GOING A LITTLE HAIKU-KOO

Dump out stuff in purse,
Fish through pockets, dig through trash.
Keys found in the fridge!

Traffic lights, stop signs,
Allergy eyes, big, bright zit.
RED things suck, don't they?

Son wails on guitar,
Husband brings iPad to bed.
Think I’ll sleep outdoors!

An UnPETurbed Household?

Are you a pet owner? Or would you rather just be a cat or dog aunty or uncle? Visit me on An Army of Ermas for a few laughs. http://www.anarmyofermas.com/2012/07/unpeturbed-household.html

SHARK!!

So I'm re-reading Jaws, a novel I read many years ago, and trying to figure out why I'm so fascinated with sharks. Thirty-seven years ago, I was a young college student who couldn't get enough of sharks! I read the novel, watched the movie (probably more than once), and went to the library to study up on these marvelous creatures. Me: Gimme all your books on sharks. But why? I wasn't sure then and I'm still not sure now. It could be the scare factor. Some of us love most what scares us the most. Roller coaster rides, haunted houses, slasher movies, zombies, vampires--if it gives us the chills, it wakes up our senses. We're more alive because the adrenaline's pumping. Now I wouldn't want to go swimming in the ocean with a great white. And I wouldn't volunteer to toss fish into one's mouth from a nearby boat. No, that's okay, I'll pass. But study this creature from the safety of a library or my home? Sure! Bring on the books and pictures. I want to know everything--what it eats, how it digests what it eats, where you can find one, how long it lives, etc., etc. I just finished reading that sharks don't really like the taste of humans. That's kinda good to know. If I ever find myself in the water with one, I'll keep that in mind. But that's about as likely to happen as my winning the Powerball jackpot. Although..

Seven Surefire Ways To Lose Weight This Year

1. Go to the gym.

Now I know what you’re thinking. Oh no, not a gym membership! I’ll go once and never go back again. How on earth is this method ever going to work? Simple. What you’re going to do is WALK to the gym! That’s right. Even if it’s 50 miles away. Walk all the way to the gym and once you get there, walk all the way home again. That should help shed some pounds.

2. Tape a photo of one of those perfect-bodied Victoria’s Secret models onto your refrigerator door.

Or multiple photos, if you want. Yes, a refrigerator adorned with a montage of perfectly sculpted beach bodies might just be the ticket to total fitness in 2012. Why? ‘Cause every time you’re tempted to open up the fridge and grab a handful of fried chicken, darn it all, one of those babes will look you in the eye, admonishing, “You’re eating again? Piggy!”
Of course, you’ll slink away in embarrassment.

3. Tape a naked photo of YOURSELF on the fridge.

No explanation needed.

4. Buy yourself a dog that runs really, really fast (such as a greyhound or a whippet) and take it for a nice walk at least 3 times a day.

Did you know the whippet is the fastest dog on earth? Take your whippet out onto the bike path and perhaps he’ll take YOU for a nice long walk (make that RUN).

5. Run for President of the United States.

Hey, it IS an election year, right? Might as well throw your hat into the ring and run as an Independent. Some of the candidates ain’t looking all that great, anyways. Since it’s sure to be stressful and hectic out there on the campaign trail, with long days and nights, you probably won’t have time to eat anything.

6. Buy a whole bunch of bigger, baggier clothes.

What we’re going for here is the illusion of weight loss. An acquaintance sees you at the grocery store in your oversized shirt and says, “Wow, that shirt is just hanging off you, girl! Have you lost weight?”

And finally, if all else fails there’s this one:

7. Have your lips surgically sewn together.

Nothing beats this one! If the food can’t get into the mouth, the fat can’t get onto the hips. Or anywhere else, for that matter.


Happy New Year!

January's here!

As December was coming to a close, I looked out the kitchen window one day and thought the sky looked rather picturesque. There was this unusual contrast--like 2 different blue layers of the sky.

I grabbed my camera and shot a few pics.

Some Fall Photos

Bare November, winter's frost,
Another day is lost.
The trees shed their leaves like skin
and leave behind a ghostly grin.

Anniversary Photo Session

My husband and I celebrated our 26th anniversary back in October. As a photojournalist who takes pictures of people, places and things of interest on a regular basis, you would think I'd take pictures of my own family, wouldn't you? Well, I usually don't.

So, on our special day, I decided to remedy that situation by making sure to capture the two of us in a photograph. The trouble was I couldn't possibly take a picture of my husband and me, and none of our kids was around to snap the photo. So we decided to just pose for it and snap it ourselves.

The result was rather comical, but we got maybe one good shot out of the deal. Below you'll see what we captured that day.

A Mouse in the House

There may be a mouse in my house. Oh yes, there are signs!

Have I spotted the little critter? No. But I've found some little droppings here and there and I know they're not mine.

They're clever, these mice. They come out at night while I'm snoozing in my bed. And honestly, if they're going to leave their droppings somewhere, I'd prefer they leave them in the toilet!

We have a plan of action. We started by leaving the kitchen light on last night. My husband's theory was that mice would be afraid of the light, afraid of being spotted. But that didn't work; this morning the evidence was in full sight.

Sneaky little buggers. So now we have to go with Plan B. My husband will buy some mouse traps over the weekend and we'll do some mouse trapping. Let's see them wiggle their way out of that.

It makes me think back to my old third floor apartment in Pawtucket. Why, before I even moved in my 5-year-old nephew from downstairs announced, "Aunty Kathy, if you live here you're gonna have bats and mice."

Hmm. Surely the young man is yanking my chain, I hoped. I mean, he's only five, right?

However, on my very first night living there, I padded into the kitchen to get a glass of water before bed and right in the middle of the kitchen floor sitting there staring at me was a---

You guessed it, a mouse.

And of course, I screamed.

My brother-in-law from downstairs was summoned (the great white hunter, according to my sister), and the mouse problem was dealt with. At least for the time being.

There were other mice in my future... and bats, too.

We've been pretty lucky in this house, but I guess that luck has changed. I don't like the idea of sharing living space with rodents so they better beware!

I'm gonna go all Wicked Witch of the West on this mouse--

"I'll get you, you critter, and your little turds, too!"

And the beat goes on:

Here are some more of my neighborhood on the day of the storm;oh, the last one was from yesterday--the bike path completely blocked.

More Irene damage

More hurricane pics I shot after the storm.

Hurricane Irene Visits My Neighborhood on August 28

As most people know Hurricane Irene made an appearance in Rhode Island on Sunday.

The wind was gusting, rain was slashing down and I, of course, just had to go outside to take photos.

I'm posting one of the effects of Irene that happened on my street.

The Beauty of Spring

It is finally spring and I've started going around taking some flower pics.

Sometimes there are no words to convey the beauty of flowers so I'll just let them speak for themselves.

The trees are getting hit hard by constant snow. All weighed down with snow on their shoulders, they are bending and breaking under the weight.

And I think a lot of us humans are feeling the same way about now. Every day we look at the ground, look at the sky, and wonder what's next. How much more can we take?

I am trying to find happiness in good books, good movies and anything that takes me away from the winter blues.

So how about you? Do you like winter? Snow?

If you do like it, tell me why.

Please.

Off to the race track!

How fast do you drive in a parking lot? Do you drive as fast as you do on the roads? On the highway?

One of my biggest pet peeves is drivers who think parking lots are race tracks. Yup, I nearly got hit twice the other day while shopping for groceries. The first time I was making my way through the sludge and ice, attempting to get to the store entrance. On foot, of course. A little old lady decided she would pull out of her parking spot at that exact moment, instead of backing out. Backing out would have been much better.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw movement, so I turned to look at this automobile just inches away from me. I gaped at the driver. Really? You're coming this way even though I'm walking?

Remember that film with Dustin Hoffman? "I'm walking here!"

I can't remember the name of it. Midnight Cowboy? Well back to the story.

So she waved her hand at me to continue walking. Yes, I think I will, thank you.

Later, after filling my cart with groceries, it was back outside to the race track. Now I was attempting to push my cart through the slush, in between the parked cars, searching for oncoming cars, of course. To my left was a mini-van approaching fast. Good thing I was paying attention.

The female driver was looking, well, BEHIND HER while driving, perhaps scolding her kids in the back seat. Who knows for sure. Okay. What's wrong with this picture? Luckily, I observed that she was not looking, so I stayed put as she barreled past me.

Yes, I finally got to my car, unscathed.

Whew! Who would think a simple trip to the grocery store could be so riddled with danger?

I Need A Little Springtime!

Oops, looks like I've already broken my NY's resolution.
I didn't post on this blog yesterday.

Today we have snow, snow, snow. Have I ever mentioned I hate winter? It is cold and dreary and tough to navigate and depressing.

My current blog header picture depicts the winter blues. I am considering switching it to a picture of summer or fall to soothe my winter blues.

What do you think? Should I change it?

MY NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS FOR 2011

Boy, did I really fail on last year's resolution to post every day in this blog!

First of all, for anyone reading this, here is my excuse. This past October I got a freelance job writing news stories for The Barrington Patch. That keeps me very busy. I write 3 or 4 stories a week, sometimes more.

So, here are my New Year's resolutions for 2011, which I will probably break.

1. Post on this blog every day.

2. Brush my hair out as soon as I get up in the morning. (I always wait 'til later, and it takes forever to get all the tangles out, so it takes me forever to get out the door.)

3. Try to do something helpful for someone every day.

4. Eat better, eat smarter.

5. Exercise every day.

6. Take a Yoga class.

7. Stop complaining and try to find the positive in every day.

8. Get better organized.

9. Save money.

10. Publish a short story, poem, or heavens, even a novel!

Some Thoughts at Thanksgiving

The turkey is roasting in the oven. My table is set, the rooms are clean, the rest of the food is waiting to be cooked. My oldest son is snoring in his bed; his siblings are silent at this time.

I'm thinking about Thanksgiving this year and Thanksgivings past. Some things remain the same, some things have changed. Last year my oldest son was living in a dorm room, now he's home. Last year was the first year without my mother and of course that cast a shadow on this holiday. Last year I had no job, no steady source of income, this year I do.

We lose things, we lose people. We gain things, we gain new friends. (Sometimes we gain some weight.) It's the ebb and flow of life, year after year. And so it's time to once again remember to give thanks for all the good things we do have in life. I think we humans too often focus on the things we don't have.

I'm thankful for my husband and kids, my sisters and their families. I'm thankful for the parents I once had, who are no longer with us, who raised me and taught me good values. I see parts of them in myself from time to time when I suddenly make a statement they made in the past. Oh they're still here really, living on in their four daughters.  My mother's silverware is lovingly placed beside my china on our dining room table. My father's bedroom bureau now holds my youngest son's clothes and treasures.

We'll make new memories every year as we go forward. It's my table and my traditions now and I know my children are watching what I do and say, and down the road they'll remember all the things I did to make their holiday special and memorable.

Ah, just smell that turkey!

Happy Thanksgiving to you!

Whose story is it?

Lately I've been thinking about the issue of revision. As writers, we all get our words turned around, omitted, or tampered with by editors.  Often the changes are for the best, but sometimes maybe we're not so sure.

My question is this:  If an article, story or novel is edited quite a bit, does it still rightfully belong to the person who created it to begin with?  Do you still want your name on it?

What do you think?

Music Isn't Music Anymore, or Is It?

A few days ago I took my son up to college to help him with a film project. While we were sitting on a bench waiting for someone to arrive, I couldn't help listening to the music blaring from the nearby college radio station. I felt like sticking my fingers in my ears, to tell you the truth. I'm no fan of rap music.

Which got me thinking about the music I do like.  The other day as I flipped the TV channels I caught a piece of song, a beautiful song sung by what sounded like James Taylor. The only lyrics I caught were "our town", so I immediately googled the words and found a Youtube video from the Pixar animated film Cars with James Taylor singing.

Good lyrics and a beautiful melody. I was impressed. I miss songs like that. I grew up in a time when there were some great songwriters.  Some of them are still around today. But some of today's songwriters could learn a thing or two from the masters.

I don't buy many CDs or download many songs these days. Yes, I turn to the classics and my old favorites most of the time.

Good God, I think maybe I'm turning into my mother!

Hooray for the Arts!

Hi everybody!

I took a short break in September, but more posts will be forthcoming in October.

I was job-hunting and dealing with other issues during the past few weeks.  I also participated in a short film for my son's Filmmaking class in college.  He needed someone to play the monster. My daughter stepped in to play the cop after another actor dropped out. The whole filmmaking process was quite interesting, but very time-consuming. I understand much better now what is involved in setting up the shots. Actors need to very patient while the director is working on the lighting, camera angles, and other factors such as cars and people not wanted in the scene.  It's not easy to get everything right.  The first evening we ran into technical difficulties, it got dark in the park, and the park rangers told us we had to leave.  Oh well.  We returned the following evening to finish up.

I thought my son did a great job for his first short film.  Three minutes goes by fast, but not when you're filming.  Lots of footage got cut, but that's what film editing is all about.  He dubbed in some sound effects and scary music which helped create a scary atmosphere.

All of my three kids are pursuing their passions--film directing, music directing, and coincidentally writing and art, my two interests. I wouldn't have it any other way.  When skeptics and naysayers argue: "Oh, those aren't good fields to go into for jobs", I blow them a mental raspberries.  Life is short.  My parents were stuck in jobs they hated for most of their lives and it wasn't until they were retired that they actually, finally fulfilled their lifelong passions.

I fully support my children's interests as I happen to be a strong supporter of the arts.  The world would be a dull place indeed without music, art, films and literature.