Equal opportunity slaughter....

.....yes, I said these words to the nice kid at the Walmart electronics register. You know the department, it's rarely busy, yet heaven help you find someone with the damn key to the video games. Anyway how a grown woman even broaches such a topic with a minor is just a sign of the times. It was the my son's usual M.O.. Get mom to drive him to the store for a video game, wait until in the store to mention , oh yea it's "mature", will you buy it for me? Rather than immediately leave and return after reading the specifics and some reviews I've limited myself to letting the staff fill me in on the deets. So there I was with the usual "have you played, why is it mature?" etc.. And the possible deal breaker "is it as bad as Grand Theft Auto?". "No m'am, just blow 'em up war games". And, de dum, out spilled "So no degradation or violence targeted at women or a specific group then? Just good 'ole equal opportunity slaughter?" I'm not proud of it. Call CPS, judge me, pat yourself on your back because your kids not only don't play video games but certainly not "those" games, whatever, but at least my kid views all his gamer friends as equally ripe to blow up regardless of age, sex, race or intellect. There's got to be some shred of social consciousness in that.

Not quite ready for springtime....

what a great weekend we just had here in New York. A nice respite from a very cold, snowy February. I have to say winter should've been much rougher this year than usual. We cancelled our plow service, but found shoveling not the problem we'd thought. Our snazzy new shovel helped. Highly recommend one.










We had more snow than we'd had in years but also had many more days with these visitors. I swear one more month of snow and the turkey and deer will be eating out of our hands.














and usually being cooped up with my little girl all winter is not the stuff of dreams, but this year she was quite the independent snow princess. Notice the open collar? She completely dressed herself ( gloves too!) and ventured out while I was shoveling.













Speaking of shoveling.















We're thinking by next year we can rent her shoveling services to the neighbors.

Random thoughts for February...

a day early but what the heck.



It's interesting that the same people who denigrate other races so their kids won't marry them, now denigrate homosexuals so their kids will. That's right folks, force them into hiding so your little princess can marry a queen.


Name some of the most conservative and liberal countries. Iran and France come to mind. I'd choose to live in France.


Why do we tolerate the kind of harassment and abuse from small children that would make us imprison or abandon an adult?

Winter is cold. Summer is hot. Seriously, why make it harder by complaining about the temperature every five minutes. Were you taken by surprise?


I recently read two articles in the same paper. One complained we don't spend enough, one complained we don't save enough.


Why should members of my family keep fighting in wars when most of the citizens in this country don't even want to sacrifice their money to pay taxes?


I'll try to do something warm and wittier next month, the economy is making me crabby.

Now where was I...

...oh, I know, waiting for New Year's to arrive ! It's been a while so bear with me. I admit I've been a bit lost what to write, what with Christmas, the election and something to do behind me. And swim team keeps a person busy, of course not my swim team, why that would mean I was in shape, my son's. My only exercise was retrieving my four year old from the edge of the pool every so often. Which gets me thinking about resolutions ! As in my resolution to get back in shape, having not worn jeans since mid December until TODAY, that's right, I sit comfy as can be in my size 4 Gap jeans. I did it ! Well some of it, still have a little too much extra hanging around the old middle. Old being the operative word. But it's still at least one resolution that's alive and kicking, if jiggly. Anyway this was a simple step back into the blog pool, let's see if I can immerse myself completely soon.

Random thoughts for 2008...

The first random thoughts post back in August was entirely impulsive, now it feel like a chore. And to be honest, with the news lately, rather depressing. Besides, Uncle Jay did it so much better than I ever could ! I wonder if he's really an uncle?

YouTube - Uncle Jay Explains: Year-end! 12-22-08

Happy New Year ! Baby 2009 has some high expectations on those newborn shoulders, may we all do our part to relieve the burden.

Role models...

who were literally playing roles ! Some of us are lucky enough to have a plentiful supply of amazing women (and men) to emulate as we grow. Some of us aren't so lucky and it's probably best to just hide under the bed until we come of age. I managed to avoid dust bunnies most of the time and got to grow up with some incredible women (and men) but face it, some of those that influenced my formative years the most came courtesy of our 13" Zenith. So I got to thinking, who were my TV role models? And there were so many I started to get dizzy. So even though I'll never have super powers, or bio-robotic limbs, or have to face a snowstorm in the Great Plains while blind (well I hope not) I did manage to pick the top three !


Wonder Woman- 'nuff said.


The Bionic Woman- She was smart, pretty, could toss Steve Austin half a mile and tore a phone book in half.


Mary Ingalls- Laura was just another goofy kid, but Mary had it altogether, even going blind caused barely a blip on her calm demeanor radar.



There's more of course, lots, but those were the first three that came to mind. I wish I could say I wanted to be Eleanor Roosevelt or Madame Curie, but yea, nope. And then there was one I came to identify with quite by accident, Marilyn Monroe. My mom bought or borrowed her biography and I was stunned to find photos of a plain Jane in family photo whose own mother was as lost and mysterious to her as mine was to me. So Norma Jean became a somewhat kindred spirit, except I have to say I never went for the whole bleached hair, breathy voice persona. By the time I was engaged it was Jackie O, really Jackie Kennedy, I even requested my engagement ring resemble hers.

So many more, so many more. But today's musing really just went to the TV's influence. I once read a wonderful poem dedicated to the women in the poet's life who'd guided her, including those who showed the paths better avoided. I wish I could remember the author or the title but I can't. I do know it's probably in a literature anthology (Norton's perhaps?) from the late 80's because I distinctly remember reading it in a classroom. So that's that, if any come to mind do share, you never know !

Homespun...

is so often the most cherished. CA Girl in 10-OC has a beautiful holiday post, this blog isn't nearly so poetic, but I couldn't resist the inspiration.

My daughter's Christmas stocking for her first four holidays. Made by her brother just for her and no fancy store stocking could convince me to replace it...until...






...she spotted this little baby.








Yep, it has twinkly lights. :sigh:



So I consoled myself with some new Christmas crafts...








...aren't they divine? Ky worked so hard, those are for her cousins, this one is just for her.







Storemade is full of wonder and love too. Our surprise Christmas Eve guest...




... fresh from Texas ! Thanks Laz and Andrea ! I know I said I'd get his pic in snow, but it just didn't do him justice.



Here's what you're missing ! Check out the fancy new shovel.



Is it too much to ask for Christmas that Texas be moved a bit closer to New York?