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Motivated by a lack of material.

21 May 2012

Cheese-us Cry-us

I do love cheese. I am a semi-lover really. My cheese needs to be on something or served with something for me to fully enjoy it. I cannot say I have often eaten a simple cheese sandwich. I have had my share of grilled cheese sandwiches though.

Recently, I saw a commercial about a  “new”sandwich being served by a national chain restaurant, it took me into a tornado of cheesy fast-food memories. I started with how adding cheese to a sandwich used to(during my adult life recollection) cost anywhere from 5 to 10 cents.I clearly remember rationalizing NOT paying 20 cents for that same cheese especially if the sandwich was going home to be eaten. Now depending on where you are that cost is 50 to 80 cents. Really, for some processed cheese food product high in fat, sodium and ultimately calories.

Honestly, it is not simply the cost we pay for this “food” it is the mindset. Sandwiches and entrees alike are given a whole different classification just because this product is added to it. Look around, there is no escape we even put cheese on desserts. A morning danish, a slice of apple pie or a creamy cannoli, it is there.Wow folks it is JUST cheese. It adds a little flavor but changing the entire eating experience for it’s addition?Wow folks it is JUST cheese. It adds a little flavor, but changing the entire eating experience for it’s addition?

I laughingly tossed out titles with my son: “Say Cheese”, “I’ll have Mine with Cheese”immediately came to mind. However, “Cheese Us Cry Ust” won out because of the phonetic play on words.

The irony of this all hit when I saw and advertisement for a sandwich that highlighted ranch in its name. I thought,” I wonder if they are actually charging more for this sandwich because it now has ranch dressing in opposed to mayonnaise?”  What’s next mustard and ketchup? At the most minor and primitive level the accessories,  the add-ons, the extras are sucking us in. As a cheese lover, I am NOT telling you to stop ordering cheese. I am merely suggesting if we all stopped doing this, perhaps it would discourage the industry from overcharging us for such a minor adjustment and make them think twice about expanding on the idea.

Posted in As Consumers and tagged , | Leave a comment
17 May 2012
1 Comment

Now This Is Scary

There is a bit of a monster in me. I don’t like to admit to, look at, or talk about it. I won’t say I would rather look at or identify other monsters, but I would be lying if I said I do not possess  the characteristic of this very same thing.

We all like to believe we are enlightened. We think we are modern, intelligent, but what about our moments that are not so flattering.. our” toothless times”.

For starters let’s take rural Mississippians, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Allen West, New York welfare leeches and Sarah Palin. They all share a  commonness I want to reveal. Serial stupidity. When we are angry when we are being just plain mean words like ignorant, dumb, stupid come pouring out of our mouths.  However, saying those words and living those words are very different. Here these examples readily demonstrate they don’t have to be angry or even agitated for their condition to rear it’s moronic head.

Whether it is accusing groups of individuals that one does not like of being communist, to stating you can relate to a said group because your ancestors had a relationship with this group in the MOST negative ugly way. Individuals suffering from serial stupidity often time do not realize they have the condition and furthermore they think something is terribly wrong with anyone who does not see things their way. They are entertaining and unpredictable; they are also NOT qualified to be in positions that affect other human beings, let alone an entire nation. Maybe they can all catch a ride on Newt’s spaceship, settle on the moon. Mitt can be king, Newt can be vice king and founder, Allen West can be head waiter and the Mississippi locals” can put their double-wides all over the moon.  Meanwhile Sarah Palin will tell them she can still see Russia from her new front yard.

All in all it reminds me of “Dark Shadows”. As a child I watched this daytime horror/drama series. I was often plagued with nightmares and fear. I, however, could not stay away from the television at 4:00 p.m. Now as a remake Tim Burton offers his take; and while the original creepy environment and backdrop are in tact, the main character is building up to be a rather comical clown type. This does not make me happy, although I am reserving judgement . Reserving that same judgement in connection with the cast of characters I mentioned earlier is not quite as easy. You see if you really look closely these folks have their degree of scary and we should all be aware of that.

It would not do for us to “tah-tah” them away only to have these people, these real life monsters emerge when we were not expecting them in a way we were not expecting them, simply because we did not take them seriously. Take heed folks; someone out there is watching, listening to, and believing them. We wouldn’t want to fall asleep and wake up to a horrifying administration in the White House.

Posted in Order of Appearance
17 May 2012
1 Comment

Good Intentions

“The road to Hell is paved with them”. I consider myself someone who has a sense of humor.  I like some pretty crazy stuff and funny, like so many other human emotions/reactions, is subjective.

Awhile back I did a post called “I’m With Stupid”. It was heartfelt, I can attest that I undoubtedly had done something that made me reflect, just cannot remember what. Here I am again baring my soul, so to speak. It looks like I may need to revisit that post periodically.

I realize I am not alone. We are all teetering on the brink of insanity defined as “ doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” . I just want to know where  the exit door is to this particular ride. If you are asking yourself the same question then you need to examine and revisit some places too.

Without detail I want to share, we must be mindful with our words beyond just thinking; “How would I feel if ____ were said about me..”, we must bother to personalize it to “How would ______ feel if they knew I said this about them”. Humor at the expense of another is NOT funny. Admit it”quick wit” may not be something we have command over anymore. For we may be quick and we may be witty, but  the presentation of the two simultaneously could present a problem. No don’t walk on eggshells, no don’t take yourself too seriously; just slow down, reflect, and think. Slowing down should not be a problem for us. I know how much longer it takes me to do most everything nowadays.

Perhaps now, I can actually train my brain to take in a bit more of what my heart actually has to say. Stay Tuned…

Posted in Order of Appearance
09 May 2012
2 Comments

How Long Can You Live With It?

Well I must say we are all far beyond the point of NOT understanding the adage, “You made your bed now lay in it”. Today I had a “huuum moment”.

There have been numerous decisions over the years that I would tactfully avoid saying were not well thought through. More than a decade after one of these I find myself periodically questioning whether it was not only well thought through, but perhaps it was wrong. OUCH that one hurt! For as much as I see and recognize the inability of others to admit they are wrong, I have the same condition and it is terminal.

I will not bore you with the details for this would make me have to stop and truly examine this thing again and I really do not want to. I will tell you this, recognition also makes you go back and look at your r’epertoire, because unfortunately there generally isn’t a lone incidence.

The steps are simple. First you have the Accusation; this step will lead you to the spot where you KNOW something more must be done. You may or may not mull it over for a bit, but the next step is rapid and hard hitting. This is the Action; not a lot to say for the fact that you are here means you have made up your mind, right or wrong. Acceptance;  here you say you have done all that is humanly possible and you have no other choice.  Consideration; the back and forth happen here. Arguably this should take place before acceptance, but then we may not be having this discussion at all if it did.  Remorse; this is more of a admission, an admission of mostly YOU are not really happy with the outcome, not necessarily with the incidents that lead up to this outcome.

I leave you with “what if I was wrong” to ponder. The next step is even more difficult to face,” what do I do now“.  Along with the topic here, I would say there is a bit of soul searching you have to do. You can work on this now or you can do what I have done more than one time, put it on the “back-burner”. However, I must caution you “it” will come back again until you truly have resolve.

Posted in Epiphany and tagged , , , , , , ,
04 May 2012
1 Comment

They Keep You Sane

I remember the haunting hypnotic sound of her voice, Deniece Williams, as she sang, “Cause after all…. that’s what friends are for.” How many times have you been on the receiving end of a sympathetic, knowledgeable, loving ear? How many times have you had to be the sounding block for one who needs that same type of caring?

Throughout my blogging, as well as throughout my life I have thought in passing how very blessed I have been to have some very special people in my life. I call them” friends” and I take them very seriously. I know in the earlier part of my life I would hear folks referring to individuals they knew as” friends”. Through the hard times, and there have been  lets just say”a few”, these special people in their special way have helped me to carry on. They are “Godsends” and I thank God for them all.

Every-once-in-awhile, as a friend, you get to do the role reversal and help them through. It is at that point in time YOU should realize and thank them for giving you and opportunity to give back. After you have some things in your life the acquisition of more doesn’t seem quite as important. However, the ability to share part of yourself/ your very being with another, is indescribable. Couple that emotion with the love you feel for that individual… well money can’t buy that.

Hold close these people you call “friends” and be the same kind of friend that you have needed, “once upon a time”. This is my “Hats Off to my “FRIENDS” .

Posted in Ecumenically Speaking and tagged
28 Apr 2012
1 Comment

“They’re Just People”

If I never remember anything else about the film And Justice for All I  will always remember the hurt in Al Pacino’s voice as he said that line, to his fellow attorney and friend who had under the guise of helping, had inadvertently and indirectly caused Al’s client to kill himself.

I listen to people randomly rant what they believe to be logic, applying absolutes to situations that absolutes clearly cannot be applied to. So much can be said for the adage”walk a mile in his shoes”. Until it hits you in your heart you may be able to trick yourself into believing, what you think now would be the same if a loved one was involved.

I had to reach for a painful spot in order to write this and the trouble is, I did not want to revisit that pain. However, I did want to get this out and I thought it would only as powerful as my ability to convey the hurt and seriousness of the subject. Once there, I was amazed at how the feelings were revived.

I remember my heart racing, my entire being filled with anxiety as I sat in the very place that I had not long ago shook my head in cold disapproval. I have difficulty writing about it even now. Watching television programs about our justice system only scratches the surface of a real problem that exists in our society, in our community.

I bet you know him, I bet he is related to you or has some close personal tie to you. Maybe you don’t talk about him, maybe you don’t think about him, but that does not make him any less real.

A dear friend of mine excitedly told me of her loved ones impending release from prison one day. I am a cynical sarcastic being, who attempts to be cordial and kind to people I love, like, and care about. I was less than enthused, but for her sake I responded positively. I recall very clearly thinking,'”I wonder why the hell she is so happy about that, undoubtedly he did something to land his behind in there…” I never said those words to her, but the terrible thoughts were embedded in my psyche. One day I would  remember those words from quite a different perspective.

The docudrama LOCKUP was on and my husband made a rather sarcastic remark, I looked at him oddly and left the room. I thought to myself, “Don’t you remember?” There are some very great people who have been imprisoned. They span the annuals of time from the Bible until now. Prison, though a generally bad place, is not always the worse thing that can happen to someone. I never thought I would feel this way, I never thought this could touch or affect me.  Then it did, and my entire world was set on end. That in itself  was/is a very grounding thought and experience.

Posted in How We Relate and tagged , , , , , , ,
28 Apr 2012

Color Correct

We  may think of this”color correct” when referring to hair color. I even thought back to school, when we got test papers or essays back and the errors were highlighted with red marks. However, every time something major occurs it is highlighted that we, in America, see things so clearly along the boundaries of color lines. Conscious or unconscious, with intent or without intent this is very real for us all, and most of the time we are not even aware. It is virtually autonomic .

On paper it all looks the same and means the same, but what happened when that color pertains to people. How is it that human beings eyes take in things in such a different manner. Physiologically there really is no reason for this. Yet, it happens and it happens more often than not.

Think of the most recent headlines. As reporter after reporter interviews passersby the right and wrong are unanimously clear, but the determination of where exactly those lines are drawn are separated by a simple distinction.

Personally, I took a call from a telemarketer. I was not interested in what he had to say, I only wanted him off of my phone. I could tell  by his accent that his background was not mine, I  had little patience when the conversation began, now I had less. For the final time I told the gentleman I was not interested and abruptly hung up. I immediately thought to myself after the final action, ” overbearing _____ idiot”. A bit later this piece occurred to me and I said,” Why did he have to be an overbearing _____ idiot? Why wasn’t he just an overbearing idiot?” I found myself guilty of the same thing this piece is briefly examining, but with the added benefit(or handicap) of not even being able to see my person.

From my perspective our vantage points become very skewed when we are wrong, guilty, defensive, or even just tired. We are in a weakened state, we lash out and what better way to lash out than to strike first. Our quick minds and wit often fall victims to what is obvious, thus the personal attack is where we  most often/immediately go to. Then we have the ability to make blanket statements, no matter how idiotic, about someone without knowing them, and/or without knowing the facts. Plus, we have the added feature of being able to simultaneously convince ourselves we feel good about our assessment.

Once again in our rushing, never-enough-hours-in-the-day society we have produced and raised yet another “quick fix”. This one is to aid us in assigning blame. This is not an new practice it is just more pronounced and obvious now, just the way we like it.  I offer my “two-cents” with the addendum of “practice what you preach” to myself FIRST and FOREMOST; before you render opinions/ideas/statements bother to take the time to give a bit more though than what is there for all eyes to see. It will make talks a bit more civil, a bit more sensitive, and perhaps a bit less exciting and volatile. However, not to worry for we as human beings will ALWAYS find something else to argue and be angry about.

Posted in Order of Appearance | Leave a comment
28 Apr 2012
1 Comment

Daddy’s Baaaby…..

As I was driving one morning I saw I tall slender man walking. In his arms gripping him tightly about his neck was a small child. It was chilly this particular morning so the child was bundled up, hat and overcoat, I could not tell if this was a boy or a girl. However, what I can tell you is that child was surrounded by all it needed in the world, the obvious love and protection of this man. My heart filled with admiration, I smiled and thought of the two of them all day long. I knew I had to say something about DADDIES. I got all of this passing these two on a busy four lane street.

Love is a funny thing. We speak of it or don’t say a word about it. We oversimplify the impact of it and we take it for granted. Love does make the world go round and you see it in the eyes of children. In my times of turmoil, when my center was a bit off I could always find my way back, because my foundation was formed by the constant presence and influence of my father.

Now I watch my granddaughter as she interacts with my son, her DADDY. Her eyes light up when she sees him after spending the day with her “Abuela”,  “Grandpapa” and “Uncle Tio”. While we are alright and she loves us, no one takes the place of DADDY.  She laughs for him in a way that no one else can make her, and in her own little way she lets you know she does not appreciate anyone trying to hurt him, as when we are “play fighting”.

What is this mysterious element DADDY possesses? As I sit and think of it/remember it, it is as mundane and non-affecting as standing up to walk. Yet, in a functioning  fashion, you are completely aware that you cannot take the tiniest of steps without completing the first action.

God made “him” a mountain of strength, a fortress of security, who gives you a confidence that only an unselfish love can provide. Although many have made it through without his presence, many of those same individuals wish “he” would have been there for them. Next time you have an opportunity to see “him”, be it your very own or some random stranger like the one I saw; stand back, enjoy, and observe the love. It will warm your heart and put a smile on your face.

Posted in Ecumenically Speaking and tagged
24 Apr 2012
1 Comment

Prospective Perspectives

What a difference a day makes… I say that with a smile. We travel along our routes in life and never give a second thought to our state of being  unless it puts us into an noticeable frenzy. We are a flood of emotions, crashing up against one another like waves into the coastline, but this doesn’t even cause a conscious stir until those emotions are at tidal wave proportions.

A few years ago I was a powder keg and I wasn’t slightly aware of it until I departed from the situation. Something as simple as a job change, changed my entire being, my entire point of view, my perspective. Yet this is about the results of actions that I did not necessarily orchestrate. Day in and day out I did this job with little or no passion, slightly above the  level of expectation for the resolve of no conflict. I saw no future so I behaved as such.

What if I had channeled that mediocrity to another area, an area where I could have a different view, a place where my prospects were good or at the very least they existed? My perspective was marred by the negative and I let that same “negative” serve as my compass. That compass took me nowhere fast. Most of us aren’t fortune tellers, but we do have the ability to express what we would like to see or have. The vision is paramount and it should come first, then you must take an active role in making that vision something solid and tangible. Otherwise you end up back in the same or a similar place asking the same questions.

Perhaps you have a relationship that needs examining, personal or professional sometimes you just have to stop and take a step back to see the entire picture. The distortion you see may not be in the picture, it may be in you.The thing I did learn is one must continue to work at making these changes in one’s life. It is so easy to fall back into the same bad habits .  Therefore, I am being a positive forward thinker; in turn my prospects have taken on an entirely new light, and my perspective is good because of it.

Posted in Epiphany and tagged , , ,
20 Apr 2012

By The Standards Of Others

Someone else’s wants, needs, and desires. Their schedule, their clock. Where do you fit in, well it is simple you are for their benefit, placed in a spot most appealing and useful to them. Not since my children were infants have I been willing to accept such a position. That does not mean I have not found or put  myself in that very position, though.

Jobs and society place these requirements upon us all the time. However, there are other areas that make an attempt to do this as well and often time it is not well received. Personal relationships are a challenging area, because these are self-inflicted choices.

Let me start with I hate the feeling of being controlled by tyranny, be it animal, vegetable, mineral, individually or collectively. In my most eloquent way of expressing myself, “It Sucks!” Bound by what YOU think I should do. Where does it end? Time space, or place is not immune either. However, we must all submit to this  standard on one level or another. Generally it is not constant and there is some underlying benefit to one submitting to such.

As we keep our vantage point on our “mid century being”, this experience will take us back, way back to childhood. While many of us cherish and reminisce our youth, this aspect of this type of control is rarely endearing. I’ll take a does of energy and fun, over disciplined control every time. Yet what guides, drives, and keeps us in places where we expose ourselves to this phenomenon.  It is simple; needs, wants, and desires. Satisfaction of these are  necessary and reasonable. The problem come into play when there is not a fair equitable exchange, or when you can no longer see it as being such.

I will not give you case studies or examples here. Realistically, we all have to submit in some area(s). We all choose to submit or not in others.  What we have to do is know OUR cut off point, and be able to do just that, in each of those instances.

Posted in How We Relate and tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

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