how we started out, but that could be a post on its own. Let's just say we didn't fit in the heavy metal scene and some poor pizza delivery guy is probably still walking around that venue looking for us.)

I admit, I am one who has S.A.D., but during March, I usually get it together. What better way than a vacation! I'm trying hard to convince Sandi to pull another Thelma and Louise vacation like we did a couple years ago. *It's not taking much to convince her *

So, I'm once again kick-starting my perpetual diet, hitting the tanning bed, and scouring the web for a great deal on some fun in the sun. Oh, and although I've said this before, I'm going to really try to keep my blogging more up-to-date.

Oh yeah, for those who are not friends with me on FB (why aren't we friends?)... I'm a "Nana"! I'll post more about my beautiful granddaughter, but I need to check with her parents first, to find out my boundaries.

Take Time to Truly Enjoy the Gifts of Each Day

At this time of the year, with the holidays upon us, we tend to become more aware of the people around us. We show more compassion, give more to charity, share a smile with  strangers while out shopping. What if our daily perception was as keen throughout the year as it is during the adrenaline driven holiday season?

This experiment was in January 2007, but for those that missed it, please consider the daily joys we may allow to pass us by in our hurry to rush through life.

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule. A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk. A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

Alias: YellowJacket

At three years old, Bryan was mesmerized by the first generation transformers. Optimus Prime, of course, was his favorite. We still have the original Hasbro Optimus Prime. His dad and I would sit back and watch-listen to Bryan as he sat three feet away from the TV while the VHS movie played. He recited each line word for word, every line, every character, and he delivered with different voices to indicate the different characters.

In the past few years, as the new Transformer movies came out, I'd be reminded of the little boy sitting for hours watching the cartoon version.

A new movie is in production. They have been filming in Chicago, LA, and recently Washington DC. This Fox News footage shows, unscripted, a Washington DC police car crashing into "Bumblebee" (a 2010 Camaro) during the shoot.

There was confusion during a police call to respond to an incident and the officer blew through an intersection that was set up and in production.

Optimus Prime, the semi-truck you see first, makes it through the intersection but when Bumblebee arrived, so did the Washington DC police SUV. That's when you see the front of Bumblebee annihilated!



Can you imagine my surprise when I heard "Bumblebee" was being shipped "someplace" in metro-Detroit for repairs? Can you imagine my disappointment when I heard (from my boss) that there will be no photos taken what-so-ever as part of the agreement? Can you imagine how hard it would be for someone like me, a blogger, the mother of an original transformer worshiper, not to be able to blog or post photos about this?

I suppose I could just post about the 1969 GTO used in the movie Striptease staring Demi Moore that was restored "someplace" in metro-Detroit, but that's old news.

I Hate When This Happens!

I am so mad I just have to vent.

You are NOT going to believe what happened.

I had been working all night on Caitlin's baby shower.

Wrapping gifts. Wrapping the prizes. Getting all my baking things together to make cupcakes with Sandi tomorrow.

Side note: Oh f*ck, after work I went to buy some neat flowering plants for centerpieces I saw a week ago ... GONE!

But I have a worse dilemma than that...

So I'm getting all the things together I need to bring and then... UGH... so DAMN MAD!

You know those chocolate covered raisins? The pretty shiny ones?

Well, I was putting them with the things I need to take Sunday and then it happened!

The LID FELL OFF... ALL THE WAY OFF .... and worse ....

The safety seal just came undone! Peeled back all by itself! Imagine that!

When I tried to fold it back down and put the lid on, those darn chocolate covered raisins fell into my hand! TWICE !!!!

What could I do? I can't serve them to guests after they fell into my hand ... so I ate them.

Ugh, I know you'd be mad too!

Thanks for letting me vent. ;)