Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Sundays are my day to be a bit of a slug. I slept-in late and was able to get a load of laundry in before I had to take my eldest son to his 2 1/4 hour swim practice. To avoid excessive driving, I took a book and camped out in the poolside bleachers. The smell of chlorine permeated the air as I briefly watched six lanes of swimmers pass to and fro. I wondered how much time Michael Phelp's mom spent poolside and how she passed the hours.

I was able to finish the book I brought, Nora Ephron's I Feel Bad About My Neck. Now not only am I feeling bad about my neck, I am concerned about the roll of sagging flesh that is forming above my waist as I type.

One of my favorite sections of the book is the chapter entitled "What I Wish I'd Known", a list of lessons learned. Too late for this gem:

"Anything you think is wrong with your body at the age of thirty-five you will be nostalgic for at the age of 45."

Moving on....

New York State of Mind

When I got home, after reading this national bestseller, I felt a bit more cosmopolitan. I was also hungry and decided to eat a late lunch- early dinner. I sauteed some cherry tomatoes , basil and green onions from my garden along with some pine nuts to go with the Penne pasta I boiled at the same time.

I pretended I lived in a trendy New York apartment and set up a place setting for one in my rarely-used dining room. I sat facing the baby grand piano in the living room and had my 10 year old son play his repertoire of songs. While I'm sure that many wealthy New Yorkers have personal chefs, I wonder how many have on-call pianists.

That's the great thing about having children. They take you to places you might not normally go to and help fulfill dreams.

Speaking of dreams, I need to sign off and get to bed. I'll leave a link to one of my favorites so far........Swirling Leaves

Wordless Wednesday - "OUCH!"

The Last Request

Yesterday afternoon, I received a phone call at work from my oldest son.
"Mom?" he asked, "Can you bring some Skittles home with you tonight?".

I started to ask "why?" and then I remembered. "No problem" I replied. "Anything else?"

"No, that will do it", he sighed.

When I came home, I promptly pulled three packets of Skittles from my purse and tossed them on the kitchen table. The faces on all three boys lit up. Until I said, "These are just for Devon!". And then I had two pouting boys.

"No fair!" my middle son whined.

"Plenty fair!" I replied. " Tomorrow your brother gets braces and won't be able to eat these for the next year. At Halloween, he will be sharing the candy he can't eat with you. If and when you get braces, I'll do the same for you."

As I watched my eldest son gobble up his "last request", I tried not to think of the long and painful road ahead. For both of us.

His mouth and my pocketbook!

See related post Reason to Have Children - V

Sign,Sign, Everywhere a Sign

As the elections draw closer, more and more yard signs are popping up. If we were to have a sign, I would borrow from one of my favorites that a nearby church had posted, " Sign Broken, Message Inside". While I think it is important to vote, I rather not tell others how to vote.

Elections, especially Presidential ones, have the feel of a sporting match. Neighbors like to put their team spirit out on their front lawn for all to see. As I was taking a bike ride, I was amused to see one street where several neighbors on one side sported McCain signs and the houses across the street touted Obama. Guess it makes it easy to tell the Left from the Right side!

The Right to Free Speech

We aren't the banner waving sort of family. I was taught that Sex, Religion & Politics were not topics to be discussed in polite society. Seeing a sign in a yard won't influence my vote but I may look at a neighbor in a different light.

I wonder if the neighbors on the politically divided street get along. I also wonder what other things we could put on yard signs....

Why not religion?

Jew, Catholic, Mormon, Protestant, Methodist, Baptist. I know we have each of these groups represented on our street. But what about Scientologists, Atheists, Agnostics, Jehovah's Witnesses and Wiccan? Inquiring minds want to know! I may not know my neighbor's name but it would be interesting to know if we share religious beliefs.

Let's Talk About Sex

Since we've already touched on Politics and Religion, let's go for the gold. Why not publicize our sex lives (or lack thereof). I think it would be very enlightening to know what kind of sexual deviants live nearby. Swingers, Homosexuals, Asexuals and Sexaholics ( more than once a week).* It might be good to know which houses to avoid on Trick-or-Treat or to let our children play at. Neighborhood block parties would be ever so much more interesting!

* I am totally kidding that any of these groups would be considered deviant. Or that having sex more than once a week makes you a sexaholic or that I really want to know about my neighbors' boudoir habits. Or that I think ours might be interesting...... AKWARD! Moving on....


What's your Sign?

If you were to have a yard sign, what would it be? Do you care what your neighbors think and do you judge them by their "team spirit"?

A few of the many signs in my neighborhood and a "Get Out The Vote" person checking to make sure everyone is a registered voter.

Sunday Afternoon Adventure

Good Ideas Gone Bad

Tonight my 6th grader gave me some homework. His teacher had all the kids have one of their parents (or guardians) make a list of Good Ideas (inventions that make our lives better) and then a list of Good Ideas Gone Bad. I tend to get a bit silly at night and hope the teacher has a sense of humor..... Without further ado I present:

Good Ideas

• sliced bread
• Hot Pockets
• the Microwave Oven (for cooking)
• Dryel ( dry cleaning system for home dryer to save on Dry Cleaning Bills)
• Cell Phone
• Credit Cards
• The Internet (thanks, Al Gore!)*
• The Blackberry (thanks, John McCain!)*
• * a little bi-partisan humor
  
• Pizza
• the Ice Cream Cone
• Walmart ( low priced goods for the masses)
• Spell Check, Calculators & Google
• the answering machine
• caller id
• GPS

Good Ideas Gone Bad

• the Microwave Oven - using it to dry your dog
• Pizza - every night for dinner
• Leaf Blower - not sure if this was ever a good idea
• cell phone while driving, walking, shopping, at the movies.....
• using Credit cards to live beyond your means
• The Internet - spam
• The Blackberry - using it 24/7 hence the nickname "Crackberry"
• Walmart (for allegedly killing off small business and abusing their employees)
• Cell Phone for text messaging - teaches kids to type with their thumbs and mis-spell words
• Spellcheck, Calculators and Google - diminish brain usage
• using an answering machine to screen calls ( bad for telemarketers & stalkers)
• caller id - ditto
• Segway - you look foolish and get no exercise
• GPS - blindly following it...( and ending up in a pond, coffee shop window or Nationwide commercial)
• Twitter - reporting your every move
• Wikipedia - using it to replace an Encyclepedia
• the Wii - You know what's good exercise? EXERCISE! - Go outside and play!

What would you add to the Lists????

Double Trouble - Wordless Wednesday / Haiku Thursday

Wordless Wednesday: Sign of the times?A church in my neighborhood

http://theotherpaper.com/articles/2008/09/10/front

Haiku Thursday: WTH????

So you kissed a girl
Now you are going to Hell???
Religion or Hate?

A Car In My Neighborhood

Graffiti covered,

messages ever changing

Love or Obsession?

Saturday Afternoon Bike Ride

Into the Woods


Light at the End of the Forest

Goal: Watertower
at the End of the Path

Time to Turn Around

Back Into the Woods
& Homeward Bound

It's O.K. to Be Rude! - Fragment Friday

Haiku - Part Two

Yesterday I posted the 1st Haiku I ever wrote. I had to have my 6th grade son help me! Now I can't stop......

Entitlement is
Not having to say Thank You
You owe it to me

Overheard On an Elevator

A group of business people were having a discussion. A woman was asked to describe her employees.

"Our workers are very satisfied in their jobs and are happy people. They are customer-oriented, friendly and courteous."

" Your people are a security risk!" a businessman in her group scoffed.

When she gave him a puzzled look, he continued.

"Happier people are nicer and hold the doors for others. They could possibly allow an unauthorized intruder into your building. We discourage this type of behavior!"

A Day For Reflection

One of my blogging friends, Weasel Momma, wrote a poignant post today about 9/11. She shares her recollections about that day.
http://worldofweasels.blogspot.com/2008/09/let-us-never-forget.html
She also asks the question "Where were you when the world stopped turning?"

Dateline: Sept. 11, 2001

I had recently dropped my boys, then 6 months, 3 years old and 4.5 years old off at their respective schools. I was at work, in my shop when my husband called me. He simply told me to turn on the TV.
It was unbelievable. Unfathomable. The United States under attack??? I flipped from channel to channel in disbelief. I remember calling family members and friends to make sure anyone traveling was accounted for. To make sure everyone was o.k. I visited business neighbors to check in, make sure they knew what was happening. I picked up my kids from school early.

Most of the shops closed early & stayed closed the next day. It seemed like the world had come to a standstill.

After a day or so, I called some of my clients in New York to make sure they were o.k. Thankfully they escaped physical harm. Every New Yorker I spoke with knew someone that was lost in the Trade Center. They all had stories of the chaos.

With 9/11 occurring close to the Jewish High Holy Days ( Rosh Hashaneh (9/30) and Yom Kippur (10/9), I feel that this should be a National Day of Mourning and for Reflection.

Do you remember that day? If you have a related post, send me a link.

Haiku Thursday: It's Not My Fault

Entitlement is
Not having to say sorry
Go blame someone else

Wordless Wednesday - Odds Are: You'll Lose Your Money!

This "coupon" just arrived in the mail.....

No Apologies Necessary - Fragment Friday

This is my first attempt at Fragment Friday. Sometimes I feel like every day is Fragment Friday but I will play along this week and give it a try!



If you are in an accident (from my the back of my auto insurance card)

#1 Remain at the scene. Don't admit fault.

I've been asked if the driver who failed to stop at a stop sign and crashed into my car apologized.
The answer is no. But I didn't expect him to.


The Apprentice, college-style
My college intern is taking a business development class. The course work is primarily group projects. The top group will get an A, second place a B, third a C and so on. At least one group will fail.

In the business world why does someone have to fail for another to succeed? Is there only room for one at the top? What are we teaching in our schools? I blame Donald Trump.

GODS GIF

I saw this license plate today, GODS GIF and wondered why GIF and not TIF? What about JPG?

Be The Lezak

We were on the way to the pool for one of the last times we will swim at our community pool before it is closed for the season. All three boys are now swimmers and will be swimming on a club team this Fall.

"I want to watch my future Olympians swim!" I tell my boys. To which my youngest son answers back,

"I'm gonna be THE LEZAK!"

I looked at my husband and we both smiled. At that moment I was bursting with pride for my clever 7 year old son.

For those of you who did not keep up with the Olympics, The Lezak, is Jason Lezak. A teammate of Michael Phelps. Not just any teammate. The heroic efforts of this young man made it possible for Mr. Phelps to be the most decorated Olympian of all time. The Lezak swam the last leg of the 4x100m Free Relay. THE greatest anchor leg in swimming history.
The fastest split of all time. 46.06!

When The Lezak started his world record final leg, the U.S. Team was trailing the French leader by a full body length. Jason Lezak was facing the world's best 100 meter freestyle swimmer, Alain Bernard, with no hope of catching him. With a burst of energy and team spirit, Jason gave it his all. He touched a mere .08 of a second in front of Bernard.

While Michael Phelps traveled home first class to a hero's welcome, Jason Lezak rode humbly home in coach. Michael has set a fine example for young swimmers everywhere and deserves all the accolades he has received. But it takes a special person to want to be "The Lezak". A self-less hero that embodies team spirit. The ultimate team player!