Wknd Asgn #63: Amusement Parks

Listen to sample of song here!

John asked for our Amusing Amusement Park Moments  I think I have stories for all his suggestions (scary, funny etc!)

Well the first experience I recall is Disney in FL. This would have been the early 70s so no Epcot etc. I haven’t been to any of the newer parks…at least I have something to do in my retirement…like the commercial! Ha! My dad had a convention there & I remember staying in the Contemporary & taking the Monorail through it. I loved the purple lights you put your hand under to show your stamp.  I also remember the Tiki Room with the birds! :-) I do recall being totally freaked by the Haunted Mansion! Ha! I think the room where it appeared like the room was getting smaller and thinner was the problem! We had so much fun on those trips! My dad is “a planner!” He took us to see the alligators  or maybe they are crocodiles? (Anyone know the difference?) &  Marineland. My sister dropped her kiddy purse in the main tank. It was sooo cool. This guy had to get the “diver dan” suit on…you know the hard metal helmet with the tubes & the bubbles coming up & he had to go down & get it! It was great! Now my 3 great-great aunts lived in Melbourne until the last one passed away a few years ago & we were down there 7 years ago but we didn’t get to do the whole park. I remember the fires were going on then &  it poured also! I did go on Magic Mountain, I had never been on that & the Haunted Mansion wasn’t so bad this time! I couldn't get that "Its a Small World" song out of my head! My little niece loved that ride so we went on quite a few times! Darn I probably won't be able to now...don't you hate when that happens.

Now, some interesting stories from Six Flags Great America! I actually did my internship for my Masters in Industrial Psychology in the Human Resource Department of Six Flags Great America! This was 1990. How do you get an internship like that! Ha! 9 months of Amusement & Fun (a bit of sarcasm should be noted here! HA!) I was the director of a program which hired, placed & trained at-risk teens in jobs at the park. I just can't pick 1 amusing story so this will be a long one...AGAIN! :-) I'm a prof...what do you want? :-)

One funny story was when we did a MAJOR hiring event at a hotel...I did 100 interviews myself! Well we go for pizza afterwards & of course we are laughing up a storm...and when my laugh got going I had this shrill of a voice...odd, I don't usually sound like that? At times it almost disappears! Ya, well the next day everything disappeared! My first & hopefully last case of Laryngitis! I am not a good person to have laryngitis, as you can tell by how much I write! Ha! And we didn't have email & blogging then, so you can just imagine how frustrated I was! I swore when I coughed it felt like my brochials stuck together. The doctor made me stay home for 3 days & I had boundless amounts of energy. Then after 3 days of laying around I felt sickand then I had to go back to work. Ugh! I drank a gallon & 1/2 of orange juice my first day back! Ha!

A cool thing was I was one of the 1st people on Iron Wolf. One night about midnight I'm in the office with this one guy filing...I SWEAR! And all of a sudden the door opens. Freaked us both! It is the president of the park. He comes in all excited. They had sandbagged it (meaning they let it run with sandbags for people) & then he rode it. He saw a light on & was excited to have someone else ride it & get their opinion...so imagine this...it is after midnight in like beginning of March I think & the president, this other guy & I are on Iron Wolf with just this maintenance guy runningthe ride. The shoulder bars come down & it dawns on me...this ride malfunctions& that guy is out of here & they find us in the morning when everyone comes in to work. Ugh! You think it is bumpy now? You should have seen it that night! BTW the ride is painted in the colors of the presidents Alma Mater...USC I think?

I also got to meet Miss Sweden of that year! She was a guest in the park with friends & became ill. I remember she made a call & “Bye” (though not sure if spelled the same way) was “Hi” in her language I guess. She also thought you can get antibiotics just over the counter, Sweden you could.

     


I really do know the park layout very well now from being behind the scenes. I also LOVE going to Great America during Fright Fest! The “Friday the 13th” music just gives me the creeps (good kind!) when I just start to walk up to the gate! :-) The special Halloween characters are fun (the Trolls are the best!), reading the funny tombstones, the blood red reflecting pool, the Halloween musical show and the cool crisp autumn air and the early darkness add to the fun.

Then there is the stories of my roommate while I interned. She had her sister come live with us...and her PYTHON! Ugh! I'm not a fan of snakes! I don't hate them, I just don't bother them & they shouldn't bother me! Did I forget to tell you this is when I got Dusty (see pet blog!) Ok, well waking up & pulling the shower curtain back to put your foot in & findingthe Python happily sleeping afloat in the tub wasn't too bad...a few times...but the day I had off & he got out of his tank, now mind you he had 2 25lb weights on top of his tank top, I wasn’t too happy!! Ya! I'm at the breakfast bar & my books fall of the barstool in the corner of the living room. I figure I just placed them wrong...a few more fall & I see this lovely snake crawling up the corner of the wall! I still shudder to think if he had gone left into my room as I had my headphones on doing my leg lifts. I called & said "He is out, get here NOW!" Almost like the scene in "Turner & Hooch!" Ha! I love Tom Hanks! :-)

Now this is the not so nice story! Last fall I had foot surgery and this is from an injury at Kentucky Kingdom4 years ago come July! I rode one of the old roller coasters (train type) and this metal block on the floor of the car I was in had the lap bar attached to it. As we took the first turn my left foot hit the edge of the block. I had Keds on! I don’t even remember the rest of the ride. I saw stars! I just wanted to get off of the ride because of the pain. To make a very frustrating long story short, I didn’t get an answer until the 6th doctor a year ago last June. He was in the door frame of the room & from there said, “It is that swollen after 3 years?” as he had my chart in his hands. He said he thought it was the tendon & that the previous doctors had only scratched the surface of what should be done but he sent me for an MRI, as the others were old. When I returned he started the conversation as saying “I’ve been looking at these all week!” I knew that could not be good, but I was not at all prepared for what I heard. I had a lipoma from the impact which he said destroyed 90% of a muscle in my foot. This would make sense why my foot was not getting better. He also showed me how the ligament & tendon going up my calf had atrophied horribly and I had severe arthritis in my ankle. I had surgery at the end of last September to remove the lipoma & graft some muscle. It had grown another 20%, so that was 92% destruction of muscle and it was wrapped around the nerve so I have nerve damage. I was off of work for 9 weeks! UGH!!! It is also why I have been having so much back trouble since then! I have not been on a roller coaster since which really upsets me since I love them so much. I also dislocated a toe ligament last December & fractured a toe in two places on the opposite foot last Feb! UGH!

P.S. I didn't include pictures of my foot from surgery...didn't want to gross everyone out! :-)

My favorite rides at Great America are…OH BTW you have to ALWAYS ride in the first car! :-)

 

Raging Bull - Extremely smooth!
Batman  - Love to dangle those legs!
Vertical Velocity - Hang those few seconds looking down!
Déjà vu - Probably the one which makes me the most dizzy
Demon – Ride at night with the lights in the tunnel!

St. Louis:

The Boss – I like the going through the trees/woods…cool!

I haven’t been to Cedar Point since I was a teenager, which would be the ‘70s, so I haven’t been on the new rides. I was planning on doing them the summer after Kentucky Kingdom until I hurt my foot. When I was there I loved the Gemini! At the end of the night my family (yep my folks too!) kept getting back in line (nobody in it!) and we rode :-) like 6 times in a row! :-)  I’m still working on rehabbing my foot & back so wish me luck for next summer full of coaster riding! Great America also just added a Water Park so I’d love to do that!

I also remember going to King’s Island as a teen & seeing “The Banana Splits”. Anyone remember them?

”One banana, two banana, three banana, four… Tra la la, la la la la, Tra la la, la la la la”

Sorry…I don’t know what came over me! :-)

Extra Credit: Scariest Ride?

Other an the Haunted Mansion when I was a kid, I think it would have to be the Ferris Wheel at a friends hometown fair. It was a bucket type with a pole in the center & then a canopy. It did not have a cage type inclosure & my friend kept swinging it. I was freaking out...no...this was just a few years ago! Ha!

P.S.  I just saw the Stratosphere advertised on AOL...has anyone been on this ride?

http://www.stratospherehotel.com/las_vegas_stratosphere_ride.html

The Universal Golden Rule

In March when I was at one of the funerals for our family, the gift shop for the Sisters of St. Joseph in LaGrange had a poster which I found quite lovely & thought I would share it with you to think about. This poster & many others lovely things can be found at http://www.motagifts.com/ The poster has the following passages on it:

And who does not want to be treated with Love?

Bahai:

Blessed are those who prefer others before themselves.

~ Baha'u'llah - Tablets of Baha'ullah 71

Buddhism:

Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.

~ Udana-Varqu 5:18

Jainism:

In happiness and suffering in joy and grief regard all creatures as you would your own self.

~ Lord Mahavir 24th Tirtankara

Judaism:

What is hateful to you do not do to your neighbor that is the entire Torah the rest is commentary go and learn.

~ Rabbi Hillel to Shammai
Talmud Shabbat 31a

Sikhism:

Be not estranged from one another for God dwells in every heart.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib 

Zoroashtrianism:

Human nature is good only when it does not do unto another whatever is no good for its own self.

~ Dadistan-i-Dinik, 94:5

Islam:

No one is a believer until you desire for another that which you desire for yourself.

~ Sunnah

Christianity:

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

~  Jesus Luke 6:13


Some others I found:

Hinduism:

This is the sum of all duty: do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you.

~  Mahabharata 5:1517

Native American:

Respect for all life is the foundation

~ The Great Law of Peace

Confucianism:

Do not unto others what you would not have them do unto you.

~ Analects 15:23

Makes one really wonder why we see so many differences to separate us when we could look for similarities to connect us!

Weekend Asgn #58: Mothers & Children

Well, just starting to get tired...ugh...so I thought I would add one more blog! This is a bit late but I think worth adding. John ask us to post our favorite pix of our mom so I thought I'd add one. This is me when I was a "wee one!" My guess is she is pregnant with my sister since we are 2 years apart. Then a year & 6 days after my sister was born my brother came along. Thankfully they took a break for 3 years to have their last - another brother. I don't know how she did it...3 yr old, 1 yr old & a brand new baby! YIPES! I don't think I could! I know I went to Grandma's for long weekends which was great! Grandma (maternal) had a beauty shop in her basement! I would wake up hearing "the ladies" laughing! They'd be down there watching & gossiping about their soaps. I'd come down in my jammies & they would all be happy to see me. I still remember Josie & Rosie! Ha! Some worked with my grandma at National Biscuit. My grandpa worked there & the machine grabbed his pants & off they came...unfortunately back then when it was hot...they didn't wear underwear! Word spread fast that "Johnnie" was naked! HA! One lady worked at Wrigley & would bring me a bag filled with gum. Grandma would take me downtown Chicago on the buses & we'd go shopping & have lunch. At one bus stop we'd stop in the candy store & she'd get her chocolate covered raisins & chocolate stars. We had lunch at Woolworths when they had those metal cup holders with the paper cylinder cups...so cool! I remember the Christmas windows were so Beautiful. They just don't come anywhere near what they use to be!

Well my mom was an only child so she wanted 6 children & got close. Mom was a stay-at-home mom. She did have a computer store with my aunt when I was in high school before all the Eggheads & Babbages came to town.  She is a hoot & so much fun! My shopping & craft show buddy! So see you can blame her! HA! I'm amazed we didn't drive her crazy! Well at least the boys! :-) Lets see...the boys spit like 100 spit balls on the ceiling of their room, they threw darts & missed & put tons of holes in their bedroom blinds, one put milk in his fish tank because he thought the fishies were thirsty, she broke her hand hitting my dresser when she thought my sister & I were fighting & we were just joking (oops!), the boys tried to cut down some trees once & then started a fire in our front yard woods with some fireworks & I told them they would! HA! Oh then there was the time my sister almost dropped me down the laundry shoot...ya the story is different depending on who you ask, but I did "cook" mixing Tide, Downey & whatever else I found on the laundry room floor. Well, if you think about it...where was mom...I should not have been able to get into that! Can I blame my math problems on that? Maybe I did eat some? HA! God knows all the injuries we 4 have had haven't been fun. The best is when my mom made my sister & I bathing suits. We picked out our material. Well I picked out Tericloth...yep...she made it & I went in the pool & the whole thing came off! UGH! I would say 7 or 8 yrs old? No not older! :-) Of course there was the time I asked if I could go swimming & she said no because my bathing suit was wet and so I went naked! Ha! Well that doesn't make a whole lot of sense now does it? Not bad considering what other kids do, but still!

Extra Credit: Fun Trivia about my mom..

She dreams fashion designs! That is what she wanted to do. She can see the dresses in detail. The Home Ec. teacher in High School would pull her in to show the students what she was wearing. They also used her hands for a picture in her yearbook. She had them on piano keys. She was the one squealing the tires in our grammar school parking lot with her purple convertible challenger! Now she does it in her convertible Seabring! She is the one that started the infamous "tator tot" fight the night dad had a meeting! She not only started the fire in our old house (well she came to break up our fight...oops!) but she put it out herself! OH! She is the one that told my dad & all the guys he was with on base at Fort Hood that President Kennedy was shot! She was watching on tv. They didn't believe her & laughed but then the alarms went off! She just had cataract & cornea transplant on an eye last week but so far is doing ok! Thank God!  

I'll try to add some more pictures later!

Your Monday Photo Shoot - Wish You Were There

  
Well, John asked where we'd like to be right now http://journals.aol.com/johnmscalzi/bytheway/entries/4222 and that is quite easy for me to answers...San Diego! I went to San Diego for the first time in the beginning of April for a Psychology Symposium & had the best time of my life! First I spent 2 days with 14 other psychology professors who are passionate about teaching, technology and making a difference in people's lives. This symposium was hosted by a book publisher and we were specially invited. The publisher's people were awesome and they put us up in the Rancho Bernardo Inn! Take a look! It was sooooo incredible! My room was sooo peaceful & the food was SUPERB...oh and wonderful wine with each meal! They really took care of us!
 
This is a lovely fountain that was very peaceful to sit & meditate at! The animals even visited me! A lovely rabbit came up close, some birds just added to the pure serenity! Even the ducks like the pool! :-)

The last day they took us on a safari & we got to feed the giraffes, which was AWESOME & something I couldn't wait to do! You see I love giraffes (among other animals) but there is a special childhood memory that is connected with this. When I was about 5 yrs old I had a stuffed giraffe & we went to WI Dells & my folks left it in the cabin! I never forgot it & I think it is because of this I have a great love for giraffes. My niece loves Zebras because my dad got her one at Brookfield Zoo a number of years ago...she is in heaven with "Racing Stripes" ("Hey I'm Expressing Myself! Ha!) and "Madagascar". I think she'll even have a zebra b-day party! Well, I had a blast feeding the giraffes! As you can see from the top photo they come up very close! :-) You have to be careful though because if you have your back to them they can break your neck/back! YIPES! It is awesome to watch them walk! The babies were adorable & you could see the social order with them like other animals.


See this lovely gentleman Rhino...I think he was a rare "White" Rhino if I'm not mistaken...well, hmm how do I say this??? His "manliness" is UNBELIEVEABLE! If I tell you they told us that it has to coil many times inside him do you get the idea? YA! Well isn't it just lovely when animals don't care when there are people watching them! Ha! They said it was about 1/2 way & we were all gasping at that! No big show though...he chickened out I guess! You know maybe it is me! When I was at the Pheonix Zoo these huge turtles, you know the ones you could ride, they put on a show & were so loud people were coming to find out what was going on. I'll find my pictures & blog about it later! :-)

Well on Sunday, I was taking the red-eye back so I got to spend the WHOLE day at Sea World ALL BY MYSELF!!! I was in heaven! Can you tell I love animals! I had taken the behind the scenes tours and for one of them had this AWESOME older guy as the tour guide. He was hysterical! I was smiling & lauging all day! And I had just got this digital camera for my birthday so these are all the first pictures I took! First I got to feed the turtles, which if you read my pet entry you'll know I have two Red-Eared Sliders so I love turtles! Remember I'm a Pisces so I love water! :-) This turtle below I took a fondness too. He had the most interesting coloring on his shell & had quite a personality...as you can see he posed for me! Made me think of  "Crush"  from "Finding Nemo".  I can't remember what type he was? I'll see if I can find out. We got cards where we can call a toll free number with questions so I'll check.

  

Of course the Sea Gulls came to see me too! I love Sea Gulls...they remind me of the ocean! Their call is so peaceful to me...I can just imagine the ocean waves when they call. There were beautiful birds everywhere! Remember the Fruit Loops Bird?

     

Oh there you go...Flamingos doing it! I tell you it must be me! Ha!

   

I got to pet the baby sharks below! So soft! It was great walking under the sharks! You can get a great look at their magnificant size & their TEETH...all sets of them! YIPES!

   

Walking throughout the park was just lovely with the Palm Trees (I love!) and beautiful flowers! Even the ducks liked the location! :-)

    

I got to see some of the animals who were not in general viewing, like the ones below.
Some eels, one of twin seals named "Mary Kate & Ashley", and a lovely dolphin who had to take a peek at who was visiting.

   

Some jellyfish, squid & starfish were also quite spectacular!

     

Of course the main attraction for me was the Killer Whales! I love Killer Whales! They are so intelligent, gentle & Maginificent to watch! I use to show my students "The World of Discovery: Beautiful Killers" until we got the "Inside the Animals Mind Series". They have programs now where you can swim with Killer Whales in the wild & I would love to do that!

    

     

Of course I love Dolphins too! Penguins & Walrus photos a bit dark since it was indoors & in the evening as well. I did catch this Polar Bear catching a nap near me! :-)

 
As you can see I had a BLAST & would love to go back & spend more time!

I love the beach with some lovely ocean waves also or just floating on a boat fishing.

If not this would be my next best place to go...

Giant City Park...my sitting spot and Fern Clyffe. I also like Starved Rock!

 

(C) ALL OF THESE PICTURES ON THIS BLOG ARE THE PROPERTY OF THE WRITER AND CANNOT BE USED IN ANY WAY WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE WRITER! 

Caterpillars, Cocoons & Butterflies!

(This is my photo! It has been entered in some photo contests, so I do own the copyright! Please do not download and use in any way without my permission! It was taken on Mackinac Island in the Butterfly House. I met a lovely older man working there who told me some awesome things about his life. I could have sat there all day & listened to him!)

In Sark's recent newsletter she provided a link to Joshua Kadison's website and I have really enjoyed it. To me Joshua looks like Kevin Kline in "French Kiss" and sounds a bit like Elton, which I like both so...

First his letter has some lovely inspiring thoughts! First Joshua provided this thought...

"Two caterpillers are walking along the ground when they look up and see a dazzling butterfly fluttering through the blue, all color and grandeur... one of the caterpillers says to the other one, "You'll never get me up in one of those contraptions."

I thought that was sooo awesome! Think about that! Although the opposite could be true also...we want to be a butterfly when we are a caterpillar & butterflies want to be a caterpillar! The grass is always greener.... Hmmm. Joshua uses this example to talk about how many of us do not like "change". Along with this I had been to services for a professor of mine who passed away last fall. The minister talked about this topic as well. He said when we are not yet born we are comfortable. Ideal temperature, noise level, lighting etc. Then we go through this "transition" (labor & delivery) which is very uncomfortable. We are born and now are cold with bright lights & it is quite noisy. We get hungry & have to be upset before someone feeds us etc! He said then later we can't imagine wanting to go back to the "unborn" stage because "life" is so wonderful. He told us that death was much the same way. We love life like the baby loved being inside its mother. We do not want to leave life & make that transition but once we are there we could not imagine not wanting to be there. This was somewhat comforting to me.

I also see this story as someone not wanting to take risksor daring to try. There are so many people in this world who do not think they deserve something OR someone! Maybe it is a career, maybe it is someone you wanted to go out with, maybe it is trying to learn a language (as I have my Italian program sitting next to me for months & haven't started..ugh!), maybe it is pottery (on my list!), maybe it is to learn how to play the harp (also on my list!). Why don't we try? Why don't we want to "get in that contraption?" Big deal if you don't do as well as you like or he/she says "no". At least you know. Or some don't try hard enough. They just "start" or "attempt" but don't give it their 100%. I tell my students you have to "practice!" How many of us learned to walk the very first time trying & didn't fall down? Riding a bike or swimming I use for them. I tell them if they just watch someone swim will they learn to swim? If they just get in the water & don't move their arms what will happen? If you just swim when you "need it" will you be a strong swimmer? You have to give it your 100%. I've listened to students who want to date someone and they said "they don't notice me"...make them notice! "I tried talking to them" is another response, so ask them out blatantly! What happened to that? You get the ones who want to go out with someone but are afraid to ask, interested in the ones who don't think "that person" would want to go out with them so they don't notice them making attempts or "noticing them" or think there isn't anyway they "mean anything by it". UGH!!! Ok, I'm guilty of this sometimes but Man what is life about! As Loretta says, "This is not a Dress Rehearsal!" This is a one shot deal people! Nike might be good here...."Just Do it...LIVE!" Ok, so I edited it a bit! Ha!

Joshua further talks about how many of us are waiting too... "When is my life really going to begin?" Or as Loretta LaRoche says, "When the kids are grown & out of the house then I'll be happy", "When I get married, then I'll be happy." "When I get a divorce, then I'll be happy." ETC! We are always waiting to be happy & for our lives "to begin". I made that comment to my mom once & she said, "well what have you been doing since you were born?" Ugh! Don't you hate when your mother is right. I knew that, just one of those down days. It is true though, many of us don't live our lives! When we are kids we can't wait to be a teen & drive, date etc. When we are teens we can't wait to go to college & live how we want to live (not listen to our parents!) When we are in college we can't wait to have a job, our own money, maybe be married & have kids & start our life. When you get married (I say this from what others tell me since I'm still single!) and have kids, we live for our kids and can't wait until they leave to do what we want. Then when our kids leave it may be grandkids you live for or your health is not great by then! HA! The point is your life is all those stages. Perhaps too many times it is unbalanced...that can happen. While you certainly out of love give of yourself for your soulmate and children, you also have to allow your spirit to be happy or you can't give to them. Many people think it is ok to be unhappy so long as your mate is happy or your children are happy. That is just not going to work out. You can't give happiness without having it. Sure they give you happiness but you have to have it within. You actually hurt them more if you are not happy. Just check how many times you smile that smile where all your cells in your body & spirit tingle. How many times have you been laughing so hard that you hurt or may even get a headache! Ha! It is not selfish to be happy! Making yourself happy will provide even more happiness to the ones you love! At least that is what I think...what do you?

Now Joshua also shared the following story from a friend:

"She told me a story of some people that came across a butterfly cocoon. Amazed, they watched the butterfly struggling to get free so they decided to help her out of her casing. They gently ripped open the white silken threads to let her fly away easier. But they found that she couldn't fly after all. They learned that it is in the struggle of getting out of the cocoon that the butterfly strengthens her wings so she can fly through this world. "

This is awesome as well! Great for anyone to think about if they are struggling in life with something. It is like the idea that you can not know or appreciate being loved & loving someone without experiencing the lack of love or struggle with love. I won't say the extreme needs to be there...don't need hate & abuse etc. but think about how much people appreciate something more once it is gone or if they get it back. Too often it is when we have lost someone that we really learn how much that person meant to us. We rush around with our lives & don't really spend quality time with people. I always tell my students there are so many couples who have "gone out" for say 4 years but don't know each other. They go to dinner & talk a tad & then off to a movie & then not much talking after. I tell them to go to the movie first, heck you save some money if you go early, and then go eat. I know all the waiters & waitresses will hate me, but you get to talk longer that way with dinner after! Make a picnic & just sit & talk. Now, later with families do the same thing! Families rush around to soccor practice & music lessons, etc. So go an hour early to the baseball game, take a blanket & some food & have your meal talking before the game. I once was walking on the trail & a whole family was walking together & they each had their walkman's on! UGH! They missed such a great opportunity to talk & find out what is going on with each other! Everyone watches tv together...no talking, or they play Nintendo together & think that is quality time! Ugh!!!! Sure you remember when you did those things later in life but do you really know them? I once asked my great aunt how my great uncle proposed to her. Do you know her own son listened with an expression on his face like he didn't even know this story! I just couldn't believe that! It is funny, I really like asking people this question too. It is interesting to hear the dating & proposals from those a couple of generations before me.

So maybe it is the struggles in life which make us stronger? Then struggle, struggle, struggle in life! Maybe if we keep this in mind when we are struggling & feel weaker we will get through this time period, no matter what "age" it may be or topic  - a relationship, having children, going to H.S  (for my niece who is in the fall & is worried about the Srs!), risking being rejected, trying "one more time ETC! The struggles or transformations in life is that breaking from the cocoon & we have many cocoon stages in our life? I hope this makes some sense because if not...just chalk it up to a struggle in a cocoon & not knowing yet! Ha! 

Something else to keep in mind...the person that was trying to make it easier on the  butterfly... sometimes we think we are helping others but really we are hurting them or enabling them. I had some very loving people try to help me out the last four years as I struggled with a foot injury & then had surgery on it  in the fall and as it turns out their help has made some things worse so keep that coccoon idea in mind! Think of asking the person what is best for them. Granted they may not always know but at least it was their decision. They know what is going on, they can stop & change it at any point & say "lets try this instead."

Any other thoughts?

Oh make sure to check out Joshua's music on his website! I love his piano playing & he has some lovely songs. I really love "Sanctuary"! It makes me think of how I think of my bedroom "safe haven". I think it is what a relationship should be...a safe haven. The person you trust the most, the person you know (or what I'm saying shouldn't) won't hurt you, but unfortunately, so many in society do not see it that way, or even get it that that is what it is supposed to be. They get to know your real core spirit that I won't say others don't know but they get to know maybe everything, or maybe more deeply/intensely. The only person who may know you better MAYBE is God...or maybe they know you just as well as God. That is how I think it should be. I guess that is the idea of a soulmate then...I think. And this person gets to know you this way because you do feel that safe & you feel even safer to reveal more because you know you feel that safe with that person. And you don't feel like they will harm you & you will not do anything to harm them...ya it gets into the idea of intentional versus sometimes it does happen but maybe that is why some people sacrifice themselves...not to harm the other? Hmmm. It is the person you can feel safe to fumble & make mistakes, be the "not the best person" you can be for a while because you know they know you are not normally like this, or that you are just "trying things out" ...like on his site he talks about butterflies & cocoons...that you can struggle in your cocoon and it is ok...that society sometimes only wants you to be the butterfly stage but this person you are safe to be the caterpillar, in the cocoon transforming & also struggling in the cocoon & they will let you. Wow...this is almost getting too deep for me! Ha! 

Ok, I think all my thinking has stopped! Did I do too much... I say "Nah, Nah!" :-)
  

Who Says We Are Ordinary? Not Me!

Today a legendary actress Anne Bancroft passed away at age 73 yrs. She was quoted as saying...

She added: ''Film critics said I gave a voice to the fear we all have: that we'll reach a certain point in our lives, look around and realize that all the things we said we'd do and become will never come to be - and that we're ordinary.''

Now this is quite an interesting quote to think about!! :-)

Remember how you thought so big in college & when you graduated? Do you still feel that way? WHY NOT?!!! :-) Are some dreams meant to remain dreams throughout one's life? I mean if you realized all your dreams I suppose you could come up with more dreams but would it really kill you to have not achieved everything? Are some of those dreams you had in college not very realistic either or perhaps you realized they are just not things you really want in your life right now? How many dreams or things is each person suppose to do in their life?

And what does "ordinary" mean? Interesting definitions:

1. Of no exceptional ability, degree, or quality; average. 
2. Inferior quality; second-rate.

How can "ordinary" something that is common place be inferior? Are we saying most people or on the average is inferior? I'm sorry but I do  not agree with that definition. Now if we take the 1st definition, then perhaps we all dream in college we are going to have a HUGE impact on the world. The Bill Gates, Oprah kind...not to mention the people who come up with cures for diseases etc. The question is, does it take those "exceptional" acheivements to have lived a worthwhile life? To live a life that has a purpose, made a difference in the grand scheme of things? I don't believe so! It is just like my favorite movie "It's A Wonderful Life"... at times we all feel like "George Bailey" and feel we did not make much of a difference & it wouldn't have mattered if we were even born. We all make ripples in the Big Picture! Is it better to be Bill Gates or all the people who influenced Bill Gates as he grew up? I say they are just as important if not more! I think the moment we do not believe we have made just as an important impact on the world as someone like Bill Gates is when we are in trouble! :-)

And anyone who wants to tell us we did not make as important an impact or they use the word "ordinary" or dare them say "inferior" they are the one's who really need to spend some time "thinking!" Now, I'm not saying having an attitude that you are more important than anyone else in the world, please do not get me wrong, but there are equally people in the world who want to make you think like you are not as important on this planet as "certain people". This is when I love to just seem them put in their place...I know that is not great on my part. I feel sad for them too but just like the person who races past you driving & then gets the light & you come up right next to them & look & smile & say "what was the rush?" Hmm... Hurry to get what? People just put others down to raise themselves without any authentic reasons. We have way too many problems with people putting themselves down when they shouldn't, we don't need people helping them. I wonder if these people who think it is ok to feel more important than others & put others down or "break them" have experienced it themselves? And where does this start? These are just the bullies of childhood continuing in adulthood I think?

So then what is ordinary? Nothing I believe! How can each person's unique spirit contributing to the planet be like others to be ordinary? Now perhaps there are things we don't really need on this planet & some items which help us in some ways but end up hurting in other ways but who knows the name of the person who developed the first flip flops? The person who decided to domesticate cats? (I know animal rights people who not like this one but who I am is even shaped by "my babies!"), the person who developed those clear casings at the end of shoe strings (someone remember the name?), the person who scented massage oil! :-) You see you don't know their names, they have contributed lovely things we may even take for granted but I sure love their contributions to the world!

So what do you think?

Fish Heads, Rednecks, Family & Signs

HA! Well I thought I had delayed cleaning & organizing long enough & I had called my mom & said I thought I'd come visit her tomorrow since I would be in the area rather than today & use today to "get things done", so I had to get something accomplished! I figured if I have to do this "dreaded task" I would help myself with some humor & put on my AOL Comedy Corner at the risk of associating the negative cleaning attitude with the humor! HA!

Well, "Fish Heads"  (Audio)comes on! I just shook my head & started to laugh! You see when I was in college I had this English Professor my freshman year. I'll say she was "strange" with great risk since I'm a psychology professor myself! HA! I remember she wore her flip flops with socks. Ok, now what is the point of wearing flip flops?? Giving your feet some AIR!!!! She also wore her Keds walking on the backs of them...if you want to wear flip flops then wear them! Maybe she is the one who created those gym shoes without backs now? She left teaching & made millions! Ha! Now if only I could come up with something! Hmmm! Well one day we are in class & she suddenly breaks into song singing "Fish Heads". All of us were looking at each other - you know when you roll your eyes & your head doesn't move! She was shocked that we did not know the song so the next class day she brought in the lyrics & we all had to learn them & sing the song! I'm sure my father would be happy to know his hard earned money he spent to educate me was being spent this way! Ha! Now think of this...I remember the "Fish Heads" song from what over 20 yrs ago but what do I remember about English? HMMM! Well you be the judge reading my blogs! Ha!

Next came on Cledus T. Judd! Ha! They had on his "The First Rednecks on the Internet". Funny! I love his "My Cellmate Thinks I'm Sexy". I also like Jeff Foxworthy! Nothing like starting the morning laughing! I love his "You Might Be A Redneck" routine! And his "Nasa & Alabama & Fishing Stories" is a hoot! Of course I do use his stuff in class for stereotypes. Is it ok for him to make jokes about "Rednecks?" Is it ok for me to tell a blonde joke just because I'm blonde (well with a bit more help now!)? I love his stuff on his family, (wife, his girls & parents) & especially their trip to Hawaii! Man, side hurting laughter! I didn't care so much for the roast they recently did for Jeff. Now I'm not an angel or anything but it was very raunchy & just went over the line for me. If you look at Jeff's face he wasn't too happy either. Jeff was great & he didn't have to be like them. Now I do like some of Bill Engvall's stuff. I love his "Here's Your Sign" routine! My friends & I find new ones! Ha! They just played his "When Did Shrapnel Become a Fashion Accessory? " Ha! "Some have decided to landscape the private area which make me look like a dog hearing a whistle they can only hear!" :-)  Larry the Cable Guy makes me laugh too. On the Blue Collar comedy Website he says, "my buddy lives in a real bad neighborhood & he said, 'You want to watch cops?' and I said yes and we went and sat on the front porch & it is was a repeat - figure that out!" Ha! Of the 4 guys Ron White is my least favorite, probably because I don't like to promote drinking but he can get me laughing every so often. His "Plane Crash" is not too bad.

They just played Julia Sweeney's stuff on her mom. She & I have the same mothers with combining 3 items in a sentence with some bad news in between. Ha! Some say it is a "loose association" and like that is a bad thing! Ha! I think it is a strong & complex neural network! Is that a great rationalization! Ha! Seriously, that is what makes for great creativity & why manyare comedians! The person I think who has the most incredible neural network is Robin Williams! Man! I swear one day we will see smoke coming from his ears! That brain just goes wild! He amazes me. Can you imagine him in school? Wow! And Steven Wright is just so funny! He just sees life so different! Speaking of "odd" ha...Emo Philips, he is pretty funny. More than I thought he would be. "College, the Best 6 Years of My Life".

Some recent comedians I've  heard on AOL are John Pinette. He  is funny! His "Las Vegas: All You Can Eat" is so funny! Also Jasper Carret's Magazine routine is so funny! How he talks about what they tell women in Cosmo etc...ha! And guys needing to "check themselves too" Ha! Like that is a problem...baseball players are quite "up to date!" Ha!  Mary Ellen Hooper is funny too with her "First Date: Dinner & A Movie"

Ahhh some classics on now... Eddie Murphy's "Ice Cream Man" is on now...Ha!  Of course the "golden oldies" are great too! Hope & Crosby are always great for a laugh! Mel Brooks & Carl Reiner's are funny too. Oh & man I loved watching Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis shows when I was a kid.

Well need to work a bit more...I'll add a bit if there is some good ones later!

What comedians make you laugh?

I have to add some from tonight...

"The 4 Guys doing 'Here's Your Sign'"

"I was flying a kite with my daughter & a guy comes up & asks 'Flying a Kite?'...NOPE...we're fishing for birds!"

"A Rig got stuck under an overpass & a guy asks, 'Get your Rig stuck?' NOPE I was delivering to the overpass & I ran out of gas!"

And Bill isn't immune!

"Coming out of mall seeing a guy with a hanger through a window. Without being able to stop himself "Lock your keys in your car?" NOPE, just washed my car & hanging it up to dry!"

Jeff...

Southern Accent is not the most intelligent accent!

Southern Financial Advisors have a hard time, no one wants to trust there money who talks like this...

Now the key is to diversify with your money...now what we are goin' do is take 1/2 your money & put it in a mayonaise jar & bury it in the backyard & then take the other 1/2 & go to the dog track & bet on the horse that before the race does his business."

I love southern words:

* Usetacould ...can you dance? I usetacould...give me a minute and I mightcould again.
* Inthere - I wouldn't go "inthere" if I was you all (referring to the bathroom)
* youins - you all plus 3
* Sensuus - I told my wife Sensuus up get me a beer

More Bill Engvall...

His son just destroys his daughter's $35 Barbie...says I think they should make more realistic Barbies now...

They should make "White Trash Barbie"...the Corvette is up on blocks...Ken comes home grabs a beer & falls into the recliner...he has an old beer gut now...says 'whats for dinner pumkin?' Barbie says, 'I thought we'd have fish sticks darlin', Ken says, 'What is it our anniversary already?' Every so often the cops show up because Ken got all out of hand & is messing with Barbie...they take him off in little Ken cuffs. Ken yells to Barbie as they are taking him away 'I know you are doing it with G.I. Joe!" HA! Now that is funny!

:-)