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Thursday, January 31, 2013

"Always be a first rate version of yourself and not a second rate version of someone else." - Judy Garland

Lately I've been on my soapbox about social media. Tonight I will continue... As you know if you are a regular reader, DD's boyfriend broke up with her at Thanksgiving. He had started a relationship with another girl who is obsessed with him before he broke up. She admits the obsession, has told everyone that, and seems, well, almost emotionally unstable (if you ask me.) She announced to the entire band at band camp in August that she was going to break up DD and boyfriend.  She violently pursued him - and she succeeded....
Anyway.
The creepy, sad thing to me is that she is now obsessed with DD. It seems that not only did she want to steal her boyfriend but she wants to steal DD's identity. She must have stalked DD's Facebook and Instagram photos, and is  now buying him matching t-shirts just like DD used to do. She makes him bracelets like DD did. And she Skypes with him and does the same poses. And now in her photos, is trying to morph into DD. She has a group of friends that do not know DD, yet asks them to try to friend her. One would think that all of the imitation would stop once she had gotten her guy, yet she continues to not only rub everything in DD's face, but is also trying to dress just like her and have her hair just like her, and even try to have her smile. You might think I am exaggerating but this girl a few months ago had a COMPLETELY different style, look,  hair, and was wild as the day is long. Now she's trying to look angelic and has not only stolen DD's guy, but her look as well. DD unfriended her on Facebook and blocked her on Instagram, but told me tonight that this girl has made another FB friend request to be her "friend"... And is using her best friend's password to watch her on Instagram. It's all very creepy.
I'm hoping it will pass...


"NYC, what is it about you?..."

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

No le hace...

After hearing Senator Marco Rubio on Rush's show yesterday, I got into a heated discussion with my (now) liberal leaning son. One point that Rubio made that I had not heard, nor had my son, was that Obamacare treats everyone whether they are a citizen or not. Rubio said, which is obvious but no one is talking about, that this will collapse our financial situation since it is already teetering at the edge of a cliff. My son said, so you are okay with stepping over dead bodies? I answered that the ILLEGAL people that are already here, we DO treat at the ER in an emergency but don't give them cancer treatments, for example.
At first my son was okay with Obamacare treating all equally, but when I told him that itwould send the entire freaking world across our borders if they were sick since they could get free healthcare. He then said he wasn't sure I had heard this correctly, and he would research it. That's what they all say I suppose, but Rubio is smack-dab in the middle of the immigration proposals, and would not lie, and especially to the biggest talk radio audience in the U.S.
This is what I've been saying all along. That we could tell the illegals that are here that they can stay, but we cannot give them amnesty, and thus SOCIAL SECURITY,  because we would immediately collapse our system. I do like the ideas that Rubio is offering, and he is in Florida around immigrants as we are in Texas (as a matter of fact, we now have more Hispanics in Texas than whites.) We deal with this every day here. We Texans are very sympathetic to humanity as we witness it daily. But if we have complete open borders, which is what this would, in essence, do, then we will become like them - desperate. Looking for a place to go where we can exist. I told my son, you have to remember, these people came over here ILLEGALLY and took that chance when they came. It doesn't mean we owe them healthcare. It's a really difficult thing to deal with.
But we must.



Monday, January 28, 2013

Snarky red carpet review of the 2013 SAG Awards

Well, another Hollywood award show has come and gone...
Sigh.
As soon as I turned on the live from the red carpet on E, I was un-wowed. From the get-go, this award show had no sparkle (literally.) It had no charisma, no excitement, no drama. The stars acted like they could have cared less, and the fashion followed that emotion. Over half of the women wore black. It was like a funeral - only red carpet styled. Here are some of the texts between my grown daughter Alex and me:
Me: This red carpet stinks! All black and blue
Me: Nicole Kidman looks OLD
Alex: She is old
Alex: I think the dresses are plain but I think people look more classy than the Globes
Me: She (Nicole) is sagging! Get it?
Me: I swear it's all black
Me: Tina Fey, blah black
Alex: Always. Snore.
Me: All black or white
Me: Even Ann Hathaway - black
Me: Blah
Alex: They all share the same 5 stylists - you'd think they would coordinate
Me: Good point
Me: Jessica Chastain is in red. She will stand out.
Me: I've seen NO standouts.
Me: Amy Poehler in black...
Alex: So much black. That means color for the Oscars bc they won't all do another black dress.
Me: I agree, this is the least fashionable show, so default black
Me: Freida Pinto is in hot pink
Alex: But this dress is odd
Me: True
Alex: It had a weird cowl neck
Me: Jen Garner looks flooby
Alex: the gold is not flattering
Me: Yeah, she is thin but flabby?
Alex: Yup, having 3 kids will take it's toll
Alex: Amanda Seyfried is best dressed so far
Me: Dark blue - ugh
Me: Claire Danes - black. Goth lipstick - yack.

I tried to watch the award show, but was bored and stayed on my phone until I couldn't take it anymore and did other things around the house. Nothing stood out. No fashions. No speeches. Nothing.
Bleh...


Saturday, January 26, 2013

I Hope You Dance...

Today we are at a dance competition in San Antonio with DD's dance team. And Spurs basketball game afterwards.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Soon we must face the choice between what is right and what is easy

Here's my message today -- Don't give up. My son has been unemployed for over a year. He's so weary. He's so depressed. But don't give up. You just got married. It's like in sales. If you make enough calls someone will say yes. And my ex. He's been unemployed for 10 months and has also grown weary. He has a 90 year old mom who he is worried about. And the stupid Texas workforce commission has lost his paperwork ((hello Obamacare which is coming.) So he has to backtrack to keep his unemployment.
There are so many discouraged people who have given up after this last presidential election. BUT WE CAN'T. We have to keep fighting. The Bible says that those who endure will see heaven. Yes it's bad. Yes it's getting worse. But we can never ever throw in the towel.
I think my New York trip revived me. All those poor immigrants looking for a better life here in America. It's still better here. We have to be on the offense instead of the defense. If you're a Christian, I've read the end of the Book.
We win.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Final NYC photos

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

"If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere..."

Remember when we used to come back from summer and our teachers asked us to write an essay on what we did for our summer vacation? Well, here are my thoughts about my first trip to New York City. We just returned last night.
 This past summer DD's dance team had a dance camp and the Danceline organization chose "elites" who had the opportunity to go to NYC in January. DD was one of the five chosen, so we decided that we were just going to make it happen. We did bake sales and some other fundraisers to cover some of the cost. We were really excited since we hadn't been on vacation in five years. The trip did  not let us down but exceeded all expectations! As we flew in, we saw the Statue of Liberty out the plane's window, and the New York experience began!
First of all, seeing NYC for the first time after ALL these years of seeing it on movies, and on the news, and scenes from 9-11 and in magazines - it was SO surreal. I mean, I'm a Baby Boomer, so it's been many years of seeing these pictures. It was better than I had envisioned it yet very, very different than what I thought it would look like.
The one thing I wanted to see more than anything was the 9-11 site, yet it was the only big disappointment of the trip.... I don't know... I just thought it would be more reverent. More meaningful.... It needed pictures and music and videos. I mean, I have a t-shirt that was made just after it happened that says, "We Will Not Forget," yet it seems that they ARE trying to forget. We cannot erase that the radical Islamists declared war on us that day... in a big way. Yet all we have are two big fountain pools with plaques? It looked like they are working on a building that some said would be a museum, yet who could know?  It was chaotic as they rush you through security while they yell at you, and it was just, well,  just not right...
I tried to imagine that fateful day when the two largest buildings in this nation collapsed within a matter of minutes, but could not. I tried to explain to my 15 year old who was only 4 at the time and consequently has only seen videos on You Tube. And her 14 year old friend had zero knowledge, so I guess her parents didn't think it important to tell her?
But on the up side, I LOVED seeing all of the American flags on buildings all over the city. We don't see that in Texas, so that really lifted my spirits. Another surprise? How many foreigners there are. I expected a lot, but they are the majority. I swear the city is half Asian or Middle Eastern, 25% white and 25% black. Or at least what I saw. We hailed a cab six times and I always sat in front to talk to the driver. The first one was a super nice young black guy who lives in Queens, has 3 kids, and is studying to go to law school. The next one was super nice from India who talked to me all some Hindu religious celebration. The next was from Pakistan, a devout Muslim, about 60, disgusted with how the women in the U.S. are and kept saying "praise Allah." The next one was just scary. He looked like Bin Laden and wouldn't talk and seemed like he wouldn't have a problem being the next one looking for his 7 virgins. We had a black woman from Granada who was pleasant and the last guy was black from Haiti. Very eye opening. All had come from very poor situations looking for a way to support their families. They always seem to land in NYC...
Another surprise? I'd always heard how rude New Yorkers are, but they were almost all super nice to us. Actually much nicer than Texas. And granted, I get it, the service people are looking for money, but  they are here too, yet aren't really all that into it. We had 2 different tour guides - our food tasting tour had a young, sweet Korean gal who was super personable. And our bus tour guide was an awesome native New Yorker in her sixties, who had great tidbits and loves her life and her city. We all agreed that it's obvious when someone loves their job and their enthusiasm is infectious.
Other observations? Being with some very cute high schoolers, we just didn't see very many attractive males. Texas has some really cute ones, so that was a disappointment. (Same for women by the way, but we weren't interested in that.) I also noticed that there were no fat people. I guess it's all the walking? But in Texas, clearly HALF the people are super overweight so that was surprising. The food was not more expensive than Texas like we heard it would be, so nice surprise there. And we saw two Broadway shows, "Annie" and "Wicked," which were entertaining but not as elaborate as I thought they would be. I've seen shows in San Antonio and Austin that were equally as good, and even in my artsy small town, we come pretty close, believe it or not. And the audience was very disappointing. No one really dresses up, and they are allowed to eat and drink in the theater which is kind of gross. Ugh. America has really lost a lot of class.
The Plaza Hotel exceeded my expectations and finally we saw some classier types there and at Tiffany's. But I wouldn't say they were better dressed than we were, just acted snobbier. Central Park looked like what I had imagined except that it's the dead of winter, so with no leaves on the trees, any park looks it's worst. The Statue of Liberty was closed since Hurricane (storm?) Sandy flooded the bottom of it and ruined many artifacts, so it's not open for the foreseeable future. But even far away, it was so iconic that we were euphoric! Loved it...
As someone who is trying to work on my iPhoneography, NYC is a photographer's dream -- SO many photo opps. Like the subway. Wow. Now THAT is exactly portrayed in movies and television. Everyone is like a zombie - completely dead in the eyes. I smiled at a few yet they stay frozen. We saw some of the African-Americans break into a circle of dancing both on the platform and a different day some older blacks dancing in one of the subway cars. And Times Square? There are no words to describe. The pictures just do NOT do it justice. It's sensory overload. Party atmosphere 24/7. And this is mid January when it's super cold!! There was a black guy in tiny black Speedo type underwear skating with a boombox when we were there the other night. Of course you see it all, so it feels like an adventure.
As I was people watching in the Starbucks across the street from the Empire State Building, this Asian lady says to me (in broken English) "Is this your baby??" and points to a baby in a stroller. I said, "No, I thought it was your baby." She asks young couple next to me if they know who's baby it is, and they agree they, too, thought it was her baby. So I go to the front and a different Asian lady who was at the head of the line figures out what I'm doing, and says, "my baby," so I turn around and tell them. The first Asian lady starts yelling at the Asian mom and it was actually kind of amusing. Except that someone did actually walk away from their baby for 20 minutes in NEW YORK CITY...
I had wanted to see more of the media headquarters like the New York Times since I've been in the newspaper business all of my life, but no one else did, so that didn't happen. And I would love to go on the tour that shows where all of the movies and tv shows over the years have filmed - like Blue Bloods, Law and Order, You've Got Mail, P.S. I Love You, just off the top of my head.
So. My final thoughts... Better than I thought. Want to go back. And wistfully, my secret wish is that most of the places I go would be like they were in the 60's or early 70's when life just seemed more innocent.
A girl can dream....

Monday, January 21, 2013

Last day of NYC

Sunday, January 20, 2013

NYC vacay continues

Saturday, January 19, 2013

NYC - day 2

Friday, January 18, 2013

NYC!!!!