things I take for granted: a review of "Gimme Shelter"

Every living being has certain basic needs for survival. Food. Water.  Air. Warmth. Shelter. Take away even one of these basic things and a living organism won't survive for long. 

Many of us - I dare say anyone reading this post - can go through our entire lives without ever worrying about any of these things. We take them for granted.  Because we don't have to worry about the basics, we are free to pursue other things like education, wealth, entertainment, passion, fulfillment, etc. 

In the movie "Gimme Shelter," Agnes "Apple" Bailey (Vanessa Hudgens) has the barest minimum of her basic needs. Taken away as a child from her drug-addicted mother (Rosario Dawson), Apple has spent most of her childhood in the system, being shuffled between mental institutions and multiple foster shelters, even enduring sexual abuse from the ones entrusted with her care. 

turn down your stereo(types): the kids are listening

As parents and teachers, we think we know everything about kids. We have our adult language and our adult conversations that don't include them, and we think we are adept at carrying all of this on in their presence without detection. 

When they were small, we could spell things out when we didn't want them to understand what we were saying. We could mouth sentences over their heads, gesticulate behind their backs, hide presents in the closet, and have the tough conversations after they went to bed. We always assumed they didn't catch on. 

Well, guess what? They did. Even when they were small.

hand gestures while driving: one finger or two?

I have a magic finger that I use in traffic. I had never done this until I met my husband. I saw him do it one day as we approached an intersection, and marveled at the power wielded by one little finger. I decided to start using my finger, too.

No, not that finger. Get your mind out of the gutter. The only power "that" finger has is to offend people and make them want to run you off the side of the road.

war on Christmas?

If you listen to the media, there is a war going on. A war on Christmas.

The Fundies are on one side, rocking bumper stickers telling us "Keep Christ in Christmas" and "No Christ No Christmas", making a big point of saying "Merry CHRISTmas" instead of "Happy Holidays", and reinforcing that Santa is white like Jesus so just deal with it.

merry kiss-mas, baby

I love Friday the 13th. Especially when it's in December. Because that's the day my life changed forever.

In the summer of 1991, I was still very much single and very tired of dead-end relationships, of wondering what was wrong with me, of trying to find that one person I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with.

I had a good life all on my own. I had good friends, a good occupation, and a great family. I didn't need a man to make my life complete. It was time to stop looking and get moving. 

a new elf in town

When I was growing up, elves were benevolent creatures. They baked delicious cookies in a hollow tree. They made shoes for the shoemaker when he was asleep, and toys at the North Pole for good girls and boys. 

Sometimes if you were really good, they would even clean your house.