We need more kindness in the world

Because the world is full of tension and unrest. Because life is short. Because it really does make a difference.

I think Abraham Lincoln said it best when he addressed an auditorium full of students.

"Be excellent to each other."

- "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure"

Back in time to Saint Elmo's

This past weekend I went back in time. No, I wasn't in a DeLorean with the Doc. I was watching "St. Elmo's Fire".

I'm one of those people who can watch a certain movie and instantly be transported back to a specific time and place. People feel that way with music a lot. There's a clinical term for it, I think. Associative Mood Takes Me Back something or other. Or, more simply, nostalgia.

So, there I was late Sunday afternoon watching Demi, Rob, Judd, Emilio, Ally, Andrew, and Mare. And instantly I was back in my town's small theater with my two best friends. We were sixteen then and we thought these young people on screen who had just graduated from college were so cool.

It made me smile to remember such good times. And I'm grateful to still be friends with those girls who sat next to me as we watched a group of friends and dreamed of ourselves someday hanging out at a bar, having a drink and trying to figure out life.

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I'm adding the pic below because, who didn't love (and want?!) the huge Billy Idol face painted on Jules' apartment wall? 

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And that's how I found out I didn't get the job

I'm in the market for a job, again. The one I mentioned starting back in June didn't work out. As it turns out, it's for the better. In the meantime I thought I would write about all the ways in which I found out I didn't get the job I interviewed for.

First, there's the impersonal and pre-formatted email that simply says, "Upon review we've decided to go with another candidate." Hey, at least I got my answer, however stale and carbon-copied it may be. Then again, it's easier on the company this way, not to mention less confusing. I would hate to get a personalized rejection letter, with the wrong name! "Dear Alice..." Damn, I didn't get the job. Wait, who's Alice?

A while back I interviewed with a company not once, not twice, but three times with a different department head each time. After the third interview they said they would let me know either way at week's end. Yeah, right. Two weeks later I got a call from the son of the President of that company asking if I could come and interview for his business. That's how I found out I didn't get the other job. Nothing like being passed around like a note in study hall.

A lot of times I see a new ad a couple weeks later for the same position I just interviewed for. Hey, thanks for getting back to me like you said you would. How about I hit the "Apply" button and send you my resume 78 times? 

I used to send a follow-up 'thank you for taking the time to interview me' email to the jobs I really wanted. I thought it would make a good impression and keep my name fresh in their minds. But then I got to feeling too kiss-assy and stopped.

Bill says I should call these companies back after a week or so and just ask outright if they made a decision. I'm too stubborn to do that. It makes me feel desperate. Then again, maybe Edible Arrangements has a "Please hire me, you won't regret it" bouquet of chocolate covered strawberries I could send? If not, they should. Hey, Edible Arrangements, call me. I have many other such interesting ideas.

How the hell did you find this blog?

Somehow a search term for non horror Halloween movies brought some people to my blog. So, not merely content with this being a cool thing, I went and conducted such a search using those keywords.

As it turns out I couldn't find myself. It figures. I gave up on page twenty-something of my Google search. The reason I kept going was because I wanted to see how far someone would go to find what they were looking for. But then that whole this-is-taking-too-long-I-can't-be-bothered-with-this took over and I gave up.

However, I did come across some interesting sites in relation to my search. Actually, it was more of my interpretation of them that was interesting. And a bit scary.

realmofryan - I read this as real mo fryan. Considering this was a search of non horror movies I thought a site about cooking was odd.
hecklerspray - And my instant reaction was, "Ew."
boombotix - Which I thought said boob o tix. I have no idea what I was thinking here. Perhaps it's time at last to see the eye doctor.
straightdope - Well, alright then.

I'm sure all of these sites are excellent and my reaction and comments are no reflection on them at all, in fact it says more about me and my knack for reading things wrong.

Also, I want to say that the referring sites that lead people to my blog are scary. I mean, We're gonna need a bigger boat, scary.

Fearless Beauty

I love when I can show my son a famous person who has achieved success in spite of their diabetes. Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor. Olympic skier, Kris Freeman. And now, Miss Idaho, Sierra Sandison, who will be proudly wearing her insulin pump as she competes in the Miss America pageant Sunday.

It sends a great message to all diabetics that there is no shame in having this disease. It also serves to encourage those who were previously on the fence about getting an insulin pump.

By fearlessly wearing her insulin pump in full view she is saying, "Yes, I'm a diabetic and this device is part of me."

It's on her right hip.

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What I'll never forget about 9/11

I'll never forget, thirteen years ago...


looking across the Hudson and watching the City on fire.

worrying about family, friends and neighbors at work in NYC that day and hoping, praying that they made it home safely.

the smoke. It was unbelievable.

watching the towers crumble. It was shocking and surreal. One minute they were there and then..nothing.

the stories on the news of people searching for loved ones. I cried with them.

the eerie silence in the skies as all flights were grounded for a week.

joining my neighbors and others everywhere as we sat outside and lit candles for peace and remembrance in the nights that followed.

worrying about the immediate future. 

feeling so sad, angry, and scared. 

donating food, juice, and what little else I could to the mobile drives that went into the city and re-supplied those working to search, rescue, and give aid.

feeling pride as our country united in strength and love.

Up on your feet, somewhere there's music playing

Hey! How's Trix? Tricks?
I love asking that in lieu of "How are you?" even though it's a confusing question with a truckload of answers. Trix, as in the cereal? Good I guess, even though I had a bowl of Cocoa Pebbles this morning. Trix, as in Trixie, Alice Kramden's friend/neighbor on The Honeymooners? She's fine. She and Norton will be over for dinner. Tricks as in turning tricks? Whoa. See what I mean?

I haven't been blogging as much as I should be and not for lack of topics either. I have dozens scribbled away in a notebook and in my brain. Yesterday I stared at the screen for longer than seemed necessary and the words wouldn't come. Oh sure I could have slapped something together but that wouldn't be fair to anyone who comes here looking to be amused.

I've also been in a bit of a funk. Life hasn't been a bowl of cherries (or Trix) lately. It's time to get back to fun. So I have decided to include more Pop Culture references, particularly past faves from when I was younger. You will still get some serious posts and some goofy posts but also the fluff of entertainment thrown in. I promise no celebrity gossip; just lots of nostalgia and a few trips down memory lane.

Now, to start things off and tie this whole post together, I give you "One Day At A Time". Some of you (older) folks might remember this show about a single mom raising two teen-age girls and starring a very young Valerie Bertinelli. I used to watch it and hearing the theme song again made me smile and lifted my spirits. Okay, I sang along, too. I dare you not to; it's very catchy. The lyrics also helped me remember a few things.

This is life, the one you get so go and have a ball.

Fearless in school and life

If you tuned in last Friday expecting to see something  inspirational for Fearless Friday, I'm sorry you were disappointed. I couldn't come up with anything proper and I wasn't in the right frame of mind. However, I think I might keep Fearless Friday alive a bit longer but only if I have something worth posting so that means there might be some Fridays that go by with no Fearless post and something else (or nothing) in its place.

Today's Fearless post is for all the kids and young adults who started school this week and last and found themselves in the unfamiliar surroundings of a new campus/school.

When my son expressed his anxiety and nervousness prior to the first day of middle school I told him he would be fine. That despite how scary it might seem he had to see it through. Then I told him that life will be filled with uncertainties and terrifying moments but you must be fearless because so often they will become the best experiences.

Face the scary.
Embrace the unknown.
And Be Fearless!
It just might be worth it in the end.

I wash my hands of this weirdness

Here are some amusingly weird things I've overheard and participated in recently. Who knows, this could become a weekly segment entitled: "I wash my hands of this weirdness."

My kid and I stopped in at McDonald's for a quick lunch one early afternoon. Actually it was around 11:30 in the morning but since they stop breakfast at 10:30 (idk, weird hour) let's call it lunch. So we were seated across from this couple that were about my parents age. They had the table covered with papers and files and her laptop and a coffee cup. A heated discussion ensued. Then the man casually says, "We should get something to eat."

Of course, how novel, you are after all in an eating establishment, I think to myself.

Then he asks the woman, "You want to go to Fuddruckers?" Then they pack up and leave McDonald's. To go eat somewhere else. I so wanted to follow them and see if this was a pattern. Maybe they sat in Fuddruckers and while eating their meal debated on going to Wendy's for something to drink?

Weird.

Last week I went to the bank to deposit a birthday check my son received. Here's how that turned out:

Teller: (after looking at check and my signature) Is this your son?

Now, I wanted to smart-ass her and say something like, No, I was standing in the checkout at Wal-Mart when some random woman asked me if I could deposit her son's check.

Me: Yes.

Then she looked at the check again and back at me.

Me: If you need him to come verify I'll have to sign him out of P.E. class first.

Teller: No, no but you need to indicate that you are his mother on the back of the check.

So I had to write "Mom" next to my signature. (Curious, are women coming into banks and depositing strange kids' checks? Is this a thing?)

Teller: (while completing the transaction) Have you ever thought about opening up a savings account for your son?

Me: (a little confused) Um, he already has one, this one that you're depositing the money into.

Teller: Oh, right. I'm sorry.

Weird.