Season II & Beyond

OK, it has happened.   For years I have been listening to the hype of Dr. McDreamy and the cast of “Grey’s Anatomy” but after watching a couple of episodes a few years ago refused to watch again after an episode where open heart surgery was performed without anesthesia.  That all changed on December 18, 2010.

I started with the Season 1 DVD while I was at Anna’s house after Aiden was born.  I thought maybe it was just a passing phase, when I did not get to see what happened to Christina and her baby in Season 2 because I left for home, I was a bit disappointed but survived.  Then my daughter hooked me up with series on Netflix.  Now, I am working my way through Season 2.

I find myself sitting up way past my bedtime so I can see “what happens next”.  I also find myself waking up and thinking about the events of the hospital in the middle of the night…I haven’t been this hooked on a nighttime soap since “Dallas”.

This is my thing – I love Meredith’s narrative of the show.  While the show is a little off the course of true life drama, the narratives are spot on with me, my life and the way I think about the daily happenings.  Often times I find them hitting a little too close to home and end up trying to watch the show through way too many tears! 

So, tonight I will finish Season  2 and most likely start Season 3 – I can’t wait!

Circle of Life

Many of us are familiar with the Walt Disney production, The Lion King.  Some of us have seen the animated movie version, others the elaborate musical performance.

I remember taking my children to see the film when it was released in 1994.  Though I sat through the entire movie, enjoyed the animation and laughed and cried in all the appropriate places I never once thought about the theme song from this movie – that is until last night.

My husband and I have been blessed with two grandsons this year, and had the privilege of spending this past weekend with the youngest one, Aiden.  I was with my daughter when our youngest grandson was born and felt the great “grandmotherly” feelings, and realized how blessed I was to be able to experience such an amazing thing, but I did not realize just how joyous and fulfilling this new era of my life would be.

We have the privilege of Anna & Aiden visiting in our home this week.  It was not until this past weekend while I spending this time with them, helping to care for Aiden and watching my daughter grown into the great mom I know she will be, that it came to me - holding Aiden in my arms was like dropping the final piece into the puzzle of my life – then my mind kept echoing the phrase, “Circle of Life” which eventually lead me to the song lyrics.  The lyrics of this song express the feelings I have been experiencing over the past several months.  I hope you enjoy them as I have and you too get to experience the miracle of watching your children grown into young adults and giving you the joy of grandchildren.

From the day we arrive on the planet

And blinking, step into the sun

There's more to see than can ever be seen

More to do than can ever be done

There's far too much to take in here

More to find than can ever be found

But the sun rolling high

Through the sapphire sky

Keeps great and small on the endless round

It's the Circle of Life

And it moves us all

Through despair and hope

Through faith and love

Till we find our place

On the path unwinding

In the Circle

The Circle of Life

It's the Circle of Life

And it moves us all

Through despair and hope

Through faith and love

Till we find our place

On the path unwinding

In the Circle

The Circle of Life

(Taken from http://www.lionking.org/lyrics/OMPS/CircleOfLife.html)

Save The Last Dance

In January 2002 a new era of my life began - I became hooked on the reality competition show known as American Idol.  American Idol is not my first experience with a televised talent competition I spent many hours in the late 1980's watching Star Search, hosted by Ed McMahon. 

With this new wave of competition reality shows my obsession started off slowly, first it was American Idol, then I became a fan of Dancing With the Stars but swore I would never watch any others.  Right - last year I waited breathlessly each week for Cat Deeley and the crew of So You Think You Can Dance.  I really thought that was it - but oh no - now I'm a closet watcher of America's Got Talent...what's next?

Well, tonight I found the next chapter - The Sing-Off.  I justify this new obsession by telling my friends this is a show of TRUE talent.  There are 10 A Capella singing groups from all walks of life competing for $100,000 and a Sony recording contract.  Here are a couple of my favorites from tonight's show - The Whiffenpoofs are a group of young men from Yale University that was originally formed in 1909; Jerry Larson & Talk of the Town is a group of 6 men performing in the irresistible Motown style of the of the Platters & the Supremes.  Jerry Larson was a member of the group The Persuasions for 40 years before joining Talk of the Town. Then there are the ones I didn't care for so much, mostly the young GLEE wanna be groups...

The point of all of this is - if you watch enough junk TV, every once in a while you find an information gem.  On tonight's show Jerry Larson & Talk of the Town performed one of my all time favorite songs - "Save The Last Dance for Me".  This song has been recorded by many, many artists the first of which was Ben E. with The Drifters - you can pick your favorite artist..

.After tonight's performance I learned the song was written by two artists, Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman.  Ben Folds, one of the shows judges, shared this information with the crowd.  Along with their names he shard the story behind the song - It seems that Doc Pomus was a polio victim and the song was a message to his wife to go to the party, have fun and dance.  The magic of the story is in the message of love he was sending to her - he did not want his handicap to prevent her from enjoying life but he wanted her to know that he loved her more than any of her other dance partners and that if a miracle should happen and he should get to dance one more time, he wanted her to - you guessed it - "save the last dance for him".

Happy Thanksgiving

The Holiday Season is officially upon us once again.  I have been trying to form the words for my Thanksgiving blog for several days now without any success - I wanted to pen words of wisdom and inspiration.  But, I've scrapped that idea, and this morning I am going to write about the thing I am most  thankful for - my family.  We have been blessed with 5 wonderful children and 1 8/9 grandchildren and each and everyone of them has a special place in my heart.

Carissa is our oldest daughter - I am thankful for the relationship I have with Carissa.  We have found a special bond in the love of photography we share.

Craig is our oldest son - Craig brings his adventurous sense of fun to the family.  We share our love of the outdoors.  I love the way Craig loves completely in his own quiet way.

Blair has the biggest love and is the father of our grandson Gabriel.  I am so thankful that Blair has learned the joy of loving somebody unconditionally.  I love the respect Blair and I have for each other - most of all I'm thankful Blair thinks I can still take him!

Miss Anna is the mother of our grandson Aiden that will make his appearance any day  now!  I love Anna's huge love of life and her huge spirit.  Anna has an infectious happiness and will be a great mother.  I am thankful for the special mother daughter bond we have. 

Ryan is our youngest son but has the biggest sense of adventure!  Ryan has never been afraid of following his dreams.  Ryan has a fierce, sweet love for his family.  He has great dreams and a fierce desire to achieve them.  I am thankful that Ryan and I have grown to have the relationship we do today. 

As we bow our heads and give thanks today, I will be giving special thanks to God for giving me the gift of sobriety, this is the miracle has given me the family have life I have today.

All's Right With The World

Do you ever wonder what happens to make everything seem right at one precise moment?  Do you ever wonder where this idea originated?

According Wikipedia.com,the phrase is from Pippa Passes, written by Robert Browning and published in 1841.

His original idea was of a young, innocent girl, moving through the crime-ridden neighborhoods of Asolo. She sings as she goes, unaware that her songs are influencing those that hear her to do good works. The excerpt  below is believe to be most famous passage:

The year's at the spring,

And day's at the morn;

Morning's at seven;

The hill-side's dew-pearled;

The lark's on the wing;

The snail's on the thorn;

God's in his Heaven -

All's right with the world!

When I have one of those miraculously perfect days where all's right in my world, I often times find myself thinking about the pseudoscience of biorhythm that was made popular in the 1970's.  For those of you that have no recollection whatsoever of the 70's for reasons which I won't go into here, I will try to summarize what biorhythms are.

Biorhythms are used to predict phases of a persons life using three simple cycles - physical, emotional & intellectual.  It is believed these cycles start at birth and continue throughout our lives and can be mathematically tracked and charted.  When the cycles peak this is a good day for that particular cycle - bad days are at the bottom of the cycle.  When all three cycles peak on the same day is when...

 

 

God's in his Heaven -

All's right with the world!

My wish for the day is that all's right in your world today!

A Mind IS a Terrible Thing to Waste

The Ad Council, the leading producer of public service announcements, started this campaign for the United Negro College fund in 1972, (http://www.adcouncil.org/default.aspx?id=134).  I remember hearing this campaign but never gave it much thought, but as I find myself quickly approaching my 50th birthday, I am starting to take it very seriously.

The intent of the "A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste" campaign is to stress the importance of recognizing your full potential by pursuing higher levels of education.  While this campaign was aimed at the African American community it applies to all.

I have been an avid reader for as long as I remember.  I read for pleasure and as a way to exercise my mind.  I believe reading keeps my appetite for knowledge alive.  I believe that moving outside of my reading for pleasure comfort zone and reading something that requires me to really think about what I'm reading keeps my mind healthy.

During the holiday season last year, my son's girlfriend Kelli and I visited our corner Barnes & Noble bookstore.  I have known Kelli for almost 14 years and it has been only in the past couple of years has she discovered her love of reading.  While browsing through the rows and rows of books Kelli asked me what I liked to read - talk about opening a can of worms!  I immediately went to the very familiar selves containing John Irving and Larry McMurtry novels.  As I was telling Kelli all about John Irving and his style of writing it occurred to me - reading is like walking, you have to crawl first.

When we first learn to read we start out with very simple "Fun With Dick & Jane" books.  As we mature we devour Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys.  Then it happens - we discover Danielle Steele or James Patterson!  One could spend a lifetime reading Danielle Steel novels but by doing so our mind goes into cruise mode. 

It has been said that mass market authors crank out their books using formulas, a paint by number for novels.  The novelists start with a basic story outline and by changing the names and places then twisting the events a bit they have a brand new novel.  As we read these books we get so used to "what happens next" that reading simply becomes an exercise in looking at the words and turning the page.

In attempt to save our minds we reach beyond the mass marketed novel .  We pick up a classic.  We pick up a John Irving or Larry McMurtry novel.  We pick up the first novel of an author we've never read.  This my friend, keeps us alert and often times we put the book down and the miracle happens - we find ourselves wanting more...

Hope

Expect a Miracle...this phrase has carried my husband and I far during our life together.  I wish I could take credit for the phrase but I must admit I picked it up from a conference I attended.  Each of us wonders from time to time if miracles really happen.  I believe they do.

Look for the Miracle...sometimes the miracles in our lives aren't what we expect them to be.  Sometimes the miracle is that we are able to wonder about and look for miracles.  Sometime the miracle is that we lived to see our families at the end of the day.  Sometimes the miracle is knowing the next right thing to do.


Don't quit before the Miracle...in other words - don't give up.  Don't give up hope or faith before the miracle happens - they happen for each of us.