My father has been somewhat of a Lothario as he is is working through his grief.
For reasons I don't comprehend, women live longer than men. That means as a straight widower he has his pick of women to keep company with.
He suggested that his popularity was due to the same things that fueled his popularity in college chiefly that he still has a lot of his hair and he still drives.
As for the women he has dated, some I like better than others, but none of them are bad. The other thing that I notice is they all have one thing in common. Intelligence.
I'm not saying common sense intelligence but I guess an intellectual curiosity that reminds me (rather unsurprisingly) of my mother. I find it funny that my father has a type--and the type is intelligent women.
Like my mom.
Like me.
Monday, July 25, 2016
Monday, July 18, 2016
Microblog Monday--What next
There is a lot of shit going on in the world.
Innocent black men being murdered by policemen on a power trip.
Innocent policemen being murdered.
A horrific attack on adults and children in Nice.
A coup going on--or not--it seems to be unsure in Turkey.
Likely between the time I post this and the time you read this there will be something else unimaginably horrible happening.
Seriously I tried to think of a good post that would somehow lend words to these horrible tragedies.
I want to comfort those who mourn.
I have no words. How do I tell the families of those grieving their loved ones anything. I didn't know these people and policemen and innocents who were killed. Yet, my world is diminished because they left it.
For the politicians who can't get it together to agree that guns don't belong in the hands of children without a lot of restrictions, I want to do what my daughter's preschool teacher does. When two children are fighting, the teacher sits them down looking at each other. They have to say one nice thing about the other and then put a jigsaw puzzle together. If they refuse to do even that they are put on the "get along" seat until they can. I would like to see Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell on a get along couch and then doing a puzzle.
I want to fix something--and I don't know how to fix it.
How would you fix the world? What change would you like to make that would be snowballing?
Innocent black men being murdered by policemen on a power trip.
Innocent policemen being murdered.
A horrific attack on adults and children in Nice.
A coup going on--or not--it seems to be unsure in Turkey.
Likely between the time I post this and the time you read this there will be something else unimaginably horrible happening.
Seriously I tried to think of a good post that would somehow lend words to these horrible tragedies.
I want to comfort those who mourn.
I have no words. How do I tell the families of those grieving their loved ones anything. I didn't know these people and policemen and innocents who were killed. Yet, my world is diminished because they left it.
For the politicians who can't get it together to agree that guns don't belong in the hands of children without a lot of restrictions, I want to do what my daughter's preschool teacher does. When two children are fighting, the teacher sits them down looking at each other. They have to say one nice thing about the other and then put a jigsaw puzzle together. If they refuse to do even that they are put on the "get along" seat until they can. I would like to see Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell on a get along couch and then doing a puzzle.
I want to fix something--and I don't know how to fix it.
How would you fix the world? What change would you like to make that would be snowballing?
Monday, July 11, 2016
Original Cast -- Microblog Monday
Unless you pay no attention to your trending lists, you know that Lin-Manuel Miranda has left his titular role as Hamilton.
This surprises me not at all, as he has a lot of plates juggling and he is incredibly talented. I recall he left In The Heights after around the same amount of time. I did not see In The Heights in the beginning of its run, but I did see it with Lin-Manuel Miranda who had returned to the role of Usnavi later in the production, just as he says he will return to Hamilton. I trust that he will keep his word.
I saw Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal in Rent. Not the original cast, but when they returned again later in the run. It was brilliant, however, I have to say that the person I saw playing Roger (Adam Pascal's role) later in the run gave the role an extra sparkle. He was the best Roger I have seen.
There is something magical about seeing an Original Broadway Cast. No question. I'd like to say though, for all the whining that I'm seeing that people haven't seen the Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton--I'd like to say. If you have tickets for later performances--I'll gladly take them off your hands.
I believe that Lin-Manuel Miranda will come back to Hamilton, he's said as much. What I also believe is that he would not leave his precious creation in the hands of people who can't act the $*@& out of the role.
Moving along to Shuffle Along--they made the decision--crazy decision--to close when Audra MacDonald leaves one of the leading roles. Audra MacDonald is good--amazing even, but why close a successful show when the actress' replacement has already been named. I'm sorry I won't get to see this amazing show.
But I'm looking forward to seeing Hamilton--in a few years.
This surprises me not at all, as he has a lot of plates juggling and he is incredibly talented. I recall he left In The Heights after around the same amount of time. I did not see In The Heights in the beginning of its run, but I did see it with Lin-Manuel Miranda who had returned to the role of Usnavi later in the production, just as he says he will return to Hamilton. I trust that he will keep his word.
I saw Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal in Rent. Not the original cast, but when they returned again later in the run. It was brilliant, however, I have to say that the person I saw playing Roger (Adam Pascal's role) later in the run gave the role an extra sparkle. He was the best Roger I have seen.
There is something magical about seeing an Original Broadway Cast. No question. I'd like to say though, for all the whining that I'm seeing that people haven't seen the Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton--I'd like to say. If you have tickets for later performances--I'll gladly take them off your hands.
I believe that Lin-Manuel Miranda will come back to Hamilton, he's said as much. What I also believe is that he would not leave his precious creation in the hands of people who can't act the $*@& out of the role.
Moving along to Shuffle Along--they made the decision--crazy decision--to close when Audra MacDonald leaves one of the leading roles. Audra MacDonald is good--amazing even, but why close a successful show when the actress' replacement has already been named. I'm sorry I won't get to see this amazing show.
But I'm looking forward to seeing Hamilton--in a few years.
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Doc McStuffins Is More Than Just a Children's Show
Dear Disney,
We love you.
By we, I mean my beautiful little girl, Lotus, and to a lesser extent--me.
My love is the love of nostalgia. I remember sitting in a movie theater, my hands greasy with popcorn, watching Mary Poppins with my grandmother. I was so excited that I recognized her voice as Maria from The Sound Of Music (which I had seen on TV a few days before) I spilled the popcorn on Grandma. She was so excited, she went to get me more. I remember watching The Rescuers with my brother. He had been complaining that he had to babysit and take me to a "baby" movie. By the end of the movie, he was planning to return with his friend. That was Disney magic for me.
My daughter is one of the many who watch Frozen at least once a week. More than Frozen is her obsession (and, as a Trekkie I don't use that word lightly) with your show PJ Masks. The day is not complete unless she can watch one of those episodes and ask the myriad four-year-old questions that come to her mind. She also loves The Lion Guard and, of course, Doc McStuffins.
Through my daughter's love of PJ Masks I watch how important representation is. You see my daughter is Asian, as is Owlette--her favorite PJ Mask. Representation changes "I love that superhero!" to "I could be that superhero!"
Now I hear that you are considering taking that representation away from millions of African-American children. Why would you do this? From everything I've read the show has a massive following and good ratings. It has won the NAACP Award and the Peabody award for excellence. It is not played out. Moreover it started the most amazing adoption storyline. One that again spells representation for many who are not represented.
Let me end with what happened on Christmas. Santa gave our daughter a beautiful "Frozen" doll kit. In two seconds she was playing with it. In two minutes Anna's arm broke off. The next day we went to the Disney store at the mall to see about getting it fixed or replaced. The absolutely amazing cast member examined the doll and then knelt down to talk to my daughter.
"Sweetie, this is a bit beyond me."She told my daughter. "But don't worry, We're going to send Anna to Doc McStuffins and she'll send her right back to you as soon as she can."
"Will she need the surgery?" Lotus asked. Tears were filling her little eyes. She had seen the episode where the toy required overnight surgery with the doc.
"I don't know," the lady said. "that's up to Doc."
"Will Doc hold her other hand?"
"I think Hallie usually does that when the doc is busy." Was the response. Lotus considered it and nodded.
"Thank you!" I said to the cast member.
"Don't thank me." She said with feeling. "Thank Doc McStuffins." Then she took my information and two weeks later we had a brand new Anna doll. For months whenever Doc McStuffins was on, Lotus would get Anna and watch with her. Why on earth would you take that away from the employees of your stores?
Please consider this my request to renew Doc McStuffins.
We love you.
By we, I mean my beautiful little girl, Lotus, and to a lesser extent--me.
My love is the love of nostalgia. I remember sitting in a movie theater, my hands greasy with popcorn, watching Mary Poppins with my grandmother. I was so excited that I recognized her voice as Maria from The Sound Of Music (which I had seen on TV a few days before) I spilled the popcorn on Grandma. She was so excited, she went to get me more. I remember watching The Rescuers with my brother. He had been complaining that he had to babysit and take me to a "baby" movie. By the end of the movie, he was planning to return with his friend. That was Disney magic for me.
My daughter is one of the many who watch Frozen at least once a week. More than Frozen is her obsession (and, as a Trekkie I don't use that word lightly) with your show PJ Masks. The day is not complete unless she can watch one of those episodes and ask the myriad four-year-old questions that come to her mind. She also loves The Lion Guard and, of course, Doc McStuffins.
Through my daughter's love of PJ Masks I watch how important representation is. You see my daughter is Asian, as is Owlette--her favorite PJ Mask. Representation changes "I love that superhero!" to "I could be that superhero!"
Now I hear that you are considering taking that representation away from millions of African-American children. Why would you do this? From everything I've read the show has a massive following and good ratings. It has won the NAACP Award and the Peabody award for excellence. It is not played out. Moreover it started the most amazing adoption storyline. One that again spells representation for many who are not represented.
Let me end with what happened on Christmas. Santa gave our daughter a beautiful "Frozen" doll kit. In two seconds she was playing with it. In two minutes Anna's arm broke off. The next day we went to the Disney store at the mall to see about getting it fixed or replaced. The absolutely amazing cast member examined the doll and then knelt down to talk to my daughter.
"Sweetie, this is a bit beyond me."She told my daughter. "But don't worry, We're going to send Anna to Doc McStuffins and she'll send her right back to you as soon as she can."
"Will she need the surgery?" Lotus asked. Tears were filling her little eyes. She had seen the episode where the toy required overnight surgery with the doc.
"I don't know," the lady said. "that's up to Doc."
"Will Doc hold her other hand?"
"I think Hallie usually does that when the doc is busy." Was the response. Lotus considered it and nodded.
"Thank you!" I said to the cast member.
"Don't thank me." She said with feeling. "Thank Doc McStuffins." Then she took my information and two weeks later we had a brand new Anna doll. For months whenever Doc McStuffins was on, Lotus would get Anna and watch with her. Why on earth would you take that away from the employees of your stores?
Please consider this my request to renew Doc McStuffins.
Monday, June 27, 2016
Microblog Monday--Happy Anniversary Mom
Dear Mom,
I have my first byline. My first paid byline, mom! It's in the online magazine Kveller. I think it is right--the name. That's what you would have been doing--you'd be kvelling.
Dad had his birthday and then, six days later was your anniversary.
It's a hard day.
For sixty-four years June nineteenth was a celebration of love. The kind of love that you had. The yell at each other, make up, hold hands for a while kind of love. The sleep in a chair by your love's hospital bed kind of love. That's what we celebrated every June Nineteenth. That's what my sister celebrated when she chose it as her wedding day.
Now, now it's a day where we try to act like we don't remember how you would do stuff. We made no mention of the fact that it was your anniversary when we celebrated father's day, and my sister's anniversary. No mention at all.
I didn't handle that part so well. Even though dad was with his new girlfriend, I had to talk about you. I had to remember you. We talked about you and baseball. How a client took you to the famous Don Larson Perfect Game. You came home sad and down because "No one hit anything. No one got a run. " We laughed. We missed you. I needed to remember.
I need to remember that your blood is still in my veins. Your heart still beats with my heart. I am here. I am here and since I am, you are still here.
When I am gone. When I am where you are, my blood does not flow through Lotus' veins. But my heart will still beat. I have given her my heart and yours too.
I miss you mom. Happy what would have been your 67th anniversary.
I have my first byline. My first paid byline, mom! It's in the online magazine Kveller. I think it is right--the name. That's what you would have been doing--you'd be kvelling.
Dad had his birthday and then, six days later was your anniversary.
It's a hard day.
For sixty-four years June nineteenth was a celebration of love. The kind of love that you had. The yell at each other, make up, hold hands for a while kind of love. The sleep in a chair by your love's hospital bed kind of love. That's what we celebrated every June Nineteenth. That's what my sister celebrated when she chose it as her wedding day.
Now, now it's a day where we try to act like we don't remember how you would do stuff. We made no mention of the fact that it was your anniversary when we celebrated father's day, and my sister's anniversary. No mention at all.
I didn't handle that part so well. Even though dad was with his new girlfriend, I had to talk about you. I had to remember you. We talked about you and baseball. How a client took you to the famous Don Larson Perfect Game. You came home sad and down because "No one hit anything. No one got a run. " We laughed. We missed you. I needed to remember.
I need to remember that your blood is still in my veins. Your heart still beats with my heart. I am here. I am here and since I am, you are still here.
When I am gone. When I am where you are, my blood does not flow through Lotus' veins. But my heart will still beat. I have given her my heart and yours too.
I miss you mom. Happy what would have been your 67th anniversary.
Monday, June 13, 2016
Schuyler Sister--IF Sister
Yesterday was the Tony Awards.
Since Lotus came home we have watched the beginning of the Tony Awards together. The first time, when Neil Patrick Harris hosted, she adored. We kept it on our DVR for ages because she would love to watch the first number over and over. Then, when Hugh Jackman hosted the Tonys and began it by bouncing around Lotus jumped instead of walked for weeks. Last year she was getting over being sick, so I watched the Tonys after she went to sleep. Because Lotus loves some of the Hamilton soundtrack ("Play the shot song, mommy!" ) I was looking forward to watching some of the Tonys with her.
She liked the opening song, then got bored and played by herself for a bit. She's four, she does that now. But she crawled back on my lap when I started to cry listening to Renee Elise Goldsberry's acceptance speech.
Renee Elise Goldsberry played Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton. She won their first award of the night. But the part of her speech that made me cry was this.
"and lastly I would just love to say that if you know anything about me, I've spent the last 10 years of my life what some would consider the life blood of a woman's career just trying to have children, and I can testify in front of all of you that the Lord gave me Benjamin and Brielle and then he still gave me this! Thank you!"
I cried because there, at the pinnacle of her career, a woman spoke about infertility. I cried because there was someone who knew what I had gone through. There was a woman who had spent time with a sore ass because of the meds and a battered heart as she cried after a failed cycle.
She played a Schuyler sister, but she is my IF sister. She took the time out of her triumph to claim her kinship. I held my much-prayed-for child on my lap and cried tears of happiness for her triumph.
When you are dealing with infertility and fighting the battle of your body you have comrades in arms. People you would never have imagined understand you and have been where you are. God bless you Renee Elise Goldsberry, and give you all the luck and craziness of your children. You have a sister here--in me. And if you wanted to get your sister tickets to Hamilton...I would't mind.
Since Lotus came home we have watched the beginning of the Tony Awards together. The first time, when Neil Patrick Harris hosted, she adored. We kept it on our DVR for ages because she would love to watch the first number over and over. Then, when Hugh Jackman hosted the Tonys and began it by bouncing around Lotus jumped instead of walked for weeks. Last year she was getting over being sick, so I watched the Tonys after she went to sleep. Because Lotus loves some of the Hamilton soundtrack ("Play the shot song, mommy!" ) I was looking forward to watching some of the Tonys with her.
She liked the opening song, then got bored and played by herself for a bit. She's four, she does that now. But she crawled back on my lap when I started to cry listening to Renee Elise Goldsberry's acceptance speech.
Renee Elise Goldsberry played Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton. She won their first award of the night. But the part of her speech that made me cry was this.
"and lastly I would just love to say that if you know anything about me, I've spent the last 10 years of my life what some would consider the life blood of a woman's career just trying to have children, and I can testify in front of all of you that the Lord gave me Benjamin and Brielle and then he still gave me this! Thank you!"
I cried because there, at the pinnacle of her career, a woman spoke about infertility. I cried because there was someone who knew what I had gone through. There was a woman who had spent time with a sore ass because of the meds and a battered heart as she cried after a failed cycle.
She played a Schuyler sister, but she is my IF sister. She took the time out of her triumph to claim her kinship. I held my much-prayed-for child on my lap and cried tears of happiness for her triumph.
When you are dealing with infertility and fighting the battle of your body you have comrades in arms. People you would never have imagined understand you and have been where you are. God bless you Renee Elise Goldsberry, and give you all the luck and craziness of your children. You have a sister here--in me. And if you wanted to get your sister tickets to Hamilton...I would't mind.
Thursday, June 9, 2016
Trade Me by Courtney Milan
This book.
It blew me away.
I don't like the New Adult romance genre spawned by the 50 Shades trilogy as a general rule. However when a story comes along like this I owe it to myself and romance fans to talk about it.
First, look at that beautiful non-white woman on the cover. I am so tired of the lack of diversity in romance that this was reason enough to buy this book.
Second, I would like to discuss a problem I have with most New Adult romance books. Most books in the genre have a protagonist--or two--in college. My issue has always been how come these college-educated people are doing such stupid things! The main characters in Trade Me talk about the decision making processes--such as they are.
Third, chemistry. Oh the chemistry between these two fully realized characters is so hot that if you put a container of ice-cream over the book it would melt!
Fourth, the organic use of characters. Tina--our heroine--has a roommate who used to be a man. Blake--our hero--is mourning the loss of his father's partner. Any one of these characters and plot twists could, in the hands of a lesser author, be sensationalized. Here it is just a simple turn.
I think that's what I like most about this book--stunning simplicity. When done right simplicity makes for a wonderful romance.
Read this book and enjoy!
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