A Short Picture Book

Once upon a time there was a kitten named Pippen.Pippen was sweet and cuddly.

As Pippen grew older, she become more and more playful.

One day, and for many days, a big bad wolf teased Pippen so much that she became mean and nasty. She is now known as "That B."

Just as every other time her mother tried to walk through the living room, Pippen rolled around and began to grab at her mother's feet.

To avoid getting grabbed and bitten by Pippen, her mother took a small leap and *BAM* -- ended up smashing her leg on Pippen's window seat.

Now Pippen's mother is left with a big, painful purple bruise on her leg.

And while you may think "That B," Pippen's mother is actually contemplating smashing a bolted, heavy peice of wood into the big bad wolf's leg.








Moral: Watch where you're going when trying to get away from attack cat, and don't allow your husband to torture said attack cat; it just makes her more nasty.


Julia

The 'Lady' Upstairs

Never have I considered coming to an age when I would be referred to as 'lady.' I look in the mirror and while I'm painfully aware that tiny wrinkles are starting to form around my eyes and saggy skin around my jaw, I still see a young girl. I feel energetic most days and don't dress like I'm 50. I am young as far as years-of-life go! The real youngsters don't agree.

The first time it occurred was when an 18-year-old and a 19-year-old moved into the apartment below me and my husband. I don't remember exactly what I heard them saying, but I was definitely referred to as 'the lady upstairs.' My face looked like this:  =-0

I told my husband - 'I'm the lady upstairs!!' He just laughed at my shock and horror.

The second time was when I was driving down the street. I was heading to pick up my husband from his grandmother's house and while attempting not to hit two young people who were driving past me on a quad, one yelled 'Come onn lady!' Guess I was driving too slow...

So it's official. When I walk past the strapping young men at the mall, and I think they are probably checking out my hot, young bod (lol), they are actually thinking 'What is wrong with this lady?' This realization wont stop me from exercising, buying fashionable clothes and using wrinkle cream to prolong feeling young! Okay, I haven't gotten to the wrinkle cream stage yet, but if I'm called lady by a stranger again, it might just happen.

Julia

Time heals all wounds. Should it?

I’m sitting in my favorite coffee shop with the purpose of a very sad attempt at being productive. I’m, of course, eaves dropping and people watching instead of working.

A man and a woman near to me are sitting across from each other having a conversation, staring deeply into one another’s eyes, not drifting away for a second.  The intensity of their eye contact can only lead me to assume that there is a mutual attraction.

“I just need time before I can let myself get that close again. I need time to heal,” the man said.  Head nod. Fake smile. Pessimistic laugh.

Okay, now I’ll never get work done.

Obviously, I don’t know the circumstances, but that statement is surely powerful—cliché as well. At least once in our lives, we have said or will say something similar.

As Cheryl Crow belts out how she’s leaving Las Vegas over the stereo speakers I can only think of one thing.

Should time heal all wounds?

I look at the pair in the coffee shop and all I think is, “Get over it!” He cares about her or he wouldn’t have agreed to meet, on neutral territory, for coffee—another cliché.

Gosh just kiss her already! “Love” heals all wounds!

That’s a lie.

I have loved and I have had my heartbroken. I have even forgiven when I should not have. The ship had already sailed. The book rental was past due. If I stayed any longer,  I would not have healed no matter how much I loved. Walking away definitely made things better for everyone.

Back to time.

What if you need more time than the other? The other can’t wait any longer and when you realize you’re all healed up, it’s too late?  Then you need more time to heal all over again. Gosh, this is starting to sound like a romantic comedy.

The term is circumstantial. For love, you will heal the more removed your are from a situation.  You heal because you don’t have to think about that person anymore.  Just like Cheryl Crow leaving and starting anew in her song.

However, if that situation comes back to haunt you, no matter how many years removed, you’ll always feel a twinge of something. It will drudge up feelings you thought disappeared over time. 

It might not hurt as bad and it might not even bother you, but the scars are still there.  And those scars might open.

Perhaps they should. If you've been hurt to the point where you voice that you need time, then you should learn something from it. 

These two are definitely into each other. Maybe they’re no good for each other. It could be a poisonous relationship. In that case, they don’t need to heal their feelings for each other, they need to move along.

It’s okay to heal, not to forget.

  

-s

An excellent Q&A with Liz Winstead

Mother Jones did a Q&A political satirist and co-creator of The Daily Show,  Lizz Winstead. I find her thoughts and answers insightful. I completely agree with Windstead that women need to be outspoken about their beliefs all of the time instead of when there is a crisis.

http://www.motherjones.com/media/2012/03/daily-show-lizz-winstead-lizz-free-or-die-interview

-Steph

Catching Up

Hello Readers (if there are any out there)!

Since my last post, "The 3am blues," I've pretty much fallen off the blogger radar. I'm okay and my husband is okay, but how does one really come back from such a depressing post? Well, time heals all wounds and it's been doing pretty good work on mine. Mother's Day weekend was a bit difficult and probably somewhere around September 27th I'll be crying and boozing again (unless we're pregnant again of course, then it'll just be the crying). The baby had Turners Syndrome, which is why it didn't survive -- I was told about 90% of pregnancies where the fetus has Turners ends in miscarriage. It's the best we could hope for in a shitty situation. It wasn't due to our genes, it was just missing an X Chromosome. We like to joke around and say "The next one just has to remember all its chromosomes!"

Moving on to random thoughts and catching up, I'm learning to sew! It's not much of a story yet, but tonight was my first lesson. I can thread the machine and the bobber, take the bobber parts apart and put it together and create a barely decent line of stitches, but it's a happy start! I'll be sure to post my first piece.

In other news that has nothing to do with sewing, I might start a "Bucket List." I've never had any interest in making one before because I don't like the idea of subjecting myself to a list of things that may never happen and thereby creating a list of disappointments. I had never given it that much thought, but just knowing me, I like to take things as they come and don't like to ever say "This MUST happen!" However, today as I was listening to the radio and envisioning the perfect music video for "Feel So Good," by Calvin Harris and it occurred to me that this is obtainable! I am constantly creating the perfect scene while I listen to music and let my thoughts drift through winding roads, bright green mountains and a setting sun. I know exactly what I want.. pretty much, but I wont tell you because you might just steal my idea! It's officially a part of the list (a cringe ran through my arms while typing that). I do have an great friend with expertise and a camera! You might know her as my fellow blogger. I haven't yet mentioned this idea, but I feel a short project coming on this summer :-D

I'll end the randomness with one of my favorite quotes:
"It's not about ideas.
It's about making ideas happen!"

Remember that kiddies!
Julia

40 miles

Recently, I went on a 40 mile bike trip and made a short video about it. It was so much fun! Exhausting, but a blast!



 

I'll post what I want on Facebook, but keep your opinions to yourself

Facebook land. Make sure you post that picture! Did you tag me!? Has Sandy put on some weight? Bill's status updates are really sad, is he okay? Awww, they look so 'Leave it to Beaver' happy!

 There's no denying it. If we have it, we do it. My mom does it. Post, comment, tag, stalk-- it doesn't get any better.

 As a working journalist and being well aware that I have some very ignorant/ one track minded Facebook friends, I rarely post anything to stir the pot. That's not why I have a page. I'd rather keep it more like a digital scrapbook and way to keep in touch. Basically, I like it G rated.

 I was grocery shopping the other day and my phone buzzed with an AP news alert stating President Obama voiced his support of gay marriage. I was so excited. I stopped in the middle of the pasta isle and posted the link to Facebook with a big 'yayyyy!!'. This is not a typical action of mine and the most I usually post are funny videos of cats.

 Yet, this was one of the few things I found important to me and that I very openly support. It came at an appropriate time with North Carolina announcing it is only recognizing marriage between a man and a woman. And, it's always a hot topic during an election year.

 I think President Obama played it well. I think it is his honest opinion and I think, as always in politics, it was partially a strategic move to gain the attention of the more liberal minded folks. It was also risky because it is a heated topic. (( Politics fascinate me. I hate it, but it's such a part of our daily lives it's insane. Post on politics coming soon.))

 It doesn't necessarily do much for the LGBTQ community and their rights, but I think the support of our President is vital-- especially if you are a supporter of him.

So again, I thought it was important to post.

 Of course, in came the ignorant, one track minded comments. 'Wow big deal', 'marriage is between a man and a women, call it something else', and the beat goes on.

 I found myself thinking, as I was deleting their comments from my page, geeeeez, keep your opinions to yourself! I don't want to be associated with your nastiness!

 But wasn't I the one that started the opinion sharing?

 It's not like I don't like to stir the pot every once in a while, and I don't mind making some people angry-- especially when it comes to this. A good debate is always healthy... but not of Facebook!

Nothing ever comes across well in a few hundred word posts. It's like when your dad just learned to email and he would write to you in all CAPS. Are you yelling at me dad?

 Plus, if you don't like what someone has to say, you can just delete it. Like I did.

 In the end, that is why I like to keep my Facebook opinions to myself. I don't want to be a moderator.

 Here is a link to one of many articles if you haven't read about it. http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2012-05-11/obama-equality-romney-clooney-fundraiser/54896138/1

-Steph