I thought I'd take a day to respond to some reader response. The title of this could actually be "I've got nothing today"...but instead, I'll frame it out as being responsive to my "readership". (The Husband and Brother-in-Law are now both typing me messages giving their opinion on the make up of this readership).
1) Editing. Ok, I agree that lately there have been a lot of grammar and spelling errors. I don't know what accounts for this...To the reader who reminded me to use spellcheck....I do. Unfortunately, it doesn't catch everything. And remember, at minute 25, I hit "publish" no matter what...otherwise, this would get out of hand. Big Sister usually catches the glaring errors within the first 30 minutes, but if you read this on my facebook page...it's too late. Once it posts, I can't edit. I actually had to delete a post last week because I was embarrassed about the number of spelling errors. The Husband only edits content....Anyway, I'll do my best to "clean it up" before I post.
2) What does The Husband actually do for a living? This is a tough one...but I'll try. The Husband is the CEO of a company. This is what I would consider his main job, as it were. However, he is also CFO for many of the companies that his partner owns. In this capacity, he has been involved in building and racing cars (which explains our time in France during the summer for the LeMans), running a winery (which explains much time in California), and overseeing financials of properties (which explains time spent in Scotland and the Bahamas). The Husband's partner spends half the year in Australia, which explains our travel there. In addition, he also runs a few side enterprises involving beach condos and baseball bats....The Husband is a very busy guy...
3) Who is related to who? Ok...The Husband and I met at work about 15 years ago. He was the CFO, and I was buyer and tour director. He was a bachelor, and I was a single mom with 2 little girls, Big Sister and The Senior. We married (eloped) after 9 months....and The Boy and Little One came along a few years later. Big Sister graduated from college, married the SIL, and now lives 45 minutes away and works for The Husband. The Senior is a senior in college...lives about an hour away...and also raises the Tike, who is 3. The Niece lives in Tennessee, in the town that I consider the closest thing I have to a "home town". She is married and has a toddler. The Brother-in-Law is a Jersey boy who now resides in Pennsylvania, and he is married to my lovely sister-in-law, and has 2 darling children. And now you know everything there is to know...and more than you asked for....
4) I just want acknowledge my overseas readers. I take great pride in the fact that people in France, Italy and Germany follow the blog. I've even had a new reader lately from the Phillipines. Now when I asked The Husband how he thought a person from the Phillipines would have happened upon my little ol' blog, he once again suggested that they typed in "Bore me today'...and the blog popped up. (The Husband feels it is always his job to keep me humble). I would like to say that when I "quit" the blog for the second time, I lost a loyal reader from Canada. Each week, I check to see if they have reappeared...but no luck. I guess they deleted me. You can only quit so many times before people stop taking you seriously.
So that is it for today. Hopefully I have answered some of the burning questions that you had been asking...and until tomorrow...when we will have to talk about Dancing With the Stars...
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
"Never lose and opportunity for seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting." Emerson
I sat down to write a letter to an old friend last week. She had written me after losing her husband last spring, and I had procrastinated about writing her back. Now I had her e-mail address, but it's just not the same, is it? I had thought out in my mind what I wanted to say, but I just kept putting off the actual writing. When I finally did it, I was appalled at my handwriting. It's not that I ever had beautiful writing, but what use to at least be legible had turned into a mess.
The Boy and Little One struggle with this problem too. The Boy's handwriting has improved considerably over the last few years, moving from almost un-decipherable to actually kind of nice. His letters are sometimes hard to differentiate, but altogether, it looks neat. Little One has lovely handwriting when she sets her mind to it, but that impatient gene that she inherited from The Husband keeps her from setting her mind to it very often.
Now my mother-in-law had beautiful handwriting, the kind that you look at and then try to copy. But she also had a talent for analyzing handwriting...not in a "I took a class and now I can do this" kind of way...but in a "I studied for years and I can tell what kind of person you are" way. I was unfortunately introduced to this talent in a rather disconcerting way...
As I have previously stated, I met The Husband at work. We had been out on a couple of dates, when one morning he approached me at my desk with a funny look on his face. "Let me ask you something", he began. "Are you depressed? Stuck in the past? Do you have low goals?"........Well gee, good morning to you too, I thought. At the time, I was bewildered that he would ask me these questions out of the blue. Our dates had all been upbeat and fun (ok, well except for my stalker boss who threatened to fire me if I went out with The Husband...but that is a story for a whole different blog).....so I could not imagine why he would ask me those questions. But anyway, I did give it some thought. Was I depressed? No. Not my personality....although having a new "boyfriend" asking me that question didn't help.....Next, was I stuck in the past? No, although being a single mom struggling to find a balance between my kids, my work and this new guy probably did have me wishing for easier days....and finally....Did I have low goals?....Good grief, what kind of question was that? I was sort of offended...although later on I would look back and remember that I had been forced to give up working on my master's degree, yet hold on to the modeling jobs that I hated due to time and financial priority. Because of that, I might have actually gone through a brief period of "low goals"...but again....not something you want a new man in your life to be pointing out after only a few dates.
I can't remember what my reaction was to The Husband. I think I laughed it off and shooed him back upstairs...and it wasn't until after we were married that he divulged to me that he had actually sent his mom something I had written so that she could analyse me!! All I can say is that it is a good thing I did not know this at the time...because this blog would be minus "The Husband"......and suffice it to say that I never wrote anything to the mother-in-law by hand again....even Christmas cards were typed....
But it was amazing what information she could obtain from this...and I will admit that I did consult with her a few times before I hired people because she was so dead-on in her analysis. Big Sister and The Senior and their friends would all sneak handwriting samples from their boyfriends, and then, when mother-in-law visited, they would race to the house and sit around the table, and she would tell them whether or not the guy was a "keeper". (If she had met the guy and didn't like him....you can bet the handwriting always indicated "dishonesty and unkindness").
A few weeks ago, The Husband told a totally inappropriate story at dinner with friends. It had to do with old girlfriends... and what his mom had deciphered from their handwriting. Let's just say that it was not dinner table material....and let's also say that it was not a normal mom/son conversation. But that was the great thing about the mother-in-law.....she was at her best when she was un-edited. And that is definitely a trait she passed on to The Husband...
So until tomorrow, when I am promising myself to work on my handwriting, because you never know what conclusions people may be drawing from what you write....
The Boy and Little One struggle with this problem too. The Boy's handwriting has improved considerably over the last few years, moving from almost un-decipherable to actually kind of nice. His letters are sometimes hard to differentiate, but altogether, it looks neat. Little One has lovely handwriting when she sets her mind to it, but that impatient gene that she inherited from The Husband keeps her from setting her mind to it very often.
Now my mother-in-law had beautiful handwriting, the kind that you look at and then try to copy. But she also had a talent for analyzing handwriting...not in a "I took a class and now I can do this" kind of way...but in a "I studied for years and I can tell what kind of person you are" way. I was unfortunately introduced to this talent in a rather disconcerting way...
As I have previously stated, I met The Husband at work. We had been out on a couple of dates, when one morning he approached me at my desk with a funny look on his face. "Let me ask you something", he began. "Are you depressed? Stuck in the past? Do you have low goals?"........Well gee, good morning to you too, I thought. At the time, I was bewildered that he would ask me these questions out of the blue. Our dates had all been upbeat and fun (ok, well except for my stalker boss who threatened to fire me if I went out with The Husband...but that is a story for a whole different blog).....so I could not imagine why he would ask me those questions. But anyway, I did give it some thought. Was I depressed? No. Not my personality....although having a new "boyfriend" asking me that question didn't help.....Next, was I stuck in the past? No, although being a single mom struggling to find a balance between my kids, my work and this new guy probably did have me wishing for easier days....and finally....Did I have low goals?....Good grief, what kind of question was that? I was sort of offended...although later on I would look back and remember that I had been forced to give up working on my master's degree, yet hold on to the modeling jobs that I hated due to time and financial priority. Because of that, I might have actually gone through a brief period of "low goals"...but again....not something you want a new man in your life to be pointing out after only a few dates.
I can't remember what my reaction was to The Husband. I think I laughed it off and shooed him back upstairs...and it wasn't until after we were married that he divulged to me that he had actually sent his mom something I had written so that she could analyse me!! All I can say is that it is a good thing I did not know this at the time...because this blog would be minus "The Husband"......and suffice it to say that I never wrote anything to the mother-in-law by hand again....even Christmas cards were typed....
But it was amazing what information she could obtain from this...and I will admit that I did consult with her a few times before I hired people because she was so dead-on in her analysis. Big Sister and The Senior and their friends would all sneak handwriting samples from their boyfriends, and then, when mother-in-law visited, they would race to the house and sit around the table, and she would tell them whether or not the guy was a "keeper". (If she had met the guy and didn't like him....you can bet the handwriting always indicated "dishonesty and unkindness").
A few weeks ago, The Husband told a totally inappropriate story at dinner with friends. It had to do with old girlfriends... and what his mom had deciphered from their handwriting. Let's just say that it was not dinner table material....and let's also say that it was not a normal mom/son conversation. But that was the great thing about the mother-in-law.....she was at her best when she was un-edited. And that is definitely a trait she passed on to The Husband...
So until tomorrow, when I am promising myself to work on my handwriting, because you never know what conclusions people may be drawing from what you write....
Friday, September 18, 2009
"We Think in Generalities, but We Live in Details"
The most difficult thing about writing this blog in 23 minutes is the ability to cover everything I want to in a thorough manner. Today, for example, I'll be all over the place, which I'm thinking will make coming up with a cohesive title a bit challenging. I'll deal with that at minute 22...
1) I have mixed feelings about the President scrapping the missile-defense system agreement forged by the previous administration. I could buy the bit about the new intelligence about Iran's short-range missiles being ready before their long-range missiles, thus encouraging us to concentrate on short-range receptors...but there was evidence that the administration was leaning toward scrapping this program months ago, before this new evidence came out. I'm worried that our European allies who have always looked to us as the nuclear deterant in the area, are going to feel like we're backing out, and decide that they need to develop their own nuclear programs...
2) Someone explain to me how 75 Democrats can continue to support Acorn after learning that 5 employees from 5 different offices tried to help undercover investigators (posing as a pimp and prostitute) set up a child prostitution business. This isn't a political issue...this is a common sense issue. Any good this agency might have done in the past has been far over-shadowed by video after video of corruption and ignorance...
3) I love all of those Mac and PC commercials...but the newest one is the funniest yet...with the guy who used to play Elaine's boyfriend on "Seinfeld" trying to convince the Mac customer that she can't expect everything...at the end, he gives her his card and says "when you're ready to compromise, give me a call"....just so funny.
4) My favorite designer won last night on Project Runway. Irina from New York won the newspaper challenge (they had to create a design from newspapers). Her trench coat was just off the charts in design and creativity and execution...I would have bought it in a second...even knowing that it would fall apart in the rain!!...I can only hope she will create the same design out of fabric. This girl is so talented.
5) The 11:00 episode of "Friends" last night was the funniest one ever in my opinion. Remember the one where Ross has taped the video of he and Rachel "getting pregnant". Rachel insists that Ross came on to her...and everyone believes it until he shows the video, and it turns out she has used Joey's "hiking in Europe" come-on story to lure Ross....hilarious...It's also the one where Chandler and Monica have been given a fake number by a couple they met on their honeymoon, and they try and figure out why....this episode is just an example of how every one of those actors was just brilliant on that show....The Husband and I were rolling on the floor laughing...
6) I'm often critical of the President, but I love the You Tube video of him calling Kanye West a "jackass". It is a very unscripted and real moment...and not only did I agree with him, but I loved his reaction seconds later when he realized that he was probably going to get busted for saying it....
7) New York runway shows were this week. Results? Marc Jacobs seemed to have won over the crowds with his feminine, yet strong designs. I'll have to see it...I've never liked his stuff since his "grunge" days. Michael Kors dresses were lovely...but a little too much like old Prada and Calvin Klein designs. What's up with that? He'd never let someone get by with copying on Project Runway. ..My favorite was Oscar de la Renta...classically beautiful, but on trend. He continues to produce lovely clothes after all these years. They keep saying Michelle Obama has snubbed him and hasn't worn his designs...but by the look of his spring designs...I'll bet she'll wear one of his dresses...they look right up her alley.
8) The new show with Julianna Margulies(ER) and Chris Noth('Big' from Sex and the City) starring as an estranged married couple living out the Eliot Spitzer headlines looks terrific. It's called "The Good Wife"...I love that it will come on at 10:00 on Tuesday nights because it means I have a shot at watching since the kids SHOULD be in bed by that time....
So that's it for this rainy Friday...a little of this and a little of that...so until next week, when the weather becomes cooler, the baseball play-offs are nearer, football season is upon us, the health-care bill has been presented....and so much more.
1) I have mixed feelings about the President scrapping the missile-defense system agreement forged by the previous administration. I could buy the bit about the new intelligence about Iran's short-range missiles being ready before their long-range missiles, thus encouraging us to concentrate on short-range receptors...but there was evidence that the administration was leaning toward scrapping this program months ago, before this new evidence came out. I'm worried that our European allies who have always looked to us as the nuclear deterant in the area, are going to feel like we're backing out, and decide that they need to develop their own nuclear programs...
2) Someone explain to me how 75 Democrats can continue to support Acorn after learning that 5 employees from 5 different offices tried to help undercover investigators (posing as a pimp and prostitute) set up a child prostitution business. This isn't a political issue...this is a common sense issue. Any good this agency might have done in the past has been far over-shadowed by video after video of corruption and ignorance...
3) I love all of those Mac and PC commercials...but the newest one is the funniest yet...with the guy who used to play Elaine's boyfriend on "Seinfeld" trying to convince the Mac customer that she can't expect everything...at the end, he gives her his card and says "when you're ready to compromise, give me a call"....just so funny.
4) My favorite designer won last night on Project Runway. Irina from New York won the newspaper challenge (they had to create a design from newspapers). Her trench coat was just off the charts in design and creativity and execution...I would have bought it in a second...even knowing that it would fall apart in the rain!!...I can only hope she will create the same design out of fabric. This girl is so talented.
5) The 11:00 episode of "Friends" last night was the funniest one ever in my opinion. Remember the one where Ross has taped the video of he and Rachel "getting pregnant". Rachel insists that Ross came on to her...and everyone believes it until he shows the video, and it turns out she has used Joey's "hiking in Europe" come-on story to lure Ross....hilarious...It's also the one where Chandler and Monica have been given a fake number by a couple they met on their honeymoon, and they try and figure out why....this episode is just an example of how every one of those actors was just brilliant on that show....The Husband and I were rolling on the floor laughing...
6) I'm often critical of the President, but I love the You Tube video of him calling Kanye West a "jackass". It is a very unscripted and real moment...and not only did I agree with him, but I loved his reaction seconds later when he realized that he was probably going to get busted for saying it....
7) New York runway shows were this week. Results? Marc Jacobs seemed to have won over the crowds with his feminine, yet strong designs. I'll have to see it...I've never liked his stuff since his "grunge" days. Michael Kors dresses were lovely...but a little too much like old Prada and Calvin Klein designs. What's up with that? He'd never let someone get by with copying on Project Runway. ..My favorite was Oscar de la Renta...classically beautiful, but on trend. He continues to produce lovely clothes after all these years. They keep saying Michelle Obama has snubbed him and hasn't worn his designs...but by the look of his spring designs...I'll bet she'll wear one of his dresses...they look right up her alley.
8) The new show with Julianna Margulies(ER) and Chris Noth('Big' from Sex and the City) starring as an estranged married couple living out the Eliot Spitzer headlines looks terrific. It's called "The Good Wife"...I love that it will come on at 10:00 on Tuesday nights because it means I have a shot at watching since the kids SHOULD be in bed by that time....
So that's it for this rainy Friday...a little of this and a little of that...so until next week, when the weather becomes cooler, the baseball play-offs are nearer, football season is upon us, the health-care bill has been presented....and so much more.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
"Joy and Temperance and Repose, Slam the Door on the Doctor's Nose" Longfellow
Is it Friday yet? I usually try to avoid that kind of thinking, but everyone in our house has been feeling "on the verge" of being sick. Somehow it seems like a weekend of sleep and relaxation will solve it all, but The Boy has 5 ballgames this coming weekend, so this vision of r & r may not materialize.
Little One woke up yesterday morning in an unusually bad mood. She is normally robotic in her morning routine, pausing only to ask how her hair looks or hide her hearing aids. But a sore throat and little cough had her feeling down. As I woke her up for school, she cried a little and declared she felt "weird". I took this as a sign and told her to just stay in bed. But as I was unpacking her lunch box, I heard her yell from upstairs, "I'm going!". The thing about Little One is that she is a mover. She doesn't like the thought of hanging in bed all day (wait till she grows up, right?). Our rule is, if you stay home, you stay in. No friends or activities or practices...and this is painful for Little One. So she stumbled down the stairs and sat down to eat, tears rolling down her face. I gently explained to her that maybe it would be best to stay home and sleep, but she said she would stick it out. But the longer she sat, the harder she cried...so I finally had to exercise my mom-authority and tell her to go back to bed. She nodded slowly, took off her tennis shoes, and headed back up the stairs, mumbling "I hope you let me play outside later if I feel better".
The funny thing is, under the same circumstances, The Boy would be just as careful in deciding to stay home, because he cannot stand the thought of getting behind...but once he decides to stay home, don't even try to pry him out of bed...
A little while later, The Senior called on her way to class. She, too, was feeling under the weather, but was experiencing what all mothers experience...and that is, when you are a mom, how you feel doesn't matter very much. She had woken up early to take the Tyke to daycare so she could get to school and study, but she was wishing she could just go back home and sleep. I had a flash-back to a few years earlier when she would bow out of class due to rainy days and late nights...but things change and people grow up...and responsibility is the toughest teacher of all. And suddenly she remembered that her professor was showing a movie in class, so that only left that pesky weight-lifting class to get through...and all of a sudden things didn't seem so dire..and so "thanks for chatting mom, but I have stuff to do"...
The Husband doesn't believe in missing work for illness. He is extremely disciplined and refuses to give into that sort of thing...and besides, if you're home in bed, you don't get to be in control....
So until tomorrow...Friday....which seems like the goal-line this week....
Little One woke up yesterday morning in an unusually bad mood. She is normally robotic in her morning routine, pausing only to ask how her hair looks or hide her hearing aids. But a sore throat and little cough had her feeling down. As I woke her up for school, she cried a little and declared she felt "weird". I took this as a sign and told her to just stay in bed. But as I was unpacking her lunch box, I heard her yell from upstairs, "I'm going!". The thing about Little One is that she is a mover. She doesn't like the thought of hanging in bed all day (wait till she grows up, right?). Our rule is, if you stay home, you stay in. No friends or activities or practices...and this is painful for Little One. So she stumbled down the stairs and sat down to eat, tears rolling down her face. I gently explained to her that maybe it would be best to stay home and sleep, but she said she would stick it out. But the longer she sat, the harder she cried...so I finally had to exercise my mom-authority and tell her to go back to bed. She nodded slowly, took off her tennis shoes, and headed back up the stairs, mumbling "I hope you let me play outside later if I feel better".
The funny thing is, under the same circumstances, The Boy would be just as careful in deciding to stay home, because he cannot stand the thought of getting behind...but once he decides to stay home, don't even try to pry him out of bed...
A little while later, The Senior called on her way to class. She, too, was feeling under the weather, but was experiencing what all mothers experience...and that is, when you are a mom, how you feel doesn't matter very much. She had woken up early to take the Tyke to daycare so she could get to school and study, but she was wishing she could just go back home and sleep. I had a flash-back to a few years earlier when she would bow out of class due to rainy days and late nights...but things change and people grow up...and responsibility is the toughest teacher of all. And suddenly she remembered that her professor was showing a movie in class, so that only left that pesky weight-lifting class to get through...and all of a sudden things didn't seem so dire..and so "thanks for chatting mom, but I have stuff to do"...
The Husband doesn't believe in missing work for illness. He is extremely disciplined and refuses to give into that sort of thing...and besides, if you're home in bed, you don't get to be in control....
So until tomorrow...Friday....which seems like the goal-line this week....
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
"Good communication is as good as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after." Anne Morrow Lindberg
Little One came home from school the other day with some notes she had taken about an assignment. As often happens due to her hearing issues, she had written down something that neither of us could decipher...a book she had read took place in "monart time". Thankfully, her teacher was just an e-mail away, and we discovered that the book took place in "modern times". We giggled over this, but it got me to thinking about how important our words can be...and it brought back a story from several years ago...
The Husband was going to be working in France over the summer, so Little One, The Boy and the Senior and I had settled into a small village to live while he worked. Now being fluent in french, this was fun for me, as it was a great opportunity to use my language. Although we became known as "les Americans" to the people of the village, they were lovely about conversing with me. The senior had just completed her second year of french in school, so she was anxious to try her french out too. Each morning, we would wake up and walk to the village bakery and pick up some fresh croissants for breakfast. It was a fun routine, strolling Little One, who was a baby at the time, and following The Boy toddler. One morning after The Husband had left, Little One was sleeping in after a long night, and The Senior and Boy were "starving". Well, I told her, it was time to go it alone. She had listened to me all those mornings...she knew what to say...she could take The Boy and do it herself. (This was a very small and very safe village). The Senior hemmed and hawed, not sure if she was yet up to the task. Though she is always bold and brave (remember, she was previously nick-named The Rebel), she was still hesitant about doing it by herself...and though I agreed with her that the crowded bakery with the talkative lady baker would be a challenge...I knew she could do it. So off they went, The Boy and Senior...and they returned 30 minutes later with fresh pastries for everyone. The Senior was so proud of herself... and was suddenly emboldened to be much more independent in this little village. That night we watched "Dirty Dancing" on tv in french, and we laughed the whole time, because hearing "Nobody puts baby in a corner" in french is just so funny.
Our second day there, The Husband took all of us for a trial run to the airport which was about 45 minutes (and many twists, turns and round-abouts away). I was going to have to drop him off there in a few days..and return to the village...and then pick up mother-in-law a few days later. This was concerning, due to my severe lack of a sense of direction. Thankfully, The Senior did not inherit that lack...and between my language skills and her sense of direction...we figured we could manage.
Now this is one of the only times in our marriage that The Husband has let me drive. But he felt it was imperative that I get the feel of things. The problem with this scenario is that The Husband is a back-seat driver. He was "coaching" me the whole way there on everything from my speed to the way I was holding the steering wheel. As we neared the airport, we were coming to a traffic light. Three times he yelled "Stop! No, Go!, No, stop!" Well, being used to doing EXACTLY what The Husband says...I did just that. The guy driving the motorcycle behind me tried to mimic my actions, but he didn't stop the last time fast enough...instead, he fell off and his motorcycle slid under our rental car. Needless to say, I was shaken up, and maybe...JUST MAYBE, peeved at The Husband. Well, knowing that he had caused this little fiasco...he decided he would get out and take care of it. But here is the problem...The Husband only knew 2 words in french...bougez, which means "MOVE"...and "C'est bon", which means "Everything is fine". ( I know...why on earth these were the two phrases that stuck in his mind we will never know). So he gets out of the car and heads back to the guy, who is fine, and has already picked up his bike. The Senior and I are watching them and shaking our heads, wondering how he is going to handle this...the guy looks as annoyed as I was. But The Husband just looks him straight in the eye and says "C'est bon?".....Well, The Senior and I looked at each other and burst out laughing...literally laughing so hard we were crying. Meanwhile, the guy must have taken pity on The Husband ( or maybe he didn't understand The Husband's french spoken with a New Jersey accent)...but he took off...and so did we...
It's worth noting that a few years later, after yet another minor accident in France, The Husband was able to use that second phrase..."bougez"...but as I remember, I had to get out and intervene...
So until tomorrow, when I will keep in mind that it is not always what we say, but how we say it, that really matters...
The Husband was going to be working in France over the summer, so Little One, The Boy and the Senior and I had settled into a small village to live while he worked. Now being fluent in french, this was fun for me, as it was a great opportunity to use my language. Although we became known as "les Americans" to the people of the village, they were lovely about conversing with me. The senior had just completed her second year of french in school, so she was anxious to try her french out too. Each morning, we would wake up and walk to the village bakery and pick up some fresh croissants for breakfast. It was a fun routine, strolling Little One, who was a baby at the time, and following The Boy toddler. One morning after The Husband had left, Little One was sleeping in after a long night, and The Senior and Boy were "starving". Well, I told her, it was time to go it alone. She had listened to me all those mornings...she knew what to say...she could take The Boy and do it herself. (This was a very small and very safe village). The Senior hemmed and hawed, not sure if she was yet up to the task. Though she is always bold and brave (remember, she was previously nick-named The Rebel), she was still hesitant about doing it by herself...and though I agreed with her that the crowded bakery with the talkative lady baker would be a challenge...I knew she could do it. So off they went, The Boy and Senior...and they returned 30 minutes later with fresh pastries for everyone. The Senior was so proud of herself... and was suddenly emboldened to be much more independent in this little village. That night we watched "Dirty Dancing" on tv in french, and we laughed the whole time, because hearing "Nobody puts baby in a corner" in french is just so funny.
Our second day there, The Husband took all of us for a trial run to the airport which was about 45 minutes (and many twists, turns and round-abouts away). I was going to have to drop him off there in a few days..and return to the village...and then pick up mother-in-law a few days later. This was concerning, due to my severe lack of a sense of direction. Thankfully, The Senior did not inherit that lack...and between my language skills and her sense of direction...we figured we could manage.
Now this is one of the only times in our marriage that The Husband has let me drive. But he felt it was imperative that I get the feel of things. The problem with this scenario is that The Husband is a back-seat driver. He was "coaching" me the whole way there on everything from my speed to the way I was holding the steering wheel. As we neared the airport, we were coming to a traffic light. Three times he yelled "Stop! No, Go!, No, stop!" Well, being used to doing EXACTLY what The Husband says...I did just that. The guy driving the motorcycle behind me tried to mimic my actions, but he didn't stop the last time fast enough...instead, he fell off and his motorcycle slid under our rental car. Needless to say, I was shaken up, and maybe...JUST MAYBE, peeved at The Husband. Well, knowing that he had caused this little fiasco...he decided he would get out and take care of it. But here is the problem...The Husband only knew 2 words in french...bougez, which means "MOVE"...and "C'est bon", which means "Everything is fine". ( I know...why on earth these were the two phrases that stuck in his mind we will never know). So he gets out of the car and heads back to the guy, who is fine, and has already picked up his bike. The Senior and I are watching them and shaking our heads, wondering how he is going to handle this...the guy looks as annoyed as I was. But The Husband just looks him straight in the eye and says "C'est bon?".....Well, The Senior and I looked at each other and burst out laughing...literally laughing so hard we were crying. Meanwhile, the guy must have taken pity on The Husband ( or maybe he didn't understand The Husband's french spoken with a New Jersey accent)...but he took off...and so did we...
It's worth noting that a few years later, after yet another minor accident in France, The Husband was able to use that second phrase..."bougez"...but as I remember, I had to get out and intervene...
So until tomorrow, when I will keep in mind that it is not always what we say, but how we say it, that really matters...
"There is a level of cowardice that is lower than that of the conformist: the fashionable non-conformist." Ayn Rand
There was an interesting article in the WSJ last week discussing the decline of "edgy" in fashion. It detailed how in the current economy, people are looking for safe, classic and comfort clothing...not trend or edge. A quick browsing at the magazine stand backs this up. Over the last few months, the familiar faces of Christie Brinkley, Cindy Crawford and Elle MacPherson have graced the covers of magazines for the first time in awhile, replacing the "edgier" looks of ,say, Kate Moss. If you thumb through the pages, you may see Kate, but not in all her waif-like, grungy glory...but in her more updated, demure look.
The last 2 weeks on Project Runway, the two designers that were eliminated were the ones who were considered a bit "over-the-top" in their designs. The one guy, who was suppose to be designing a maternity look, went so far as to create a "nest" for his model...literally draping her stomach so that she looked about 15 pounds heavier...suffice it to say, it did not go over well with the judges. As he was packing his bags to leave, he admitted that he might have to pay more attention to his customer's needs instead of his own esoteric vision. Once again, the judges discussed how "edginess" is good, but only up to a certain point.
Back in "the day" when I was modeling, I remember being sent out by my agency for a "go-see" at a particular department store. This department store was filming a new commercial, and they were looking for models to work as extras. I'm ashamed to say that I hesitated when offered this opportunity because this was not a store that I necessarily wanted to represent. I won't mention their name, because there is absolutely nothing wrong with this store...it's just that I had an idea in my mind of the kind of work I wanted to do...and this wasn't it. However, since Saks and Neiman's weren't calling... I decided that my hourly rate times the many hours that it usually took to film a commercial would more than make up for my deflated ego. So off I went to participate in the humiliating process of walking into a room with many other models...staring at each other...silently deciding who would be the competition...and then being called back to show your card and do your thing for the store marketing department. I remember walking in that day and seeing one of the most gorgeous girls you've ever seen...just stunning. I immediately felt like leaving, as I figured it was all a waste of time...she would definitely get the job. But since my agency had sent me, I had no choice but to wait it out.
The next day, my agency called to let me know that I had gotten the job! I was stunned....and I told the lady that booked me that I was surprised...I described the girl that was there..and she knew who it was. She said "Oh, yeah. They told me they considered her, but they weren't going so much for beauty...more edgy." ....What?? I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Let's recap...I got the job for my lack of beauty?....and also, because I'm..."edgy"? Now look, I'm many things, but if you poll a group of 20 people that know me, I'm betting that the word "edgy" doesn't come up. But the strangest thing was that this particular store was as far from "edgy" as you can possibly get. The dictionary definition of "edgy" is "innovative" or "cutting edge". I will promise you that there was not one item in that store that fell into this category...nor did I. But I went and did the job, channeling my inner Kate Moss.
The next day, I went out and bought a ridiculous pair of chunky bottomed lace-up boots...the kind you see in a magazine and say to yourself 'Who the heck would wear that?" I thought that maybe I would try to mold my image into Miss New York Edge....but one look in the mirror changed my mind...(I was quickly reminded of what my French photographer said when he was shooting me for my card...."I sink we will go for zee bohemian, girl-next-door look"....) And so my days as the "edgy" girl quickly came to an end.
It will be interesting to see how long this period of "safe" lasts. I guess the good designers are the ones who can market their clothes as sensible and long-term right now...I read that Tory Burch and Narcisco Rodriguez, both fairly young designers known for quality, yet innovative designs, are both struggling to keep their fashion niche, yet also reach the customer who will no longer pay a lot for something that won't be around next year...because we have all learned over the last year that the best place to shop for clothes is in your own closet...so you better pick things that "last"..
So until tomorrow, when I just might pull out those chunky boots, and see what The Boy and Little One have to say about their "edgy"mom...
The last 2 weeks on Project Runway, the two designers that were eliminated were the ones who were considered a bit "over-the-top" in their designs. The one guy, who was suppose to be designing a maternity look, went so far as to create a "nest" for his model...literally draping her stomach so that she looked about 15 pounds heavier...suffice it to say, it did not go over well with the judges. As he was packing his bags to leave, he admitted that he might have to pay more attention to his customer's needs instead of his own esoteric vision. Once again, the judges discussed how "edginess" is good, but only up to a certain point.
Back in "the day" when I was modeling, I remember being sent out by my agency for a "go-see" at a particular department store. This department store was filming a new commercial, and they were looking for models to work as extras. I'm ashamed to say that I hesitated when offered this opportunity because this was not a store that I necessarily wanted to represent. I won't mention their name, because there is absolutely nothing wrong with this store...it's just that I had an idea in my mind of the kind of work I wanted to do...and this wasn't it. However, since Saks and Neiman's weren't calling... I decided that my hourly rate times the many hours that it usually took to film a commercial would more than make up for my deflated ego. So off I went to participate in the humiliating process of walking into a room with many other models...staring at each other...silently deciding who would be the competition...and then being called back to show your card and do your thing for the store marketing department. I remember walking in that day and seeing one of the most gorgeous girls you've ever seen...just stunning. I immediately felt like leaving, as I figured it was all a waste of time...she would definitely get the job. But since my agency had sent me, I had no choice but to wait it out.
The next day, my agency called to let me know that I had gotten the job! I was stunned....and I told the lady that booked me that I was surprised...I described the girl that was there..and she knew who it was. She said "Oh, yeah. They told me they considered her, but they weren't going so much for beauty...more edgy." ....What?? I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Let's recap...I got the job for my lack of beauty?....and also, because I'm..."edgy"? Now look, I'm many things, but if you poll a group of 20 people that know me, I'm betting that the word "edgy" doesn't come up. But the strangest thing was that this particular store was as far from "edgy" as you can possibly get. The dictionary definition of "edgy" is "innovative" or "cutting edge". I will promise you that there was not one item in that store that fell into this category...nor did I. But I went and did the job, channeling my inner Kate Moss.
The next day, I went out and bought a ridiculous pair of chunky bottomed lace-up boots...the kind you see in a magazine and say to yourself 'Who the heck would wear that?" I thought that maybe I would try to mold my image into Miss New York Edge....but one look in the mirror changed my mind...(I was quickly reminded of what my French photographer said when he was shooting me for my card...."I sink we will go for zee bohemian, girl-next-door look"....) And so my days as the "edgy" girl quickly came to an end.
It will be interesting to see how long this period of "safe" lasts. I guess the good designers are the ones who can market their clothes as sensible and long-term right now...I read that Tory Burch and Narcisco Rodriguez, both fairly young designers known for quality, yet innovative designs, are both struggling to keep their fashion niche, yet also reach the customer who will no longer pay a lot for something that won't be around next year...because we have all learned over the last year that the best place to shop for clothes is in your own closet...so you better pick things that "last"..
So until tomorrow, when I just might pull out those chunky boots, and see what The Boy and Little One have to say about their "edgy"mom...
Monday, September 14, 2009
"Sports do not build character. They reveal it."
My weekend re-cap is mostly sports oriented...but before I get to that, I have to say something about Kanye West and the VMA awards. When I turned on my facebook page this morning, Big Sis and all of her friends had posted outrage about last night's VMA awards. Now being of another generation, I stopped watching that show and anything MTV- related (unless I want to see someones outfit or make sure Britney is ok) a long time ago. Evidently, the darling Taylor Swift had won the award for best video, and as she was accepting her award, Kanye West leaped onto the stage, grabbed the microphone from her, and proceeded to rant about how Beyonce's video was actually the best. First of all, is anyone really surprised by this? His arrogance enters a room before he does...but he really stepped over the line this time. I was so glad to hear that he was booed whenever his name was mentioned after that...and even happier to hear that when Beyonce won Video of the Year, she showed so much class by calling Taylor back on stage to "have her moment". There you go, the worst...and best of behavior...
Speaking of bad behavior, did you see Serena's outburst at the U.S. Open? During the last game of the match which was to determine the winner, she was called for a double foot-fault by the line judge...and so she walked over and threatened to "shove this ball down your throat". Ok, not a proud moment for Selena...and all of the papers are chastising her this morning...and hey...very poor behavior. But I am going to have to play devil's advocate here for a moment. Does anyone remember John McEnroe and all of his rants during his time? Jimmy Connors? As I remember, they were always called, lovingly, the "bad boys" of tennis. I don't ever remember them being punished or disqualified...and sometimes their shouting went on for several minutes, in matches that were not that important...or in moments that were much less crucial. I have been watching tennis for years, and I can never recall two foot-fault calls in a row. When re-played, it was not an obvious fault...and while I'm not saying it shouldn't have been called...who among us can say that we wouldn't have felt exactly like Serena...and I had to at least grin at her "ugly moment", because sometimes competitive spirit gets the best of us. The line judge said she threatened "to kill me."...Please...I've never heard of anyone killed by a tennis ball shoved down their throat. The worst part of the whole thing was that Kim Clijsters beautiful play was overshadowed by this...which is why I think the line judge should have just let the match play out on its' own...
Ok, next. Did you see the between-the-legs cross court shot by Federer in his match? Unbelievable. Even he characterized it as the "best shot of my career". I wish Nadal had won his match, as it would have been fun to see them play again. I know I always say this...but Federer is just amazing to watch..
On another sports note...and probably nobody cares but me...but I loved seeing Brett Favre in his first game as a Viking. I love Brett Favre. I loved him as a Packer...loved him as a Jet...and now, love him as Viking. I don't care how many times he cries and retires...Once this guy hits the field, he is so much fun to watch. The first pass he completed yesterday was followed by a show of enthusiasm that the announcers called "juvenile joy"...but that is the kind of spirit that I enjoy watching. As long as he can play at that level, I hope he plays. If he stays healthy, the Vikings are going to have a good year...
On a personal level, our weekend was baseball over-load. 4 games in 2 days with two different teams. The Husband put together a group of terrific players from 4 different teams and entered them in a tournament. The lesson learned here is that no matter how good your players are separately... it always takes some time to learn to play together...thus the term "team". Even though they lost all three games, it was fun...because you always felt like they were only a rally away from winning. After playing three games, The Boy had another game last night with yet another team. He was exhausted, but played a beautiful game, including a great home run (sorry, mom-brag moment).
And on a last note...here is what I learned from The Boy this weekend. After playing on two teams where he didn't really know everybody all that well...he came away as he always does with new friends. The Boy has the ability to talk to anyone anywhere. He came away after the weekend knowing all of the players, opposing coaches, umpires, maintenance crew and concession stand workers...It never fails to amaze me how he can strike up a conversation with anyone. This gene evidently skips a generation like baldness, because my father was the same way. He never met a stranger that he couldn't tell his "stories" to. And The Boy is the same way...and it is a joy to watch. I did try to follow his footsteps this weekend. I left the book at home, I sat near the other parents...and I TRIED to have conversation. How did I do? Well, let's see...the first game started at 10:00, and by 11:00, I was exhausted from all the conversation....but hey, like I said earlier...feeling like a team takes time...even for the parents.
So that's it for weekend re-cap. Little One has her first softball scrimmage tonight...so until tomorrow, when I am promising myself to chat it up with this new group of parents....
Speaking of bad behavior, did you see Serena's outburst at the U.S. Open? During the last game of the match which was to determine the winner, she was called for a double foot-fault by the line judge...and so she walked over and threatened to "shove this ball down your throat". Ok, not a proud moment for Selena...and all of the papers are chastising her this morning...and hey...very poor behavior. But I am going to have to play devil's advocate here for a moment. Does anyone remember John McEnroe and all of his rants during his time? Jimmy Connors? As I remember, they were always called, lovingly, the "bad boys" of tennis. I don't ever remember them being punished or disqualified...and sometimes their shouting went on for several minutes, in matches that were not that important...or in moments that were much less crucial. I have been watching tennis for years, and I can never recall two foot-fault calls in a row. When re-played, it was not an obvious fault...and while I'm not saying it shouldn't have been called...who among us can say that we wouldn't have felt exactly like Serena...and I had to at least grin at her "ugly moment", because sometimes competitive spirit gets the best of us. The line judge said she threatened "to kill me."...Please...I've never heard of anyone killed by a tennis ball shoved down their throat. The worst part of the whole thing was that Kim Clijsters beautiful play was overshadowed by this...which is why I think the line judge should have just let the match play out on its' own...
Ok, next. Did you see the between-the-legs cross court shot by Federer in his match? Unbelievable. Even he characterized it as the "best shot of my career". I wish Nadal had won his match, as it would have been fun to see them play again. I know I always say this...but Federer is just amazing to watch..
On another sports note...and probably nobody cares but me...but I loved seeing Brett Favre in his first game as a Viking. I love Brett Favre. I loved him as a Packer...loved him as a Jet...and now, love him as Viking. I don't care how many times he cries and retires...Once this guy hits the field, he is so much fun to watch. The first pass he completed yesterday was followed by a show of enthusiasm that the announcers called "juvenile joy"...but that is the kind of spirit that I enjoy watching. As long as he can play at that level, I hope he plays. If he stays healthy, the Vikings are going to have a good year...
On a personal level, our weekend was baseball over-load. 4 games in 2 days with two different teams. The Husband put together a group of terrific players from 4 different teams and entered them in a tournament. The lesson learned here is that no matter how good your players are separately... it always takes some time to learn to play together...thus the term "team". Even though they lost all three games, it was fun...because you always felt like they were only a rally away from winning. After playing three games, The Boy had another game last night with yet another team. He was exhausted, but played a beautiful game, including a great home run (sorry, mom-brag moment).
And on a last note...here is what I learned from The Boy this weekend. After playing on two teams where he didn't really know everybody all that well...he came away as he always does with new friends. The Boy has the ability to talk to anyone anywhere. He came away after the weekend knowing all of the players, opposing coaches, umpires, maintenance crew and concession stand workers...It never fails to amaze me how he can strike up a conversation with anyone. This gene evidently skips a generation like baldness, because my father was the same way. He never met a stranger that he couldn't tell his "stories" to. And The Boy is the same way...and it is a joy to watch. I did try to follow his footsteps this weekend. I left the book at home, I sat near the other parents...and I TRIED to have conversation. How did I do? Well, let's see...the first game started at 10:00, and by 11:00, I was exhausted from all the conversation....but hey, like I said earlier...feeling like a team takes time...even for the parents.
So that's it for weekend re-cap. Little One has her first softball scrimmage tonight...so until tomorrow, when I am promising myself to chat it up with this new group of parents....
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