When I started this blog I truly didn't expect that anyone would actually read it I rarely glimpse at my statistics other than the stats that tell me overall numbers so you can imagine my shock when I popped into my statistics page and decided to see exactly who my readers are and discovered this wee little blog is popular mainly in the USA and Canada which I'd expected but the #3 spot in popularity is South Korea and #4 would be Denmark #5 is the UK and so I must say to all of my international readers Welcome Aboard the Tooth Fairy Express and please remember to lock your tray table place your seat in the upright position secure your belongings and prepare for a (sometimes) bumpy ride
Recently a teacher kicked a student out of his class when the student said he didn't ''accept gays'' Another student stood by him and also was asked to leave The teacher was suspended 1 day without pay for violating the student's right to free speech This made me think that even though the student was parroting his religious and parental upbringing he did have the right to say what he did if it was done in a respectful and thoughtful manner I was wishing the instructor could have had a ''teaching moment'' at that time to combat ignorance but it's pretty tough to go against many generations of bigotry After much thought I realized I don't like what the student said but true freedom in America comes from allowing ALL groups to have their say not just the ones we collectively approve of
My parents lied to me Not all the time, mind you they were right when they said the monster I had envisioned in the closet didn't exist but they lied when they said if you were a good person worked hard didn't get into trouble walked the straight and narrow were responsible took care of everyone around you loved your friends and family then you would be rewarded I hate to say it but it seems the ones getting the lion's share of the pie are the ones who didn't and don't adhere to those philosophies I'm sitting here watching the mean people the screw ups the liars the users pass me by without a backward glance as I hang onto my straight and narrow branches alone
I have a little etiquette advice for people Even if you know someone wont be able to make an event you're planning due to distance work obligations short notice health reasons I highly suggest you invite them anyway because as most of us already know hearing about an event you weren't invited to is so much worse than having to refuse in the first place
The Internet is a powerful tool and even if you admit it or not we've all been guilty of doing a bit of light ''checking out'' Googling names of friends and acquaintances finding out where a lost love is now living reading marriage and divorce certificates or seeing what that mean girl in high school looks like 30 years later so imagine my shock and dismay when I found out way more than I ever should know about someone I was aghast and appalled by the information I saw The sad part of this is I can never see this person again in the same way this experience has caused me to stop looking up people because even a little bit of searching and digging no matter what you call it is really just stalking
There's a reason I don't watch much television I was walking by the TV last night there was a new reality program on it's called ''Downsized'' about a blended family (above) hit with tough economic times after losing their home to foreclosure and declaring bankruptcy they are using food stamps and are on a type of welfare program in Arizona The went to a financial planner because they couldn't meet the final $300 of the rent on their new place during this question and answer session with the planner they revealed (and defended) they were spending $500 a month eating out $5 a day on Starbucks coffee $145 a month for a child's cheerleading lessons $85 a month on cable TV Plus: every kid has a cell phone
Holy cow Do these people not get it? They are on public assistance and still spending $1200 a month on crap like this ? This show was enough to have me shaking my head and talking back to the television screen especially when the 14 year old sold his prized baseball mitt for the final $100 and they were miraculously able to meet their rent payment (albeit a week late) While I think it's great the kids are starting to understand the situation Personally if this happened to my family My God I would have sold plasma or whatever it took to have avoided putting my kid through something like that
During a recent trip to Seattle we decided to take the train Having never taken it before I can say now with complete confidence I will most certainly be taking it again The train was clean, comfortable and very easy not to mention shockingly inexpensive We loved not having to drive and arrived at our destination completely rested
Train stations are so vintage
These scales in Seattle are still used
There were clear signs where to go (even I didn't get lost!)
They had some pretty decent food including duck ala orange and wine tasting
This was our car-Business Class
Our trip home came complete with a bouncy, pesky 4 year old hanging off the back seat rest I debated whether I should tell him Santa Claus was fake or The Bogeyman was real just to shut him up for awhile and then I realized as annoying as this kid was he'd actually given me the gift of imagination and delight so I could experience train travel through the eyes of a child
We get positively stupid at Christmas We spend a fortune and wear ourselves out trying to outdo each other The gifts have become more the focus of the holiday as opposed to the real spirit of Christmas which is home, family and love since I wanted to get out of that mode I approached my family in July so we could gain a clearer perspective without the twinkly lights the lure of crisp wrapping paper with gigantic bows and without the lusciousness of being seduced by perfect gift After a lengthy discussion we decided we would spend a total amount of $25 per person OR we had to hand make every gifts Although this idea probably sounds hokey and homemade I have a really crafty talented family this means we've been pretty busy around here I can't reveal what I've been doing (obviously) but it's been fun to use my imagination and take my ideas to the next level I have no doubt this upcoming holiday season will be special but this time it will be special for all the right reasons
There's a lovely motorcycle route I love to take but it has one curve that scares the hell out of me curves don't normally bother me in fact, I look forward to leaning into them setting them up but this particular curve is wicked and takes just about every ounce of riding skill set I have it really doesn't help there's a small cross at the apex of this curve indicating someone's death on the roadside I found myself dreading the ride constantly thinking of only that turn out of a 200 mile trip working myself up to a panic so when the curve came up of course I didn't do well or enjoy myself basically, I was a woman in chains chained by fear fear of my own making Yes I did it to myself so in my efforts to be fearless I jumped on my bike and confronted the curve alone I rode that curve no less than 45 times until it no longer scared me in the beginning of the ordeal I was shaking by the 45th time I literally laughed at it laughed at myself for being so silly I'm sure had anyone been watching they would have thought I was a lunatic but it was really nice to release those self imposed chains toss them away take back the power I had given away and taste the freedom that being fearless is
I believe the men who are the most blatantly homophobic are typically the ones with homosexual tendencies they refuse to acknowledge they wont come out of their self imposed closet so they feel the need to belittle to push away
to make someone else feel ''less than'' so they feel superior in a world they created a fantasy land How incredibly sad for them and for all of
Today I've boarded a train bound for Seattle I'm on my way to check out the Pacific Science Center They have a Harry Potter Exhibit going on right now I've heard its completely wonderful my plan is to linger and drink in all the Harry Potter-ness I can while I'm there This will include sipping pumpkin juice stuffing mandrakes into the ground whilst wearing earmuffs trying my hand at quidditch donning a robe swishing a wand and immersing myself into all things Hogwarts If this post doesn't make sense to you I highly encourage you to ferret out your inner child read the books watch the films let yourself go and play
Grief from a death a lost relationship a friendship betrayed a dream not realized is still grief and it can hit you anywhere there's nothing worse than feeling blindsided and shocked with the prickling sting of tears swimming behind your eyes when you're doing something so simple and unrelated like standing in the produce section picking out a stupid tomato
I'm convinced my hair stylist has been to prison She's one tough cookie scares the hell out of me talks about prison food like she's eaten it goes on conjugal visits once a month, upstate has 3 tattoo'd teardrops on her face (this must mean something prison-y) and she scares me to death I think I mentioned that already, didn't I?
I literally have to work up the courage to get my hair cut and hope she's having one of her good days the kind of day that means *I* will get a nice style however the last time I had a cut she was apparently having a bad day Wes didn't say a word until bedtime then he finally observed out loud (in typical, understated Wes fashion) ''she certainly got hold of YOU this time, didn't she?'' I tried going to another hair shop but 2 weeks later she saw me in the grocery store and acted so upset I'd gone to someone else I found myself mumbling something about ''having a gift certificate'' I lied which is wrong but you must realize I was worried about being shanked right then and there in the parking lot I do have one saving grace with this situation Her fiance' who is currently doing time for armed robbery will be released in 2.5 years (with good behavior) I may have to contact the parole board myself in an effort to get him out earlier but in the meantime I'm really hoping my hair and I can hold out until then
There are a few chores I've been neglecting lately I don't particularly love cleaning the house I'd rather spend my time doing fun things (don't we all?) but once in awhile I need to organize purge scrub and basically step up my routine When I need some sort of motivation I watch the television program ''Hoarders'' and I'm seriously ready to call in a dumpster and an 8 person team and start tossing out everything including the good china
You'll only see male sea lions here in Oregon the females are on the sunny coasts of California where the males journey for visits in the Spring After the Spring Break (what's with Spring Break anyway?) the males swim back up north to lounge around being loud pesky territorial and wrecking havoc with the fishermen They are like the stray dogs of the beach
What an honor and privilege it is to vote in America's elections Even if my choices didn't always win I'm still pretty happy because the constant 'vote for xx' phone calls will stop nobody will be canvassing my neighborhood strangers knocking on my door friends will finally cease trying to sway me but above all it's just not that easy to have both a Democrat and a Republican living in the same household during elections
(This is Maggie, hanging out with me in the library)
I've had Scottish Terriers for the past 18 years They are probably the most exasperating animals on the planet they don't mind they are stubborn great sense of humor loud talkers tough opinionated so loyal they will often die of grief when separated from their family scarily smart they do what they want when they want and are completely untrainable (unless they think its a good idea) I cannot imagine having another breed of dog fit my family better The best part about Maggie age 12 shown above is that she's a snuggler and is never more than 3 feet away from me unless my son is here from Texas and when he's home all bets are off because in her eyes I no longer exist
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month Thankfully there have been more media messages for men and women this year both can get the disease and I'm not sure most men knew that I think to be aware and forewarned saves lives
I was thinking about the women in my life either in my inner circle or a friend of a friend who have had breast cancer recently and suddenly realized how many of them there are
Laney:Celebrating 7 years cancer free Michaela: In the middle of chemo/radiation Coni:Diagnosed this past Friday Pattie:2 years cancer free Shelley:Having a mastectomy tomorrow Bonnie: Had second reconstruction last week Linda: Stage V, but still hopeful
These women range in age 31 to 62 They are vital, amazing and very, very brave They didn't ask for cancer they didn't look for it, yet it found them somehow I'm going to encourage all of the people reading this to examine their breasts this can be done by themselves with a partner (may as well make it fun) or contact your physician (or your local Boy Scout troop)
I have noticed those who go on record by constantly saying aloud how amazingly wonderful they are how perfect their relationships and enviable their lives are typically the ones with the most problems and sadly they aren't really fooling anyone but themselves
