I couldn't live without seasons. That's what people up north say as a reason not to move south. That transition into different seasons reminds one of the wonder of our universe. Trees change color in fall, the first snowfall of winter, flowers blooming in spring. Ok, fine.
But honestly, we, too, have our ways of identifying seasons here in the south. Take pedicures. Our summer nails are beautiful. Out there for all to see. Transition into fall and you can see nail color begin to fade and fall away. In winter, we keep our nails indoors and always covered to protect them from the frigid 40 degree temps. Frigid. Then along comes spring and the bloom is on the nail. Colorful reds and pinks and purple and green and orange and brown. These pops of color hold all through summer season and on into fall transition. I am hearing that song...
To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And in the South, we have all four - turn, turn, turn!
Friday, January 31, 2014
Friday, January 17, 2014
John Cornyn's radio ad makes me smile
Living in Texas it's fitting that campaign season and cedar pollen should arrive at about the same. Both are intolerable.
Something that has helped - besides Allegra without D - is a comedy TV show called Alpha House, an Amazon Original series. It's about a bunch of Republican senators sharing a house, hence Alpha House. The show's political humor can be appreciated by all sides: left and right, north and south.
The show stars John Goodman, reason alone to love the series, but also features an incredible supporting cast that includes Haley Joel Osment (I see dead people), Kelly Ripa's husband, Wanda Sikes AND Bill Murray, who appears in the first and last episodes.
I know this show is helping me through campaign season because I didn't want to kill myself after listening to a John Cornyn radio ad. It actually made me smile. Almost laugh. It sounded like it belonged to one of the characters on my new favorite show Alpha House. I swear it felt like I was listening to comedy.
Alas, the first season already has ended. Oh well. As an antidote to the uber conservative Texas campaigns, I feel it will be fine to watch a second time - or as often as indicated.
Something that has helped - besides Allegra without D - is a comedy TV show called Alpha House, an Amazon Original series. It's about a bunch of Republican senators sharing a house, hence Alpha House. The show's political humor can be appreciated by all sides: left and right, north and south.
The show stars John Goodman, reason alone to love the series, but also features an incredible supporting cast that includes Haley Joel Osment (I see dead people), Kelly Ripa's husband, Wanda Sikes AND Bill Murray, who appears in the first and last episodes.
I know this show is helping me through campaign season because I didn't want to kill myself after listening to a John Cornyn radio ad. It actually made me smile. Almost laugh. It sounded like it belonged to one of the characters on my new favorite show Alpha House. I swear it felt like I was listening to comedy.
Alas, the first season already has ended. Oh well. As an antidote to the uber conservative Texas campaigns, I feel it will be fine to watch a second time - or as often as indicated.
Monday, January 6, 2014
It's cold but I can't complain
Today the wind chill is 6 degrees! Single digit!! Problem is, a little farther north the wind chill is minus double digits! So I can't really complain.
What's causing the coldest temps recorded in about 20 years? Polar vortex. A phenomenon that 99 percent of us (be honest) had never heard of before. What a cool word (pun intended).
It turns out that a polar vortex is really a persistent cyclone. Cyclone!! This one initiates from the North Pole. How cool is that (again, intended pun)?
Climate change doubters will no doubt point to this as evidence of there being no evidence of shifting climate. That's ok. Let 'em have their day. They likely have been feeling a lonely lately as the majority of us have pushed forward without them.
This polar vortex event however IS real evidence of the unpredictability of weather and its humbling nature. It has stopped a hardy bunch of northerners in their tracks. I used to be one of them and can recall specific days of minus double digit weather BEFORE adding the wind chill. But as reports are telling us, this polar vortex is dropping temps to numbers not felt in 20 years. That's scary.
Sending warm thoughts and prayers to my family and friends up north.
What's causing the coldest temps recorded in about 20 years? Polar vortex. A phenomenon that 99 percent of us (be honest) had never heard of before. What a cool word (pun intended).
It turns out that a polar vortex is really a persistent cyclone. Cyclone!! This one initiates from the North Pole. How cool is that (again, intended pun)?
Climate change doubters will no doubt point to this as evidence of there being no evidence of shifting climate. That's ok. Let 'em have their day. They likely have been feeling a lonely lately as the majority of us have pushed forward without them.
This polar vortex event however IS real evidence of the unpredictability of weather and its humbling nature. It has stopped a hardy bunch of northerners in their tracks. I used to be one of them and can recall specific days of minus double digit weather BEFORE adding the wind chill. But as reports are telling us, this polar vortex is dropping temps to numbers not felt in 20 years. That's scary.
Sending warm thoughts and prayers to my family and friends up north.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Goodbye 2013, hello 2014
Goodbye 2013. Hello 2014.
I typically prefer the even-numbered years. Is that weird? I guess just the word "odd" attached to a number puts it at a disadvantage. But, come on, 13. That's the universally worst number of all numbers. Ok, maybe 666 is worse.
So I will be glad to say hello to 2014 in just two days. No worries about forgetting to write the new year on checks because nobody uses checks anymore. Unless it's the stereotypical older woman holding up the grocery line writing one. Annoying because it reflects on all us older women.
Truthfully, I love a new year, odd or even numbered. New years hold promise. Celebrating their arrival gives us pause to look forward and forward is a good direction to be heading...
....especially if you are a young couple expecting child in the spring - Jenny and Michael.
... especially if you are a young couple raising daughters ages 2 and 4 - Andrea and Jack.
... especially if you are a young lawyer at the beginning of a career in public service - John.
I especially look forward to sharing the promise of another new year with my beloved Paulie.
I typically prefer the even-numbered years. Is that weird? I guess just the word "odd" attached to a number puts it at a disadvantage. But, come on, 13. That's the universally worst number of all numbers. Ok, maybe 666 is worse.
So I will be glad to say hello to 2014 in just two days. No worries about forgetting to write the new year on checks because nobody uses checks anymore. Unless it's the stereotypical older woman holding up the grocery line writing one. Annoying because it reflects on all us older women.
Truthfully, I love a new year, odd or even numbered. New years hold promise. Celebrating their arrival gives us pause to look forward and forward is a good direction to be heading...
....especially if you are a young couple expecting child in the spring - Jenny and Michael.
... especially if you are a young couple raising daughters ages 2 and 4 - Andrea and Jack.
... especially if you are a young lawyer at the beginning of a career in public service - John.
I especially look forward to sharing the promise of another new year with my beloved Paulie.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
I will be a burden on my kids and they will like it!
At the end of my life, for the record, I want to be a burden on my children. Just so it's clear. Burden. I want that.
Recently I have been working more and more with older adults and their families. There's a theme or pattern emerging: these folks don't want to be a burden on their children, and in some instances, the children are not so crazy about being burdened. That's the word they use: burden.
Well. The children of the Baby Boomers are in for a whopper of burdening as we continue to age, the oldest among us is about to hit 70. Dementia is just around the corner for many, heart disease already has come calling, and knees and backs gave up years ago... this is not the direction I thought I was going with this blog.
Back to being a burden. Ok. The burden part I could understand IF the parent was a monster. In some cases, children do have a pass on being caregivers to older relatives. But for most of us, we did our best and now we need, or will be needing, a little extra help. I don't call that being a burden. I call that knowing your limits and being able to set aside pride and ask for help. From your children.
I fully intend to rely on my children AND their spouses AND my grandchildren AND, God willing, my grandchildren's spouses. Case in point: I will have to stop driving at some point and fully expect them to come get me for my weekly trip to Braums. I won't be demanding, I hope. They will be given advance notice. I promise to be grateful and buy whatever treat they want. I will be getting the vanilla yogurt in a cone. Small.
Burden. It's such a harsh word to hang on our children; or for them to hang on us. Consider what Thomas a Kempis, 15th Century religious man wrote:
Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble...
Oh, what a wonderful sentiment. I sure hope that's the way my kids feel in about 10-15 years.
Recently I have been working more and more with older adults and their families. There's a theme or pattern emerging: these folks don't want to be a burden on their children, and in some instances, the children are not so crazy about being burdened. That's the word they use: burden.
Well. The children of the Baby Boomers are in for a whopper of burdening as we continue to age, the oldest among us is about to hit 70. Dementia is just around the corner for many, heart disease already has come calling, and knees and backs gave up years ago... this is not the direction I thought I was going with this blog.
Back to being a burden. Ok. The burden part I could understand IF the parent was a monster. In some cases, children do have a pass on being caregivers to older relatives. But for most of us, we did our best and now we need, or will be needing, a little extra help. I don't call that being a burden. I call that knowing your limits and being able to set aside pride and ask for help. From your children.
I fully intend to rely on my children AND their spouses AND my grandchildren AND, God willing, my grandchildren's spouses. Case in point: I will have to stop driving at some point and fully expect them to come get me for my weekly trip to Braums. I won't be demanding, I hope. They will be given advance notice. I promise to be grateful and buy whatever treat they want. I will be getting the vanilla yogurt in a cone. Small.
Burden. It's such a harsh word to hang on our children; or for them to hang on us. Consider what Thomas a Kempis, 15th Century religious man wrote:
Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble...
Oh, what a wonderful sentiment. I sure hope that's the way my kids feel in about 10-15 years.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Where'd July go??
Jenny saving Luna from an attacking Blue Jay. Headshots of two head-strong females: Finley Scott and Ann Richards. One a former governor; the other a future governor??
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