Monday, September 29, 2008

Happy News Fashion Show

Fashion Show
Check out this fashion show in Japan.
What were the models wearing? Adult diapers.
Now here's a case of actually acknowleding the elephant in the room. We are all going to get old. Our life expectancy is 77.8 years. I have longevity in my family. My maternal grandfather was 79 back in the 70's when he died. My father lived to be 92. I currently have two uncles still alive. One is 90 and going for alternative cancer treatment in Mexico. (His cancer, we suspect, is from what he was involved in during WW2) This uncle still drives and takes care of his own house. The other uncle is 88. He can run circles around people half his age. He gardens and goes to church every day. Other than my uncle, there is no cancer on that side of the family.
So I could, one day, have to wear adult diapers.
So Japan, who has an aging population, has decided to bring the subject out into the open. I have to admire that.
But it still sucks to get old. More so if you aren't healthy.
I think if I have to be hold, I want my mind to go first so that I have no idea that I'm in diapers.
What bothers you most about aging?
cmr

Friday, September 26, 2008

Hot Friday Hunk - Hugh Grant


Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows I have an affinity for nerds.

That's why I find Hugh Grant attractive. He plays these beffuddled heroes that are just so cute you want to squeeze him. My fave is his Prime Minister in Love Actually.
He goes around what for him is a dodgy neighborhood to find the woman he loves. Then he has his entourage take them to the pantomime at the local village school.
On top of that he has an accent. Remember in A Fish Called Wanda where Jamie Lee Curtis' character went nuts when he spoke Italian. That's almost me when someone has an accent. I had a boss once who had a southern accent. He would always ask me to do the dirty jobs because he knew I would all because of the accent.
But not every accent is attractive and since I have no desire to offend anyone I won't say which ones.
Some are more attractive than others.
A French accent, especially because everything sounds beautiful in French.
So what accent do you find the most attractive?
cmr

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Word Wednesday - numismatics

numismatics \noo-miz-MAT-iks; -mis-; nyoo-\, noun:
the collection and study of money (and coins in particular).
From Dictionary.com

I actually received this one this morning and it was only one of three words in a month that I hadn't heard before. I didn't realize just what a vocabulary I have. I don't see it as big, but I do get my chops busted at my first aid squad. One woman said she needed a dictionary any time she talked to me. I don't feel I put on airs. I really just use those words. Another friend always asks me what a word means and in a conversation with someone I've known for years, he admitted he looks the words up after the conversation. I thought that was humorous.
And one guy actually asked me to spell a word. I'm also a good speller (not a good typist) so that wasn't a problem.
Then late one night in a Dunkin' Donuts he used that very same word. Too funny.
If no one busts your chops where I work, then no one likes you.
Back to the word.
I always though Europe had it right. They have a one Euro coin and before the Euro each country had a coin that represented one of thier paper money. Not the big bulky dollar coin we make. Theirs were usually small and convenient to keep in your pocket.
The study of money. I would assume it would also go along with collecting money of different countries. We used to have a collection because we have a friend who is an airline pilot. He'd bring back coins from wherever he went.
Then we opted to donate them to a charity. Forget which one, but the charity would take foreign money.
We don't collect anything, but dust bunnies now.
So what do you collect?

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Happy News Monday Kids' Fitness

http://www.happynews.com/news/9192008/kid-gyms-send-children-play-treadmills.htm
I'm not sure how I feel about this article.
There is one of these kid fitness places next to the dojon where my son does Taekwondo. When it opened I talked to the guy and realized there was a market for it. And he isn't packed, but there are always kids in there.
One person says in the article that she bought Wii Fit so she didn't have to force her kids to be active. It didn't seem right to her.
First off, as parents we often have to force our kids to do things they don't want. Secondly, if we live an active lifestyle our kids will.
I read this article after taking an hour long hike with my family. It isn't something we do every weekend, but it is something I wish we could do every weekend.
So what's wrong with making your kid be active?
I live in an area where the kids can be highly scheduled so it isn't simple to just go out and play wiht the kids in the neighborhood, but frankly, most video games are done by themselves so why can't a kid ride his bike by himself?
I'm old-fashioned, I realize. My kids are limited in their video game use. They are limited to their tv watching also.
I'm not as strict as some, but not as free as most, I guess.
So what do you think this says about our society that kids have to go to the gym to get exercise instead of walking outside their house?

Friday, September 19, 2008

Hot Hunk Friday - Jay Mohr



I love a guy who can make me laugh. I think I like people in general who can make me laugh. From the guys at work to my friend Suzanne when we seem to have our Lucy and Ethel moments. I like to laugh. If there's a joke to be had I will figure it out. I also like making people laugh.
But I couldn't imagine doing it for a living.
Okay, yes I could, but not at this late date. I'm a writer instead.
And I can make people laugh with my writing.
So Jay Mohr is my hunk this week. He's actualy starring in a new show called
Gary UnMarried. The previews look cute, but you can never tell for sure.
He's a comedian orignally. And because my husband's car has satelllie radio I've heard Jay's stuff on Laugh Break.
He makes me laugh.
I tell the young women I know that they should choose a man they can laugh with because that's what will get you through the rough times. And in life and marriage and kids there are rough times.
So who in your life makes you laugh?

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Word Wednesday Kitsch

kitsch \KICH\, noun:
1. Art characterized by pretentious bad taste.
2. Relating to, or characterized by, kitsch.
I like kitsch.
Whenever we go on vacation I love to play miniature golf. (Assuming it isn't snowing).
I call it hokey golf if it has a windmill or Paul Bunyon.
That's kitsch. There is no good taste in hitting a ball through ice cream mountain. And that's cool with me. I'm only pretentious when it comes to wine. No boxes. No White Zinfandel.
But on a road trip, I want to see that giant ball of twine. Or the seventy cows painted different colors. I cannot always convince my better half, but sometimes I do.
We were in Atlantic City in February. Next to Atlantic City is Margate. What's in Margate? Big kitsch. Lucy. It's an elephant that used to be a motel. Now that's kitsch.
I love it.
I don't think I've ever imbued a character with a love of kitsch, but seeing as I'm writing more romantic comedy I may just have to do that.
So what's the best kitsch you've ever seen?
Have you convinced your spouse to stop and see the tractor graveyard?

Monday, September 15, 2008

Monday Happy News

http://www.happynews.com/news/9102008/59-year-old-france-gives-birth-triplets.htm
Here's a case of me wondering why you would want to.
This 59 year old woman gave birth to triplets.
Wow.
I had enough trouble with one at a time when I was in my early 30's. I could not imagine a baby now in my early 40's. I'm tired just thinking about it.
But for this woman this is happy news.
cmr

Friday, September 12, 2008

Hot Hunk Friday - Firefighters

Today I bring you a montage of firefighters. Anyone who knows me know I LOVE firefighters.
So here are some of my fave pics. I put firefighters in my books often.









Supposedly there are dogs in the picture above. I can't find any. Can you? What's your favorite book with a firefighter in it?

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Word Wednesday

This is my first Word Wednesday. Each Wednesday I will have a new word to discuss.
immolate \IM-uh-layt\, transitive verb:
1. To sacrifice; to offer in sacrifice; to kill as a sacrificial victim.2. To kill or destroy, often by fire. (Dictionary.com)
This word really gives me the creeps. On so many levels. The whole idea of being burned to death is bad enough. I’m married to a firefighter so many burning is the worst death possible. He can’t even stand when the fireplace smells like burnt wood.

And to do that to another human being. Well I cannot imagine.

I find this word, even under the second definition, has strong connotations. Destroy is a powerful word.

So my assignment for you is to use immolate in a sentence.
cmr

Monday, September 8, 2008

Happy News Quote

I found this at Happy News.
"Anything I've ever done that ultimately was worthwhile... initially scared me to death."
– Betty Bender

I hate change. No, what I really dislike is the anticipation of change. You are riding along and life's treating you okay then you find out something has to change. Or something is going to change. It may not be anything drastic, but I still get agita when I learn about it.
My office moved at the beginning of the year. This was actually a change I looked forward to. We'd been next to the morgue and now we were moving to brandy new offices. Yeah! I would now have my own computer.
Worked out great.
Now I'm sharing my office with someone. Nice guy. Love to work with him, but now the office isn't just mine. I knew this would happen, but here's a change I didn't anticipate. I have to move items around. I have to realize that I now need to accommodate another person.
Change.
This has been a year full of change. I started the year with two books I was anticipating being released. One was not as far along in the editing process as I thought. And for reasons that had little to do with the publisher, I pulled it.
Then the other publisher dissolved.
So now I have nothing coming out. That's scary.
I quit a job I'd been doing for 8 years. That was really scary.
But all of those things have been good in the long run.
Back to the quote.
I know rationally change is good, but thinking about it still gives me agita and I have to let myself feel it and move on.
Good life lesson.
So how do you feel about change?
cmr

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Here Comes Hanna

I actually am revising a story that has the name Hanna in it. Spelled that way and all.
There's a flood watch for my town. We can be an island when it floods. I hope I get back into town from my party.
Adios.
cmr

Friday, September 5, 2008

Hot Fridays! Colin Farrell

The epitome of a bad boy. Colin Farrell.
The body. The accent. The intense roles he plays. Whew.
I'm fanning myself as I write this.
And look who he has dated. Egad.
To date I actually haven't seen a Colin Farrell movie all the way through. I keep catching them on TV and I keep being called away.
I wonder if my husband does that on purpose?
cmr