Ring Out the Old and Welcome the New

Two days partying in the city with the Groovies and our hubbies.  Shop.  Play.  Dinner. Dance.  Maybe even  ice skate in the holiday rink.   Yahoo!  However you ring out the old and welcome the new, have fun, be safe and I'll see you in 2012.

Christmas Lights and Marriage Building

 
Can we talk?  What is it with husbands and wives, and Christmas lights?  The Groovies were at my house, which is fully decorated inside and out for Christmas; the sight of which got a laugh-filled conversation going about our spouses and Christmas lights.  Waiting, waiting, waiting for a husband to install the lights so a wife can finally decorate the tree.  A wife helpfully re-stringing the outdoor lights because a husband has hung them a bit "off," and he's feeling the opposite of helped.  A husband who breaks off the tree stand spike while mounting the over-sized tree, so the tree has to go back to the tree lot and have a fresh cut made before it can even be decorated.  And that's just some of this year's stories.  Don't even ask about the encounter with the tree topper angel.

The conversation had us in stitches as we made fun of ourselves and the situations.  After all, the lights are meant to be a decorative expression of the peace and good cheer of the season, not an object of marital discord.  What lesson did we learn?  Buy a fake tree.  One that has the lights already installed.  And that, dear readers, is  my marriage building lesson for today.

(Postscript~ So after our gab fest, I had to ask my husband if he feels in any way dishonored when we put up our lights.  He said, heck no.  He thrilled with his part ~  putting our fake, pre-lit tree together and stringing the outside lights in my designate pattern.  And he's more than pleased to step back and let me do the rest. ~ Wait a minute here.  Is he getting off easy or is that teamwork?  LOL)

Groove On

My husband and I spent the afternoon listening to rock classics on Pandora radio, and breaking into impromptu, spontaneous dancing.  Boy, it sure brought back many, many memories and it was fun to get a groove going in our living room.  Not that it was planned, but it sure was appropriate to take a blast to the past since he is celebrating his birthday today.  So honey, you're only as old as you want to be today.  I suggest you shake them hips and keep the groove on!

Happy Birthday to my Main Squeeze and Life Dance Partner!  Love you!!!

(groovin' at Halloween)

Beautiful. Masterful. Intricate. Deadly.

Happy Halloween

I Heart

Last night it was 73 degrees at 9:30pm.  Today it's spectacularly warm (90?), clear, sunny and Sunday!  Wow, this is what I'm talkin' about ~ the most beautiful time of the year in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.  I heart it here.  Time to get outside and play!

How to Be Sensible and Spirited

I present to you without further fanfare, the approved colors for women's fashion this fall  (remember, I don't make this stuff up, I've just edited for brevity) ~

Fall 2011−The Art of Color− Sensible and Spirited
 
"Taking cues from the great masters, sepia tones of old Hollywood, Chinese opera, cityscapes and countryside, designers are paying close attention to texture, contrast and color for fall 2011 – pairing menswear with feminine twists, warm prints with cool metals, incorporating both old and new influences, and creating an intriguing (my italics) balance between colors.

'Designers take a painterly approach to fall 2011 by artfully combining bright colors with staple neutrals, reminiscent of how an artist would construct a stunning work of art,' said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. 'Much like a painter's masterpiece, there is a certain romance  (again, my italics) to this season's palette.'

Bamboo, a surprising fall hue, brings a warm, exotic flavor to the season. Like a filtered sunset on the waning days of fall, Bamboo is a standout yellow with a subtle green undertone.

Radiant Emberglow, a traditional autumnal tone, emanates the warmth of a glowing fire – the perfect panacea to the crisp air of fall.

Offering a sense of continuity from spring, dynamic Honeysuckle adds a bold punctuation point. This playful, reddish pink works with any other color in the palette.

Phlox, a magical, deep purple with a hint of mystery, is an outstanding statement when worn on its own.

Evoking the freshness of a cool mist in a dark forest, Cedar is a versatile, mid-tone neutral green.

Deep Teal, a strong, blue-toned green, suggests ocean depths and the color of the sky as daylight descends into darkness.

Rich, decadent Coffee Liqueúr brings a sense of elegance to fall, and is a savory alternative to basic black. A deliciously warm camel tan, Nougat is tastefully embellished by Phlox, Emberglow or Honeysuckle. Orchid Hush, a unique tone of gray with complex orchid undertones, blends well with any other color in the palette. Quarry, a reliable medium gray, remains, as always, a practical, dependable staple."

(Blogmeister's note: For over 17 years, Pantone, the global authority on color, has surveyed the designers of New York Fashion Week and beyond to bring you the season's most important color trends. Information and color samples can be found at www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/pantone.aspx?pg=20835&ca=4 )

Multiple Me's

I was bored so I surfed my name on the internet; more specifically, on a popular social site.  Sounds self-focused, I know, but I just got a bug to see how many "me's" there are; at least how many share my name on this particular site.  I wasn't prepared for so many multiple "me's."

"I am" a government employee, production manager, controller, banker, realtor, oil and energy expert, telecommunications sales consultant, legal assistant, insurance agent, and customer service rep.  I'm a nurse, dentist, rehabilitation tech, a wellness coach and personal trainer, VP of global operations for a pharmaceutical company, and a director of research and grants.  I'm also a pet groomer and a 911 emergency pet tech.  I teach at four universities, including the one from which I actually received my Masters.  I'm a national visual merchandise manager, a designer and events coordinator, a portrait photographer, and (my personal favorite) a freelance artist with a fetish for monkeys.

I live in Los Angeles, Florida, Pennsylvania, Denver, New Orleans, Houston, Maryland, New York, Tennessee, and Atlanta.  Three of me live in Kansas, two in Alaska, three in Florida and Chicago respectively, two in Nashville and six in the Bay Area.  I particularly like the fact that I'm multi-national, living in not only the U.S. but Spain, South Africa, Australia and the U.K.

And that's the "me" on only one social media site.  Who said only cats can have nine lives?  LOL

Good Day, Sunshine!

(original photo by Casey)

Bust a Move

Last night Groovies and Grasshoppers started dance lessons.  I have to hand it to the guys that they even showed up since we more or less blindsided them on this (again).  To make a long story short, the question popped up last weekend whether we wanted to take dance lessons, the in-the-moment-answer was sure-why-not? ~ and the next thing you know, we're booked (thanks to an action-oriented Groovy)!

A little history here.  The last time we took the men for salsa (dancing not chip dip) lessons, it was on one of our Valentine weekends, and they found the experience to be, well, less than romantic.  So the fast forward several years and the fact that they were willing to hit the dance floor again was a delightful surprise for the Groovies.

Upon meeting Dan, our instructor, he seemed like a nice enough guy, so I warned him about ~ us!  I mean when this group gets together we can be irreverent, boisterous and sometimes a bit obnoxious (to outsiders), but we sure know how to have fun.  Dan may be a svelte guy on the smaller side, but he handled us like a knife through butter.  The Grasshoppers even agreed to come back for a second lesson next week!

Now for the practice ~ one, two, three, to the left, one, two, three, turn.
 

Fooling. Fun. Frivolity.

Today is Fool's Day.  I'm going to make it a fool's weekend and give myself over to fun and frivolity with the family. I'll be returning to sobering reality on Monday.

Wrong,Just Plain Wrong

 My husband and I have taken the trip to ski Tahoe so many times that we have a fairly set routine; so set that we're on auto pilot.  That was my mindset when I walked into the In'N Out Burger in Placerville.  As per our routine, my hubby ordered our meals while I made my way to the lady's restroom ~ or so I thought.  I walked into the right door, did my business and went to wash my hands.  It was then that I noticed a small bidet.  I'm thinking, "hmm, how unusual that they added a little boy's urinal in the women's bathroom."  And no sooner did that thought come flying out of my head than I realized I had walked through the wrong door!  Fortunately, no men had ventured in while I was in there, so I shot out the door and directly into the correct washroom to clean my hands.

You see, at home, the women's restroom is the right hand door while in Placerville, it's the left hand one.  I guess I should at least read the sign before I mindlessly step through a door.

Not a Religion Just a Fun Holiday

The celebration of Halloween is growing every year.  My neighbors are even decorating with lights.  I guess it gives us a reason for non-stop celebrations from Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas to New Years.  I'm not into the pagan worship thing although I do realized we've usurped this holiday from the witchcraft folks.  To me Halloween is, and always has been, about having some fun and eating some candy.  So to that end, I wish you

Happy Halloween! 

 

Optimism

Untalking Heads

A friend of mine attends our local beauty school and needs heads, real heads to practice on.  The faculty is wise enough to know that beginning students should start out on dummy heads, but eventually their scissors must make the transition to real ones.  And that's where I come in.  I gladly put my crowning glory in my friend's hands because, for one thing, I know she can't make a move without the "okay" of her instructor.  And for another thing, I know she has practiced on a lot of dummies first.

This time as I gazed upon a row of abandoned dummies banished to the back of the school,  I wondered what became of them after they had served their noble purpose.  Did they get recycled or unceremoniously trashed ?  I am happy to report that they are recycled one more time before they reach dummy head heaven ~ as target practice for the local police department.  I am further happy to report that they fulfill their civic duty silently with dignity.   Atta girls!

Making Up Stories About a Real Past

Below is a copy of a medical bill that my husband found while we were walking.  I removed the name and address to protect the identity of the recipient, but heck, since this invoice is from 1958, it might be a moot point.  Anyway, back to my story.

As we were walking, we talked about our new found treasure.  Who was this person?  Did he still live in our neighborhood and was finally throwing out old paperwork?  Or did he die and his children were cleaning out his home?  Did he even have children?  

And what about the French Hospital?  Was it really French?  Why did he have surgery?  Was it for an ongoing problem since he had already racked up over $600 before the new charges were added?  Obviously he survived the operation ~ or did he?  Was this receipt sent to his widow and she is finally relinquishing the memory?

And what about the costs?  Twelve days in the hospital for a grand total of $240?  And only $75 for the surgery?  Some things never change, however.  The medications were almost as expensive as the surgery or the anesthesiologist.  Great example of how medical costs have far outstripped inflation and our ability to pay.

This bit of paper kept us intrigued and entertained during our entire walk.  It was fun to make up different stories but it was even more fun to be holding a piece of someone's past.

 
 

Backyard Treasure

Road Trip

It's funny how we can spend hours and dollars traveling to find adventure when some of the coolest places are in our proverbial backyard.  Our most recent "find" is a place we have literally driven by hundreds of times.  It used to be a gravel pit but it's now a recreation area complete with a small lake, a park and even water slides.

But what attracted our attention was the series of dirt trails that separate the lake and park from a neighboring stream.  On the lake side, small boats drift lazily by, fishermen angle for their prize, kids splash in the swimming area, and the lawn is covered with umbrellas and picnic blankets.  On the other side, the stream eddies and flows, creating a series of open areas that serve as sanctuaries for water fowl.  As we explored, we felt both adventuresome and peaceful.  

It was a lovely day to bike.  A lovely day to observe wildlife.  A lovely way to spend the day with my husband.  We are definitely going back.  And the best part, it's right in our own backyard.

False Advertising

I spent the entire day walking around with a size strip stuck to the front of the new t-shirt I was wearing. You know, the kind that has a vertical row of S, M, L or XL advertising the shirt's size. Which of course, is also advertising the wearer's size, but not really. I say "not really" because depending upon maker and style, I vary from S to L. In this particular case, I was wearing a juniors brand ~ you know, the kind not made for mature women but for girls who don't really have any, well, body parts that stick out much, like hips and boobs. This particular t-shirt was really made for boys so it had no wiggle room for hips. None! So today was an XL day, and therefore, a series of XL stickers across my chest.

I kid you not! All day. XL. XL. XL. XL. No one, not one person was kind enough to tell me that I was wearing that sticker. Maybe no one noticed since it sort of blended in with the shirt's design. Or maybe they were horrified at my cheap ploy of advertising my chest size. But then, of course, if you know me, you know that I am not XL. I have a nice pair but definitely not XL!!!!!

When I took the shirt off at the end of the day and realized my goof, I was mad, then embarrassed and then got a good laugh at my expense.

(Blogmeister note: photo from www.shutterstock.com)

Advanced Placement Studies

Once a month, we Groovies get together with our husbands for a night of marriage building. We share a meal, catch up on our lives and try to learn something about having a groovy marriage. Our most recent topic is changing anger into intimacy ~ reaching past all the irritants big and small, and forging a deeper relationship.

One of our groovy husbands had a chance to practice last weekend, and well, let's just say he rewrote the chapter so it was more relevant for his actual experience! Although he disavowed any authorship, he did give me permission to post his own five step program to intimacy.

# # # #

"Okay, I have tried the following five step program (to crafting a perfect apology from the Anger to Intimacy DVD) and it didn’t lead to INTIMACY!!

1. Put some thought into it.
2. Focus on feelings and not on issues.
3. Become a great wordsmith (I am sorry for _____, I know it made you feel ____)
4. Less is more. (don't get historical).
5. If possible, apologize in person.

So I have developed a new five step program for husbands:

1. Don’t think about it! Bottom line is even if you are right you are wrong, so the more you think about it the more upset you will be – SO DON’T THINK!!
2. Remember you don’t have feelings and the issue is YOU ARE WRONG – SO DON’T FEEL ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE FACT YOU ARE WRONG!! Just ask her she will tell you just how wrong you are!
3. You have only about one tenth the words she has so use them wisely! Drink 10 red bulls and when she falls asleep and you finally start to talk, start crying because she fell asleep on YOU!! Be patient it might take a few days ~ after all you were WRONG! And she has more words!
4. This one is easy! Less is all we have! If we talk we will run out of words so shut up, sit there and remember YOU ARE WRONG!
5. If you apologize in person, tell her you need thirty minutes to repent – go drink your red bulls, even pour some in your eyes, it burns and she will think you have been crying! This way you can save your words for when she falls asleep! Not to mention the crying speaks louder than you words so you can save them!

This is stuff you just can't get in any book! Have a great marriage builders and see you soon!"

# # # #

I don't you about you, but I think this groovy husband just might be onto something.

One of My Favorite Things

(sung to the tune of "Tonight" from West Side Story)

Tonight!
Tonight!
We set the clocks forward tonight!
The sky stays light,
the sky stays bright
after tonight!

Animal Stories

I quote Thomas White, professor of ethics at Loyola Marymount University in LA ~ "The scientific research...suggests that dolphins are 'nonhuman persons' who qualify for moral standing as individuals." Say what?

According to my dictionary, a person is a living human being, especially as distinguished from an animal or thing. So a "nonhuman person" is an oxymoron. Research may show that dolphins outsmart chimpanzees, but I think they also outsmart this professor.

Animals are not persons, but we do have a moral obligation as to how we treat living creatures of this earth.

On the fifth day, God spoke: "Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind"...God saw that it was good..."Let Us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, and yes, the Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of the Earth." God created human beings...reflecting God's nature...God blessed them, "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth!...Be responsible for ...every living thing that moves on the face of the Earth." (Genesis 1:24-2:2 The Message Bible)