Prepare the way!

Tomorrow's a big day.

Tomorrow morning my two favorite people arrive in the form of my children followed a few hours later by our special guest from New York, my mom.

I've spent the last couple of days, dusting, vacuuming, cleaning out, scrubbing, de-gunking and of course stocking my pantry so that mom's food selection is a little broader than beer and chips. I've bought tea and milk, the kind of bread she eats and oatmeal, and ingredients that will hopefully make real grown up meals.

I've even hung the shelf in my bedroom that's been leaning against the wall for a month and bought one of those extra-long chains for the bedroom ceiling fan so she doesn't have to get up to adjust it.

I mentioned my activities to someone at work who suggested that my mom must be quite demanding. I had to laugh. She isn't.

But you see for as long as I can remember this amazing woman has sacrificially done everything in her power to make my life the best it could be, from changing my diapers to verbally kicking me in the butt when i've needed it (and continues to do so).

So some clean sheets and her tea are the least I could do.

Resession Obsession

So this weekend was hot. I mean really hot. Like surface of the sun hot where after fifteen seconds outdoors your inner thighs start to get clammy and that "less than fresh" feeling takes over. You know what I'm talking about.

That being said I decided that my personal path to freshness meant spending as little time outside as possible and so my couch and I spend some quality moments together this weekend.

I'm getting to a point in my life where I'm OK with "vegging". I'm not terribly good at it and do get antsy or feel guilty as there are more productive things I could be doing but it's work in progress and a great alternative to sweaty inner thighs.

Anyhoo...

Being on the couch more that usual of course meant watching TV more than usual which was fun for a while. Problem is I just found myself becoming increasingly pissed off at the pure volume of recession based commercials!

The sheer hypocrisy of the "we understand times are hard, we know you have no money, have lost your job, your car and your house" but if you give us what little money you have left we'll give you some crap you don't need at a slightly reduced price. Drove me nuts. Seriously if I hear the phrase "in times like these" again I'll scream!

I was going to say I'd throw the TV out of the window but then I'd have to go take advantage of Best Buy's recession savings now wouldn't I?

It's a funny world.

Michael once again...

Just finished watching an online broadcast of the Michael Jackson memorial service and wanted to write a few thoughts while they're fresh in my mind...

Michael Jackson made an incredible impact on the face of popular music and to the "older" generation who don't get it and wonder what all the fuss is about...my generation's Elvis just died.

There are 3 children in the world today, regardless of what you personally think of their family unit who really miss their daddy.

Michael Jackson was a human with struggles and demons just like every single one of us on the planet. Difference of course was that MJ's struggles were played out in public. I wonder how the rest of us would fare if our demons were slapped all over every newspaper and media outlet on planet earth. Glass houses people.

Innocent until proven guilty has to mean just that even when the world says differently. Otherwise everything this country was built on is worthless.

Brooke Shields has aged beautifully. Sorry had to get that one in.

MJ holds a Guiness record for having given more money to charity than any other recording artist in history. The rest were too busy sticking it up their noses. When he was seriously burned by Pepsi he used the legal settlement to build a burn unit along with supporting about 40 other charities and performing countless other charitable acts. What burns me (no pun intended) is that MJ was apparently more devoted to the "work of the gospel" than most of those who have written him off in the name of Jesus.

Al Sharpton's comments actually moved me. Wow.

The older I get the more sickened I am by the ignorrant surface judgement of people.

Loved Usher's rendition of Gone Too Soon

Belated Fourth

I had every intention of writing something meaningful here on July 4th to recognize our great nations birthday but spent much of the day in a country home near Fort Worth basically stuffing my face (which is by the way an incredibly "American" thing to do).

Anyway somewhere in the midst of the the unbelievable home made hamburgers, peach cobbler, home made ice cream and home made potato salad, all which later that night led to some severe gastric distress (but i have no regrets)...

Somewhere in the midst of the fact that is was at least one thousand degrees after dark while i sat in a lawn chair and watched a neighborhood fireworks display which rivalled anything professional i'd ever seen...

Somewhere in the midst of being fascinated by the family (awkward 15 year old included) who showed up dressed head to toe in red, white and blue. Which i'm sure was insisted upon by the mother who by the way was one of those people who began talking as she was walking in the door of the home and did not stop, for one moment, for hours. Her husband on the other hand stood behind her and did not open his mouth, not once...

Somewhere in the midst of the food, the fireworks and the weird patriotic apparel, i was incredibly thankful. Thankful that i live here, thankful that some 9 years ago i was able to make the choice to become a citizen of this nation, thankful that my children, having been born here, will be offered a world of opportunities they may never have had elsewhere.

And last but not least. Thankful, so thankful for Mylanta.

Why???

I would seriously poop myself.

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Thursday Mind Dump

The fact that it feels like a million degrees outside at 7am here on the surface of the sun gives me the distinct impression that today will be yet another hot one.

Watched yet another Michael Jackson special last night. I really think you have to be a thirtysomething to truly get this. When i was a kid in the 80's, particularly a kid who was really into music, Michael Jackson was a big deal. In fact Michael Jackson was the big deal. And despite all of his weirdness, much of which i'm sure his father needs to answer for, the guy was incredibly talented.

Today is Thursday but actually Friday. Kinda sorta. Thanks to July 4th falling on a Saturday we get Friday off work. Couple of events in the social calendar this weekend. Both of which will i'm sure involve loads of food and make it increasingly difficult for me to fit into my bikini this summer.

I'm continually baffled by the fact that corporate America allows certain individuals to do absolutely nothing and be compensated for it. Individuals who know how to say the right things to the right people at the right time and do diddly squat the rest of the time. Hopefully that was vague enough.

Still hoping and praying for the swift sale of the house which i once lived in and still pay for. Certain legal scenarios were put in place surrounding the sale of the house which result in a very tight timeframe to get the thing moved and a lot of upheaval for all involved if it doesn't sell soon. The proposed timeframe was not my idea and i think it ludicrous at best. But whatever.

Still absolutely loving the iPod touch i was given recently. Plus i'm old enough to marvel at the technology too.

Did I mention i have a 3 day weekend? Sweet.