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Archive for the tag “perspectives”

21 Aug 2013

Howlin At The Moon

My Libra sisters and I are on so many of the same wave lengths it is utterly amazing at times. There are people who discount astrology and I understand. However at our age it kinda gives you that “back to childhood fairy-story type of feel with a steroid shot of real world infused”. Artistic, musically inclined, masters of the written and spoken word; needless to say the hopeless but NOT hapless romantic spirit prevails in each of us.

Last night as I left my favorite grocery store in Georgia, I could not help but admire the large wonderful moon. I used my camera in my phone, but my hands were not as steady as they should be with this article, as I carted a couple of bags hurriedly to my car. Parking lot lights ablaze, I did not get close to the splendor of this beautiful showing.  I started to try again but I had an impediment, so I could not attempt  more photos. There will be other times, other moon showings like this one. Some night the midst of autumn when the cool crispness is in the air again, the heavenly bodies seemingly close enough to touch, but being earthbound all you can do is admire them from afar. I comforted myself with that thought. However, this morning I awoke to find on my facebook page front and center two shots of the moon eight hours earlier and on the opposite coast. IRONY, I thought as I smiled at the two lovely clear shots. I said,” I wonder what she was thinking as she gazed at the moon and felt so compelled to photograph it.” I have to say in reality and did not wonder; I could read her mind loud and clear, obviously she was reading mine. Thanks Tammy!

Posted in One For My Friends, Quickbits and tagged , | Leave a comment
05 Aug 2013

Tiger’s …Oh My

I am reminded of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; the scene is Dorothy, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow are walking through a dark part of the forest and they are reciting, “Lions and tigers and bears oh my, lions and tigers and bears, oh my…” Suddenly the lion jumps out at them!!!

Well this time it was a Tiger who jumped out, and he was on the golf course in Akron, Ohio. When will we NOT be shocked and amazed at the things he does. We have come to expect no less than perfection from him. He is supposed to win and when he does not… we are taken aback in such a fashion that we forget that he is but a mere mortal. How can he miss a put inside 8 feet when he makes them on a regular basis outside of 20? Sand-traps,water, trees and any other hazard seems like common everyday play for one who possesses all that he has.

As one goes down the list of analyst, former pro greats or simply sports reporters who have never played the game on his level, but wait, who else has actually played the game on HIS level? one realizes they must pay homage take notice to others  on the PGA Tour. Oftentimes the reports and comparisons of other pros on the tour seem unrealistic and unfair, to Tiger. It seems like they forget he has 79 PGA Tour Victories,14 majors, is one of five players to achieve a career Grand Slam(winning all four majors) IS the only play to win all four majors in one season(Tiger Slam) set the record for the most consecutive starts.. I could go on.  Well of course they don’t forget. Simply one must realize there are others on the tour and furthermore golf is a difficult game; it is precision and deliberate actions, even when your naked eye tells you that tiny ball got into the hole by luck or chance.

I, not unlike the typical fan, wait for the golf superstar to chock up his next win, to break yet another record, and go down in the annuls of history. As I sat glued to the television for the past four days, I laughingly realize how quickly I abandoned  my vigil once Tiger won. I didn’t care what he had to say, I was not impressed by his picking young Charlie up on his way to sign the winning score card, I was done and ready to move to the next venue, Oak Hill. I want all of Tiger’s victories to come and to come frequently, but once they are over I do not want to be bothered with the personal details of his existence.

In conclusion, I love the game of golf and he brings something to it that no other has managed to do, at least at this magnitude.  Realizing there was golf before Tiger and golf will continue after he is gone, but you cannot help taking notice of one who has made so many marks on a game, in the fashion he has all along the way. With Oak Hill in the very near future you have to wonder, will Tiger give us fans and the golf world yet another reason to say “Oh my!”

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27 Jul 2013
1 Comment

The Birth Of A Prince(or Princess)

Such a special occasion, a time of celebration and excitement. The fact that you are there makes it that much more cherished. After months of waiting, hours of labor finally this tiny helpless being arrives. He arrives unaware that there are millions anticipating, for all he needs is the love and comfort of two. As they gather to get a first glimpse of a face that is going to change so much in the days to come, his appearance is admired by his awestruck parents who find him simply perfect. No truer words were ever spoken than when the Duchess of Cambridge offered,” Any family knows how we feel”. Profound, no but it was refreshing to see a side of so-called ROYALTY that was just normal and human.

Here we are at the threshold or even in the throws of our new stage of parenting; grandparents. We anticipate their arrival from the time they enter the world, to the weekly visits and overnight adventures. We watch closely and contribute our knowledge and experience to our children regarding their upbringing, where requested and allowed. Sometimes even when our pearls of wisdom are not so welcomed, we offer them anyway. We adore these little beings of whom we are free to love and spoil, but send home for the “hard stuff”. Charmed and beloved, they are our little princes and princesses.

As you travel into this wondrous land which may require you to be in the public eye, be mindful and careful that all who encounter your little angel(s) may not recognize who they clearly are to you. Remember you have the benefit of being an insider, you have known them from the start and what you see is the whole picture not a momentary temper tantrum.

During those less than pleasant times all others will see is yet another spoiled brat misbehaving. Expect nothing more than that. Try not to impose upon others and in turn you can enjoy time with “your little royals” in a calm leisurely manner. The most important lesson you can learn is this; the next time you see a little one writhing on the floor in your favorite department store or hear a scream in a clam quiet environment,  rest assured with the knowledge there is some little prince or princess in disguise nearby and they simply forgot they were not alone.

Posted in How We Relate and tagged , , ,
22 Jul 2013
2 Comments

And The Guilt Rests Where?

It comes across my mind many times, on many occasions and in conjunction with certain events, how much we are products of our environments. This not necessarily a bad thing, but truth is we do have to work hard to resist the bad behavior we are often time exposed to.

Being a product of your environment sometimes affords you certain perks that you overlook and never think about, for when it is good we bask in the moment. Yet on the flip side; when denied something you want or feel deserving of and you cannot get, what does one do.

I came face to face with my bad several years ago and I live with it. I was very sad and disappointed to find yet another negative, most recently. Don’t misunderstand here pointing out these two particular instances is not to suggest this is representative of all my faults and shortcomings, this is an illustration and a cross section.

I sat in front of my laptop typing and I didn’t like what I saw. I never would have guessed this and had I not been in the midst of this wrongdoing I myself detest, I probably would have noticed. I didn’t see or pay attention to the signs. Distracted by circumstances I allowed myself to slip into survival mode and that also became my silent excuse for my behavior.

As human beings this is a part of what we do, we adjust and we adapt, it makes it possible for us to continue and thrive. However, sometimes the toll we pay for this survival is costly and I am not just speaking of monetarily. Starting this piece I touched on the benefits we received as being part of a certain environment, now we are exploring the consequence. That is why I used the word “guilt” in opposed to “responsibility” in the title.

My suggestion to solve this is, if you see after a considerable effort that things around you are not changing, you make a change and distance yourself from that undesirable situation. As an adult you cannot help where you come from, but you can chose to extract yourself once you discover you are not happy with the surroundings. If you don’t you will look up and a mirror will be reflecting your image, as that thing you were so unhappy and intolerant of.Then you will know where the guilt rests.

Posted in Order of Appearance and tagged , , ,
12 Jul 2013
1 Comment

My Soul To Take

On days when you cannot put your finger on what exactly is wrong, there is a sensation inside of your body that allows you to feel. Is it your mind playing tricks on you? Is that pounding really just your heart?

I remember “A Child’s Prayer”; it was on a wooden plaque, the writing was royal blue set on a white china background, with the picture of a young baby sleeping. It was my grandmothers and she gave it to me. When my boys were young I taught the prayer to them and the same plaque resided on their bedroom wall until adulthood. I thought I had lost track of it but was happily informed it is still safe with my younger son.

I would, at times, make myself think of what it would feel like to lose a child. I know I could never comprehend this nor do/did I want to. The mere words in the prayer “if I should die..” made me shudder. My granddaughter and I say this age old prayer, and she smiles when we say it together because at 3 years of age she certainly has no idea what this means. To her it is just another attempt of her Abuela to do something that is remotely like singing.

Over a year ago a young man/teenager/child was killed in Florida. There were so many questions, so many perceived miscarriages of justice, and more media coverage than you could digest. I was angry, I was hurt, I wanted answers and I wasn’t even related to this child. We have to characterize Trayvon Martin as a child because he was in fact a minor. When I saw a graphic photo of this child lying in the grass after being fatally shot, I began crying again. I was gasping for air and unable to conceive of or comprehend what the people who knew and loved this child felt.

I  have prayed for him and his loved ones, I pray for justice, I pray for all the parties involved, because this is a tragedy on all levels; all people who hear of it are touched by it, whether they want to be or not. No matter the outcome of this trial the Zimmerman family will never be the same either, and people we cannot be insensitive to them, because George  is their loved one. I stand by my previous comments, that there will be no winners in this case.

People who inhabit our prisons, people who live in the streets, people who commit crimes against and in our society did not just magically appear out of thin air. They are the product of a union; somewhere along the lines of their lives someone loved and cared for them, just as sure as something went wrong and caused them to go wrong.

Pray the Lord takes these souls; soul of people whose lives are cut short or merely end, but also pray to the Lord that His essence takes  hold of the souls of the living. For if He has their souls/our souls, that are so closely interconnected, we will no longer have to cry for ones who have been lost to the Earth, to their loved ones, and to us all.

Posted in Ecumenically Speaking and tagged , , ,
12 Jul 2013
1 Comment

Tired

Ever wake up and feel like rolling over and covering your head? Sure you have. What makes us tired? Well there are the textbook answers, working hard, being under stress, not getting enough rest. Yet, the one thing that doesn’t come to mind and should be first on that list is from not doing anything. When we humans don’t use what we have, we lose it. Muscles atrophy and so do our brains.

I had this thought as my mother crossed my mind. She is 79 never learned how to drive but you’d be hard pressed to find her at home during the waking hours of the day, unless she just wasn’t feeling well. While we do not necessarily need to be in a constant state of motion, we do not need to overdo the rest state either. You are tired because you don’t do anything, and you don’t do anything because your are tired. Now injury and illness will slow you down, but that is not the audience this is directed at.

The state of Georgia tops the nation in childhood obesity, and our children are now developing adult-like diseases. Remember when kids went outside to PLAY? It is hot outside but I have to let you in on a secret, “IT’S SUMMER”! There was recess in elementary school and physical education in middle and high school. The release of energy after being made to sit, listen, and learn had/has benefits that we are now seeing are vital. Plus the habit of inactivity is a pattern that can and will follow you throughout your life.

Now in the morning when the alarm goes off don’t cover your head or throw something at the clock. Take a moment and do some deep breathing, fill your lungs up and release that oxygen, it will get the blood flowing and your heart pumping. Roll out of bed onto the floor and do a little yoga and stretching. Make your way into the bathroom get refreshed and ready to face another day, and be grateful that you are here to face that day.

Posted in Quickbits and tagged ,
16 Jun 2013

Father Figure

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY.

If you are never special to any other man in this life, on this Earth you have your father. The tallest, smartest, most gallant, and did I mention handsome man you will ever lay eyes on; that is until you meet the other true love of your life and of whom your father will generally threaten with an inch of his life if he dares to hurt you.

To his son he is given the “heir apparent” treatment, as though he is the future king of a country, no matter what his Earthly material possessions be. He gives lessons on bravery, honor, trust and DIY projects. His shoes seem so massive that you know you will never be that large; then one day you wake up and you are fitting into those shoes, as though they were custom made to fit you.

No joke, on the heels of the premier of the movie “Man Of Steel” perhaps you have a real life “Superman” in your presence and you know him personally. He lives up to his legend and like the legend he has only one weakness.  No matter how much time passes, no matter how invincible he may seem, he cowers in vulnerability as this weakness will always appears to him in the form of the small helpless being that “he” in fact simply marvels at, his child. Let him know that it is alright to be vulnerable for that is part of love; love he has taught you and love you feel for him on this day, and every day since the day you laid eyes on one another.

Again I say, “HAPPY FATHER’S DAY  to all the fathers everywhere; for no matter what space they occupy otherwise, there is always one reserved in our hearts.

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21 May 2013
2 Comments

On A Positive Note

This is a challenging morning for me to task such a title. Not saying anything traumatic has occurred, simply my mind is not warmed up. Yet I feel the need to go to the happier side.

Over the years I have observed moods and the affect they have on how people relate. I see it in my writing and when I am in what I deem to be a “funk” I limit how much I write. I used to completely avoid writing period, but I found good work does rise from the “ashes”.

Today I go to my bag-of -tricks and pull out my motivators, and here is what they helped me create and convey. I rekindled a passion that existed/exists inside of me and I am getting things in order so I can act on this. I  conferred and confirmed it with a loved one,  it just felt right. This was reminiscent of the riding a bicycle parable; you never forget, it does come back to you.

There has to be a point where something more becomes you focal point. Hopefully you have been able to buy that dream car, live in that dream house, and love that dream companion. Now it is time for you to give back. Our lives must be about substance and reach beyond the small scope which is us. Family helps us do this but we must recognize our family extends beyond those folks who share your last name or favor you in looks.

Now know you are charged to do something that will impact another on a grand scale. That grand scale is not defined by a large well lit billboard or an exclusive spread  in a magazine. The grand scale I speak of can simply be the way you directly affect an individual who you can touch. Maybe she is the abandoned teen or he is the overly active boy placed in special ed., perhaps the elderly gentleman sitting on a bench at the local market; reach out to them, you have no idea how much your kind words or gesture will mean. I cannot instruct you in what to do, just follow your heart and let it happen. You will know you are doing it right because you will feel it deep in your very soul,  and that is the best barometer around.

Posted in Order of Appearance and tagged ,
18 May 2013

That’s How He Does It

Tiger, Tiger, Tiger… will you hurry up and smash those records?! I want this man to play until let’s see he needs to beat Jack Nicklaus’ record and Sam Snead, he needs three more green jackets, he needs to walk on water.. what is this mess?!

He is  not nice to play with, he cheats, he is no gentleman, face it there is no room in the world of golf for the likes of him. Well of course there isn’t. He is taking the fun out of the game right. Hey listen most games, sports, competitions are much more fun when you are winning. It stands to reason; if he is winning like he is, if he is shattering records one after another, he must be cheating.

What happened to the days of champions being loved and adored? Well welcome to the age of the self-assured athlete, but wait it is not limited to the athlete this is a world of self-assured people. Women are now lesbians criticized for being “ballsy”, African Americans are “uppity” and don’t know their place; “mama-mia” what a world and I thought our society was evolving and moving forward.

The next time we will have an opportunity or have to endure Mr. Woods is May 30th at “The Memorial” where he is the defending champion. He has probably done or is planning something unscrupulous as I write this. We won’t know until the tournament is played. Well at least Byron Nelson’s record and legend will remain intact, 11 back to back PGA wins and a GENTLEMAN, lets see Tiger top that this year.

You see unlike other sports golf applauds good manners, behavior, and etiquette. You don’t see those guys on the tour spitting or cursing, none of them are alcohol abusers, or have marital problems. In case you MISSED the sarcasm, Tiger is not the only member of the PGA who is not perfect, he just happens to be one who is in the spotlight preparing to make more history in the sport of golf.

It is odd to think of oneself as cheering for the underdog when cheering for someone with a record such as Tiger Woods, but you have to admit he is golf’s “whipping boy”. They cannot take away from his true talent and skill so they attack his character. I doubt seriously any one of us would be able to stand unblemished by such a vast and multiple assault. Therefore once again I have to go against how I feel about an individual, outside of his notable profession, and cheer him on for the only thing most of us have the ability to judge first hand, his athletic prowess. Admittedly, that is what is a joy to watch. Once again I say, “Geaux Tiger”!

Posted in Everybody's Critic and tagged , , , | Leave a comment
09 May 2013
2 Comments

Tarantino… Now He Should Be Chained

Let me begin with the only thing I have ever liked that Quentin Tarantino had anything to do with was “From Dusk Till Dawn” in which he played the mentally challenged deviant brother of George Clooney. I have never watched Pulp Fiction in it’s entirety, Reservoir Dogs no interest, and Jackie Brown was not impressive. Suffice to say I am not particularly impressed with Quentin Tarantino’s work.

Which brings us to Django Unchained. I heard so much clamor about this film. A really good friend suggested and encouraged me to see it. My friend thinks I am quite the rebel, for some odd reason, and thought sure I would love this movie. Anyway it came and went from the theaters. I finally picked it up at my local “RedBox” about a week or two ago. The main reason I resisted seeing the movie was the association with Mr. Tarantino.

I won’t say I hated the film, but when I saw Jamie Fox in the blue “Little Lord Fauntleroy” get-up I was lost forever. I tried to watch it but it was so corny and campy I found myself falling asleep. I faded in and out of consciousness, mostly because I was watching it in bed after a long day at work.  What I did see of it made me say,” It’s a Tarantino movie what did you expect?” I fully intended to rip this film to shreds when I started this piece. However, because I was going to rip the film and Quentin apart I said, ” To do YOUR work justice, YOU must actually watch the movie”. Off to RedBox I went to rent Django Unchained for a second time.

My son asked me what are you going to do, and wouldn’t it be funny if you ended up liking the movie. I laughed it off with, “It’s a Tarantino movie that’s not gonna happen”. Well as I take my first bite of crow, let me say I have to admit I enjoyed it. After I put aside my preconceived notions about Quentin, I was able to see the interesting twist on his film. It had all the flavor of a 1970’s western/black exploitation film the underlying influence. I do not like the way Tarantino pays homage to black films nor the arrogance of him suggesting he has an inside track to understanding black people and their portrayal in film. The “n” word is used entirely too much in most of his work; at last here was a film that it truly could go virtually unnoticed and it was. He did a good job with this movie, I was  thoroughly entertained.

It was not predictable in obvious ways. There is a great deal of blood and violence, along with animated showmanship. The characters were both interesting and unbelievable. Samuel L. Jackson was, however, brilliant as Stephen your “Uncle Tom” prototype. I would watch it again just to see him. IT is mindless entertainment and every-so-often we need to slip ourselves a small dose of just that. I give Quentin a “stay of execution” because of Django Unchained, I am sure there will be other films in the future that will allow me to confirm my opinion of him and his work prior to Django. However, until that time I have to give credit to him for scoring and scoring in a rather big way with me on this particular project.

My changed opinion made me have to ponder renaming my piece, or to at least search for a new title and note I did as much here at the end. Having to find a suitable title after the fact was just hard, and my heart wasn’t in it. I mean it was enough to admit the film wasn’t the horror I fully expected, but to have to change the title to possibly say something else positive about Quentin.. well it was just out of the question. My entire opinion of him has not changed, I just had to be honest about this particular work of his. If you manage to read through the entire piece, you will get the reasoning behind the title and you will also know why the title change did NOT take place. “Jury is still out” regarding the man and his overall talent. Therefore, even in spite of the fact he did produce something I liked, his overall record still leaves a great deal to be desired, and it is because of that I still say he(Tarantino) should be “chained“(restricted).

Posted in Everybody's Critic and tagged

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