simply said

Rabbit, rabbit!

2009-07-01T00:01:00.002-04:00

Rabbit, rabbit! Look at me the sheepish bunny sneaking out of the blue to wish you all good luck in July! Maybe because it is my birthday month...gifts and baubles welcome.

Hope you are all getting into the summer swing. If it would stop raining in NYC, we might. Actually, there have been a few nice days, but far too many rainy ones.

My life update in a nutshell: Louie still doing wonderfully, he is considered in full remission and he's back to his old/young playful self. More on the topic of vaccines and greedy vets another day. He still is recuperating from odd little side effects that have sprung from the original problem, but comparatively speaking, he is doing wonderfully, especially in light of the fact that we were in danger of losing him...I shudder to think.

Kids are done with school and in day camp for July. Tali increasingly surly and impatient with my questions over her daily activities. Similar to jail, I am allowed one question to her daily activities. The natural order of things I suppose. So I fixed her...I peppered Julian with questions instead and before you knew it, the three of us were cracking up as I lobbed question after question, not coming up for air. I am so happy to have the breather from school. Tali did have a nice honor this past year in Math. Each state has their own Math League and Tali finished first student in NY State/6th graders for their annual competition. Yet she doesn't like Math - it figures (har har).

Scissors is still kvetching and clipping. And that's us in a custom made nutshell.
Summer is here, the living is easy. I hope you all have a great one.

Above print from Etsy Seller, DudaDaze (kind of fitting for summer).

An Update (with some sneaking suspicions...)

2009-05-08T22:36:00.004-04:00

Where last we left off, Louie was about to undergo a blood transfusion. He did and it was successful as he only needed one and his red blood cell count showed a nice spike upward. That was last weekend and we were all set to go pick him up on Saturday when the Dr. called to say that they had found a fungal infection on one of Louie's paws which was also in his bloodstream. As such, they needed to keep him another day for observation, but we were welcome to come visit which we of course, did.

Everything about Louie's brush with IMHA has been against odds. This is mainly seen in "middle aged" female dogs. Louie's a boy, albeit neutered. This fungal infection he contracted is rarely seen in the NYC area. Well, Louie must have gotten a good whiff of an easterly wind from the Midwest where it's mainly seen (it's an airborne fungus). When the doctor asked us if we'd been upstate (New York, that is), I had responded in the negative. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks! Mr. Banana had recently come back from a trip upstate "on a construction job." There was plenty of dirt on the bottom of his shoes mixed with some red paint - "from the job," which had Louie sniffing around him like mad!

Louie 's nosing about had made Mr. Banana seemingly uncomfortable and he had let Louie know that his interest was not welcomed. I entered the room to hear the tail end of Mr. B's veiled threat to "scram before I take you for a ride upstate!"

Mr. Banana made haste to go back to his lookout at the downstairs window at this point. I never connected it all until the doctor asked about trips upstate. A chill went down my spine as I recalled Weirsdo's comment when I first wrote of Louie's malady, "Did Louie chew on, or show disrespect for Mr. Banana in any way prior to this mysterious illness?"

I have emailed Louie's doctor to let her in on my latest suspicion. I'll keep you posted!

On the extreme upside - Louie's turnaround this past week has been amazing which is why I can even write with such levity. He actually played with his little dog toy for the first time since he's gotten ill which is just about three months now. When we get his leash, he trots to the door vs. lying on the floor looking up with woeful eyes. He actually barked at some chi-chi little Pomeranian passing by this evening. All signs that Louie is not so quick to be counted out.

We still have an uphill battle as the steroids have wreaked havoc in the form of a bleeding ulcer which is being treated, along with the fungal infection and a urinary tract infection (also not seen often in male dogs). Oy Louie, do you have to be so special? He's being tapered off the steroids and is just taking the meds for the above ailments. Poor Louie, in his immune-compromised state is susceptible to anything and everything.

More on the good news front, along with the wonderful specialist in Manhattan who is treating the more difficult aspects of Louie's disease, we've found what appears to be a good veterinary practice in Queens for his everyday care and weekly bloodwork. They are more aligned with our way of thinking in terms of vaccinating (which Louie can't and won't ever have again) and seem more proactive in terms of treating the whole problem. They recommended a great natural diet and a B complex supplement which is more than the despicable practice who shot Louie up like a pin cushion with vaccines ever did for us.

So we remain cautiously optimistic! What better gift for Mother's Day?

Happy Mother's Day and have a wonderful weekend!

Rabbit, rabbit!

2009-05-01T00:10:00.002-04:00

Rabbit, rabbit! Good luck in May. As you can see by the date on the picture, good intentions have been in place...

It's been a tough road that we've been travelling with Louie in his battle against IMHA (Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia) with many ups and downs.

He has not responded to steroid treatment alone and other medications have been added along the way. The anemia seems to have stagnated in a not too terrible area of the PCV (red blood cell count) of 24-25, until this week. We had various bloodwork done, one of which was to check if Louie had a tick parasite, Bebesia, which he doesn't. His PCV has dropped down to 17.5, his lowest yet. I'm waiting to speak to the doctor in the am to see where we go from here. The results just came back this afternoon and we tried discussing it while I was at work - not a good idea.

It's been a tough almost three months - hopes rising and dashed. I still hold out hope that we get Louie through whatever lies ahead but we have some tough issues to confront. There may be internal GI bleeding, caused in large part by the meds needed to keep him alive quite possibly. All you can feel on his little body is skin and bones caused by the muscle waste that Prednisone (steroid) therapy causes. He has little or no energy and many times, he can make it just about one block for a walk before he demands to go home, often falling along the way.

So for today, Rabbit, rabbit, let's hope for some good luck for Louie in May. Good luck to you all too. Hope you're well. I'll try to be back with more news after I speak to the doctor. Thanks for your comments/emails along the way - it's meant a lot to me.

UPDATE: Louie is in the hospital for a blood transfusion(s) - hopefully only one is needed. I'll know in the morning how that went. I brought him in this afternoon about 1:00. He does have an ulcer which is causing the gi bleeding so we'll be treating that aggressively. The good news is that his body is still producing red blood cells and his bone marrow is in good working order so if the blood transfusion goes well, we can get him on a little better footing. I spoke to the doctor this evening. We love Louie's new doctor. He is in the very good hands of a specialist at Animal Medical Center in NYC. Keep good thoughts rolling his way and I promise to keep you updated.

Louie by Numbers

2009-02-17T15:45:00.002-05:00

One week ago, that is last Tuesday, Scissors called me at work to report that Louie was not himself and appeared to be off balance. We called the vet and brought him in that evening where blood was drawn and no reassurances given. There was also concern on the vet's part that Louie's mucous membranes were light in color.

The following day, I called in for the results and was told that the vet was in with eight dogs and the other vet was only there for "exotics" which Louie having neither scales nor feathers, qualified as. I waited anxiously and finally got a call in the afternoon from the vet saying that Louie's immune system had gone askew and was essentially destroying its own red blood cells and the count was low. The good news was that he was still producing them. Essentially he had something called Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA) which though the doctors can't confirm but certainly won't deny was brought on by the vaccines administered on his visit the week prior as a healthy dog in for a routine checkup and vaccinations. Apparently, in a very small number, vaccines have been linked to AIHA (something like 4 in 10,000). Maybe Louie and I should play the lottery.

His red blood cell count was 20.5 and when we tested it the following night it had just dropped to 20. Louie was again tested last night after five days on steroids and antibiotics, and the numbers are encouragingly going up, now 24. The normal range is reportedly somewhere between 40-59 so we're not out of the woods yet. He is getting a little color back in his gums and his appetite is back. I was never so happy as to see him begging for food again. His energy level is still understandably low and we are being quite ginger with him.

We were rather devastated when the doctor first told me as she was sprinkling terms such as "can be fatal" into the diagnosis delivery. I pressed her for stats from the practice which seemed a bit more encouraging. The young vet that we saw last night had personal experience as her dog has AIHA and did have two relapses but is alive and doing well otherwise. We have every belief that Louie will recuperate and beat this into remission.

We are upset that doctors don't (and I did let the head vet called in to discuss last night know) tell owners of dogs about this possible link. Although sympathetic to my feelings on the matter, they tried to explain with the usual scientific lack of evidence argument but I won't be swayed on this. Of course being a hindsight holistic myself, I should never have given Louie all the vaccinations on one day. In fact when I went home, Scissors was more than upset that Louie did have all of his vaccinations and felt that it was too many for our little pup. Who knows if it was numbers, or a certain combo, or if Louie's system was a little askew and this just threw him. Now we probably won't have him vaccinated or have to take extreme caution before doing so in the future. Some vaccines last three years in the system even though vets administer them annually. That's something they didn't tell me before this. Again the argument being that the titer test to find out if it's necessary is about $65 while the vaccine itself is $15. I'd like to have made that decision myself. Thank you. Caveat emptor.

It has been a roller coaster of a week but we're hoping that Louie's future (and gums) will turn a rosy shade. But please, if you have dogs (and cats which seem to be prone to a lesser degree to AIHA) reconsider how your beloved pets are vaccinated and how many of them are really necessary. Louie thinks it important and I'm sure your furry family will too.

PS: Ethical question: Scissors is upset and doesn't think that we should go back to the same veterinary practice. I am upset too and although not thrilled with the lack of caution on vaccines (which we of course know stems quite a bit from the monetary as well as scientific standpoint), feel that it could have happened at any practice that administers the vaccines all at once. In truth, I can't help but hold it against the practice a bit myself but you know that's the mother in me talking. What do you think?

These are a few of my favorite things...

2009-02-03T23:03:00.011-05:00

I'm sitting here with Tali providing moral support while she completes a project for school. I miss my blog. I miss writing. I can't get out of the habit of writing everyday events into posts in my mind. Maybe it's time to put a few to paper. Miss you all. Have been hopping about, trying to catch up. I really miss each of your blogs and the individual perspective that they provide. Often times I come for a visit while I'm at work and can't really get into "comment mode."

I'll be around soon. That's both a promise and a threat.

On the collage above: Just some random photos that were saved as catching my eye. Wish that I had the proper info. to credit them. Go ahead, click on it and have a good look.

Also on the collage: When Tali asked what I was doing, I told her that I was just making a collage for a blog post. Her reply, "that's like something 70 year olds would do." I was both offended and amused all at once. "Well, I'm preparing myself" was my more terse than I planned to let on reply.

PS: I'm also terribly sorry about not returning comments on my previous posts. I've read and appreciated them all.

RABBIT RABBIT!

2009-01-01T00:00:00.003-05:00

AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

Here's to a happy and healthy new year and best to everyone in 2009. I have been recovering from the Duck for President campaign. We are disappointed that he was not even offered a cabinet position but have thrown our full support behind President Elect Obama.

Above print is entitled Dancing Rabbits and is from the Etsy shop of Blue Dog Rose.

SIMPLY SAID ENDORSES...

2008-11-02T21:02:00.005-05:00

DUCK FOR PRESIDENT!!!

Actually on Halloween, Julian's school paraded around the schoolyard dressed as a favorite story character so Julian was "Duck." He gets my vote.

Come on Tuesday!

RABBIT RABBIT!

2008-11-01T09:11:00.006-04:00

Rabbit rabbit and good luck in November!

This is a leftover goth girl from Halloween and her rabbit, a print from the Etsy seller, Kitty 107.

No music to spin this week - no time to prepare. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the extra hour sleep.

Tune in for our eleventh hour presidential endorsement on Monday.

The Blubbering Advocate

2008-10-22T21:52:00.008-04:00

I just can't quit this blogging thing. I get very far afield but I always come back to the thought that writing about something will help me sort through it. So here goes.

As many of you know, my son Julian has various developmental delays that make life very interesting at best and downright exasperating at worst. Take getting out of the house these past two mornings for school - two hours from start to finish. But we face the prospect of tomorrow renewed with a game plan of strict enforcement that will make all the difference in the world...or so we tell ourselves because we do need somewhere to hang our hopes.

Today there was a "speak out" in our fine borough of Queens sponsored by two different advocacy groups to give a voice to those who don't seem to fit into the "90% of parents who are happy with the quality of education that our children are receiving in NYC." The number is grossly inflated and, to borrow a Mark Twain quote used by one parent in the meeting, is "lies, more lies and statistics."

A parent I know with a very compelling story advocating inclusion for our special needs kids told me about the speak out. I don't know what I expected from a speak out, but it's a good bet that you'd be given the opportunity to well, speak out. A couple of parents read their stories before the meeting and then the floor was opened up to discussion. Damn my lack of forethought to not have written anything up myself as I am infinitely more eloquent in print than in public speaking unprepared. Oh and there's that little phobia about public speaking to begin with that I may have neglected to mention previously. My heart pounded in my chest with each parent that shared as I too have a story to get out there and it is Julian's story and he can't tell it for himself. I needed to be his advocate as I am daily in emails, conversations, and conferences with his school administrators and teachers.

I raised my hand, possibly half heartedly but sure enough they pointed my way. Then I started speaking which in my head was to be eloquent and compelling but in reality was anything but. I began to cry. All of those stored up emotions about doing the right thing for your child being put on the line and I cried, but I continued through my tears and spoke. Spoke about Julian being in a self-contained class and the pitfalls inherent in such a setting. Spoke about the various school staff who come into contact with this special segment of the population who have no clue as to the intricacies of working with them - or anyone for that matter, as individuals with individual needs. Spoke about exclusion by school administrators or teachers (depending upon whom you believe) from grade activities. And then I finished. Dried my eyes. Listened to the feedback from my sharing.

Of course, by now I had regained my composure and could have told his story to anyone who would listen. But you know, that day may just come when I can stand in a forum and deliver a speech on behalf of Julian without a quaver in my voice or a tear on my cheek. Of course, the day may sooner come when I can witness Julian do that for himself. Either way - look out NYC. We're here, we're staying and we needs some changes made.

On a sidenote, if you are interested in just how Sarah Palin plans to fight for special education in our society, read this guest post by an attorney advocate on a wonderful gem of a blog, Your Mama's Mad Tedious: Diary of a Special Ed Teacher.

Saturday Spin...

2008-10-04T06:10:00.003-04:00

...any time now.

Ah, there it is. The video wasn't uploading. Too tired to write much.

"Money leads to power, power to corruption..." lyrics from the song which I dedicate to all those fine CEO's whose actions have caused a bit of trouble, you may have heard. Oh and "occupying spaces that were clearly meant for others..." was written for Ms. Sarah Palin, who really should stop winking at the camera - now.

Not much to tell, the artist is Gary Louris who was formerly a singer/songwriter with the Jayhawks, who The Village Voice called "the only country-rock band that matters" back around 1992. I know this because I won a Les Paul video for calling in to a radio station with that information. I believe they were voted best Country/Rock Band by the Village Voice that year and that was the answer to the radio trivia. How quaint. The Les Paul video was sold in a garage sale or is in the garage awaiting another one - sale that is, which if the creek don't rise may happen this weekend.

Anyway, not much of a proper Saturday Spin, but enjoy. I have been busy with the holidays (Rosh Hashanah was this past week and Yom Kippur is this coming Thursday). I'm supposed to be introspective right now, but instead I find myself obsessing. I better get that straightened out before Thursday.

Have a great weekend all.

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-09-27T06:06:00.002-04:00

I'll be brief as I was busy with some volunteer duties for Music School and I need some sleep. Do these people think I'm being paid? The nerve.

Haha, just a little intro to today's altruistic artist, Brett Dennen, who Rolling Stone called an artist to watch last November. He's folky and earnest (and we all know the importance of that). Especially in light of these funky financial*/political times in which we find ourselves. So take a look at Ain't No Reason from his second album, So Much More. His third, Hope for the Hopeless, will be out any day (if it's not out already).

My Space

Have a great weekend. Blogging has suffered some severe budgetary cutbacks for me this past week or so and much wasn't getting done as it is, but I do hope all is well and look forward to visiting soon.

*Actual economic term.

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-09-20T06:06:00.003-04:00

Well, we're back in the swing of things with music school for Tali so I'm getting this together tonight as there will be no time to spare in the morning.

The artist today is Sam Phillips who started her career in the early 80's as Leslie Phillips, a contemporary christian artist. She crossed over (no pun intended) in the late 80's and switched to her childhood nickname of Sam. I'd say the results are fine.

Although she does have an album out recently, the song below is 1994's I Need Love because I just love it. She was married to T Bone Burnett, a producer and musician of some acclaim himself, who gave her song, Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us to Robert Plant and Alison Krauss to record on their album that T Bone produced last year. It was beautifully done and you can listen to Sam's own version on MySpace. Anyway, bunch of links below if you want to muck about in your free time.

MySpace

NPR WORLD CAFE

SAM PHILLIPS.COM

I love the weather this time of year in New York, being outdoors makes you tired in a good way - not the bedraggled worn out by humidity type of tired. Tali is attending a birthday party in Central Park this weekend for one of the kids in school. There will be a "well known naturalist" there to show the kids how to forage for berries and such. You never know, in these uncertain economic times, it might just come to that.

Whatever you do, have a great weekend!

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-09-13T06:00:00.006-04:00

I heard the featured song as I drove away from my root canal the other day. I had heard the song before but I wasn't familiar with the singer so off to YouTube I went. When I pulled up one of the versions of the video, it had upwards of 10 Million hits. Suddenly I felt like John McCain - woefully out of touch with the kids. Apparently a few people, perhaps you too, have heard this song. No matter, it's catchy and perfect for a weekend Spin.

The singer is Amy MacDonald who is a twenty year old self taught musician (are you listening Matty?) from Glasgow. Have a listen and enjoy:

Haven't heard enough? Listen on:

MY SPACE

HER SPACE: AMYMACDONALD.CO.UK

WEEKEND EDITION: NPR

Apropos of nothing, here is a Louie update - he's learned to build with Lincoln Logs*:

He's a crafty one.

Have a great weekend!

*PHOTO CREDIT: tali muffin

"And the rain rain rain came down down down..."

2008-09-09T22:25:00.009-04:00

I would be lying if I didn't admit that I'm sitting here amidst plenty of visual clutter and things needing my attention which I am blatantly ignoring as I just can't deal with it! I also need to go for a root canal first thing in the am and I'm afraid that will just be the start of some quality time with the dentist.

Maybe if I just write a little post, I'll release some of this high anxiety that seems to be mounting. The day went something like this:

Scissors had an appointment for yet another test on his back to see what is going on besides torn and herniated disks. Since they were basting him like a turkey and sticking a needle in his back and injecting dye, he needed to not head off into the Manhattan streets unattended, so when he called that he was going in, I left my office to pick him up - just as the skies opened up and poured down upon me. I looked about for a cab, knowing in my heart that it was going to be futile. My heart was right - I continued on to Grand Central to catch the 6 train downtown one stop. Easy. Walking all the freaking way East to where the medical office was took longer than the excursion up to this point. The rain had subsided but my feet were already all wet, along with a soggy-ish feeling to my clothing as well.

Got in just as Scissors and the doctor were talking about after care instruction. The doctor asked how we were going home. "We?" I thought to myself - "We're taking a cab home" I answered emphatically. Well, part of that was true. Once at the street, good luck did smile upon me as a cab pulled right up to discharge passengers just as we arrived at the curb. I looked around and furtively helped Scissors into the cab with a kiss/kiss - be careful and no lying down for three hours with you! Okay, so I wasn't going home with him, but I would check on him periodically from my office...which I walked all the way back to with shoes that were uncomfortable as I had not worn them for a month and my feet were wet and were now slipping a bit. Did I mention the blisters forming?

The office is a bit too cold some days, and today was one of those days. So adding to the general damp feeling was the cold office air. Then on to dealing with a coworker, whom on most days I can make laugh and knock her off her demented rigid way of working, but today I could only view her as demented and rigid.

Onward to speaking to my MIL who had picked Julian up from school. Julian asked me what I was doing at work and was I sleeping at my desk. Really that would make it more bearable, but I refrain from naps, although a fairly hefty chap who works in the other group on my floor seems to get quite comfy in his new chair some afternoons, but I digress.

Picked Julian up from Grandma's who gave me the full rundown of what he ate and was still continuing the feeding frenzy up until we stumbled out the front door - with some packed up homemade cake. The other brownie cake she gave us last week, she informed me with a wry little smile was made "just in case...you know when..." which referred to when her husband (Scissor's stepdad) who is in a nursing home, was not doing well a few weeks back to the point that it was not looking good for him. So what does my MIL do in her sensible way? Bake a cake to be served while sitting Shiva! Food! Food! Food! Somehow I wished she hadn't told me that was what the cake was for, but I'd eaten it already.

Get home to administer to ailing husband, kids in need of various baths/homework/dinner attention, but not before a trip to the local Trader Joe's for organic milk and various and sundry quick grocery items that maybe, just maybe Julian will eat at lunchtime.

So you see, I should really try to clear the piles of mail/recipes (that Scissors)/school papers which seem to multiply overnight on my kitchen counter, but I just needed to get this out so that I could see that it really wasn't so bad after all.

Actually, as I look - it's worse. I think I need to just go to bed. Like that will happen.

G'night.

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-09-06T06:00:00.002-04:00

As promised, today is a special spin about a special boy named Washington. It is a song written by my nephew, Matthew a/k/a Matty who is a twenty year old junior in college. Matthew wanted it mentioned that this was a first effort in songwriting. I say that information is not important. I guess I got him nervous when I asked if I could feature the song on my "wildly popular Saturday Spin series" and mentioned that we were "going National - even International!" I think the sound quality lost something in transition but you'll get the idea.

Matthew's proud Mama, my dear sister Trish, sent me the song a couple of weeks ago when we were talking about the kids. It's my understanding that Matthew started to learn guitar not too long ago (I believe he is self taught). His younger brother, Colin, is amazing in his own right on the guitar. So I immediately got the lawyers involved and had his people talk to my people and, here it is. A little background about Matthew and how he came to write about Washington (courtesy of my sister Trish).

Matthew is a psychology major and has spent his past four summers working at a camp for the children of migrant workers in Southern New Jersey. The people are very poor and travel to the crops. They are immigrants from far flung locales such as Haiti and Mexico. In this case, the crops happen to be strawberries and blueberries at local farms. The parents work from sunup to sundown.

The children spend the mornings in a school setting and then the afternoons in the camp program which includes athletics, swimming, art. Washington is from Haiti and suffered with both physical and mental difficulties, as well as a language barrier. He could not run with the kids, play ball, etc. but he loved the pool. Matty was so upset the first few days of camp, and then found a way into Washington's world with the aid of another older Haitian boy translating for them.

Also from the Trish email, "sadly, Matty "lost" a couple of kids this past summer when their parents decided that they, too, were old enough now to pick and refused to let them go to camp." Such is life right here in these United States.

Of course I am biased, but this song moves me. The violin in the song was composed and played by Matthew's girlfriend, Colleen, a music major at the same school as Matty. Enjoy!

LISTEN TO WASHINGTON HERE

Matthew and Colleen are pictured seated under the umbrella at the table. Proud Mama Trish incognito in shades along with Joe. In the foreground, my nephew Benjamin and niece, Shannon plot an overthrow of the grill.

I'll round this up by thanking Matty for allowing his music to be shared, Trish for answering my questions and sharing the song to begin with, and good ole Doug for his usual technical assistance without which I'd still be cussing as I figured out how to get the song here.

Have a great weekend!

RABBIT RABBIT!

2008-09-01T00:09:00.002-04:00

Good luck in September. These two rabbits are looking rather scholarly in honor of the return to school which for Julian is tomorrow and Tali, Thursday. Good luck to all of us getting back to schedule.

The pictured print entitled Pygopagus is from the Etsy shop, Wynn Studio; odd, yet charming.

Happy Labor Day - may it be spent labor-free.

Wow...

2008-08-30T23:09:00.006-04:00

Where did the summer go? Here we are in the midst of celebrating Labor Day weekend which is always a bittersweet weekend - a celebration which signifies the end of another chapter of carefree summer days (which are often only carefree for the under twelve set).

Anyway, I plan to be back next Saturday with a special Spin if I can get the proper waivers and releases signed. We just returned from a trip to Canada - a visit to family from Scissor's side in the Toronto area. I have some funny anecdotes and observations from the trip but I'll leave you with a picture of Julian, our own little Doctor Doolittle from an outing to the petting zoo. The boy belongs on a farm.

In a truly bittersweet summer tale, he may never know if they just loved him for his carrots.

Enjoy your weekend and look on the bright side - apple picking can't be far off!

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-08-16T06:00:00.003-04:00

As my blog spirals into oblivion, why not disregard what year it is altogether and just play a random tune from the iPod...mostly to torture my kids. You see, Julian didn't want to go to bed tonight and he was steadfastly planted next to Tali who was playing a Mario game of some sort on her (insert name of handheld gameboy-ish thing that my addled brain won't let me recall) which I was alternately telling her to turn off as I attempted to corral Julian. To be taken seriously, I had my iPod on which was only recently rescued back from Tali's "sharing" it with me so as to hear her downloaded Jonas Brothers music (more on that to follow at a later date) and what comes on but the following song. I must say as I watch it, my choreography wasn't so off the beaten path.

You know how you think you're singing decently when you have headphones on? Well, actually I myself know that I am not, but just the same, I was loudly singing the refrain to Julian as I scaled the chair to get him on the other side of it..."Heathcliff, it's me, I'm Cathy, I've come hooome and I'm so cold, let me into your windoooow..."

The kids were laughing quite giddily, mostly because I think they began to fear for my sanity. The main objective was achieved as Tali turned off her DS (!that's what it's called!) and Julian went into the bathroom for his nightly pre-bedtime ritual (as he is nothing if not ritualistic) and declared "I'm going to bed, I'm tired." So rarely does this happen, I let him waste a little extra water in the cleaning of the sink.

And so, here we are listening to a song that was released thirty years ago. I find myself thinking this a bit lately...as we watched Jaws recently - "wow, this was thirty years ago." As I sat in the Garden (as in Madison Square) with Tali waiting for the aforementioned Jonas Brothers to come on and thinking as a Who song blared over the sound system that I had seen them in this same venue - thirty years ago. I'm becoming an old timer. Ain't that a real kick in the pants?

Watch it.

Anyway, I miss blogging. I miss it a lot. I'm just not a very disciplined person and so I find that most nights it's best to not even turn on the computer. Work isn't the most conducive environment for blogging these days which oddly I don't miss as much while there because I'm actually fairly occupied. But sometimes, I sneak a peak and have a smile and go on my way a little more connected to an inner self who sings Wuthering Heights to her kids and thinks of the kid she was herself...thirty years ago.

Have a great weekend.

Loveyamissyameanit!

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-08-02T08:24:00.002-04:00

Just some music for the weekend. As I anticipated, my change in commute has been a boon for my reading time but a bust for my music listening time. Maybe I'll start reading to you on the weekends :)

Today, I'm just spinning an old fave, Aimee Mann who according to NPR has "carved out a presence as a consistently top-shelf chronicler of human desires and failings." You can listen to her live on Wolrd Cafe here.

The video is the song Freeway from her most recent, @#%&*! Smilers:

HER SPACE: AIMEEMANN.COM

MY SPACE

Have a great weekend!

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-07-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

I may be turning into a one trick pony as the only time I dust off my blog it seems is to take it out for a Spin.

I've had many blogworthy thoughts in recent weeks - some funny, some poignant, some full of angst, some complaining, some stressing, some bitching, some tears, some laughing...but none of them made it into a post. Once they're gone - they're gone. It's funny how quickly a story goes stale.

My family are all good. I've been pretty hard on myself owing to the fact that Tali and Julian did not go to camp this summer. As it turns out, lack of structure sounds good to a kid until they actually have lack of structure. Hats off to Scissors who perseveres and gets them out of the house each day, even if some days end up with visits to two different therapies with Julian. First off to his OT and then to the psychologist. Does anyone else bring their dog to the shrink with their kids? I didn't think so. It seems Louie jumped up on the couch too.

Of course, we laugh because if we don't, we just may cry. Tali recounted how the doctor told them that Julian indicated that he felt afraid when he was out of control. I raised my eyebrow a bit doubtfully and said that he didn't strike me as afraid when he was setting about pulling her hair. Tali concurred. We then made a little skit up about that.

Julian is seeing the doctor because we wanted an updated evaluation and we decided to continue for a bit to help work through some behavioral rough spots that we're dealing with. To that end, it has been helpful or so I tell myself because it gives hope. And where would we be without that?

Now for your listening pleasure - Tift Merritt. She's a Texas born/North Carolina raised singer-songwriter. That's what I know. Have a listen and enjoy:

MySpace

Her Space: Tift Merritt.com

Hope you're all good. Have a great weekend.

SATURDAY SPIN ALREADY!

2008-07-19T06:00:00.002-04:00

Well, well, well. Thought I got lost on the Lazy River at the water park, did you now? What can I tell you that would actually be of interest? Being back in the city is a different slice of life. When I get home from work, the kids have been in Daddy Day Camp all day and they're eager for a bit of Mommy time. By the time that winds down, I'm pretty much spent. Unlike working on the Island, I need to have my full compliment of sleep to start off nice and early with my trek to the subway station. Once there, the choices are rather strategic so I need to be alert to size up seating on the Express train or make a quick determination to dash for the closing doors of the less crowded local. Getting to the subway station early enough affords me the luxury of choosing.

So I have not had the computer on much at all. I can't say that I always miss it. I feel a bit fresher falling to sleep with a good book, but I do miss you guys. Yes I do. So in line with that thought, today I'm featuring someone who has long deserved a Saturday Spin - Alejandro Escovedo singing "Wasn't I Always a Friend to You" helped by a few friends of his own:

Alejandro has been around the block for some time now. Peers and music critics have nothing but praise for him. He simply does not put out a bad record and this latest, Real Animal, is no exception. He was born to Mexican immigrant parents in a musical family (Sheila E. is his niece). After a near death bout with Hepatitis C in 2003, he is doing well and making music. I've heard him interviewed on a radio show and he is a down to earth real mensch.

"Musically, Alejandro Escovedo is in his own genre." David Fricke, Rolling Stone. Couldn't agree more.

HIS SPACE: ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO.COM

Listen to Alejandro's version of above song over on: MySpace

BloodShot Records

I truly hope you're all doing well and will be by when I can sneak in some quality blog time. Have a great weekend and stay cool! Don't forget to drink plenty of water.

DA DA DA DA...DA DA

2008-07-08T00:01:00.002-04:00

Or - Happy Birthday to Me!

This is the last decade birthday where my first number times two equals my second number. After this one, it's literally all downhill from here. So what's an aging blogger to do on a 90 degree July birthday? That's right! Head to a water park! It's set in a mountain so that's nice. Oddly enough and you may just understand this - it is both the last place and the only place where I would choose to spend my day.

When daydreaming about an idyllic birthday, I conjure up meandering through the Vermont countryside, browsing antique shops and having a leisurely lunch. Screeching halt to dream sequence! My kids have forced me into realizing the only way to spend it is at a water park splashing down the "Colorado rapids" ride, (terrorized as now I know what it holds in store for me, yet feel compelled to take the plunge just the same).

I have been a tad preoccupied of late with my own racing thoughts which are never good company. Work is rocky right now, the kids adjusting to a summer non-schedule is less than calm, and we're all settling into our new time zones. I'm sure we'll get over this collective household "jet lag" eventually.

In the meantime, I've promised the Universe that I won't take it personally. Deliver a decent sunny day for my birthday and we're on the road to reconciliation. After all, it's delivered my new issue of Domino magazine today.

A couple of city kids in the county this past July 4th weekend:

I don't know if I've ever told my BIL Tony that he reminds me of Mick Fleetwood.

So that's life round these parts. Will the excitement never end?!

Stop by for our usual Chinese Food celebratory dinner tonight if you're in the neighborhood!

XOX

SATURDAY SPIN: NADA SURF

2008-06-28T10:30:00.002-04:00

Today's band is Nada Surf. The song in the video is Whose Authority from their latest record, Lucky which according to their record company is "filled with songs of restlessness, longing and the elusiveness of love." No wonder I have a vague feeling of anxiety or perhaps wistfulness listening to them. Actually, I like the breezy feeling of this song and NYC as a backdrop always works for me.

MySpace

Their space: NadaSurf.com

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Walking Louie

2008-06-26T22:37:00.006-04:00

It's nice to unwind after a day at the orifice by taking a walk with Louie. Last night, Tali accompanied us and I knew beforehand that she was jockeying for a little park time.

Actually it's the local playground adjacent to a schoolyard. It's nice as far as park/playgrounds go and Tali has been hanging out on swings there since she was six months old. Old habits are hard to break. As we rounded the park, we went in for a swing. Louie is also training to be a circus dog and he does his twirl down the circular slide. He's getting pretty brave about it.

As Tali swung, there was a group of three teen-ish age boys filling up water balloons while three young boys vied for their attention by name calling. The older kids were high on the annoying meter and seemed to delight in teasing the younger boys, spraying them with water. The younger boys' father was nearby and for the life of me, I could not understand him allowing it. But hey, that's just me - Serial Mom. The teen-ish boys went up onto the slide play area while the younger boys stayed on below throwing sticks up at them. Of course, the older boys goaded them with jeers as to why they were even bothering, they couldn't hit them anyway. Some not too nice language was also used.

At this particular juncture, Tali, Louie and I were making our way towards the park gates. Tali was slightly behind me when I heard the ringleader teen grumble "*&^%! Who hit me?!" I turned to see a slight glint in Tali's eyes and raised an eyebrow. "Was that you?" I asked.

"Yes," she giggled and added "I didn't like how they were teasing the little boys; and one time he even bothered Julian!"

Normally, I do not condone this sort of sinking to the lowest common denominator, but I gave her a high five. The only thing I admonished her for was sharing the information about him bothering Julian after we had left. To which she replied, "Never mind sticks, you would have uprooted a tree to throw at him!"

So perhaps my Serial Mom inclinations are not so carefully concealed.

I always figured...

2008-06-23T22:34:00.005-04:00

why post when you have nothing to say? Although, some of my best posts have started off that way; this won't be one of them.

I'm working back in the city which is not all glamorous as witnessed by my daily rides on the F Train (f in more ways than one). Oh how I miss the solitude of my own car. I think I've grown a bit anti-social during my hiatus. Nothing too terrible to report on this front other than sharing a morning ride with hundreds of other people. Shutter.

The sad news is that 3 1/2 years gone from the neighborhood and nothing has changed! Well, save for a few store changes. The fruit man - same. The African guys selling pocketbooks - same. The crazy bleached blonde lady handing out the circulars to a nail salon - same. Me walking up the block from the subway - same. I don't want to belittle these people's livelihoods and I'm not, but looking inward is a bit difficult when lumped in to this company.

Oh, Management's treatment of the proletariat? Worse.

So you see? Not feeling terribly compelled to blog. Not that I have the ability to really blog from work as I no longer have my own office. Sure, I can steal a moment or two, but it's sort of tough to get into it when you feel you're about to get busted looking at stuffed animals. Some people just don't understand art. I have to say that I don't think of it at work as I'm pretty busy anyway, but I can't help but feel a bit wistful for the days of yore and blogging freedom.

That's where my head is at in a nutshell. Yes my head is in a nutshell. That's what neglect of commas will get you - misunderstood. By the way, this blog is being sponsored by the punctuation mark, the comma.

I felt compelled to post as I don't want my few friends to forget me. I haven't forgotten you even if I haven't been by for a visit, I will. But now sleep calls as I have to be up early for that F'n train.

Love ya, miss ya, mean it!

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-06-21T06:00:00.004-04:00

It's not good to leave your blog lie fallow. A lot of dust has to be cleaned off to get a post started, so here goes.

I'll admit when I first heard today's band, I thought "Okay, Columbia grads being ironic calling themselves, 'Vampire Weekend'. What's their schtick?" I didn't want to like them. But I did. I'd hear a new song on the radio and be bopping along and sure enough, it was another Vampire Weekend ditty. I'm not sure where they'll go from here, but I have to say you could plunk down eleven bucks on far worse than their self titled debut, released early 2008.

And hey, I learned what an oxford comma* is...

I love that tune.

Listen a litte more: MY SPACE

Plenty of hype and praise surround this band, but in the interest of fair and balanced reporting, read New York Magazine's projected backlash against the band HERE. If you don't want to click over, I've taken the liberty of lifting part of the review here:

"With the release of their self-titled debut album, critics fall in line behind the blogs and Vampire Weekend is lavished with endless acclaim. Pitchfork gives it an 8.8, comparing the band to the Strokes, and, yes, Paul Simon. Only New York's Hugo Lindgren dissents; months ahead of the curve, he concedes their dancebility but notes that "[if] they’d shown up at CBGB circa 1978, these outré Ivy League preppies probably would’ve been beaten with bicycle chains."

Scissors concurs.

And a proposed ending to all things Vampire Weekend:

"Out of disgust, the band's original MySpace friends storm the actual Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, torching Elvis's mansion to the ground. By now, many of them have moved on to new, edgier bands hailing from grittier New York colleges, like Barnard and NYU's Stern School of Business."

So there you have it. I say enjoy them for now and let's give the boys a chance. Have yourselves a great weekend. I have been off the blogwagon as I am back in the city getting settled in to a new position at work. All is going fine but I'm actually working and hence blogging is just not possible. Oh and what I might have blogged had I the chance - Julian moved on up or graduated from Kindergarten today. It was hard to keep a dry eye so I didn't really try. He was one of the color guards who lead the Star Spangled Banner. So that's life on these shores. I hope all is well with you. I'll be by to catch up.

* From askoxford.com:
"What is the 'Oxford comma'?

The 'Oxford comma' is an optional comma before the word 'and' at the end of a list:

We sell books, videos, and magazines.
It is so called because it was traditionally used by printers, readers, and editors at Oxford University Press. Sometimes it can be necessary for clarity when the items in the list are not single words:

These items are available in black and white, red and yellow, and blue and green.

Some people do not realize that the Oxford comma is acceptable, possibly because they were brought up with the supposed rule (which Fowler would call a 'superstition') about putting punctuation marks before and.

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-06-14T06:01:00.002-04:00

I've started three different spins. It's an indecisive week. But in honor of my return to NYC proper on a much more intimate basis, I'm featuring Cat Power doing a cover of, New York, New York from her latest album of covers, Jukebox. So here we go:

Cat Power is essentially Chan (pronounced Shawn) Marshall (pronounced Marshall) and band. I've just heard of Cat Power this past year, but she's a southern girl who has been recording since 1992. In any event, her reputation precedes her and she has been known as a bit of a roustabout or at least inconsistent in her concert performances. That seems to be in check with her drinking which you can read a little background on in this NY Times piece.

I like her. I think this song would be perfect for background to Pia's life story as told on her blog, Courting Desitny, or perhaps one of her books that she's working on, which could then transition to film. Bam - a soundtrack is born.

So here are some links for you to muck about in to get to know her better. Just a hint, she recorded the album before the current one, The Greatest,in Memphis with Al Green's guitarist and songwriting partner. Nuff said.

MY SPACE

MATADOR RECORDS SITE

LIVE IN CONCERT ON NPR: ALL SONGS CONSIDERED

I'm feeling a bit anxious about my transition back to NYC because well for one, the company hasn't exactly given me a plum position there and two, I'll miss my car rides and catching up on what's going on music-wise. Quite frankly, it is pretty much from these rides that I have gotten back into what's going on in music these days and even have something to spin. I have one station from Fordham University to thank for that and they are WFUV, Fordham University's Voice. You can stream them yourselves at their site linked above if you like.

Ah well, let's leave tomorrow's worries until then. For now, have a great weekend and Happy Father's Day to any of you Dads dropping by. We might actually turn the tables and make breakfast for Scissors for a change this week. He'll probably take over and then I'll be all "no, I'll get the pancakes," and he'll be all "let me do it," and I'll be all (sitting sipping my coffee) "if you insist, but let me know when you want me to take over..."

Gotta love a man who can handle a spatula.

Enjoy!

PS: I'm computer-less at work as the movers removed mine yesterday and I won't be settled in until Tuesday/perhaps Wednesday. So my visits have been sparse, much to my chagrin. Of course, my blogging from work may be slightly curtailed...okay, what did I say about tomorrow's worries?

Drumroll please!!!

2008-06-11T22:03:00.003-04:00

Julian has had a year of many changes, advances and challenges. When you have a child with special needs, keeping on top of evaluations is key as you especially want to make sure that they are in the appropriate class setting, receiving the right services. This year has proved to be a real challenge in getting Julian out of the door for school, to the dinner table, into the bathtub and into his pajamas, settling down for a book and well, you get the picture - pretty much anything that requires a transition of any sort.

So we saw his pediatric neurologist recently who seems to think our thoughts that Julian may have ADHD are pretty well founded. We asked for a referral to have him tested and at the same time have someone to talk to for both us and Julian to help us through these rough developmental patches.

Enter "Dr. Mark" whom Scissors and I met with this past Monday and now Julian and I met with today. Scissors is not as sold on the process as I am - something about psychobabble something or other. I always view things through the lens of humor. It's not that I don't take it seriously as I certainly think therapy is quite a valuable tool in helping cope with life stressors. I also find it full of infinite blog fodder. I just wish that I could sit there with a notepad and write down some of the funny exchanges. On the way to the office, Julian said in his little monotone "I know why we're going here - it's because of my behavior business last night."

I assured Julian his happiness and being able to talk about being angry and why were what Dr. Mark was going to help us with. He said that he might be shy and I assured him that was okay as I would be with him.

I'll skip the tete-a-tete of meeting Dr. Mark, but as we got down to brass tacks and playing with the therapist's favorite tool - the doll house, Julian made quick work of shoving many people into the house to watch TV. One TV wasn't enough - there had to be two so that he could watch Thomas and Spongebob! Then he described the people as lying down. The doctor then asked, "So Julian, the people are all just lying down and watching TV?"

I quickly wanted to yell out "Objection! Leading the witness!" but refrained. Julian couldn't have modeled one of our more admirable activities, like picking a Saturday Spin?

Not one to answer a question directly, Julian made the play more fanciful with horses and dogs taking up valuable couch space. The doctor asked Julian some other question which he responded with "Drumroll please!" So the doctor gave him a drum.

This continued with each response needing a drumroll preceding it. That is until Julian turned the tables and said "Now you're Julian." and began asking the same questions back to the doctor with the doc playacting along and Julian doing a not too bad imitation.

When it got down to Julian confessing to using bad words because Mommy did, I glanced at my watch to thankfully see time was indeed dwindling. The worst I've apparently said was shut up, which I'm not proud of, although I'm pretty sure I've never said it to him. I can't swear that I've never told Scissors the same in a heated moment. If I did, I apologize. I'm certainly not proud of this, but he could have credited me with worse.

So by the time we left the office, Dr. Mark had a clear picture of us as a family of foul mouthed laggards who lie about watching Spongebob and telling each other to shut up.

It could be worse, I imagine. I won't have to imagine, we'll be seeing Dr. Mark next week. Okay everybody, battlestations NPR!

Desk Drawer

2008-06-08T22:51:00.009-04:00

I was cleaning out my office drawers in preparation for my move back to the city. Tali has been a fairly frequent (annual) visitor to my office and would often create art while she was there, so I found these:

I'm a bit sentimental as I see one picture is an early representation of her work, dating to perhaps 2001. However if being forced to choose between keeping her artwork or the following illustration, I'd have to give it some serious consideration:

I believe that was clipped from Rolling Stone magazine during Dubya's first campaign for President. Some things are hard to throw away.

Saturday Spin

2008-06-07T06:38:00.002-04:00

This post is a Saturday Spin in that I'm playing music. It is an ode to Prince who turns 50 today. So we're just going to play a Prince song but with a twist - it's being covered by another band. The band is The Hindu Love Gods who were basically:

(REM-MichaelStipe)+WarrenZevon=HinduLoveGods.

This is from 1990 and was pretty much for fun and the only full album released under this incarnation. I actually owned the cd. It was an album of blues covers and I recall really enjoying their take on Battleship Chains too.

Anyway, Warren Zevon is gone, the cd I owned is probably gone, REM released a new cd recently and Prince is turning 50! Let's party like it's 1999!

That's it for this week. I'm sure I'll be back in gear next week as this is pretty lazy of me, but I'm conserving energy as the weather forecast calls for mid90s + NYC=MUGGY!

Stay cool and have a good weekend wherever you are!

Oh! I almost forgot: if you'd like to hear me muck up some wonderful prose that Doug has written, hop over to Waking Ambrose . The truth is that hearing my voice reminds me I'd like to take voice lessons, but I couldn't in time to read for Doug. I could have re-recorded it, but you know I'm conserving energy as it's going to be mid-90's...

Fold-up Guys

2008-06-05T22:35:00.000-04:00

I'm slightly freaking out. If I gave into my fears, I'd be totally freaking out. In one more week the office that I work in will be closed and I will be reassigned to another department back in our offices in the city (Manhattan). As I told a friend who works in my old department there, "If you see me lying in a fetal position in the elevator, just step over me." Not that I mind going back to work in Manhattan - I look forward to it, but reinventing myself yet again is getting tired. Or maybe I'm just getting tired. It's really a grand charade this earning a living.

And so as not to give in to such stress, I will make a fold-up guy. You can too, by clicking on readymech.com. The cute little fella above is a tentaclopse, just one of the many fun fold-up guys to be found.

Couldn't I somehow make a living making fold-up guys? I'd better practice.

Does Anyone Have a Valium?

2008-06-02T22:35:00.004-04:00

I know, I know...in these days of medication being the norm, I should have my own prescription. I do, just not Valium. I should look into it - probably sooner than later. Especially in light of the fact that I came home from work, picked up Scissors fresh from steroid injections at the doctor for his never ending back pain that he's been facing, my MIL, and Julian to head into Manhattan to Tali's school for yet another celebration which in and of itself should be nice. My gut instinct tells me otherwise.

Below are just a few reasons why cortisol was shooting out of my ears by the end of the evening. It went something like this:

- MIL is looking at her watch 5 minutes into performance.
- Julian making a friend with whom he becomes so close, they're already up to rassling on the floor during the Rabbi's speech.
- MIL declaring "I didn't even hear Tali." This after Tali just finished performing leading one of the songs with a classmate in which they both had solos. I left out the part about mike malfunction and just mutter "I have it on tape."
- We leave the school after the reception to moody MIL who was ready to leave once Tali sang (which she didn't hear, did I mention?).
- Julian sees a dog on the street and tries to make a beeline to pet. We are on a crowded Manhattan street so I attempt to guide him towards the car instead. He rebels by lying on the sidewalk which makes MIL turn pale.
- Make it to car to realize Tali has left her violin in school (stop me anytime if you need a Valium too)..
- leave crew there and run back to school to collect violin. Overcome urge to sprint down the subway steps instead.
- get back to car and pack the sorry lot into vehicle and head home.

I'll spare you the car trip with MIL's stony silence, Julian hooting out the window at garbage trucks and Scissors grimacing and groaning over every dent in the road.

At this juncture, I'm happy to have my sanity although I'm sure that is a relative term.

How did your week start off? Here's to Tuesday.

G'night.

Rabbit, rabbit!

2008-06-01T00:58:00.009-04:00

Rabbit, rabbit! Good luck in June!

The title of this print is Pink Grapefruit and it immediately reminded me of Ariel's moniker, Ice Grapefruit. Because who could be more delightful than this pink bunny...or Ariel? The print is from the Etsy shop, Amber Alexander.

My Saturday Spin is still up and spinning and I highly recommend The Felice Brothers. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

~ G

PETE'S PICKS: SATURDAY SPIN

2008-05-31T06:00:00.003-04:00

Peter takes his responsibilities seriously. He called in a pick or two recently which I am enjoying but you know, things have to evolve organically in the Spin and I put up what moves me for whatever reason that week.

In a recent conversation, Pete mentioned the Felice Brothers. I had heard a song or two and listening to more, I'm glad that he mentioned them. The Felice Brothers are a band from upstate New York that formed in 2006. They are made up of three Felice Brothers and their friend, Christmas, a former travelling dice player, and Farley on washboard and fiddle. Or so the story goes. Sounds good to me. Hope it does for you too.
So take a look at their video for the song, Roll on Arte:

and have a listen: MySpace (Have a listen to "Loves Me Tenderly.")

Also, a nice little snippet from NPR: Young, Broke, and American

Have a great weekend!

I'm Trapped!

2008-05-28T22:27:00.004-04:00

I am certainly in my idea of living hell. I sat at my desk today facing the computer pulling up a list of regulatory courses my job assigns me each year. As I told Scissors "I would rather be cleaning a pig's pen right now then doing this course." I had to throw out the most non-Kosher animal I could think of to show my disdain.

I'd almost rather be in traffic court which coincidentally I was in on Tuesday to fight my way out of a speeding ticket. Fight my way is perhaps overstating the case. They call your name, you go up and talk to the lawyer who says "you have a 401C3, we'll knock it down to a 304A1, failure to signal and two points."

"How can I eliminate the points all together?" I ask hopefully.
"Take a defensive driving course, but truth is what are you worried about? Two points won't cause a problem with insurance."
"Well okay with me." That's one less painful course to absorb into my brain that I am sure is turning to putty with each passing day.

The lawyer then instructs me to have a seat to wait to go before the judge. A group of ten of us perps gets called in to a room to face our sentencing. As I sit there, I think of all the reasons why my ticket was unjustified and word in my head various clever defense arguments to throw down when I go before the judge. Of course, I've already accepted a plea so I don't really want to aggravate the kindly old man and when called before him I'm more like the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz.

When the judge reels off the charge which has been reduced to the failure to signal charge and asks if I accept it, I squeak out a pleasant "Yes, your honor."

$200 the poorer, I drive down the road thinking of what might have been if I had just opened my piehole and made a plea of any sort. All those Law and Order series for naught. Lest you think I'm some wanton speed demon, I'll highlight for you my argument:

"I was just coming off the highway onto the service road which was all downhill. I began to break but by that time the officer had caught me with his radar gun. Of course, as I coasted over to the side of the road, then and only then, did I see the partially obscured by trees speed limit sign. I attempted to politely decline my way out of the ticket pleading 'I have a clean driving record, couldn't you let me go with a warning?"

This was after all a speed trap set up to line the coffers of NY State, so my chances of that happening were slim to none. Even with a cute kid in the backseat. Yes, I took my daughter down this road to ruin with me. She actually wanted to defend me in traffic court for the reasons stated in my above argument, which I think she actually outlined for me.

The officer went on to say that he may as well just go home if that's the case and I should take comfort in the fact that I was the slowest ticket written that day. Yeah, thanks pal.

So even though I can do a Sudoku puzzle, knit a scarf and have breakfast as I drive the speed limit on this stretch of road, that's okay. I will not go above 40 MPH. Remember - don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

I should have thought of that when I took this job.

Freecycle

2008-05-26T22:19:00.004-04:00

In the never ending quest to rid my house of stuff that I don't need, I've joined Freecycle. I highly recommend that you join it too! There are groups all over the country and it costs nothing. Here is what Freecycle is about, copied from their site:

Freecycle IS about keeping things out of the landfill.
It IS about giving away something that has no use in our life anymore
to someone who could extend its usefulness a little longer.
It IS about giving gifts to people while clearing out our own clutter.
It IS about creating, building, and sustaining an environmentally
aware community.

So it is an entirely worthy endeavor and people seem to be offering and needing all types of things. One person has posted for orange kittens. I thought that was rather specific, but okay. The following person seems a bit menacing to me:

Offer: stuffed animals in Woodhaven
pick up asap or it gets thrown out...

I mean throwing down the gauntlet of stuffed animals in the landfill. What a sadist.

Anyway, I stopped browsing but I do need to go rummage in the garage through Scissors' old stereo equipment to see if he has a receiver. Somebody needs one. He still thinks he's going to sell it for real dinero someday. The scoop is we plan on having our own garage sale when we can clear a Sunday where I actually feel well. Then leftovers will be offered on Freecycle or to a local charity. Or perhaps to any of you - anybody in need of a baby jogger? Completely disassembles, comes with its own carrying case. Pickup only.

One thing you can't get on Freecycle is sleep, so g'night.

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-05-24T06:00:00.001-04:00

I'm a little feverish which is no way to kick off the official summer season. But then again, perhaps my body decided it was not up for travels to family gatherings this weekend. I will disappoint some little people if we don't go but probably end up feeling pretty crappy if we do. Ah well, let's throw a little music on and think about it.

This week, I am featuring the music of Jaymay, a young singer/songwriter from New York. The YouTube clip is the live version of her song, Sea Green, See Blue. You can listen to the studio version HERE. I'll be honest, I haven't listened to much beyond this song, hence a restrained endorsement. She's refreshing in this song and I enjoy how she tells a story. I hope you do too.

JAYMAY'S MY SPACE

On an unSpin related note, today is my Two Year Blogaversary. I started off here to have a creative outlet so from that standpoint I guess I have succeeded. I won't link to my embarrassing first posts, but I will say that I do enjoy my little corner of the Blogosphere. I appreciate the friendships made along the way, the warm comments and really each of your unique voices.

Simply said - thank you.

Enjoy your Memorial Day Weekend whatever it brings.

Children, shield your eyes:

2008-05-21T21:53:00.004-04:00

I am a sensitive soul. I feel deeply for people, even strangers. Often strangers. For instance, I stop in to get a cup of coffee (okay - a latte) each morning on my way to work. Time and parking regulations often dictate from where I will be drinking that day. This week it turns out my timing lands me in Dunkin' Donuts.

There has been a women there twice this week with her daughter whom I have seen in here before under the same scenario. I recognize her from "the neighborhood." It is after the time school starts and the women is neurotically placing some complex order for the two of them, nervously adding or calling out some directive. All the while, the little girl is getting more agitated and whining. My take is that she is late for school and seems to be nervous about that fact. I had to restrain myself from asking the mother today "didn't school start already?"

I know this could open a can of crazy on me so I decide to go back to the sane place in my brain that restrains my mouth. It is difficult, but I make it there grudgingly. My other idea is that I will go to the school where the mother is hauling this poor kid each day and give them a heads up on the child being upset and perhaps they could give the mom a gentle talking-to. Of course, I realize how this sounds to you - it sounds the same to me. So I tell myself to let it go, the child does not appear to be in danger and it's up to the school to deal with it. This is all before I've had my coffee after all.

Moving onward or actually working backwards. I was in Starbucks over the weekend and there were three, how shall I say...dimwits in front of me waiting for their order. They are two women and one man (using all terms rather loosely) and the man is posturing for all he is worth for the...women.

"Hey, how long is it since he started?" he crows.
Little Miss Paris Hilton wannabe looks at her cell "four minutes."
"That's too long, they owe us a drink." he calls out.

Behind the counter is a guy who is trying to focus on the matter at hand. In that moment, I think "what if he has learning difficulties - ADD, I don't know" and smile encouragingly his way.

"Yours is the latte?"
"Yes" I respond.
"It's coming right after this." he adds, a bit harried.
"No problem." I say and mean it because it isn't.

The obnoxious trio has moved on to something else. He finishes their order and I get mine. It becomes clear that perhaps I should just stay out of coffee houses.

What is the world coming to? Rudeness abounds, but I must say that I did find this billboard funny so what does that say about me?

Warning: foul language ahead. At first I read the addition as part of the billboard.

Sometimes

2008-05-20T22:43:00.001-04:00

Sometimes words don't come easily.

Sometimes a picture will just have to do.

Sometimes.

Cut!!!G!Cut!!!

2008-05-18T23:14:00.000-04:00

To the tune of my Saturday Spin, I approach a large styrofoam ball which needs to be cut in half in order to show the core of our lovely planet Earth that Tali needs for a Science project.

Of course, I don't do anything without consulting the modern day version of a Ouija board, Google, to ask "How does one cut a styrofoam ball in half without it crumbling into styrodust?"

Scissors is in bed already so I approach the ball gingerly as some of the advice includes saws of various stripes - none of which I'm willing to go digging for out in the garage at 10:45 pm. With necessity and desperation - mother and father of invention guiding me, I get out several knives and start cutting. The serrated one seals the deal and Tali now has a clean core to paint tomorrow after school.

My shoulder now feels the strain from all the demands my brain just placed on it "Don't come away from the counter until you have two halves to show for yourself."

Okay I have to go put some ointment on my shoulder and get to bed.

If that didn't work I was going to consult these guys*:

Here's to a good start to what looks like a soggy week in NYC. Hope the sun is shining where you are.

*Promo for the new album by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (for those who didn't see my Saturday Spin). What can I tell you? Nothing like low budget acting to crack me up.

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-05-17T06:00:00.004-04:00

I'll be quick because my day is stacked full of obligations and I'm sneaking this one in on the sly. This week's spin is Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Yes, that Nick Cave whom if you're like me, haven't really heard anything of since the 80's, though he has been making music all along. From what I've heard of the new album, Dig!!!Lazarus, Dig!!!, it will be garnering a bit more attention.

I heard this song as I drove along the other day and it struck me as something that you just don't hear every day. New, fresh, unique - and this from a band that's been together for twenty plus years. So join me in encouraging Lazarus to dig:

THEIR SPACE: NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS

MY SPACE

Enjoy! Have a great weekend while you're at it.

WESTWORD HO!

2008-05-14T22:44:00.002-04:00

Julian listening to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band cd in its entirety this evening. This is before he broke out the instruments.

One of our little games is a scenario in which we are going on a train. Julian is named, Westword, which I believe came about after he and Scissors just boarded the Long Island Railroad one day and took a ride. That night we started this game and when I asked what his name was, he thought and said "Westword!" which may have been a play on westward.

In the game, Julian speaks in a clipped proper accent and I am his companion going on the train. The dialogue usually just springs up. A sample of our interchange goes something like this (I cannot say that we were not influenced by The Importance of Being Earnest, a grand movie if ever there was one):

Westword: "There will be dining cars!"
Me (I have no name) clutching my hands in front of me: "Oh it'll be grand, Westword!"
Westword: "Sleeping cars, reading cars!"
Me: "Viewing cars!"
Westword: "Yes, yes. Well, I'm going to Boston."
Me; "Wh, when - how long will you be, Westword?"
Westword: "I'm leaving forever, I'll be back tonight."
Me: "Oh Westword, I look forward to your return."

Tali asked me recently, "Who are you in the game?"

"We haven't defined it - his mother, a travelling companion - it's not important," I reply.

Well, Westword and I are off to the pediatric neurologist in the morning - update time. And I'm sure we won't be asked about Westword or the Beatles.

We're leaving forever, but we'll be back for school.

A DOLL IS BORN

2008-05-12T22:45:00.002-04:00

You know the little glimpse of my MIL I gave you? Well in the interest of fair and balanced reporting, this is the reason that I don't pay too much attention to the things done or said for my/our own good.

This is a picture of Grandma and Tali painting the face on a doll that they have made together for a heritage project assignment in school. Tali sewed the doll and Grandma made the outfit, they are both doing the facial artwork.

This is the reason that I could never be too upset with Grandma - she will walk to the ends of the earth for her grandkids. Tali is wearing a sweater that Grandma made for Julian which she inexplicably made with sort of puffy-ish sleeves, even though I tried to point that out before she finished it. She told Grandma tonight "this sweater is too girlyish for Julian and it fits me."

Without missing a beat, Grandma just smiled and said "Okay Tali, I'll make Julian another one." The sun rises and sets on her grandchildren and this softens some of Grandma's remarks or guilt trips.

She sees that I am a bit tired and trying to round Tali up and adds "Okay Miss America, take Rose home - she's finished."

Maybe Tali will post the finished product on her blog as there seems to be a gag order on what I can share.

G'night. all.

MONDAY, MONDAY.

2008-05-11T23:01:00.008-04:00

I don't really like Mondays. Because I am a working schlub, my Monday will start off something like this picture.

This is the work of artist, TAKASHI IWASAKI, whose work I came across on one of the design blogs I peruse. He is a Japanese born artist who received his MFA in Canada where he currently resides and makes wonderfully happy art (although he does have some dark pieces or so he says). The piece above is a collage entitled, Traffic Jam.

It will make my Monday happier looking at his work. Why don't you come look with me?

The piece above is entitled Torihatanobori and is embroidery floss on canvas!

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-05-10T06:00:00.001-04:00

Don't you just love music?

This week's spin is perhaps somebody that you've already heard and appreciated. If that's the case, turn up the volume and listen again. I'm always mystified when I read a blogger profile and under musical likes, listed is "anything but rap and country!"

How do you just discount a whole genre out of hand? But those two always seem to go hand in hand in these music appreciators' dislike list. If you've written that in your profile, I'd like you to think about it a bit more. And I'd like you to listen to Robert Earl Keen.

Robert Earl Keen is a singer/songwriter from Houston, Texas now by way of Kerrville. Any song I've heard of his is such a finely woven story, it stuns me. And his voice is the perfect voice to convey the words. I read in an interview on the Lone Star Music site that Robert Earl Keen would like just a little bit more of a listen from the "industry" and critics. Well, I'm no critic, Mr. Keen, but I'll play your songs here and hope that maybe one person turns around and downloads a tune and passes it on. But he does deserve a bit more attention for sure.

Most of his videos are live or amateurs covering him. This one is the best of the live ones with frat boy activity held to a minimum. It's a great tune called "Feelin' Good Again":

You can hear the gussied up live version on his MY SPACE.

Of course the interview that was alluded to above was from 2005 so perhaps, Mr. Keen is feeling the love a bit more now. You can read the interview HERE. I rarely give advice on music, I just play it and hope that you enjoy. But if you're going to download a tune or two, you might want to include one of his signature songs "The Road Goes on Forever."

Okay, I'd better rap this up, but I'd first like to wish all it applies to a Happy Mother's Day. Remember if you're not a mother yourself, you're the reason that somebody is so you have cause to celebrate in your own heart. I think part of this song that just reaches in and lifts me up has to do with going through the grieving process since my Mom's death this past November. I'm not through it yet, but sometimes it's nice to sing along to "feels so good to be feelin good again."

~ Have a wonderful weekend.

MY LIFE: A MEME-OIR

2008-05-09T00:02:00.002-04:00

I have been tagged by the ever impressive, animal kingdom queen and just all around enjoyable Claire - who is a big Wildcat fan, by the way. I know, a meme. I hate memes, but this has a different slant. It doesn't sound so, well, self important. Unless of course that's what you'd like to convey, then it could be. So have fun. Here are the rules. If you don't like those, I have others:

1. Write your own six word memoir.
2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like.
3. Link to the person who tagged you in your post.
4. Tag five more blogs with links.
5. And don’t forget to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!

Talk about an economy of words. So let's see - my life/blog/manifesto in six words?

Repeat after me:

Sometimes a wall is a door.

Now I have been known to drop the ball on a meme or ten, but nonetheless I shall lovingly tag the following who have every right to ignore me:

Weirsdo (or Hobbes) of Stuffed Animal Tales because if anyone has a way with words, it is Weirsdo (and Hobbes).

Icy (or Tom...or both) of My Dogs Daze. So what? She's a dog, but she talks and that's good enough for me.

Pansi of The New Adventures of Pansi and Friends For those who don't know Pansi, I'm not quite sure where to begin. Sometimes it's best just to jump right in. In any event, Pansi is still frolicking about doing her NG4J in a new place, so maybe she'll sum up her life for us. I don't think Pansi actually needs more than six words.

Actonbell of A Tempest in a Teacup - a unique voice if ever there was one. I love to read about Actonbell's life, even when she says it's boring. Her writing is superb.

Tali of Muffin-land because she's upset with me for writing stories referencing her which she could have used for her own blog (if she actually had time to blog). Actually, I get clearance for any nugget I share and tell her that they are solely from my viewpoint. How many words could a ten year old need after all? You might be surprised.

All of this linking has me exhausted. Good night!

YOM HAATZMA'UT

2008-05-08T00:01:00.004-04:00

HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY ISRAEL!

Today is Israel's Independece Day, marking its 60th year. If we can get four rounds of eyedrops into Tali's pinkish eye, we'll be celebrating at her school this evening. If not, we'll sing Hatikvah at home.:) Join me in wishing both well.

Happy Birthday Israel.

My Mother in Law

2008-05-06T22:06:00.003-04:00

I've known my mother-in-law for more or less, eighteen years. I've been her daughter-in-law for a bit over twelve of them. It was not always easy dealing with her, but thankfully I've gotten smart - or worn down, dependent upon how you look at it.

My friend Jennifer lives for MIL stories which are a bit more sedate lately, but certainly still have their bite. Take for example her admonishing her cousin, Ella*, who happens to write books about her Holocaust experience and visits schools to discuss them. MIL finds Ella's hawking of books distasteful. Not one to hold back, she has told her that in more or less those words. Well, actually she indicated that a friend in high places has seen Ella in action and has relayed to MIL that she is forcing her books on people. All this is told to Ella for her own good, of course.

Last night, Tali indicated that Grandma asked her if her friend in school, Friend X*, had lost any weight. When Tali asked her why she cared (gotta love that kid), Grandma replied "She's a nice Jewish girl, she could stand to lose some weight." Of course, all for Friend X's own good.

Julian went to Grandma's after school today. On the way home from violin, Tali and I stopped to pick him up. She brought out some Israeli gum that is now deeply discounted after Passover and offered it to the kids. "It's coffee flavor." I asked if there was caffeine in it and she shrugged "I'm sure not much." It ended up being "cocktail flavored." "Great," I muttered "now instead of giving them caffeine, she'll just liquor them up." Not for their own good, but it couldn't hurt.

The gum turned out to be some fruity concoction which wasn't terrible. My MIL triumphantly huffed as she went to get a box for me to take "Nothing wrong with this gum, it's better than any of the American gum."

We got ready to go after she finished shoveling the rest of Julian's dinner into his mouth which I just ignored (for my own good). She mentions that Scissors is mad at her because "I asked him if he took away the quarters that I was saving for Tali in the jar."

"I don't know why he'd be upset, you just accused him of stealing...okay, maybe borrowing without asking." I deadpanned. She smiled sweetly.

She decided it was the cleaning lady whom she never wanted to begin with and is long since gone.

When I got home I said to Scissors "heard you got into your Mother's quarter jar."

"Here we go with the quarters again." he snaps.

"I think I'll take Louie for a walk." For his own good, of course. Unlike Scissors, I have learned to edit out the rage from MIL's outrageous comments and just laugh. She still gets me annoyed on a bad day, but I tend to address it and drop it. After all, she's only telling me something for my own good.

*NAMES CHANGED...for their own good.

We Love Spring

2008-05-04T22:20:00.002-04:00

I don't need much to make me happy; it really is about the simple things with me. Don't get me wrong, I love to admire the lovely things which often come with high price tags, but the thrill is getting things on the cheap.

That's why I love Spring (and Fall) - garage sale season! Today's haul, for maybe ten dollars consisted of:

I pretty much can't turn down pottery when I see it and these were three nice examples with price tags of two at one dollar and the tall vase for three dollars. There were a couple of little items whose whereabouts I'm not sure of - two little ceramic bears the kids picked out and a dinosaur book that Julian grabbed on the way out. The book was the tip of the "Julian got two things and I only got one" iceberg. I explained that there will be such occasions and sometimes they may be in her favor. Then I probably clenched my teeth and said, "now let's go please." Mainly before they realized that Mommy got six things. I did offer the frog to Tali which she rejected. I left it in on their bookshelf just the same where it seems quite happy.

Later in the day, as we drove home from a birthday party, my eye veered to the side of the road to see four chairs all lined up beckoning me. I stopped the car and popped the trunk to Tali's "how do you know they are being given away?" gasp. As I explained that this is what people do, she called out instructions from the backseat as to which chair I should take. Her initiation to the freecycle culture was sealed when the homeowner pulled up with his kids and declared "I'm so glad somebody is taking something, I have more on the side yard." I did have to employ sharp editing skills and came away with just two of the chairs which are now in my garage awaiting some cleanup and perhaps, painting.

I tossed off that last bit about painting as if it's something I do every day. But you know, sometimes the possibilites are too bountiful to leave at the curb. Maybe I'll post before and after pics.

This closes the chapter on another near perfect day in the life of G.

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-05-03T06:01:00.001-04:00

Next up - Liam Finn. Liam is a young singer songwriter from New Zealand who is an up and comer. I swear that I heard his music and enjoyed it before I realized he is the son of Neil Finn of Crowded House fame (who incidentally have a new and great sounding album out themselves). Also, Liam played on the new Crowded House album and is touring with them. So, all in the family.

But Liam deserves his very own spotlight and so we shall cast one on him solo. The video below is for his song, Second Chance, from his album, I'll Be Lightning.

MY SPACE

HIS SPACE: LIAM FINN SITE

BLAH BLAH BLAH: SPIN MAGAZINE ARTICLE

I'm posting this a little ahead of Saturday as I know my strengths, as well as my weaknesses. One such weakness is an acute inability to wake up in the am*. I have to be out extra early for Tali to run through her current song with an accompanist at music school. We can't have anything between my bed and the front door to stop me.

I knew you'd understand. Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!

*Actually another less than strength of mine is my lack of knowledge of things techy. I just realized that I can auto post by just plugging in a future time so look for this once you've had your morning coffee. G'night.

RABBIT RABBIT!

2008-05-01T03:00:00.000-04:00

GOOD LUCK IN MAY!

This is a delightful print from the Etsy Shop, EACH AND OTHER.

As I glimpsed through images in Etsy, I couldn't help but think of certain bloggers. So I thought I'd pay homage to some of my friends as inspiration strikes. This rabbit features none other than our own pal, Terry, a right smart crow if ever there was one. She seems to be counseling this pretty rabbit right now...or maybe she is the pretty rabbit too!

Here's to a wonderful month for all!

What Happened Over There?

2008-04-30T01:33:00.000-04:00

Did a cat scratch your neck?
Did a bird come and peck?
Did a horse give a kick?
Did a cow give a lick?
Did you get in a fight?
Did a dog give a bite?

What happened over there?

Did a yak make you trip?
Did a squirrel give a nip?

And so forth and so on.

This is how I had to get Julian into the bathtub last night. That was after he laid behind his bed refusing to get out. After about a half hour of that routine, I sat right down with him and somehow got him to get up. He came to the bathroom with me but once there, did the ole cat about to be dipped into the tub with all extremities gripping the doorjamb tightly routine. You know the one.

As I struggled to get him into the bathtub, I noticed a little mark on his neck and said “what happened over there?” I then made up the song above sung all wangly jangly which got Julian all giddy and laughing. I was able to undress him as I sang (with Tali shouting out her own lines), get him into the tub and wash him up – all before he remembered this was what he was rebelling against.

I can’t promise such creativity every night, but it’s always good when it works out that way. Where is Scissors while all of this occurs? Probably watching his Rangers take a drumming by the Penguins. So it wasn't a perfect evening, but close enough.

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-04-26T03:15:00.002-04:00

Gather round children because today’s spin is one of a kind outstanding, if I do say so myself, and I do. Today we are spinning Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. Sharon and the Dap-Kings are as soulful and funkified as the day is long and that’s without checking the clock once. According to their Wikipedia blurb, “Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings are widely considered to be at the forefront of a revivalist movement that aims to recapture the feeling of soul and funk music as it was at its height in the late 1960’s to mid 1970’s.” The sound is authentic as they record on analog equipment using vintage instruments. In my opinion they do that with the added caveat of sounding brand new and fresh at the same time.

According to NPR, The Dap-Kings contributed to more than half of Amy Winehouse's tracks on her breakthrough album Back to Black, and has enjoyed a breakthrough of its own with this year's 100 Days, 100 Nights. They also toured as backing band in the US for Amy Winehouse who you may recall won a grammy for her record this past year. Where is the justice? If there were, Sharon Jones would have been nominated and accepting instead. But she weighs more than 95 pounds, is not visibly tattooed up and down her body and hasn’t been seen on PageSix running half naked through the London night. Good riddance to old rubbish I say and make way for Sharon Jones. End of rant.

Without further adieu, Sharon performing live in Paris with the Dap-Kings Let Them Knock:

Listen to on: NPR segment

MY SPACE:

Daptone Records

Posting early as we have company for the weekend so hope you enjoy yours and Chag Sameach.

PLEASE FORWARD ME TO INFINITY AND BEYOND

2008-04-23T21:39:00.000-04:00

Chain emails, that is. The latest one I received promised some sort of never ending prosperity compliments of the Dalai Lama if I forwarded it on to the number coincidentally corresponding to my favorite number (which I have now changed to zero for such emails). A friend forwarded it with the tag line "this is interesting." STOP!!! It's not interesting. It's ridiculous and an insult to our intelligence, but yet I did go through it just to make sure.

For instance, it gives a listing of animals. I'm doing this by memory but they were a horse, rat, tiger, sheep and something else furry. You were to order them from most to least favorite. Now who puts a rat at the top of their list? Michael Jackson? So when you do get to the end, you find out that these are listed in the order of what is important to you in life. The vaunted horse is family, the rat is work or money as if we are all good and humble humans, everything will stack up as it should family first/work last. Couldn't they have made the rat symbolic for family to shake things up? What? My family is last?! Well, they do demand so much of me...

Of course unbeknownst to you, they had a listing of words which you had to freely associate with another. Think fast - coffee! Strong, hot, abstaining, steamy...expensive. Coffee stood for sex. Ooh, that was a toughie. Why couldn't the word have been fish? Cause that wouldn't be fun. Nobody wants to have a cold, slimy, scaley sex life. At least, I don't think so; well perhaps a goldfish.

Quick, think of your favorite number and multiply it by number of pets you have, divide it by your number of marriages and subtract the number of children you've had. Then forward this post to that number of people and never email me again!

A Day in the Life

2008-04-22T01:05:00.000-04:00

I love my children, more than the air that I breathe I tell them. Tali is then quick to point out, "but without the air you breathe, you wouldn't be here." To which I reply "exactly!" and she just raises her eyebrows.

Some days, at the end of the day, I just feel spent beyond my emotional budget. Raising children was never guaranteed to be a cakewalk. In fact, the only thing I'm certain of in child rearing is that there are no guarantees.

But parenting a child with special needs just wipes me out some days. Many days. I've never written that, but you may have guessed that life isn't all just the fun parts that I've shared. I feel sometimes as if I am a SWAT team member rather than a parent. I recall myself saying today "Julian put down the scissors. Those are very sharp. Juli - no, don't run with them!" I then had to push a table against the wall to corner him and thus retrieve the scissors.

Coming home from visiting Grandpa in the nursing home, Scissors had to carry him into the house like a sack of potatoes as he kicked and screamed not wanting to get out of the car. "Sure Julian, I'll just sit here in the car until you've menaced me enough and then we'll go inside. Or perhaps, I'll leave you in it and you'll knock it into neutral and run it through the garage. No problem," I thought. So ruling out those options as possible ways to cap off the day, I called in Scissors to get him out of the car, hence the kicking and screaming.

The child exhausts himself along with us. It breaks my heart sometimes that life should be so difficult for him. Sometimes it drains every ounce of patience left in my body until I find myself yelling at him.

The other night he put on his pajamas - an every day task for many six year olds, but still difficult for Julian. He did great but the top was uncomfortably backwards and I saw him fidgeting with it. I said, "Oops, looks like your top is backwards. Here, I'll show you a way to fix it without having to take it off," because with Julian it's all or nothing at all.

He said "Oops -mistake," to which I replied "that's okay, I do that all the time. That's why I know how to fix it. I've done that at least a million times!"

He said in an incredulous tone "you make mistakes?"

In that one moment, I just felt what it must feel like for Julian. Every thing is easy for the rest of the world, but difficult for him. I could have imagined this, but he seemed a bit buoyed by my answer, "all the time, that's how I learn to do things."

I also love my kids more than there are grains of sand on the beach and stars in the sky. They seem satisfied with that answer. I'll save my complaints about his sleep problems for another day; I hear him walking around.

G'night.

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-04-19T09:06:00.001-04:00

Ive been up to my elbows in cleaning for Passover. The first seder is tonight so firstly a Happy Passover to all who may partake.

Now can't leave without a little music for the weekend. I think Gillian Welch would be fine company. Gillian is a singer songwriter originally from NYC, raised in LA and settled in Nashville. Her music is alternately described as haunting and soothing. I find a little of both in there.

She records mostly with her musical partner, David Rawlings, whom she met back in 1992. She only has four albums out, but her songs have been recorded by a pretty pedigreed crowd of musicians, such as Joan Baez, Jimmy Buffet and Trisha Yearwood to name but a few. I happen to love her "Look at Miss Ohio" song which you can see her performing on her MySpace. Below is a video of her and David Rawlings singing "Time the Revelator;" very spare, very lovely.

MySpace

HerSpace: Gillian Welch.com

Well, time to run. Have a wonderful Passover and weekend. Thanks for dropping by.

And verily we read on...

2008-04-13T21:55:00.000-04:00

Tali was doing a Bermuda Triangle Project for school and seeing that she only had Internet sources for her paper, I deemed a trip to the library beneficial. As she looked for her books, I grabbed a few for Julian and general reading for us all. One of which was Irish Fairy Tales which was staring at me from a cart.

Sometimes it's good to judge a book by its cover as had I cracked it, I may have deemed it too arduous for Julian's nighttime read and put it back on the shelf. There are about ten fairy tales in all - some about thirty or forty pages long which can make it a bit, well - lengthy. But mostly it was the flowery prose that I thought might go over his head as I started off:

"Finnian, the Abbot of Moville, went southwards and eastwards in great haste. News had come to him in Donegal that there were yet people in his own province who believed in gods that he did not approve of, and the gods that we do not approve of are treated scurvily, even by saintly men."

Okay, a little flowery, but let's read on. As the prose progressed, the kids got more entrenched so that by the time we got up to this passage describing Finnian's decision to go on a hunger strike, the kids were tickled to laughter (urged on by my dramatic reading of the prose):

"He fasted on the gentleman, and he did so to such purpose that he was admitted to the house; for to an hospitable heart the idea that a stranger may expire on your doorstep from sheer famine cannot be tolerated."

Many things can be tolerated, but expiring on my doorstep is something that I just won't stand for!

So dear readers as we go verily on our way towards Monday, remember to judge a book by its cover and never let somebody fast on your doorstep.

As a sidenote, all that flowery prose has Julian's vocabulary wheels a turning. He was rhyming away at the table today and comes up with kitchen. I think to myself, "that's a hard one..." too soon before he called out "bitchin!" I must admit that I did think "good one" before I disciplined him as I unsuccessfully fought down laughter.

Stay tuned for our next Fireside Theatre installment in which I choose a family movie for us to watch.

PETE'S PICKS on SATURDAY SPIN

2008-04-11T22:17:00.001-04:00

I'm sitting at my desk in work the other day and the phone rings.
"G" says I.
"Start wearing purple, wearing purple..." sings a voice in a bad Ukrainian accent, yet somehow familiar.
"Uh, green is sort of my color" I counter.

"Gogol Bordello - have you heard of them?" asks my brother Peter on the other end.
"Sounds familiar - do tell." I encourage him on.

And tell he does - of Ukrainians, Russians, Israelis - gypsy music, punk, ska?

"I'll check em out." I promise. And now I'm glad that I did. One thing that I've read is that if you get the chance to see them live, do so! Now!

So here go the links:

The Band's site: Gogol Bordello.com

NPR: for details and concert footage.

MySpace: for, well some more of their music.

And now some visuals:

Maybe I should rethink the whole green thing.

Have a great weekend, Shabbat Shalom and a general plentiful of all things pleasing.

from the DJ formerly known as Lampsha (which sounds rather at home with the Gogol Bordello).

Was it something I said?

2008-04-10T22:46:00.000-04:00

The germ attack just continues. Poor Tali had gone to bed last night after complaining of dizziness and not feeling so good only to be awoken to a not so pleasant stomach virus. Scissors being the good Daddy that he is and not wanting her to feel lonely in her misery, joined her around 4:00 am with the same bug. I stayed home yet again today to just keep redoing laundry and tend to the sick. That, and I catnapped most of the morning as I was up quite a bit with the sick crew throughout the night.

Thankfully, the worst of it was over by 6:00 am for Tali - Scissors, not so much. I went in to check on him this morning and Louie was lying up on the bed with him. He growled at me! Louie, that is; Scissors was too sick to growl. Louie really takes protecting his Daddy quite seriously. Although he made up for it by abandoning him this evening to come lay by my feet (again Louie, not Scissors).

So, on a humorous note - Tali's school did a course of study and presentations on former presidents a month or two back. Tali's president was William Howard Taft. The children wrote stump speeches themselves and then had to dress up as the president and deliver them. What follows is Tali's turn as William Howard Taft. My camera was completely out of focus, but you'll get the idea. The children of the school voted in three categories and ole "Big Bill" won as president with the best personality. I suspect it had something to do with the moustache.

G'night.

Ambivalence rears its ugly head...

2008-04-08T21:39:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure what I'm doing of late. I have sat down to write a post, well two times anyway, and stared at the page. I have to say that I'm feeling a bit self-indulgent about blogging. Maybe cynical. That and my computer connection was screwed up for a couple of days, perhaps that's part of the cynicism. I started out blogging for a creative outlet and some days it's all I can do to think of what to actually post. It seemed at some point I actually wrote something. With being sick, I didn't feel like putting on the computer. Now I find that it just zaps too much of my time. I don't know.

I'd let you in on a little of my thought process, but my mind is racing so that I can't always keep up. I find myself getting into worry mode as the school year approaches the downhill slope. What will the summer bring? What services do we need to address on Julian's IEP? How is he progressing? Time for a new evaluation? Same doctor or new doctor? Are we doing enough? How is Tali holding up to the rigors of school? Will I lose my job? Will I keep my job? And so forth and so on.

So hey, glad you stopped by? The good news is - I'm not one to wallow.

This cart is parked on the campus of Tali's music school. There is a website that has everyday objects as faces that I must find to send it to.

I don't mean to imply that life is bad - it's not. Life is beautiful. And what is life without worry? Well, I think that's actually checkout time. I signed up for the late checkout, thank you very much.

RABBIT RABBIT

2008-04-01T03:00:00.000-04:00

...and I am that pipe smoking rabbit.

Okay, that would certainly explain my absence of late in a simple nutshell.

We had a death in Scissor's family - his only aunt which really has us all shaken up. She passed away on the Fast of Esther, the day before Purim and was buried on Purim. There's not much I can say right here without feeling that I am diminishing the effect on our family. She was a Holocaust survivor, along with my mother-in-law. They were the only survivors from their immediate family. If they talked once a day, they talked seven times a day. You may recall her being the topic of the great Salami Trafficking Post HERE. She was a dear soul, as sweet and gentle as the day is long and we'll miss her terribly.

On the heels of that, I seem to have contracted a nasty strain of upper respiratory flu which had me sidelined until pretty much today. The same flu that hospitalized my MIL who is now home and resting comfortably, thank G-d.

And where last we left off in this story, Julian had Scarlet Fever and when we sent him back to school, they called for us to pick him up. It seems the teacher convinced him that a runny nose doth a sick child make and so each day, he'd say, "I have Scarlet Fever, I can't go to school." cough cough cough end of sentence. I stopped explaining absence of fever, three days of antibiotics to a six year old and just let him watch Spongebob.

Throw in a sore throat and general feelings of malaise for Tali and Scissors and the pox upon our household was complete. I swear I called HBO to let them know that I could fill in for Paul Giamatti as the infirm John Adams. They have not gotten back to me, but I'm certain that I could still pull it off and be a credit to the role.

And that, my friends brings me coughing back to this little blog. I've missed visiting, but will get back little by little. I mostly still feel weak and out of sorts, so it will take time. I'm going back to work tomorrow, or April Fools Day. There must be a message in that alone, but I'm feeling too lowly to delve into that one.

So Rabbit Rabbit and good luck in April. I'd settle for just luck - not bad certainly, but I don't even want to push it by asking for good. Just a little luck, that's all.

Happy April friends. It's been a while.

Above image via FFFOUND.com

Happy Saint Paddy's Day

2008-03-17T09:11:00.000-04:00

An American lawyer asked, "Paddy, why is it that whenever you ask an Irishman a question, he answers with another question? "Who told you that?" asked Paddy.

Scissors often accuses me of answering a question with a question which is also a Jewish trait. This furthers my assertion that the Irish are one of the Lost Tribes of Israel.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! May the luck of the Irish be with us all.

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-03-15T11:23:00.001-04:00

I am putting this post together quickly as I have one little boy camper with a fever, so here's hoping he's feeling good as new tomorrow.

Today's singer is Keren Ann who is a French born Israeli singer or was it an Israeli born French singer? Well, she's based in both countries as well as New York. Read up on that in the Wiki link. As my old contractors were fond of saying, "this is small matter." What matters is that she sings beautiully and her songs have such a lovely soft quality that I think I would need an afternoon to lounge about with a gentle breeze blowing the curtains as her music played...(sound of dream sequence screeching to a halt). Well, you get the picture.

So now have a look:

and a listen: MySpace.

and a good weekend!

Enjoy.

Time for an Upgrade

2008-03-14T01:00:00.000-04:00

I was leafing through Blueprint magazine* recently and came upon the Stylish Sleepwear article. Article, pictorial - whatever. A lovely little number caught my eye. The description labels it a chemise. Has it been so long since I've updated my boudoir wear that I don't even know that word? Oh sure, I hear the tusk, tusking of the wordsmiths now. The word is certainly not new, but it is to me in terms of sleepwear. The picture to the left is an image from Wikipedia which goes on to describe a chemise as follows: "In modern usage the term chemise generally refers to women's fashions that vaguely resemble the older shifts but are typically more delicate, and usually provocative." Does it come with the heaving bosom I wonder.

I convince myself that my sleepwear isn't so terrible. What's that? What color are my sweats? These? These are not sweats. They are a soft gray-ish pair of the finest cotton lounging pants.

*I see that reading this, one might get the idea that all I do is lounge about leafing through magazines, eating bonbons. I can assure you that I am not - eating bonbons, that is. But now a small sliver of honey cake never hurt a soul.

REALITY AVOIDANCE THERAPY

2008-03-12T01:20:00.000-04:00

Do people want to read that you have nothing to say? Has it really come to this? Why yes, yes it has. I just needed a post to differentiate from my Saturday Spin which is supposed to be my lighthearted weekend background music.

I was looking at a home design mag - Elle Decor or some such fluff, and was reading an article about molding and how your home should dictate what type of molding to choose. Crown molding in a modern? Nooooooo. It said, "the molding should want to be there."

This got me to thinking of how I would determine that in Home Depot. Shall I ask the molding "would you like to come to my home?" It would probably reply "Well I guess I'm stuck now aren't I? This is sort of awkward - I'm next and you're purchasing; all my dreams of The Hamptons dashed. Go on, just take me. Get it over with."

I'll quickly whip out family photos and even show the other molding in the room which will be its company. "Of course, you'll be behind Louie's dog dishes so you can expect a fair amount of water being splashed on you. Well, a little bit anyway." I'd offer helpfully.

Then I wondered why I waste any time on thinking these things which naturally lead to thoughts of my aggravating day. I picked up Elle Decor again. It's part of my reality avoidance therapy which I ensure a bit of each day.

Of course, blogging is reality so it doesn't count.

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-03-08T10:09:00.001-05:00

I'm feeling rather relaxed about these spins because I don't feel the need to stretch them into a post proper. I never intended them to be reviews, per se, just a spotlight on someone who has either caught my ear casually or that I'm loving so much, I'm burning out the cd. Yes, I still buy cd's. What can I say, I love liner notes.

This week is someone from the former category, with a little more investigation, she might make it into the latter. Her name is Nicole Atkins and she hails from my home state of New Jersey - nothing stinky* about her (you couldn't write that in a professional review I hasten to add). She will naturally call up some reference to Amy Winehouse as she has a little bit of a nostalgic sound going. I also hear Mama Cass in there.

See what you think : MY SPACE HERE. I think the girl can sing.

Performance of The Way It Is from her current album Neptune City, live on Letterman (Dave is loving her):

Have a great weekend. Enjoy whatever you have planned (especially if it's not planned).

* For any of my foreign correspondents, the stinky reference is to the purported smell that emanated from chemical plants dotting the upper NJ Turnpike. We always just blamed it on Staten Island.

The Bargain of the Century!

2008-03-06T22:21:00.001-05:00

For me, anyway!

Where last we left off in this tale of intrigue, I was girding our strength to prepare for pickup of our auction winnings.

Due to some email snafus in which I did not hear from the seller at close of auction or into the next morning, I sent one last terse email basically saying, "I want my chair (even if you are a sex offender)!"

I then requested a communication through eBay which essentially provides the buyer/seller with each other's phone numbers. That got Robert hot under the collar and he called and caught Scissors coming through the door. Ring ring.:

Scissors: "Hello."
Robert, the seller: "May I speak to Ms. G!? This is Robert Soandso and I just sold her a Room & Board chair through eBay."
Scissors: "Well she's not here right now.."
Robert: "Well she sent me an email that I did not like the tone of...
Scissors: "Excuse me, my wife would not send a nasty email unless of course there was a reason...
Robert: (Insert Charlie Brown teacher voice here): "blah blah blah"
Scissors "I'll have her call you."

Scissors calls me at work, "There's some guy calling mentioning eBay, a chair..."

Poor Scissors always the last to know. In all the excitement I wanted to wait until I had a confirmation to tell him of the great deal! I tell him that I'll call Robert who in the meantime has had time to cool his jets. We get on fabulously or at least he still is letting me come pick up the chair which is all that I care about. With address secured, the next leg of our adventure begins...

Heading to points west (West Harlem) to be exact to claim my winnings from an eBay auction. I'm sitting on my chair right now typing. It is the Grace Chair from Room & Board pictured above, only in a sort of charcoal grey color. Love, love, love it! The price is $899.00 (+$65 shipping). My winning bid was $103.50 and we picked it up! Well there's the $9.00 round trip toll over the Triborough Bridge, so that's the delivery charge I guess. The owner described it as "like new" which is more than accurate. It shows no signs of any sort of wear and actually he said that it didn't get much use. I recognized the other chair keeping Grace company in his living room from eBay as well. I asked how he did with that auction and he smiled and said, "great, I got 10 for it."

I guess my expression showed I needed to be clubbed over the head with the details so he helpfully added "thousand." Somehow he made up for the loss on the Grace chair with the sale of the Finn Juhl. $10,000 smackers! He told me to have a seat and I cozied right in. It was divine, but for $10K I'd have to be able to drive it to work.

Of course getting our win down the three narrow flights of stairs was a little adventure with me offering little in the way of actual help but plenty in the way of guidance. And Robert, nice as he was, feigned some sort of wrist injury. All that brawn wasted. We tied her into the trunk like the Beverly Hillbillies that we are and waved goodbye!

For the record, I noticed nothing untoward about Robert, and then I realized what must have triggered the sex offender link!! Bill Clinton's offices are two blocks away!

G-Bay

2008-03-04T23:09:00.001-05:00

As I mentioned, I come from a large family. In sorting through my Mom's things, I only half jokingly suggested that perhaps I should catalog things digitally and let people decide what they would like as a keepsake from her jewelry. My brother raised his eyebrows suspiciously, "gBay!" I swore that I would not make a profit, at least not a despicable amount, then grudgingly offered him a small commission.

On a separate note, I won an item on eBay tonight! I have never purchased a big ticket item from eBay (that I can recall). Although the amount was actually a bargain, it is a piece of furniture which makes it big ticket. I had in my favor that the auction was for pickup only in NYC. After winning, I just googled the zip code which I surmised to be on the westside of Manhattan. The search returns jolted me a bit and my heartbeat quickened as I read "Sex Offenders in Zip Code 1****!" The room was spinning out of focus as I read on "Hotels in Zip Code 1****" and immediately thereafter "Bars in 1****." Oh my gosh, I'm being lured in by a pervert!!! At a hotel!!! Who'll try to liquor me up! That's it, I'm reporting this creep to eBay.

I went back and looked at the chair and all my fears have been allayed. After all, a bargain's a bargain. Anyway, Scissors will be picking it up with me. Would it be odd for me to send the seller a question as to his height and weight? I just want to make sure Scissors and I can take him. Otherwise we may have to call in the big guns:

I'll let you know how it all works out. I hope.

Take Me Home

2008-03-03T01:07:00.000-05:00

It's been almost four months since my Mom passed away. I went home to her house today with one of my sisters and one of my brothers to begin the process of sorting through my Mom's things. We got a lot done. We cried. We sorted. We cried. We laughed. We sorted. We ate. We cried. And so it went. It seems that my Mom literally saved every card that people gave her. Ten kids - that's a lot of cards. We toyed with the idea of taking them and making a little bonfire on the beach down in NJ where she spent countless summers shielding her children's skin from sunburn (not always so successfully). What do you want for a bunch of Irish kids?

The truth is I haven't cried much of late. It's not that I'm not acutely aware of the fact that my Mom is gone, it's just I haven't had anything really spark the tears. Until I got off the highway and headed up to the traffic light to turn towards her home and the following played from the radio:

"I hear her voice in the morning
How she calls me
The radio reminds me of my home far away
And driving down the road
I get a feeling that I should have been home
Yesterday Yesterday"

I cried like I haven't since the day my Mom died. One of the birthday cards I had given her said "If love looked in the mirror, it would see my mother's face."

And she'd be smiling.

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-03-01T10:01:00.001-05:00

Rabbit rabbit and good luck in March! You can read a bit more about the folklore behind wishing people Rabbit Rabbit on the first of each month for good luck HERE. All I know is that the Pez folks do it and that's good enough for me.

The print is via Isabella's Art in ETSY.

On to the music - today I'm featuring a band who happens to have a sound reminiscent of a few other bands. I swore it was The Shins when I first heard the song featured in the video. They're called Band of Horses and they hail from South Carolina so I naturally have to give a shout out to my good friend Pia and wish her well in her travels to make a home there.

Here's the video for Is There a Ghost from their latest album, Cease to Begin, a title that I somehow relate to:

If you like what you see, go check out their MySpace for some more tunes and links.

Have a great weekend and good things to you in March.

I Think I Should Emcee the Oscars...

2008-02-25T22:12:00.001-05:00

Was I alone in thinking that Jennifer Hudson's bra should have been one of the contenders in the Best Actor in a Supporting role category? I didn't think so. End of Oscar summary.

We celebrated our anniversary today with Chinese Food from our favorite restaurant (since we keep Kosher, the only Chinese restaurant in the area that we can eat meat from). This is Queens, NYC - can somebody please offer up a little competition? End of Kosher food rant.

But we were also celebrating something else - Julian read ten words from the board today! His reading skills are emerging and my heart just swells at the world opening for him. I spoke to his teacher earlier and then got off the phone and promptly called Scissors who was just as over the moon. Julian has learning difficulties with no diagnosis. Actually, he was diagnosed with global developmental delay as a tot, a little sensory integration thrown in with a smattering of auditory processing issues and there you have our perfect little puzzle - Julian. I sat with him last night reading something that was a little difficult for him, but he was scanning all over and picking out those sight words expertly. I felt tears forming as they're forming now.

It's amazing looking through the world of each of your children. Somehow Tali's world has always been a bit more straightforward as she has easily narrated the goings on from early on. Entrance to Julian's world sometimes requires a bit more of a roundabout journey, but I must say, always worth the diversions.

Julian's fortune from his cookie tonight was, "Some pursue happiness; you create it." End of kvelling over your children segment.

G'night.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US

2008-02-25T09:49:00.000-05:00

Scissors and I are married 12 years today. In that simple sentence is packed a lot of living. We've made a home together that is filled with love and laughter (and a pinch of angst and tears for good measure). We dream of winning the lottery, but rarely play mostly because we don't want to embarrass ourselves and say something like "we still can't hardly believe it." Winners seem to say things like that.

I really liked last year's Anniversary post, it makes me smile so I'm just linking to it. Now don't be lazy (like me), go on over and read about my SLIDING THEORY.

The song that follows is a favorite love song and I send it out to Scissors - A Heart Needs A Home by Richard and Linda Thompson. I'm glad that our hearts found theirs.

SATURDAY SPIN

2008-02-23T13:03:00.001-05:00

Ah, the halcyon days of Central Snark and my Saturday Spins. Yes, the wildly popular Saturday Spins where I would showcase a new artist each week and my NBFF, my kids and a friend of a friend would drop by to listen.

Well the friend of a friend wondered if I would continue spinning even though Central Snark is sort of on hiatus so I said sure in as noncommital a tone as I could muster politely. Actually, I do love checking out new music and mostly get the opportunity to do so on my commutes to work.

So as not to trifle with tradition, I shall continue my spins right here on Simply Said. After all, it's nice to have a little music to chill out with on the weekends.

Today, we have Rilo Kiley whose catchy tunes have been bouncing around in my head for a while. As you can read in the above Wiki link, two of the band members were former child stars of shows that I have no knowledge of which means I'm too old to remember or too above it to have watched (that's my too old bitter side talking).

If you like them, check out a little more over at rilokiley.com. This is the video for their song Silver Lining from their latest album, Under the Blacklight. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend and for old time's sake, drop over to Humor-blogs.com where old habits die hard.

A Few of My Favorite Things...

2008-02-20T01:28:00.000-05:00

Laughter. Or laughing so hard with my kids - true belly laughs that tears are forming. It certainly beats the alternative of tears forming from being unable to get the creative juices flowing for a homework assignment. One silly thing lead to the next tonight (as is often the case) and to coax an assignment out of Tali, I pretend that I am a newspaper editor of the cigar chomping variety and Tali is a reporter who is not getting the assignment. Along comes Julian to totally save the day! He starts reporting on something as I scribble madly into my "notepad". I tell Tali that it is not unlike the movie, Being There where Chance becomes Chauncey and his predictions for his garden become an economic forecast. I never tire of this scene:

Not only does Julian get the job, but is ushered off to bed so that he can rest up for his next big assignment, without ever having to reveal his source. And as I said to Tali "get some rest kid, maybe that'll help you get the next big story."

Julian asks as I lead him in to bed, "What is this game?" to which I reply "We'll call it - reporter."

"I like that," he simply said.

Tali got the assignment done. We all laughed and I even got to post a little something. I'm a bit rusty and didn't know what to blog about, so nothing like the present.

End of story.

Won't somebody please save me...

2008-02-13T00:32:00.000-05:00

from my boring template!!!

It's no secret, even to the casual observer, that I am completely maladroit at any sort of technical upgrades to my blog - short of simply adjusting the color background, that is. I go from blog to blog, admiring the beautiful window candy, witty pictures and then come back here and want to throw a brick through my blog's window.

Won't someone help me please? We could have a contest in which I could award a prize to the template designer (no professionals need apply/just saavy blogger friends). I'm thinking this THING might be just the giveaway. What? I'll have you know that is a work of art! Okay, okay - I'll rummage about a bit more.

Give it some thought. If you want to charge your friend, just do so at a deep discount. Of course, being the control freak that I am (in a nice knowing what I like sort of way), I'd have to have complete editorial imput (in a polite yet determined manner). I work well with others, especially in light of keeping up with my daily dosage of meds.

Please know that I am only half kidding and half desperate here. Any advice is appreciated, say even how to make a blog banner on my own. Should I learn Photoshop or would that be another exercise in futility? I know that I may just have to pony up some do re mi to get the look I want. Or I could just quit blogging and stop wasting my time.

There, happy?

Parenting Inspiration Can be found...

2008-02-06T02:20:00.000-05:00

in seemingly odd places.

I wish that I knew which blog I had originally seen this image on to give the proper credit. If it comes to me, I shall. This is by an artist Carol Hummel who among other things, has taken to shodding trees in underpants. She explains it a bit more poetically, "Dirt Divers” are a series of work that personifies trees highlighting human intrusion on natural objects. Instead of protection and care, this intrusion has the human element burying its head in the sand in denial of its impact. It raises questions about where human intrusion is appropriate when inflicted on our environment."

This brings me full circle to Julian who is (dependent upon which side of the wet pants you are on) having many accidents or "intentionals" may more accurately describe what's going on. This occurs mostly at school, but also at home. I do believe he is trying to tell us precisely what the artist has stated above but as relates to him, "It raises questions about where adult intrusion is appropriate when inflicted on my environment."

Sometimes I think I'm the only one who understands my child. People say that they do, but then do the damndest things to convey it. Meanwhile, Julian has it all figured out and is testing people like mad. So far they're not passing with flying colors.

Julian is patiently waiting for us to catch up before he goes on to the next lesson.

Super Tuesday

2008-02-05T10:18:00.000-05:00

Get out and vote!

Tali's assignment tonight was to write about whom she thought should be president. Her short essay is over at Muffinland.

Yes we can!

It's Good to be a New York fan tonight -

2008-02-04T02:41:00.000-05:00

especially for us casual observers.

No matter your level of sports observance - in my case my knowledge of Michael Strahan of the NY Giants was limited to his divorce battle played out quite publicly in PageSix of the NY Post. This is not important. You can catch up quickly and by that I mean, during the "big game" if need be. Oh this being a sports fan is not for the faint of heart. I really do feel for those fans who watch their teams throughout the regular season because I am not there with you rooting through the good times and bad. No, I am there when it gets interesting. I mean, who would want to be a New England fan tonight - a perfect season ending like this? Oy, that's got to hurt.

I do enjoy sports in what could be considered a bandwagon jumping sort of way, but truly it is just that I reserve my rooting for the final moments of a season - Super Bowls, World Series, Stanley Cups and so forth. I've rooted NY teams through all of them: '77 Yankees - I was there (mostly to hear Phil Risuto kvell "look at Reggie!"; 86 Mets - through all seven games; 91 Giants squeeker over the Bills, front and center; 94 Rangers - didn't everyone watch? In some ways, being this type of fan is even tougher as you have no idea of the stats, you just want to see your hometown team win. To clear the air - I am a NY Mets fan if push comes to shove (as it often does on the 7 train to Shea).

Of course, my personal fave of the game was the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers halftime show. I was a teenager when their seminal debut album hit the charts, so during the halftime show the kids and I rocked out. Scissors had taken his award winning chile over to his friend's where men could be men and watch sports undistracted.

Well, I'm sure except for that Victoria's Secret commercial.

So here's to you sports fans - the old and the new (or temporary). It's not whether you win or lose - well, actually from where I'm sitting it is.

Spring training must be just around the corner...

Why blog...

2008-01-31T01:04:00.000-05:00

...when you can just go for blood tests?

Well, it seems my case of shingles is so mild that I actually don't have them. There's something wrong with how you earn a living when you'd rather have shingles than show up at work. Maybe not quite, but it's a coin toss.

The short story of the ongoing Health Caucus 08 is that my suspected case of shingles turned into not being shingles but then the doctor(s) were perplexed with some odd symptoms I was having (including numbness in my right arm), fevers, lethargy. I was ordered to the ER with a perscription and described as looking "fachada." My sister, Roni, has diagnosed it as Blogitis only to be cured by locking up my computer and throwing away the keyboard. That Roni.

Once in the ER, blood was drawn by an 80 pound resident. If I closed my eyes, I was certain that it was a 300 pound gorilla working the tubes. The ER said everything looked okay. Not so, says my internist the next morning. Come into my office this afternoon. It seems the results from the ER showed an extreme decline in my iron to the tune of about 30% drop in just one month. The doctor drew new blood and I had a day to again, imagine my children motherless, only to find out that the ER results were actually incorrect and I am fine. It's enough to raise your blood pressure and mine is holding steady at 100/60. As my mother would ask, "Are you sure you're breathing?"

Back to earning a living. Just in time to return to the office to a resignation; a splitting of accounts back into our offices in Manhattan and back with me into a newly formed department (so new, they don't even know what its purpose is yet) in Manhattan. I'm actually looking forward to being back in the city as it is definitely time for a change. Now if I could glean a few more details of the position, that might be good.

I wish I could be enthusiastic but I'm tired of earning a living and not really enjoying how it is I do that. But short of sitting home in our "playroom", making something artisitc (more specific than that, I can't be) and looking into our backyard, I don't think I'd be happy. Change of scenery of course takes care of that for a while.

Maybe in the meantime, my ship will come in. Boy do I sound wistful and pathetic or what? Maybe I should just make absolutely sure that I don't have shingles...

L'chaim

2008-01-25T00:26:00.000-05:00

Drink to your health!

It all started with a bad case of indigestion that awakened me one night. I was having shooting pains and Scissors made me some secret special tea that his Mom picks from the wilds of Queens (don't laugh - the stuff is miraculous). I even considered for a brief moment a trip to the ER. I'll spare you all the details that lead me from TUMS to toilet, but suffice to say - I called my doctor and made an appointment for a checkup.

For the past month, I've had sonograms/various "oscopies" and to cover everything, a mole checking. No not the kind in the ground - on my body. I am now wrapping up Health Caucus 08 with tomorrow's mammogram/sonogram. At the end of the day, I blame the horrific heartburn on a bad batch of undercooked homemade french fries and the bad news is - I have shingles. Oy.

The good news (I am so very much hoping) is that it was caught early so I'm taking anti-viral meds to hopefully stave off the severity and length of the attack because as it stands - not feeling so good. Basically it appears as a welt of sorts on my scalp, actually several of them and they hurt. And I take Tylenol and so far it calms it down. What I've noticed over these couple of days now is that as the day progresses, it gets worse and I start to feel a bit fluish by nightfall with my head and neck really hurting and feeling numb at the same time.

I think this may account for some of my more than cranky feelings of late and I'd say that it's time to hunker down and take good care. Tali was already pitching in after school, getting Julian to hang up his coat and they were rearranging their shoes in the closet which lead to Julian "sleeping" on one of the shelves in the closet and pillows all over the floor. It's good to see they can rise to the occasion.

Alright then, I guess I'd better listen to my body and get to bed early. I feel badly as I'm not getting around to my circle of buddies as I'd like to, but you are all in my thoughts and I hope that life is treating you well.

PS: By the way, as I took out my web MD diploma and started checking around about shingles, I came across this helpful advice for the caregivers:

"Do something you enjoy; read a book, listen to your favorite music, watch TV, go for a walk, indulge in a bubble bath or participate in a hobby."

Will the caregiver have time to care for the person? In this case - me. I see where this is going - Scissors and Co. with the music blaring, doing hobbies in a bubble bath fresh from their long walks, whilst I sit ringing my bell for a cup of tea or sympathy.

Please check on me.

If it's Tuesday...

2008-01-23T01:29:00.000-05:00

I've got nothing.

Well, I've got plenty of nothing. My computer is on the way to crashing - is that possible, or does it just crash all at once? I can't access anything signed in under my sign-in and so can't get at my pictures/files/basically the G Manifesto that's being developed as you sleep. The volume rises of its own volition like a scene from High Anxiety.

It all goes back to my glaring disregard for all things technology. Do I have anything backed up? Well on a To-Do list somewhere I am very sure.

I'm just a bit tired lately. I've done precious little writing, even less blogging and a lot of time feeling that I'm on a treadmill (which I can assure you I have not been - read previous post for exercise alternatives) going nowhere fast.

I'm not sure when the haze set in. I feel as if there are things that I need to get up on my roof with a megaphone and start shouting "Hey you - thinking it's all about you who has two kids! Yeah you! Wake up, as you've spent their entire life not caring for them! Yes you." I can assure you this is not self directed as (and not to give myself a pat on the parental back), but I have spent precious little time thinking of anything else but being a good parent since my kids came into this world. Not always to our own glowing reviews, but I know that Scissors and I give it our all. No, this is someone, I - know.

"Oh, hey you! Thinking that life is hopeless. I'm reading up on slavery as Tali studies in school. You want hopeless - imagine being in their place. Yeah you!"

"Oh here comes the one I've been waiting for - yeah you! You. The ones who send me emails enticing me to school functions with the promise of "250 of NYC's most influential moms." Influential, you say? Where do you stand on ProChoice? Where do you stand on Darfur? What stands of the candidates are you interested in? Oh, silly me - not that kind of influential! Riight."

I overheard the query of a Dad at a recent school function to another Mom in the class about the daughter's coat. "No, not that Peppie Le Precocious - My Sweet Little Skunk, the other French brand. Is that what you call influential? I thought so. I'm not influenced, I'm nauseated. Yeah you!"

Sooo, with all of this angst and nowhere to place it, oh wait a hot NYC influential parent moment (yes QUEENS is part of NYC) - I have a blog!

I'm a blogger!

And as Joe E. Brown replied in Some Like it Hot...oh wait, if it's Tuesday (never mind that will change in one hour) - there must be something new to show you (or in this case something that never gets old):

If it's Tuesday...

2008-01-16T02:01:00.000-05:00

there must be something new to show you.

Never mind that it is almost Wednesday. Again.

But before I show you, I'm going to tell you. Tell you how vexed I am at emails to bloggers from all manner of marketing angles. This one from a "kids club" which is apparently an exercise club for kids. As excerpted from their charming email which just has me running to join them:

"I just wanted to follow up with you because I think I wasn't clear enough that I know you're not a NYC mommy or daddy blogger -- I was just hoping you could help me deliver this invitation to a good home. And since you're a blogger, I was hoping I could tap into your double-secret blogger cabal -- you simply must know some folks in New York City. Please have them visit ______________________for full details about these events, including RSVP information."

It goes on to say...

"If you may recall, this is an exclusive blogger day event at the premier kids club of New York City. Why should your NYC friends attend? Our talented instructors are on hand during these events to answer questions and guide your children in fun and interesting activities. There will be complimentary drinks and snacks as well as wireless internet access. We invite the whole family to come blog, bounce, surf, and enjoy the afternoon."

Because apparently nothing says exercise like wireless internet access. And I should schlep my kids from Queens (although part of NYC - not Manhattan) and come hang out and access wireless internet for my kids to get exercise? Well then, may I publicly and politely decline your invitation? Oh and in parting, the last I heard - Queens had not succeeded from NYC.

Now places my kids do go for exercise:

THE OVERPASS! Well we do walk there from our home which is exercise. Then, of course, there is the pulling motion of our arms to signal the engineer to blow his horn. On to other places where we get exercise...

The ice cream counter of a favorite old time parlor. Here we are celebrating Julian's first concert and apparently where they are laying down plans to overthrow the parental units, who are nearby with their noses in homemade whipped cream.

So thanks for visiting and remember, if it's Tuesday - there must be something new to show you!

The Ghost of Homework Past

2008-01-10T22:34:00.000-05:00

...or why I suck as a parent sometimes.

I'm beginning to think that I'm turning myself into a freakin' martyr. Nothing would displease me more. Thankfully it is the end of the week so this feeling that I just have to rip off the layers of my existence until it is only me and nothing or no-one else around me isn't as acute as if it were a Monday night, say.

Well, look at that 9:45 am tomorrow - appointment with "Dr. Roberts." Perhaps I should just print this and hand it to him. Then he'll nod and pull out his prescription pad and in a scene reminiscent of the Ralphie teacher essay grading fantasy in Christmas Story, write up my new scrip.

And all of this had nothing to do with homework. I'm thinking I'd better get to bed because I have a certain daughter to awaken in the am to see if a night's sleep will have awoken her creative juices. I go from putting Julian to bed and of course nodding off doing so to plopping across the table from the daughter who is sullenly doing anything but her homework assignment (we won't talk about the spilled toothpicks or the two hours squandered when she got home). I'm sorry, sometimes I don't have it in me to inspire or offer beginnings or spoon feed how to approach an assignment.

Sometimes you just have to come up with it on your own, kid. Hey, maybe I don't suck at this parenting thing after all.

Don't I feel better now. Maybe ever so slightly. Good night.

If it's Tuesday...

2008-01-08T21:47:00.000-05:00

there must be something new to show you.

Via one of my favorite home/design blogs, Apartment Therapy, I offer an alternative to crashing on relatives' couches or costly hotel stays whilst work (or in this case, fumigation) is being taken care of in your home. Pia, are you listening?

Comedian/filmmaker Mark Malkoff of the Colbert Report has moved into Ikea for a week and is documenting his stay here, fittingly titled, MARK LIVES IN IKEA.

Hope this has been helpful because if it's Tuesday, there must be something new to show you!

Never mind that it's almost Wednesday.

FOOTNOTE: You don't have to look like Stephen Colbert to work for him, but it helps!

UPDATE: Tali and I called Ikea this evening to speak to Mark. We first went to a national call center and asked to be transferred to the Paramus store which we were after assuring the call center we needed to speak to somebody in Office Furniture. We got to an operator and we asked for Mark. We were a little surprised when they put us right through...to Mark's assistant. Needing a reason to call Mark, I asked to speak to him and was told he wasn't able to come to the phone right now. "ohhh" I replied "we were interested in a sleep sofa of Ikea's and was wondering if he might test them out and let us know which he thinks is best."

"That's a great question" she chimed (read - mollified me. But she didn't know that I was mollifying her mollifying me). "Why don't you come on down and visit."

"Well I just might." I replied.

And I just may. But you know with things like work and school, it would be a real effort to go to Paramus, NJ. Let me call Mark. I wonder if he's sleeping yet...

Wild Thing!

2008-01-07T22:42:00.000-05:00

This was originally sent to me via email from the Wildlife Conservation Society - New York Zoos and Aquarium. It's quite fun. You can make your own composite wildlife self. Here's what I would look like in wild form:

Well that doesn't really hold a candle to my punk days. The funny thing is - it kind of looks like me. Go on, make your own wild self HERE Click on the link "Build Your Wild Self."

After seeing my wild personae, Julian and I went back to make one for him. Building your wild self starts off quite mundanely with type of shorts, shirt, etc. Easy enough. Then you move onto animal legs, headdress and so on and so forth. That's where Julian began to rebel. I'd try to talk him into something exotic and he'd say "no, no - not that one" bringing it back to regular hair or shoes. Something about being an animal does not appeal to him.

Give it a try. You make everythang groovy!

A New Year Begins and I Recall Times Past...

2008-01-01T22:54:00.001-05:00

Here's to hopes being fulfilled this year for you all.

I had a get together at my oldest brother's this past weekend and as always, it was wonderful to gather. But of course, underlying each gathering is a poignant sadness reserved at the head of the table for where my Mom should be. Just a few of us - two sisters, said brother and one sister-in-law took a walk down a back path to get some fresh air and as we walked along, I said "oh my...I thought that woman was Mommy for a second!" and my sister replied "so did I!" Only later in talking to my older sister who was walking ahead did she say the very same thing. I guess it's just wishful thinking on our parts.

I was looking through an old writing notebook of Tali's (all the way when she was a lowly third grader) and found this which is excerpted from her overall entry of "My Aunt Trish and Mommy's Mommy Came":

I went back upstairs to play with my dolls. I played and played, and played. I waited and waited, and waited. Finally my aunt came upstairs and my brother turned on "Let it be" so he could dance with Mommy's mommy. My mom joined in. Then I did, and then my aunt did.

Mommy's Mommy was the name that stuck since Tali was a wee one. That's who she'll always be to my kids. I remember above day so well. I remember Julian crying out for her to dance and her joining in. I remember Tali dressing Julian up as a girl and him getting into character and my Mom laughing so heartily. It was a good day.

Anyway, not really a New Years post, but you know I did want to have one up to start the year in the right fashion. I also would be remiss if I didn't mention how great it's been to get to know each of you and I so enjoy each blog that I visit for your unique perspectives.

Here's hoping that 2008 brings us each what we need, which you'll recall may not necessarily be what we want.

Forty years ago? Let's enjoy today. Happy New Year!

CHECKING IT TWICE

2007-12-25T23:59:00.000-05:00

I hope you won't think any less of me (than you already do) after reading this. I offer it as a cautionary tale. Also, as a reminder that lists might be a helpful thing and something I endeavor to keep in the New Year. It's on my list here somewhere.

Our hapless office assistant Narnia (name changed to protect us all) is big on gift giving. I have never once been able to use with any enjoyment a gift that she's given and I am quite easy to please. I also believe the act of giving transcends the item...usually. It's just the items that she has chosen (or actually bought in mass quantity and told me about) are never something that are well, to my taste or are useful. For example:

- a polyester Christmas ornament scarf that I have absolutely no use for as I don't actually celebrate Christmas. Not that I have anything against Christmas, it's just I'm Jewish and even if I weren't, would still not have such an item in my wardrobe. Off to the donation pile.
- a scarf that has some gold thread through it that itches me like sandpaper. I won't give it away as I wouldn't want to subject this on even the neediest human.
- this year it was a tea light holder (sure, sounds promising) with the word "HOPE" emblazoned in big letters. My first thought was "I hope she'll stop giving me gifts."

"I gave one to my best friend too!" she proclaimed. Right to the garage sale pile.

With these evil thoughts dancing through my head, it was my just comeuppance that I totally blanked on buying Narnia a Christmas present. I bought for the teachers, various school related people - everyone on that list in my head, except Narnia. When did I discover this? As I showered before leaving for work yesterday morning. There must be something to the ole shower waking you up thing as I jumped into reality. What to do? Narnia doesn't go to Starbucks, so a gift card there was out. This was my only option as no other stores were open before my arrival, except the newsstand. Today's paper? "Look Narnia, what a great horoscope you have for today!" Magazines? A bag of Skittles? Come on - think woman, think!

The only viable option was to gift something of my own. Horror of horrors! I looked on the shelves in my room and saw a little silver bird that I always liked and then another little glass paperweight-ish item that I had a perfect gift bag for as it turned out. I held them up to Scissors, telling him of my predicament and asked his opinion on which I should give.

"Give her the bird" was his reply. After I stopped cracking up as funnier than his actual advice was the fact that Scissors didn't really grow up in the States and did not at first realize what he had just told me to do. I gave her what I sold as a paperweight and is currently resting comfortably on Narnia's desk where I can still have visitation rights.

I called my friend Jennifer to tell her of my predicament and had tears streaming down my face laughing as she asked between her own laughter "You gave her something from Montauk? Was it some crappy souevenir item with Welcome to Montauk on it?"

"Yeah sure", I continued "here Narnia, I bought this in the summer thinking it would be a perfect Christmas gift for you. Enjoy!"

I assured her that I scoured the item to make sure it made no mention of its souvenir origins. Once certain, I polished her up and wrapped it.

I believe a list may have saved me this predicament, but then again Narnia would have had to make the list. Maybe I'll start that list now, while it's fresh on my mind.

Ho! Ho! Ho!

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

2007-12-24T22:24:00.000-05:00

Twas the night before Christmas
and this family of four
had baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies
and were eyeing one more.

The Christmas Story marathon
played on the tv all night
and served as the backdrop for the
brother and sister to fight.

The brother finally collapsed
in a heap on the floor
when they heard the jingling
of bells outside of their door.

The Dad cracked the door
as the Mom felt fluish
and there sat Santa looking puzzled
"you know with Christmas story playing,
you don't sound Jewish."

The Dad pointed up to
the mezuzah on the door
and to the dreidl still spinning
from Chanukah on the floor.

They gave him a plate of sufganiyot
or jelly donuts to you
The mom wrapped a blanket tighter
did we mention she had the flu?

Then we heard Santa exclaim as
he drove out of sight
Never mind those cookies and milk
It's these donuts I like!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Well this blogging for a year and a half has its benefits in the form of reprisal of old posts, or traditions as we like to say. This was from last Christmas Eve, but what the heck - it was fun!

So Merry Christmas to my friends and best of everything in the new year.

XOX

TRIPPING THE LIGHT FANTASTIC

2007-12-23T22:35:00.000-05:00

I hopped on the subway with the kids and landed in Grand Central Terminal where we enjoyed their laser light show that is on around the Holidays through December 31st. They're an easy crowd - Julian just was happy to ride the trains and Tali wanted a hot chocolate from Starbucks. I wanted to buy a few gift items from an African craft booth in Grand Central's Holiday Fair. With only that, we killed four hours this afternoon.

Scissors stayed home with Louie who is recuperating from a delicate surgery. He was neutered. No more making time with the cute beagle or the cocker spaniel with the pink bows in her hair for him. He's recuperating quite nicely though.

Just a quick note to say hello, not much else. Just want to get my little blog here up and running for the last week of 2007.

Some items from the craft fair:

A Visit to the Nursing Home

2007-12-12T21:58:00.000-05:00

"I can't bear the number of funerals you go to once you get older. I have to find a way to adjust to loss or sentence myself to a life of grieving. So I focus on the immediate, on my children." Jack Nicolson in an interview I read online earlier today.

I understand how my Mom felt attending the funerals of close friends and relatives. It's hard to watch your generation disappearing. It's harder becoming the older generation. After the last of my father's brothers passed away a couple of years ago, a cousin from that side said "Now the top shelf is gone, no more Johhnie Walker Black. We have to go to the middle shelf." Always the alcohol references on that side of the family, but pretty funny just the same.

I miss my Mom - she loved to hear stories about the kids and so many times I've thought "oh I have to tell Mommy that..." or "Mommy's going to laugh at that one..." and then a tear or two forms. It's sad, but necessary - all part of the grieving process. But then I smile. Smile at the memory and our conversations which often centered around the kids.

On Monday I received a call at the office that Julian had thrown up at school. I made a couple of calls and arranged to have him go to my mother-in-law's home until either I or Scissors got home. He stayed home from school yesterday even though he was quite fine. I took him to the nursing home to bring some things for Grandpa. The residents are getting to know Julian although they don't always remember him. He's taking to pretending he's one of the residents and using Grandpa's long shoe horn as a cane and walking the halls talking. I then found him outside one resident's door ushering the resident into his room with a sweeping motion saying "come in." We then went downstairs to the sitting room before we left whereby Julian pretends that he's talking to Louie our dog on the payphone. It's just Julian and myself and Grandpa and one other little lady resident who seems quite vexed that Julian is on the payphone as witnessed by the following exchange:

Resident (sitting stonefaced with a grimace frozen on face): "He's going to hurt himself with that cord."

Me (the uncaring Mom): "It's okay, he's playing pretend."

Resident expression tightens. Julian runs back over to Grandpa and I, then back to the phone.

Resident: "Holler at him! He should hang up that phone!"

Me (the slightly off kilter visitor): "I'm going to holler at you if you keep yelling at my child." Mutter under breath "old crank".

Resident makes a pffft noise at me. Notice that her grimace has turned to a slight smile.

We both feel better now that we've gotten that off our chests and Julian off the payphone as it turns out.

You see why I need to write a blog? Not because I have such great stories to tell but because if I'm not kept off the streets, I may be harassing little old ladies in nursing care facilities.

No good can come of that.

HAPPY CHANUKAH

2007-12-05T01:22:00.000-05:00

Tonight marked the start of Chanukah, the Festival of Lights. It's a joyous, fun and fattening holiday celebrated with anything drenched in oil. Um ummmm. Latkes, soufganyot (jelly donuts), and pretty much more of the same.

So Happy Chanukah and enjoy!

I've done a couple of posts over at Central Snark which explore the proper spelling of Chanukah and a little rap about playing dreidl. Do stop by, it gets lonely and I end up eating all of the gelt myself.

RABBIT RABBIT/HAPPY BIRTHAY

2007-12-01T09:32:00.000-05:00

Rabbit Rabbit and good luck in December.

Today is Tali's birthday. She turns 10. We also determined (in that same birthday aging conversation that we were having with Julian) that next year we'd have to go to the toes to count her age.

I was attempting a video upload but something isn't cooperating and I've got to cut my losses as I have to decorate, wrap, and go to bed. Instead I've put in the still photo of the video. Maybe later?

Each year I think that my heart would burst if it swelled with any more pride for my children. But each year it doesn't and each year my pride just continues to grow with good reason. Tali, have the happiest birthday and the most wonderful year. May you be happy a good percentage of the time, have grand school lunches, continue to play and practice your violin, and just enjoy. But I don't need to tell you that, for if anybody knew how to laugh and see the fun in life, it is you.

Happy Birthday to the girl who makes most adults look scatterbrained on a good day - our own Noopsie, Tali Rose.

Apparently Tali's video did upload, so let's see (she'd like to showcase a more polished piece, but I thought this was just grand anyway):

Note: The Birthday/Rabbit illustration is a print from the shop of Spiral Forest Studio in Etsy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIAN!

2007-11-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

Today is Julian's 6th Birthday! We were talking in the car on the way home from Tali's violin lesson this evening and considering that we'd now have to go to our second hand to count his age. Quite a milestone.

This video is from this past year some time. It just wouldn't be right for me to do a post about Julian and talk about the joy and love that he's brought into our family, without sharing a little of that light. Here is Julian doing what he loves to do (and our very first YouTube). Okay, so my camera hand needs a little work, not important (Ben when you judge this and you shall, be kind).

You may get some idea why Julian's Chinese Horoscope from his birth year read, "When you walk into a room, people smile." We haven't stopped smiling since.

Happy Birthday to our own natural treasure, the boy with a magnet in his heart. Happy Birthday ChooChoo!

PS: Mommy's Mommy, this one's for you; we know you'd appreciate it. XOX

Because it smelled like you

2007-11-26T22:18:00.000-05:00

There was a necklace
Given for a birthday or a Mother’s Day or
Just any day

Given with love
Returned with the scent of the wearer
You never know just how much that will mean

You just never know.

Today I'm wearing a necklace that I had given my mother. When I took it out of the box that it was kept in, I smelled a familiar scent right away. It reminded me of my Mom. I put it around my neck and picked it up and smelled it and just held it in my hands softly remembering my Mom. She loved jewelry – I do too. Sometimes in a visit, I would notice a ring she was wearing and try it on. The next step in our little inside joke would be when she’d say, “borrow it – for a week,” with a smile on her face because weeks turned into months…

Life is that way, weeks turn into months and we forget that our house being clean or magazine-ready isn’t that important. But sitting with a loved one and sharing a laugh or a memory is.

Just feeling sentimental, that’s all.

A Time to Give Thanks

2007-11-22T22:31:00.000-05:00

That would seem an odd thing to do two weeks after one's Mom's passing, but that is exactly what my entire family is doing today. I hope that I violate no privacies and I certainly won't mention names, but this has been a roller coaster of a week for a dear brother and our entire family.

My niece who gave us all practice in praying was in a very bad way this week. A very bad way - well she must have been and must be in great pain to think that the world would not miss her sweet face. I won't and just can't go into details but she is sitting up and in a regular hospital room and having Thanksgiving with her Mom and Dad by her bedside. We almost lost her this week after losing my Mom two weeks ago.

Thankfully we are instead back to mourning our Mom's death. Somehow that made a little more sense. Somehow there was comfort in that sadness. Somehow we could do the everyday things little by little, bit by bit and still be sad from time to time.

Life has taken on a strange patina in these past two weeks. But I'm thankful. Thankful for my family, thankful for love and thankful for loss. For without it, we'd forget how lucky we really are.

Oh yes - and I'm thankful for all of you that have stopped by or sent emails. Your words of love and support won't soon be forgotten. I am touched from the very bottom of my heart. Thank you.

And to my Mom - thanks. Thanks for showing me without ever telling me what makes a great parent.

Happy Thanksgiving to all. It's good to be back.

Long Journey Home

2007-11-09T23:00:00.000-05:00

Time is the only healer and music a salve for the feelings of grief my family and I are feeling.

In Honor of my Mom: February 18, 1925 to November 8, 2007 - touched so many, loved by all.

Her strength, wisdom, beauty, sense of humor, capacity for love and forgiveness are unequaled. We'll miss her more than words could ever convey.

In the link below is the Robert Plant and Alison Kraus collaboration called Raising Sand. The whole cd is beautiful, YOUR LONG JOURNEY in particular seems to have been sent to us right about now. If you care to hear the song or any of the album, click "Listen to Album" after the jump.

AUDITION UPDATE: PLUM ROLES LANDED!

2007-11-07T23:20:00.000-05:00

After Doobie's succesful audition which Dusty reported on at Asinine News, Hobbes offered her the role of Anastasia. The other animals also landed some nice parts with one of them landing Frederick.

The buzz here is palpable. Wardrobe is already being consulted.

Just a note to all who may think Doobie the fancy bear - she is more than the finery she donned for the audition. She does not walk around dressed in such clothing on a daily basis. Mostly she may be found in her NY Rangers sweatshirt. In fact, she was showing off her acting chops.

Hobbesywood here we come!

AUDITIONS!

2007-11-06T21:37:00.000-05:00

Tali has broken her blog break over at Muffin-land to announce her wish to be considered for a part in the film version of Gone With The Captists, the long running saga at Stuffed Animal Tales.

She's quite excited about the prospect of landing a part.

Drop by to see her audition. I believe other parts are open if you're interested in auditioning.

Say Anything

2007-11-05T23:20:00.000-05:00

Now I know why people post something, anything just to stay in the loop. Mainly because when you don't, it just gets more difficult to schedule time for writing, musing, posting.

That sucks. I've got to work on this.

When I have time, I'll fill you in on the joys of our doggie adoption. We love Louie! How fun is it to run down the block with your two kids trying to get Louie wound up and on the chase with calls of "C'mon Louie, let's run"? Both of them laughing all the while with Louie at first in hot pursuit, then easily taking the lead (with Mommy panting hanging onto the leash swearing at her shoe choice). I love watching his easy glide as his ears drift back in the wind.

And because we are, I won't quit you blog. We're going to get through this lack of posting thing. By just posting. Something. Anything.

RABBIT RABBIT!

2007-11-01T03:05:00.000-04:00

Good luck in November. I don't always do a RabbitRabbit post, but it's Julian's birthday month so I thought this picture was perfect. We could all use a little luck, don't you think?

This is a photo of a hand painted linocut from the artist, Sonia Romero. Her work can be found in her Etsy shop, sheridesthelion or (She rides the Lion).

Enjoy!