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.