non stranger danger

This week I tried to watch an Oprah episode where she interviewed convicted child molesters (click here). Couldn't do it. But before I switched I noted something. In the two cases I stuck around to listen to, one offender was an older man whom the victim thought of as a grandfather figure, and the second was the child's FATHER (he had custody of daughter after divorce). I wanted to learn, yes, but this was one of those cases where I just couldn't deal.

Then, this morning on Good Morning America, I saw an interview of the mother whose daughter was kidnapped last fall and found dead two days later (click here). The 'person of interest' in the case is a former neighbor.

Seems like strangers aren't the only people to be wary of and that's sad and disturbing. Is there no respect of person anymore?

___________________

"One should rather die than be betrayed. There is no deceit in death. It delivers precisely what it has promised. Betrayal, though ... betrayal is the willful slaughter of hope."
Steven Deitz

I may have mispoken

I was looking at my old fashioned post and the glaring skip over my college years motivated this post. How could I forget the year when "bitch" was like a term of endearment for me? A couple of my friends would remember those days. I always wonder to them, what on earth was up with me? lol For like 2 years words like that and other choice ones held some appeal to me. A bit out of character, yes, but it happened.

So now you know. It is only fair that you are allowed to tell my future kiddies that mom wasn't always so proper (when I'm trying to pretend I was never 18).

winter wonderland

It snowed and snowed and snowed yesterday. Hugh got to see his first snow storm. Most of the time he was like, what on earth is this and when is it gonna stop? Then he was initiated into the chore no Jamaican has to deal with - shoveling snow. I think it was overwhelming for him lol. First pic was taken in the morning when it just began to snow. Beautiful. No matter how inconvenient and cold winter is, snow storms always look so serene.

Enjoying his first snow...

Still falling at about 7 pm

The fall out after shoveling...great exercise. I got all kinds of muscle aches. Feels great! I wanted to make a snowman during the day but Hugh was looking at me like I was missing screws. In the city, the sidewalks are a beast! I mean, there are garbage trucks collecting snow, front loaders pounding the ice on the sidewalks so people can shovel. But as always NYC goes on...the pigeons (my friends. NOT) are still walking and blocking the way, and there still had to be at least one diva rocking breakyourbehind shoes.

snow day!

I can't wait to go out and take pics.

I'm home but working. Hate that I'm up so early but like a good employee I was planning to head in so I got up at 6:35 am.

I'm dragging the snow newbie (it's my brother's first snow storm!) outside later. Stay warm everyone & be safe!

valentine's day

Of all the commercial holidays, I think it is the worst culprit. I remember one valentine's day back in the 90s when this guy got his wife a Rover (really nice car to us in the Brit commonwealth). It made front page news the next day...my teenage mind thought that was just the best thing ever. But really, what was it for? V-day gets a fail in my book.

First of all, I'll admit, I wouldn't be writing this is if I got a day off. Yea, I'm that shallow. Then there's the pressure to do something on Sunday when I really just wanna chillax...well, too bad. We're chillaxin'

Now onto my spiel.

What really is valentine's day? Like, seriously. I won't say I've done exhaustive research into v-day but if I can't figure it out at almost 30 and no one can offer a brief sensible history of why we even celebrate love on Feb 14th versus Feb 10th, or why it's called Valentine's day, we should rethink. The first thing is we could rename it. I don't hate on Mother's day or Father's day cause we've all decided that we'll celebrate mothers and fathers, respectively. I sure am not celebrating Valentine or Saint Valentine or anyone associated. The next, lets start a love everyday revolution. Who cares abt Feb 14th?

Second, who is it about? When I was younger I thought it was about celebrating love in general. Parents would do cute things for kids (my mom still wishes me happy v-day and I love it of course...but she does cute stuff everyday) and kids make cute cards but somewhere along the line there's a transition. Once you get older it gets all messed up. The net push is toward people in intimate relationships. So single people (if they even care) aren't included. Granted holidays like mothers day and fathers day can suck if you've lost (a) parent(s). Maybe this ramble should be about how all holidays suck...

Then, even if you are married, dating, or in a relationship, it isn't even fair. My very reliable wiki source led me to American Greetings who reports that men spend twice as much as women on average. Why am I complaining again? lol

That leads to my final grievance. It is one heck of a expensive holiday to be having no meaning. It's not an anniversary nor a birthday. Some nerve.

In conclusion, yup, even rambles have shape and form, *gigglesnort*, v-day surely isn't the lone culprit of why people hate holidays but it's a great target. I can find something to love about most holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving, mothers day, and fathers day but any grievance you have related to holidays (expense, loss of meaning, wasted calories, etc), take it out on this one. It can be all your holiday-related issues rolled in one. I still plan to wish people happy v-day (when I remember) and I am most likely gonna do something (tho nothing compared to the average person) so am I a hypocrite or just a hamster on the wheel of life?

-----end of ramble-----

green/black thumbs

This poor thing used to belong to me. Over a year ago, I managed to kill it and my co-worker revived it. Now it's dying again and we don't know why. We're hoping it is the growing cycle. In anycase, my co-worker dug it out, irrigated the soil, gave it warm water (that's supposed to help), and trimmed it down to its skivvies.

Let's all hope it makes it. I don't know how I plan to garden orchids if I can't take care of house plants. I currently have a lovely houseplant combo on my desk that was a birthday gift which I'm working really hard to keep green.

how dare they?!

I cannot believe they're canceling my Ugly Betty ::insert indignant outrage here::

ABC is blaming it on poor ratings but why on earth do they keep moving the show???? How will people watch the darn show on a Friday night. Everyone is out. Most partying and people like me are at choir practice but I still DVR'ed it. Then all of a sudden it got kicked to Wed at like 10 or sometime everyone's trying to head to bed. Boohoo! Let me just say, that is how they killed Christina Applegate's Samantha Who? When you get moved to Friday night, you are on your way o.u.t. OUT!

I watch such little TV that this is a huge dent. Thank goodness I discovered Biggest Loser last season or else I'd be dumping the major networks in favor of prime time TV in Food Network, HGTV, Bravo, and GSN. There's abs nothing else I watch on the big 4 (CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX) - well, outside of Oprah, who is now also done after this season, and news. Oh! I forgot abt Dancing w the Stars (but that's booooring now).