Being around kids.
Keeps me "in the moment".
Playing with my dog.
Keeps me "in the moment".
Taking photographs.
Keeps me "in the moment".
Talking with my granddaughter.
Keeps me "in the moment".
Creative activities.
Keeps me "in the moment".
Sitting still in the forest.
Keeps me "in the moment".
Having a drink with friends.
Need I say it again?
Reading a great book.
Good for you...
Good food.
:-)
Listening to music.
It reminds me of kept moments.
Only a few real friends and imagination.
This movie is my childhood in a nut shell.
(without the tragedy)
I always loved the outdoors and played endless pretend games...more often alone, on my grandparents' farm and in the forest behind my childhood home. We built tree houses.
My favorite pretending place was the old west and my favorite character to "become" was Annie Oakley.
I did have a pony and spent hours racing and shooting a pop gun at imaginary enemies, my heart pounding with excitement going somewhere where most could not follow.
I still can detach from the moment and live in my mind.
Books are the perfect stairway but solitude in the forest has much the same affect.
No...I never wished to "fit in" but finding a friend,kindred spirit,
validates me and is so rewarding.
Even the "crushes" I would have on people who I felt inspired by, who understood just a bit more, was brought to mind by the relationship with the teacher AND art in that film.
The whole philosophy of this tale of love,loss and imagination is MY story too.
Northern Adventure
I really have been very few places out of New York and New England. I always have wanted to see Canada. I've heard that the highways are clean and speed limits are unheard of.
My love of forests and wilderness would certainly be satisfied.
As for weather, I enjoy it really cool so North is always my favorite direction.
An excellent road trip is more about who you are with than where you're going.
My dog would absolutely be by my side and I have a few friends that I would enjoy as well.
No schedules, meals when hungry and stops as they seem interesting.
As I assume it was....
Well, I was just hanging out when I realized, I couldn't stretch my legs. As I pushed, I would roll. Odd but fun.
My first science experiment had proven that ," Every action has an equal and opposite reaction." Brilliant!
Sight was not possible and I remained unaware of it until a moment came, when I was so very crowded, I could not stand it! Call me claustrophobic but I am NOT happy.
Waves of energy pushed on me until...WOW! "Let there be light!"
Ouch...too bright.
Oh my! Approximately 14 pounds per square inch. Gravity...you are not my brother and you are very heavy.
Gosh...my skin is crawling. I am freezing!
Forget handing me around, somebody better cover me up.
Ugh...don't these morons know that washing me adds to the cold!
A piercing sound...did that come from me? Cool...this is going to be handy when I need something. Look at those big people scramble.
Why is everyone smiling...this has been the worst day ever!
If this is an example of birthdays...I think I'll pass on any more!
I smell something rotten on the books.
The very first law that came to mind is "Eminent Domain".
According to Wikipedia it is, " the inherent power of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent. The property is taken either for government use or by delegation to third parties who will devote it to public or civic use or, in some cases, economic development."
What the heck?
The proper exercise of this would be an all knowing, all loving god!
I've yet to meet a human being that qualifies for that position.
The State has proven it cares not for individual rights and the Legislature cares only for the almighty dollar. Yet, they are the deciders of who loses property?
A citizen who owns property should be subject to laws to maintain it but NOT at a threat to lose it. Certainly not at the judgment of the State.
"Due monetary compensation" is a bit, pathetically, vague.
Nowadays, more than ever, my trust in government and, it's interest in the individual, is very low.
Hate to have that kind of power in the hands of the State.
Playing upon words,phrases, and sci-fi films...
This is a movie that I quote so very often.
John Candy was a brilliant funny man...this was not his best film but his presense sure helps the silly theme.
"Funny...she doesn't look Druish?"
"I'm a Mog. Half man, half dog, I'm my own best friend."
Rick Morannis was at his silly best, as well. The whole movie kept me in stitches and continues to stick me right in the funny bone!
I don't think you need to be a sci-fi buff to laugh but it sure makes it a better ride.
The word play is magnificent...double meanings abound.
Kick back with a friend you enjoy being "silly" with and have some "spit takes" together!
I never, ever expected that!
Remember that scene in City Slickers when Curly (the wise old cowboy) talked of being "in love" once?
He goes on to describe a beautiful woman who he spied hanging out her clothes. He never talked to her, yet he felt he'd fallen for her.
It was a windy day. I was a young mother in my late twenties. I had stopped by a local "Mom and Pop" store for milk and as I opened my door, a stack of papers fell out. The wind sent them flying. As I was chasing them, I was joined in the pursuit, by a handsome young man in a shirt and tie.
His eyes were intelligent and deep. He was a complete stranger.
As he handed me the papers he had saved, I felt like I was in a cartoon. It seemed like sparks were flying from our fingers!
There was a connection,an attraction, the likes I have never felt since. I could tell that he felt it too.
Embarrassed by this, we nodded good bye and he left.
Never did I see him again.
I felt, for a short time, that I had some how been unfaithful to my husband.
It was only one moment... but I had felt " in love".
Now I know what Curly was saying...
Emotionally yours...
In order to feel great joy, you have to feel sorrow.
When I was a small child, my mother could not allow me to watch Lassie.
Even before I could describe feelings, I had deep ones. When Lassie would whine, I would cry. At least, that's what I was told...
I do remember having blood drawn. I would break into tears so often that my mother took me to the doctor.
On the flipside, I felt excitement and joy over such simple things. I still do.
In artwork, one can not display light without darkness. Deep feelings have a wide spectrum.
Is it a curse? I would not trade that ability for anything.
Of course, when we are young, we believe everyone comes from the exact same place. It was not until recently that I discovered not everyone seems to have the same depth or ability to experience emotion.
This sounds hopelessly condescending...I do not mean to.
The creative spirit is based in emotion. The most creative of us have traditionally bordered on mental illness.(so we believe)
Who's to say that the "mentally ill" are not the enlightened ones?
This power would be used only for GOOD.
I'd be "spay/neuter woman"!
All pets, far and wide, could be neutered, free of charge, just for the asking!
No more homeless kittens...no more unwanted puppies.
What a wonderful power THAT would be!
We are truly alone but not necessarily lonely.
After years spent feeling that I was responsible for anyone else but myself, I realized that's a bunch of bologna!
Parents can beat themselves into an early grave if they allow the actions of their adult kids to reflect upon them.
Really,I have much to be proud of but the notion that we can control the actions of anyone else is absurd.
We arrive alone...make friends,influence changes...then die, alone.
This is not meant to be a dark thought but one that is freeing.
Whenever, a situation arises I now think, "Do the best that you can." but then that's all anyone can do.
We need not take credit for anyone elses successes and surely don't deserve their shame IF we have done, what we consider, our best.
No excuses please...you know when you haven't lived up to "your best".
By reminding myself, that I only have control over my own actions,it gives me great power. It's hard to do "right" when we have others to take responsibility for.
Being alone and being lonely are not the same.
Take care of how YOU react and all the rest are just details.
When you send your preschoolers to day care, I hope you can trust the caregiver has a sense of humor!
One day I was asking my kids about what their parents do for a living. We were making books about ourselves and I wanted to know what they were hoping to be when they grew up. By the way,at that time, Batman was the overwhelming winner for career choice! I realized that the kids probably didn’t know exactly what their parents did and the, Art Linkletter in me,wanted to ask. (Art Linkletter was a TV personality who interviewed kids for a funny show called,”Kids say the Darndest Things” back in the day.)
The answers the kids gave to ,”What does your father do?” were cute. One young man’s answer stood out.
“What does your father do?” was my question.
“He hollers at my Mom.”
I decided to change the subject quickly.
“What does Mom do?”
“She cries.”
I knew this family and I assumed they had had a recent argument but I knew better than to suspect true abuse.
All I could do was hide my face and laugh!!!
Kids say the darndest things!
Let's get real...
Goody!
Power outages and snowstorms are my favorites.
Grabbing the candles ...I know where they are even in the dark.
(I am assuming it's night time.)
Even though the power will probably be back on within the hour, everyone is instructed NOT to open the refrigerator= Conservation of the cold food.
Then we watch the light show from the storm. Keeping your hands away from the metal doors and storm window casings is a good idea and staying off the land line telephone too. I once watched a phone receiver knocked off of it's base from a lightening strike.
Of course, thunderstorms are short lived but the adventure in the dark is just beginning.
The shadow play with candlelight is our first sport. Hopefully, some of us have practiced our techniques and have new talent to share.
Next, word games...I'm Going on a Trip and Charades are very popular.
Hopefully, the power is STILL off. This is the point at which we talk...to each other. At first, it's similar to Plinky prompts but eventually it becomes a real sharing of feelings and ideas.
Certainly, the campfire chats of days-gone-by must have resembled this.
Kinda makes me pine for the simple times...
BAM!
Lights on...computer rebooting,phone ringing,and searching for the TV remote. Back to reality!
Seasons sing songs so sweet.
Solstice
Sunsets shorten
Slowly sending summer
Sailing south
Swaying
Swooping swirls
Seasonal sharpened senses
School starts
Shiver
Showers soaking
Swiftly shallow sounds
Shadows snowflakes
Solstice
Soundless solid
Slipping strong sunshine
Solar spotlight
Spring
Survival scents
Suddenly spirits soar
Spearmint sowing
Solstice
colourful autumn 
Give me a break...
Just this morning, I wrote a post at my Wordpress Blog about animals in the cinema.
Western movies were always among my favorites BUT did you notice that the horses were bullet proof?
Consider the size of a horse compared to a man.
Really people, wouldn't the horses get shot more often?
I suspect that real "bad guys" would have aimed AT the horses...a much easier target for them while bouncing on their steeds and waving a gun.
PETA wasn't even thought of in "them" days.
It makes me shudder to think about what really may have happened.
Nutty but Nice
Um, nuts.
Yup I love nuts!
If I have a can of mixed nuts in the house, I will nibble them all day long.
Protein (notice the i before e thing doesn't apply.), is brain food and my brain is ALWAYS hungry.
Just think of those nut pluses:
1. not messy. (unless you are cracking them...then maybe you have too much time on your hands?)
2.just a couple at a time satisfies.
3.Makes you take care of your teeth. Ya need 'em for nuts.
4.they come from the most remote places...you are employing the world as you snack.
5.it's really easy to make friends with squirrels with nuts in your pocket.
6.you can always use them to create an impromptu "off-color" joke with your male co-workers.
7...and finally, you are what you eat!
Is it nut profiling to single out the Brazil and Filberts first?
Hope not...
I wonder?
There are so many stories to be told.
Sometimes, I wonder,"Has every original idea been done?".
"How is it that we are riding on a sphere traveling through space at a gazillion miles per hour and we remain unaware of this, most of the time?"
We translate our thoughts and dreams with language. "How do babies do it?"
"There is no such thing as infinity because you can always add one to it."
"Is TIME a fluid substance that could be manipulated?"
"If our moon were destroyed, could the Earth survive?"
"Why does our mind allow our vision to be fooled?"
"How come some kids rise above horrid parenting and others are forever lost?"
"Specifically, where am I inside my body?"
...and most importantly, if you eat a piece of cake really quickly, does it have fewer calories?
