I Thought I'd Lost My HOPE, but Thankfully She Called Home From CALIFORNIA Yesterday...

You know when you're going along and all of a sudden your filled with emotion, so much so that you can't stop from crying? Sometimes that cry comes from a place of saddness, and sometimes it flows from a place of overwhelming JOY.

Watching the news last night, I felt those two emotional camps merge and I could not, did not want to, stop those tears of happiness, tenderness, and HOPEfulness.

I wouldn't have such a spontaneous and strong reaction if, for me, there wasn't a deep sense of Wisdom and Truth at the very center of this Civil Right.

Let's keep it moving through the time zones...Congratulations and Thank You, California for having my HOPE call home!

UnSchooling is Truly the Most Valuable Learning Philosophy I've Witnessed, Been the Beneficiary of, and Wholeheartedly Embrace for Wes's Exploration

I want to say congratulations to Wes on wrapping up a big project he'd committed to last fall and to affirm it was a job well done...very well done indeed!

Last fall our friend Woody, a faculty member of this area's local high school, approached Wes about videoing their annual One Act Play Competitions. What good timing it was since Wes was about to be gifted an upgraded Sony Digital Camera and some Final Cut Pro Express editing software for Christmas. Even if he hadn't needed a specific focus for learning and mastering these new film making tools, he now had one.

Wes's job was to show up these past 5 months to collect footage of various aspects of rehearsals; travel with the students to the competitions; support their efforts; film the award ceremony for the school; get all the best backstage shenanigans (outtakes, if you will;) get the entire play on film, compile all footage and finally take to task the long editing process.

The end of this project culminated last week at the One Act's cast party where Wes distributed 30 DVDs, each with his handwritten 2008 One Act Play..."There's Something Rotten in the State of Denmark"

CONGRATULATIONS ON STAYING THE COURSE...CONGRATULATIONS ON A PROFESSIONAL END PRODUCT...AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR FIRST FILM MAKING PAYCHECK (the first of many to come, WES!!!!)


There is intrinsic value in having the freedom to learn from many people, of varying ages, all throughout one's community and culture, at all phases of a lifespan. I believe this freedom of learning and accessing information forms a foundation, a core that is solid and dependable because it has been born from the center of the individual as a way of participating fully in one's life (irregardless of age.)

This core is tangible and is a consistent aspect of our son's base for learning. As was evident recently from the level of commitment Wes took on, not only to this project, (as he's continued working on other community film projects simultaneously,) but to this group of high school teens who had been strangers to this unschooled 14 year old before September. I watched as Wes confidently and genuinely extended his hand in friendship to an unfamiliar group consisting of not only 15-18 year-olds, but equally to the adults he met and interacted with during this time.

He shows me first hand how it looks to not be afraid to jump in without knowing all the angles or outcomes. He reminds me it's natural to make mistakes as they are the true impetuses for some of our most valuable lessons in life.

Genius! Armed with this particular kind of Telemarketing Karma I feel I can once again answer my phone in the evenings!

Playmobile Public Service...Kids, Learn to be a Responsible Flyer (Unlike Some of your Intelligence Challenged Parents)

My friend Seth has plenty of time to blog as he's held hostage often delayed by the stupidity of people as they attempt to clear airport security
Playmobile seems to understand the severity of these situations and how even seemingly simple instructions are challenged at every checkpoint.


















Teach your children with these early educational toys so Officer Sally won't go Tazer Crazy in her hope of finding and confiscating liquids of illegal limits.

When You Want to Send the Very Best...Send Bacon (But It Better be Addressed to Zenmomma's Garden!)

Mary, I thought you could use a little Bacon-Fix with all that's been happening recently on your side of the map . I hope you don't have these already. Bacon Lunch Boxes and Bacon Place mats are in high demand as you would know, and not as easy to eat come by as one might think.
Thinking of You!

Larry, Hon, This One's For You...ROFLMAO...Hope You Will Too

I Love You, MOM

The Love of Mother's and Daughters

















To me this kind of love smells of Lilacs and Lilies























Ok, and sometimes it smelled like Vicks

Happy CAKE Day, LUNA!

This was Luna when she was little...

...then she grew a bit

...and learned a bit more to become smarter than a 5th grader...

...she got funnier...(and found better hiding places)

...and she keeps getting our LOVE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUNA

Somebody's Been Zen Gardening...

Thank you Mom, Karen & Carole ... for making that day so special

Sunshine, Warmth, Color...What More Can I Ask For ?

It would seem Spring is crossing the border into Maine. Very exciting!

Last week parts of Maine saw temperatures in the 70's and some areas reported thermometers reaching 80 degrees.

This kind of fluke sends us optimists to gather our winter coats and head to the dry cleaners. Similarly, car trunks and garages are ransacked for anything resembling itself as snow removal apparatus.

Granted, an illusion this could be as we've been known to witness the winter white mid-spring, but nonetheless I've felt uplifted and bouncier not only by the mild temperatures and sunshine, but also remembering the beauty and joy that my flower garden offered me last year.

In order to bring cheer and hope to my day I looked at garden pictures I took last year. I'd never spent so much time weeding and watering and enjoying the quiet companionship of garden flowers. I can't wait to see what survived the first winter, which plants mulitplied, and which weeds might win that never ending battle over a place in such a lovely garden.

This pic is for Kelly in hopes it will bring a little cheer

The Appropriate Number of Excuses To Turn a "NO Thursday Thirteen" Day into a "Feeble Yet Plausible Thursday Thirteen" Day

1...Belfast, Maine held their first Comic Arts Laugh Festival this past weekend.

I laughed so hard that my stomach is still recouping and somehow this makes writing TT impossible.


2...Stella has done gone and misplaced her dogtags which means I couldn't take her on a walk through town which makes writing TT impossible since that was another place I was looking for ideas to write about. You can't begin to imagine some of the sights one sees around town that make for very interesting blogging. No walk, no dirt to report.


3...Larry got Wes and I new cellphones as Wes's completely bit the dust. Somehow since we got the previous cellphones at the same time, like adopting twins, we got new ones at the same time. This meant we've spent hours and hours calling, texting, voice-mailing each other to check out all the incredibly cools features these phones have over the sorry-ass a bit out of date versions we had before.


4...The sun has been shining and the temperatures have been in the 50s. Really, does this excuse need clarification?


5...When the children are busy, Momma is busy!
I've been a regular Driving Miss Daisy this week as Wes got an amazing opportunity to work with a team of film-makers at a local alternative school. The director of the school called to ask Wes to assist a film production team with the children's ambitious spring film project. Now he's working at the school (volunteering his time and talents,) as well as learning from everyone involved...I am beside myself with inspiration and...no time for TT.


6...Somehow I made a "Let's See How Far I Get On This List" list and it seems I took myself and said list a bit too seriously--like I'd signed up in blood to check off those silly to-do items. Jeeze...I'm going to have to have a sit-down with that Lil Miss Perfectionist voice in my head. Again, apologies, TT.


7...I was busy dancing! Have you ever tried to type and dance simultaneously? Go ahead if you think it's so easy...What? Impossible you say...tell that to your TT.


8...Mr.Deity. Oh, come on! You try watching ONLY one or twelve episodes! It can't be done! That show is like crack...or spaghetti with Ragu...either way, I'm gonna need a sponsor. TT will be the first on that amends list.


9...Zenmomma was cooking houses and selling bacon!


10...Mozilla Firefox is a learning curve which will not be ignorned!


11...I'm still procrastinating carefully reading before completing Wes's NY Film Academy room & board paperwork...So TT I can't appear to have nothing going on--that just wouldn't look cool when those film school peeps google Wes and find my blog all full of TT's and then they'll be all like, "hey, wtf, this dude's mom was thursday thirteening all over the map and couldn't find time to finish up with paperwork for our AUGUST class?" Really, TT, how would that look?


12...As COOL as they are, these t-shirts aren't going to walk themselves into the laudry room and jump on up into Mr.Maytag on their own now are they? Seriously, TT, there's serious domesticity happening around here...get a grip!


13... While reading Kelly's Writer's Blocking my own face froze and now I'm in a perpetual state of "oops, I've tinkled in my pants" and thus TT seems out of the question until I no longer think any of this is funny.



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"OMMD!" The new OMG!

OMmd! (Oh My mr.deity!)...The new OMG!

There, it's official. I changed it.

If you've never seen the mr.deity show, please leave this post immediately and give yourself a healthy dose of some funny, funny stuff.

The cast members include: mr.deity, larry (who I can only imgaine is the holy spirit) then there's jesse or jesus if you will, and then lucy--that's right, lucifer!

They did their first 13 episodes and 3 trailers on YouTube, but have moved all new episodes and a hopeful feature film over to Sony's Picture Entertainment Company, crackle.com.

Really, do yourself a good turn...click on a bit of mr.deity

It Isn't Easy Being Green

Ok!

I get it!

Buy FRESH...Buy ORGANIC...but Buy from your local FROG pond? Come On!



Bagged spinach can't ever have that magic for me again...Ewwwwe...I'm all kinds of creeped out....just think about that little bugger after a good whirl in the ol'salad spinner!!! Icccck!

Care to Dance?

This morning I woke to a familiar feeling which threw me a bit as I was still sleepy eyed and my feet had yet to touch the floor...

I wanna DANCE!

Okey Dokey then.

So I propel myself out of our deliciously comfy bed and into the shower...where, I confess, I've done some of my best dancing!

This phenomena usually means I'm in need of an all out "Chick Nite" with lots of girlfriends , amazing potluck selections, and any musical genre you can dance to. And because we have more fun than men are allowed to know about my husband and son always spend "Chick Nite" away from home because they fear for their lives they are amazingly supportive.


Larry asked me (a few years ago, cough,) if there was anything special I wanted for my 39th birthday. I thought for a nanosecond and responded...I'd like to have him cater food and champagne/wine for a birthday party for all my women friends. HUH?


I wanted to HOST a birthday party for my women friends...Catered with the most delicious party foods, champagne, wine, fancy sparkling waters, our outside hot tub...a place for us to let go and dance


I thought it was brilliant...plus I really wanted to care for these beautiful friends who through many years had brought joy, stability, and Grace to my life.

There was a catch though. In order to come to the party, they needed to bring a present...only one...and it HAD to be a gift to THEMSELVES!

First of all, I had no idea how many women friendships I actually had, but soon found out when "28" beautiful women crossed the threshold of my home. I believe 30ish were invited. My life was and continues to be blessed by dynamic and inspirational feminine modeling...Women overflowing with grace and wisdom...women diverse in their callings yet mirrors for one another in their strength, capacity, and spirit.

It would seem it's been too long since we've enjoyed the full extent of such an evening and I imagine this mornings feeling puts me on notice to get my act in gear...schedule an evening, call friends, warn Larry & Wes, stock up on ice, water bottles, wine, and update my iPod PLAYLIST for a night of Uninhibited DANCING!

Ya Think Ya Know a Video by its Cover? Think Again...

Well, it's official.
You CANNOT judge a movie by its video case!
Thankfully!

I just finished one of the most charming movies I've seen in a long time.
I stole that adjective from a review I found while searching for an image of the movie to post ... here

In fact, I like the review that Bradley Jackson from ThatOtherPaper gave so much, why don't I just save you all from my butchering a review
time and steal paste a few excerpts from it ...here

Or rather, here...A lovable loser with a funny mustache falls in love with a sex doll, much to the chagrin of his straight-laced family. That’s the plot behind Lars and the Real Girl, and at first glance it seems like an awful sketch you’d find on YouTube or, even worse, MAD TV. But what if this terrible idea for a film were somehow written by former Six Feet Under scribe Nancy Oliver? What if it magically starred Academy Award-nominated actor Ryan Gosling as the lovable loser?

Lars is an intensely quiet person who can’t even utter a complete sentence to a girl. His brother and sister-in-law (played by Emily Mortimer and Paul Schneider) try to convince Lars to step out of his comfort zone, but it’s absolutely no use. That is, until Lars approaches their door one evening informing them that he’s met someone.

Her name is Bianca, she’s perfectly proportioned, and she’s a sex doll. Naturally, Lars’ family thinks he’s nuts, but they love him so much they decide to play along with his delusion. Eventually, the entire town begins to play along as well, treating Bianca as if she were just another valued citizen.

What makes Lars and the Real Girl so compelling is that it treats the character of Lars with absolute dignity and respect. Lars is not a caricature, a deviant, or even a bumbling fool played for laughs. He’s a caring, good-natured soul struggling with finding intimacy in human interaction. His problem is treated seriously and not for shallow laughs. However, that’s not to say the film isn’t funny. It’s downright hysterical, but not due to cheap sight gags or gross sexual humor. The comedy comes from the true emotions the characters find in dealing with the reality of Lars and Bianca.


MOM, Aunt Connie, rent this one...You'll be really happy you did!