A Horse of a Different Color

Ok, so I managed to have a moment to myself to check my e-mail; there were none.  When I signed out, my homepage popped up with some of today’s “top stories”.  Since I’m pretty much over the Royal Wedding thing, and have not one care about Bin Laden (other than to doubt he is actually dead—probably hanging out somewhere with Elvis and Jimmy Hoffa) I came across this picture.

Photo credit to Yahoo.com

For those of you who don’t know, “Yum! Brands” owns fast food restaurants such as KFC and Taco Bell.  The Kentucky Derby is pretty much self explanatory, but for those of you just joining our planet, it’s a horse race.  As if I wasn’t already grossed out by fast food, especially Taco Bell and KFC, they went and advertised like this!   While meats in the US are inspected by the FSIS,( Food Safety and Inspection Service)  the USDA grades meats into eight categories:   Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter and Canner.  The latter of the three are used to make ground beef and other items such as hot dogs.  It is fair to make mention that this “grading” system is optional.  Given the present advertisement, I wonder if they’ll add a ninth category…Derby. Eeeeewwwwww!

(Shhhhh.....If you listen carefully, you can hear a million PETA activist preparing to tear down my door.)

Note:  For those who don't know me, I love animals.  I have four spoiled rotten, over fed, lazy cats, not counting the neighbor's cat who sits on the kitchen window each morning waiting for his morning ration of crunchy morsels and some lovin'.  I also have an equally spoiled Australian Shepard who we love dearly.  Bet they'd like the Derby grade.

Winds-day (Brrrrrr....)

First of all, I want to tell you all that I am very caught up in the whole Princess wedding thing, especially since I'm attempting to plan one of my own.  I don't obsess over it, but I do find that I am browsing pictures of Kate Middleton regularly of late.  I can't help it!  She looks so absolutely happy!  I do think it ironic that we (as a society) are spending so much time looking at what she is wearing; admiring it, copying it, writing about it...
History tells us of a time when we didn't look so kindly on such lavish lifestyles, even by royalty.  But alas, she's just a Princess, she should get to enjoy it.  I certainly do.

Enjoy the read, it is a snip-it of my own history.

I am very thankful to have my Prince Charming. He was my first love...WAAAAY back in 1994. You should have seen us. Everyone knew it too. You could just look at us and tell. So why on earth would two people who love each other so much just end it? There is quite a bit of debate about the "reason" we broke up, but I know the truth now. As much as I wanted to have that "rescue", I had to rescue myself first. Even though I knew without a doubt that he loved me more than anything, I still didn't feel the fairy tale was complete. So, in my youthful ignorance, I went off searching for the “Happily Ever After”. Here’s how my fairly tale went…

“Once upon a time, there was a silly girl who only bought into one side of the story. She thought she could just have her prince, and children and castle and she would live happily ever after. Boy was she wrong!”

The Universe (religiously neutral) decided to teach me a lesson. At the time, I thought Karma (for the lack of a better term) was kicking my behind for continuing to make ridiculous choices. So, what did I learn (finally)? I learned to love myself. I learned to look in the mirror and see a beautiful person looking back, and know that I didn’t need anyone else to tell me that (even though it is nice to hear). I learned to be giving, even when I had nothing to give, and forgiving even when I was short on forgiveness. I was rescued from the illusion that I needed another person to make me whole and didn’t have to invest any time into myself.

PLEASE NOTE: I am not saying I don’t need a partner or anything like that, so keep reading…

I finally understood that in order to find my “Happily Ever After”, I needed the love of TWO people; me and my prince. With this realization firmly planted in my heart, mind and soul, the most unexpected thing happened; the Universe (again, religiously neutral here) gave back my Prince Charming. He actually did rescue me, as much as I have rescued him. We’ve always loved each other, even during all of those years apart.

When we were reunited after thirteen years, we exchanged shoe boxes of items we had kept from the wonderful times we had together. There were movie ticket stubs, love letters, pictures, flowers, a ring, a necklace, and random notes written on tiny scraps of paper….Later, we admitted that we had carried a picture of one another in our wallets, secretly, for all these years (I carried our prom picture but have a larger version framed). 

I am living Happily Ever After

This is the first ring he ever gave me.  He kept it and gave it to me for Mother's Day last year.

You can see how worn it is from being in his wallet for so many years.  He still carries it now too!  

Things I Love Tuesday: Part 3

21.  butterflies

22.  Asheville

23.  kissing

24.  exploring a big city

25.  sleeping in my own bed

 

26.  sunsets

27.  the perfect pair of jeans

 

28.  chatting on the phone with my guy (even when he’s just pulled out of the drive way)

29.  painting

30.  ♥ falling in LOVE ♥ (all you need is love!)

Fairy Tales….

During college, my concentration was in Sociology.  I had a very educated instructor who was quite adamant when it came to certain topics; especially equality between sexes.  When I took the first class with her, she definitely said some things that I needed to hear at the time.  She’d say, “Stop waiting for the Prince on the white horse to ride in and rescue you.  You have to rescue yourself!”  and,  “ Fairy tales are all the same, a perfectly capable female waiting around for a Prince to come ‘rescue’ her.” (envision air quotes). The more I learned, and the longer I was in such classes, the more I would analyze movies and books…even commercials.  I eventually came to what I considered to be a “realist’s” view, sharing the sentiments of my former instructor.  Today, however, I was (after a VERY busy day) tooling around on the internet when I came across a video of the “Royal Wedding”.  I couldn’t help but watch that beautiful woman, in her beautiful dress walk down that mile long, red carpet lined isle to her waiting Prince.  Prince!  I watched them say their vows, though I couldn’t hear it well for the blaring Star Wars Episode V in the background—don’t lose the irony here.  At that moment it occurred to me.  While he may not have rode in on a white horse to “rescue” her from an evil witch with poison apples or indentured servitude, she still married a prince!  Also at that moment, it occurred to me, she and I are not so very different.  After all, I'm beautiful, I have a beautiful dress, and, best of all, I already have my prince charming! Anyone have a mile or so of red carpet?

Things I Love Tuesday: Part 2

11.  brightly colored eggs

12.  flip-flops

 13.  home sweet home

 14.  enchanted places

15.  more blossoms than leaves

16.  making a new friend

 

17.  red roses

18.  growing beans in a jar

19.  painted toes

20.  fuzzy caterpillars

Cluckin' Bunnies

The Easter Bunny has been laying chocolate cream-filled eggs for so long, I forgot it was a mammal. Just so you are aware, I had to ask my 12 year old how birds were classified. He quickly informed me that they are “Aves”…Right? Because why would a woman with a college background know that? One would think with four years of Latin under my belt, I would have at least have had a guess. Alas, when the ever-working degree in Sociology/Pre-Law, is coupled with several years as a legal assistant, the only birds one typically deals with are either “Jail Birds” or “Stool Pigeons”.

A bit of lore I do happen to know is as follows: The goddess, Eastre, was worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons through her earthly symbol, the rabbit. The Easter bunny has its origin in pre-Christian fertility lore (with four kids, I don’t need any of that!). The Hare and the Rabbit were the most fertile animals known and they served as symbols of the new life during the spring season. They were not made of chocolate at first either. Germans, who introduced the first edible bunnies, made them out of pastry and sugar. Personally, I’d rather have the chocolate!

I was recently asked whether I would outwardly express such personal religious or political views (synonymous by my definition) in my blog, especially given a holiday scenario; probably not. Therefore, I feel it is only fair to warn my readers who may be expecting such expressions, you will be very disappointed. Because I do have a tendency to be “brutally honest” (inherited, no doubt, from both my father and mother) when it comes to these topics, I had not yet thought of a way to express my feelings toward the subject matter with certain diplomacy until the other night.

While dozing lazily on the sofa late one evening last week, it came to me. We were watching The Matrix (for the hundredth time I’m sure) and there was a conversation between two of the characters that pretty much says it all for me. One said to the other “Not every one believes as you do!” The other responded simply, “My beliefs do not require them to.”

Here’s hoping everyone had a wonderful day, no matter what you believe.

Friday Inspiration…It’s All Good

All week I’ve been planning a photo shoot with my partner’s son’s mother (doesn’t that just sound better than “ex wife”—how I detest derogatory titles?). We’ve been in communication about everything from what to bring on our picnic, to the all important, “will the rain hold off until…” Needless to say, the rain did not hold off.

No sooner than I was just a bit over half way to where we were to meet, it began. To top it off, it wasn’t warm outside at all! A glimmer of hope flickered as we arrived, but was quickly doused by rather large, cold raindrops falling on our heads (you know you want to sing it). We must have been a sight to anyone watching; two women walking hurriedly, carrying various bags, a chattering baby, with three other children in tow, trying to avoid getting poured on…too funny! If they only knew.

Nevertheless, we were not to be deterred; we were on a mission. One, I might add, we successfully accomplished. Amanda took some wonderful pictures of our four beautiful children. I am so excited, and can’t wait to see them. I am also very happy to have shared some time with another mom and a delightful woman. I am fortunate to have such a splendid connection with another human being…not many of us can say that these days.

I have listed a link to her blog site under “My Blog List". Her photographs are as lovely as she is. Enjoy!