Twilight Zone

  Sometimes it feels like we are living in the twilight zone. For real. Scan a newspaper or watch a news program and the things that are being reported will make your head spin. A full on exorcist moment. For example...

  Donald Trump and Kim Kardashian met yesterday to talk about...wait for it....prison reform! WTH??? At first, I thought this was a joke. I mean what does either of them know about anything really except self-promotion? But it was an actual meeting. About prison reform. It makes me laugh out loud just typing that. That my dear friends in the U.S. is who your leader is discussing important issues with. I wonder if he will take her recommendations seriously. I'd bet yes. Everyone should take her advice on how to take the perfect selfie but prisons?

  The makers of ambient, the sleep aid that Roseanne is blaming for her recent Twitter "joke", has the greatest response to her claim. "While all pharmaceutical treatments have side effects, racism is not a known side effect of any Sanofi medication." Perfection. Whoever is in charge of social media for this company deserves a raise for that tweet alone!

  Denmark has joined France, Austria, and Belguim with a controversial ban on face coverings. More commonly known as the "burqa ban", it does not include motorcycle helmets or face covering due to cold weather. Ok, so what does that leave? Burqas and niqabs. I don't get the fear involved with these coverings myself. But what is interesting is the vote passed 75-30 with 74 absentees. How can a law be passed when almost 50% of the voters don't show? Interesting.

 The list could go on and on and on. Kids dying after being left in a vehicle with 30-degree temperatures. A real-life Spiderman climbing a building to save a child while the father plays Pokemon Go. FEMA saying the death toll in Puerto Rico is around 45 and another study says over 4500.....why such a huge discrepancy? 

  We can't keep up with the insanity. So I'm not even going to try.

  Ang

News

  Monday morning and still no cream! I'm not sure why but after two trips to the grocery yesterday I still didn't buy any. So if this seems a little disjointed or angry well you know why. Or at least my excuse as to why. Let's look at the morning news...

  This isn't really news but, Khloe Kardashian says people should be happy for her because she is happy. And she doesn't understand why you aren't. Well Khloe, whether we are happy for you or not shouldn't matter. Why do you care what total strangers think about your life? Have some confidence in yourself. FYI your "fans", though what you actually do for a living that would garner fans  I don't know, are probably concerned about your significant other cheating on you while you were pregnant. Just saying.

  The U.S. government "misplaced" 1500 children who were taken from their parents while trying to enter the country illegally. Forget the second part of that statement and concentrate on the number. 1500 children. Misplaced. What the hell?? Now Trump is trying to blame it on the Democrats. But I heard Jeff Sessions threatening it on national tv a month or so ago. These are children. We don't misplace them.

  A three-year-old's parents were told her sundress was inappropriate for preschool. The school, in Winnipeg, has a two-inch wide rule for straps. Please remember this is preschool. She is 3. Oh and I should add the temperature was 30 Celsius or 86 Fahrenheit. Hot in either method. Her parents say they are going to abide by the rule in the future. But what has this preschool taught girls? Your body is something to be embarrassed about. Your body is a distraction. Cover yourself up. Great, another generation being taught early to have low self-esteem.

  LeBron James is going to the NBA finals for a record 8 years in a row. Wow. That is unheard of. He is definitely the best player on the court right now though he will never pass MJ as my favorite. And after what seems like months, the NHL finals begin tonight in Las Vegas. Though since my Pens were eliminated I really have little or no interest.

  There are lots of crazy things in the news this morning. These are just some of them. But try as I might I have to admit....it's just like every other day in this world we are living in.

  I'm off to buy some cream!

  Ang





  
  

Sunday Tea

  The tea I am drinking this morning just isn't cutting it! I'm a morning coffee person but without any cream in the fridge this morning, plan B is underway. It's not that I don't like tea it's just I don't like mornings and coffee gives me that kick in the butt to start the day. My butt could be dragging today.

  I woke up to production in the basement. What a beautiful sight that is! The storage room, yes be jealous we will have an entire room dedicated to storage, is almost ready to be filled with assorted boxes, bags, and junk. Making the entire main room a thousand times easier to renovate. After making Riley pancakes, a task normally left to me, John swears he will have the flooring done in no time. I believe him.

  Meanwhile, Alex will be mowing the lawn. All of it this time. Not just what he deems to be necessary. Riley will be weeding the gardens and the pathways. Then maybe the pool won't be filled with dandelion fluff. Perhaps Mother Nature might even realize it's almost the first of June and provide some much-needed sunshine so we can use the above-mentioned pool. I'm not going to hold my breath on that one though.

  The entire day is mapped out for all family members except me. Mine will be filled with the normal Sunday activities...laundry and groceries. Two of my least favorite household chores. I might have to throw in a nap though. Which brings me back to the tea.... 

  Ang

Eviction Notice

  A 30 year old man, who has a child and a degree, has been evicted from his parents home. He doesn't have a job, doesn't pay rent, does not mow the grass or shovel the snow. After 8 years and many pleas, including cash incentives, his parents had had enough. They hired a lawyer.

  Before you say it, I 100% agree that the parents are to blame for a huge part of this situation. They raised a child who didn't want to fly and allowed him to return to the nest and stay there. They were bringing the worms...why would he leave? 

  It's obvious from this man's comments he has no respect for his parents and feels entitled to everything they provide. In fact, he is challenging the court ruling. He is now claiming he needs 3 months to pack. What??? I have an entire house and I could pack everything in under a week....we have a lot of crap in the basement and garage.

  Not only is he lacking respect for his parents but he also has none for himself. His attitude and demeanor in court and speaking to reporters afterward show that quite vividly. He is a victim in his mind. I can't even imagine being an adult and mooching off my parents. 

  And again don't say it, I know sometimes adult children live at home for various reasons. But this man is taking advantage and we all know it. Now a pizza chain is offering him a job and said they feel for millennials who are having a hard time finding employment and becoming self-sufficient. 

  But here's my problem with that....he is a parent. And parents do not have the luxury of being unemployed or taking time to become self-sufficient. We have children to support and proverbial mouths to feed. The luxury of time is for those without kids. Apparently, he has lost visitation with his child. Wanna bet that's from lack of support payments?

  I don't want to seem harsh but this man is an entitled, spoiled brat, who needs a large dose of reality. A New York State judge just gave him one. 

  Let's hope he learns from it.

  Ang

A Royal Wedding & Peter Mansbridge

 Yesterday I complained about the continuous coverage of the royal wedding. It seemed so frivolous, out of touch and a huge waste of money. I wondered what else was going on in the world other than this. But after multiple times going through the roughly 150 channels we subscribe to, I was resigned to ignorance on world affairs of the morning.

  I didn't care about the dress, the guests, the pageboys or the Queen. There was no interest in the ceremony, who sat where, or whether Fergie got to sit with the family. Beard or no beard? Couldn't have cared less. 

  Would they kiss? Who would walk her down the aisle? Will the children behave? No interest at all. Zero. I was so over the hype of the last few weeks. 

  But then late last night, Peter Mansbridge of all people changed my mind completely. He made me see this wedding in a different light and why it really was important.

  Think about the last month's news. Fires, floods, mass shootings, plane crashes. Robberies, deaths, anarchy, terrorism. Racism, deadly force, children dying, Ebola outbreaks. All were brought to the small screen on a daily basis, in graphic detail. It makes us sad, depressed and with no faith in humanity.

  Then along comes a wedding. A joyous time. Where friends and family come together and celebrate. It's happiness and laughter and love in the spotlight. It's hope for humanity. Most importantly it's a chance to focus on good not bad.

  Add to it that the groom is a young man who we watched grieve for his much-beloved mother. Who finally seems to be getting his happily-ever-after. And the bride becomes a princess just like in a fairy tale. A love story pure and simple.

   I get it now. It's not a waste of time and money to show the world the wedding. It's a chance to show us there is still happiness and joy on this earth. That love can take us out of the chaos and show us the better side of ourselves. There is hope for humanity.

  Congratulations Harry & Meghan. May you have a lifetime filled with joy, happiness, and love. And thank you for giving us a reason to smile and celebrate in these very sad and trying times.

  Thank you Mr. Mansbridge, for reminding me that in the midst of chaos there is still happiness. And why it's so very important to celebrate it while we can. You never know what tomorrow will bring.

  I guess  I needed to be reminded of that!

  Ang

Stay Positive Or Stay Away...Please

  In a world filled with negativity, it is very hard to stay positive. To be the light that civility expert Dr. Lew Bayer says we should be. She has always been one to me so I try Lew. But it seems like a difference of opinion is now negative. I'm not sure when that happened but I wish it would stop immediately.

  If I disagree with you on politics, hair color, religion, fashion or where the best shawarma can be found...that is not a personal attack. It doesn't mean you aren't intelligent or able to make good choices. Just a difference of opinion. You do not have to go on the offensive and attack me. Or try to belittle me in front of co-workers or friends. That makes you look small not me.

  In a professional environment, people need to be even more aware of their responses. After all when you are being paid to do a job part of it is your experience and ideas. Those are expected to be shared, reviewed and learned from. Confronting a co-worker, over an opinion, is not only unprofessional but will create more problems than it will ever solve. Ask anyone who has done it.

  But when it comes to friends the stakes are higher still. You can lose a long-term friendship with one argument. Especially when it is on a topic you both feel strongly about. I have some friends who I can never talk politics, religion or parenting with. They are adamant their opinion is right and the conversation escalates to a level I find at times both ridiculous and unforgivable. So I choose not to engage in any topic I know will bring out this side of them. I pick our friendship over everything else. It's not always easy but I do.

  Be the best person you can be. Be kind. Be polite. Be civil. If you can't then please...be far away from me.

  Ang
  

White Privilege Is Racism

  I must admit I'm feeling a little down this morning.  A hockey hangover so to speak. My team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, were eliminated last night. And to make matters worse, it was in overtime so I was late going to bed and sad so I didn't go right to sleep. I'm paying for it this morning. But that's not what I'm talking about today...I'll need a few days to get over the loss first.

  Yesterday was Alex's birthday and as is our tradition, he picked where he wanted to eat dinner. Of course, he picked a Chinese food buffet. Here's where the story gets interestingly weird. 

  The restaurant wasn't busy. We are enjoying our general tao when two 20ish black men are seated at the table beside us. Having been in the service industry for years, I can tell when a table is going to be a problem. These guys were not. They were respectful and polite. The only strange thing they did was ask for a menu....who goes to a buffet and orders off the menu?? 

  Two waiters, the only ones for the entire restaurant, come to their table. As one young man asks his questions, the other goes up to the buffet. One waiter follows him. Watching what he is doing. Staying just far enough behind not to be blatantly following him. Meanwhile, the waiter is explaining the buffet process to the man at the table. 

  The second young man comes back and sits. They are both going to have the buffet it seems as the second man leaves. Again followed not so discreetly by the same waiter. During this same time frame several tables were seated. All white. None got this treatment. We didn't. In fact, we were waiting for more drinks while the "special" treatment was being given at the table next door. 

  Were they aware they were getting special attention? Of course they were. How can I be so sure? Well one asked if they should pay in advance. I was shocked at that comment. It would never occur to me to prepay in a sit-down restaurant. A busy bar perhaps but even that would be pay as you go. 

  These two black men's lives are different than mine. And much different than my two sons. They are looked at and treated differently. Based solely on their skin color. Nothing about their outward appearance or manner would have resulted in this treatment. Nothing. There was a table of two white men who, based on outward appearance alone, would be more of a risk of nonpayment than these two.

  White privilege exists. We can't pretend that it doesn't. It can easily be called by it's real name...racism. We, white people, need to see it and call it what it is. And most importantly, not take part in it. I don't know how to make it go away but I know we must acknowledge it when we see it.

  Ang

  

Children

  Having children is a wonderful experience. Life is a completely new adventure when seen through the eyes of your child. You never realize just how strong you really are until then. What you can handle far exceeds your expectations. But it has just as many challenges. And most of those we are ill prepared for.

  I told my friend Jen the other day that she is a helicopter parent and she totally disagreed with me. I think she took it as an insult when it was far from that. She has raised two honest, smart, kind kids who have stayed off of drugs and haven't been arrested. That's a successful parenting job if you ask me. While I don't like parents who hover over small children, maybe doing it to teenagers is a smart move. I'll have to think about that one.

  Through the years we experience temper tantrums, sleepless nights and clinginess. Then it's temper tantrums, silence, and hormones. Finally, we get temper tantrums, separation and excitement. Notice the tantrums go from stage to stage? Yup, they continue on. 

  Embrace every stage. Breathe through the insanity knowing that this too shall pass. Cherish the happiness, smiles, and laughter. Hopefully when we come out the other side, we will have standing before us strong, confident young men and women. Adults who are ready to take on the world and conquer whatever life throws at them.

  As my niece Sheena reminded me today....You'll never look back on life and think, "I spent too much time with my kids." 

  Ang

  

  

  

Kanye....Again...sigh

  "When you hear about slavery for 400 years. For 400 years? That sounds like a choice." yup those words came out of Kanye West's mouth. I swore about a year ago not to waste any more time on this man but I'm breaking this promise today. For obvious reasons.

  In the past, he has said he doesn't read. Well, that's obvious. He also says he experiences life. Ummmm don't we all? The difference is he has a huge platform to share his absurd and ignorant thoughts. And I'm sure there were many people who relished his words. Including many Trump supporters. Remember Trump is Kanye's boy. His words, not mine. 

  As a self-proclaimed genius, Kanye West has said many things that ruffle feathers. Like Trump, he says things without thinking and without facts. But this time a one hour rambling at the TMZ offices was met with a face to face reaction by Van Lathan. Who was both polite and indignant at the same time. An example for all on how to dismiss ignorance.

  A commentator said this morning that Kanye is married into a family that lives off of self-promotion and supports his always present egotistical rantings. This is, after all, the family that took a sex tape and built an empire off of it with no hint of talent from any of them. He blends right in.

  I strongly believe that everyone is entitled to their opinion. Whether it is correct or not. But saying things that just aren't true is not an opinion. It is a lie. And letting celebrities get away with spreading them is not okay. Or celebrities who have become politicians for that matter. 

  A lie that is spread and believed then spread again, soon becomes truth to those inclined to believe it. That truth soon becomes a fact that is used to prove a way of thinking. It's a disturbing cycle that Donald Trump has made a common practice in the U.S.. 

  Whether you are a Kanye West fan or not, his rantings yesterday were false. Chains were used Kanye. That's not "mental slavery". And it certainly wasn't a choice. 

  Remember your children are watching!

  Ang