It’s the Little Things in Life…

When I think of the things that make me the happiest, it’s always the little things in life.  When I went out to dinner last night with my hubby, we walked past the Baskin Robbins ice cream shop and memories came rushing back from my days in high school.  My dad loved Baskin Robbins Burgundy Cherry.  My mom’s favorite was Daquiri Ice. I still remember them ordering those over 35 years ago.  It wasn’t an expensive treat or that unusual.  But I remember those trips to BR like it was yesterday.  We all had such a good time looking at those 31 (or more) flavors and trying to decide what we would have…only to go back to the tried and true favorites!  We’d get a scoop (or two) and laugh and talk about whatever was on our minds, enjoying the afternoon together.

Today I went to lunch with a friend.  It wasn’t a special lunch…nothing fancy.  But it was one of those little things in life…time with a friend.  Last night, I worked at commencement and had the chance to help hood the master’s candidates.  All I was doing was making sure their hoods were on correctly before they participated in commencement.  They were wonderfully appreciative for the help.  And it felt great!  The little things.

This morning, my little baby kitty (5 year old baby, that is) curled up with me in bed as my alarm was going off, purring and rubbing his nose on mine and then he licked the tip of my nose.  It’s the little things in life…

Tonight, as I was driving home and the sun was shining and my sunroof was open to let the sunbeams in and the fresh breeze blow across my face, I realized how great it feels.  Little things make me smile.

Fourth of July fireworks, a walk on the beach picking up shells, a beautiful sunrise, snuggled up on the couch with a roaring fire and a glass of wine, a drive in the country down a tree-lined lane or a rainy day curled up in bed reading a good book.

“It’s the sweet simple things in life which are the real ones after all.” ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder

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I’m a Card-Carrying Member of the TV Generation!

When I was a kid, there were 3 channels.  Black and White Television.  No remote channel changers…unless you count my brother and me.  We were the human channel changers.  And I vividly remember when we got our first color television.  I could not get enough of those three channels.  And then…there were four!  How were we possibly going to have enough time to see all there was to see?  I know, that makes me old.

I loved watching the old Shirley Temple movies.  And there was nothing better than seeing commercials in color.  I could finally see the avocado green appliances and the color of the shag rugs in the homes of the characters who were wearing bell bottom jeans and psychedelic mini dresses.  They were awesome colors!  But I also remember being shocked that black & white movies didn’t turn to color just because the tv was a color tv. 

This love of television did not stop at the shows.  Since my early childhood, I have been fascinated by commercials.  The funny ones, the sad ones, the ones with catchy jingles.  I love commercials.  Nothing made me cry as much as the Hallmark card commercials.  And the old commercials like “How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop” and “I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in the pan…” still run through my head like they were just shown yesterday.  And who can forget the Spot commercials from 7-Up? My favorite was Spot climbing up the chimney and finding a forgotten toy on the roof (and then swooping down the roof in that toy fire engine, through the tree and a window, landing under the Christmas tree).

Looking back now, I can’t get over how much fun television was back then.  Sometimes, I wish we could go back to that simpler time.  And then I turn on the tv and find hundreds of channels to view…and one dedicated to old movies, another dedicated to old sitcoms from back in the day…and the Food Network.  I LOVE the Food Network. And since we CAN’T go back in time, I’ll stay in the here-and-now and enjoy it.

Although the shows have changed and the channels have drastically increased over the years, my fascination with television ( and with commercials) hasn’t changed at all.

“Television is more interesting than people. If it were not, we would have people standing in the corners of our rooms.” ~ Alan Corenk

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If Weekends Get Any Shorter…

We may have to cancel weekends if they get any shorter.  Really.  After all, how can an evening and two full days fly by so quickly they are gone in a flash?  And the weeks just run on endlessly.  Each weekday feels like 48 hours (0r more).  Especially the hours at work.  Especially in April.  It’s almost the end of the year.  No, I’m not on any weird calendar or having flashbacks to December.  I live on the academic calendar.

The school year is coming to a close and I just don’t see how we can cram anything more into the week.  Yet, somehow we do.  Writing speeches, finishing up the leadership program for faculty and staff, an endless array of end-of-the-year banquets and award ceremonies for students, staff, faculty…the list seems never-ending.  But I see the end in sight.  We’ve just proof-read the commencement program.  The much-awaited commencement ceremony has been planned and the month of endless banquets/awards/speeches is half over.

With all the things going on during the week, I leave work and head for the comfiest chair in the house on Friday evening…and fall asleep.  Saturday starts off by dragging myself out of bed and running those necessary errands that are required (grocery shopping, car wash, dry cleaners–you know, the necessary evils) and events that are held on weekends, like the spring scrimmage for the football team, Fiesta events (yes, I live in San Antonio), and get-togethers.  Add in housework, laundry, and dishes (after cooking), and the weekend is now gone.  Disappeared in front of my eyes.  Almost like it was never there.  Back to work.  And another week of craziness looms ahead.  Good thing I still enjoy my job.  Just think what it would be like otherwise.

And with all this, it just proves that the old adage, “Time flies when you’re having fun.” isn’t necessarily true.  I enjoy my job…it’s hectic, but fun.  And it doesn’t fly by.  But the weekend seems shorter than two days.  By Sunday evening, it feels as if only one day has passed by.  And my weekend is not chock full of fun.

What month of the year is the busiest for you and why?

“Sunday evenings often feel like the weekend is over before it’s even  begun.” ~ Catherine McCormack

 

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I Dreamed a Dream…Again and Again

Yep, I had this recurring dream for years.  I know the first recollection I have of the dream was about the time I was in Kindergarten.  The dream made no sense then and still doesn’t.  I’m not sure I believe in dream interpretation, but I do wish I knew why I had this dream over and over, year after year, until I was well into my adult years.

When I was just a little girl, I woke up with such a strange feeling…like I’d been running.  And I had been.  In my sleep.  I remembered the same part of the dream each time I dreamed it.  It never changed.  And it made absolutely no sense.

The dream started out with me hiding in a large cornfield.  It was a cornfield in the middle of Paris.  France, that is.  Not Texas.  I am not sure how I knew it was in Paris.  I just knew.  And I was crouching down, running through the cornfield, running away from gangsters.  Not gangstas!  Gangsters, like the ones in the movies.  You know.  Al Capone-type guys.  Wise guys.  With fedoras and trench coats over old-style pin-striped suits.  But no guns.  They were carrying scythes.  Cutting down the stalks of corn, trying to find me.

And I was never caught.  I ran up and down the rows of corn, ducking and hiding from the slashing scythes and the scary gangsters.  I don’t know why they were chasing me or why I was running from people who appeared to be from a different time period (at least, clothing-wise).   And I really am not sure what a cornfield was doing in the middle of Paris!  I think that is the part that puzzles me the most.

What is it about recurring dreams that mess with us so much?  I mean, I dream all kinds of strange dreams.  Most are almost immediately out of my head a few minutes after waking up, but I do remember some longer.  And they are usually just as odd as my Cornfield in Paris dream.  But I don’t dream them over and over.

Do you remember your dreams?  Do you have a recurring dream?  Do you believe in interpreting dreams?

“ The interpretation of dreams is the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious  activities of the mind.” ~ Sigmund Freud

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When Did We Become Our Parents’ Parents?

My hubby and I are getting to the age that many of our friends (and we aren’t far behind) are now starting to care for their parents.  Some of them are now complete caretakers and others are starting to give advice to their parents…and others fall into other parts of the spectrum.  So far, my husband has just been giving advice and reviewing their finances to make sure they can continue to do what they need to do on their own.  After hearing bits and pieces of some very sad stories from friends and acquaintances, and the occasional funny one, I realized how lucky I am that my mother is such a go-getter, that I haven’t yet had to consider the options that are available and what I would do if I needed to be her caretaker.  My mother is such an independent person, I just have no idea how I will get her to do what I say is necessary.

Recently, a friend was telling me about her experiences with her mother.  Her mother questioned her about the finances over and over until her daughter had to tell her that she had no choice.  Her mother asked, “Why?” and her daughter had to tell her, “Because I’m in charge now.”  She said it was the hardest thing she has ever had to do.  I could feel her pain as she told the story.  I know exactly how difficult it would be to say the same thing to my mom.

So, how do you know when you are just butting in where you aren’t needed and when you really need to step in and take control?

I worry about the day I need to let my mother know I’m in charge now. I don’t know how she’ll take it, but I hope it’s as good as my friend’s mother. When told her daughter was now in charge, her response was, “Okay.” And that was that.

“We begin our lives being cared for by our parents and we care for them at the end of theirs.  It’s a fair trade.” ~ AEK

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The View, The Chew and…

Well, I started watching The View years ago.  And that was before the rolling heads (Star, Rosie, Debbie, Elizabeth).  My mother has quite a fascination with The Chew.  At first, I thought she was talking about The View, until I realized it was a new show. It tickled my funny-bone that the shows’ titles rhymed.  And then, today, my brain just went with that thought and I started imagining an entire line-up of talk shows…with names all rhyming with The View.

So, first of all is the new crafting show called The Glue.  Can you imagine the corporate sponsorship possibilities?  Between Elmers and Loctite alone, the show will do well.

My husband was fascinated with The Sue, a look at all those crazy court cases where people sue corporations and each other over things like too hot coffee or sandwiches that don’t quite measure 12 inches.

Then there’s The Pew…Jim Bakker’s next foray into televangelism.  And who would want to miss out on The Shrew, Joy Behar’s newest talk show, now that she won’t be on The View anymore.  Her first guest will be Joan Rivers.

And my favorite…The Cue.  It’s all about the theatre scene, with shows being reviewed, guests from Broadway productions and performances from some of the best shows being produced on the road.  And that’s my cue…to ask you what show you would have on this new network called The Zoo.

“Life doesn’t imitate art, it imitates bad television.” ~ Woody Allen

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I Remember When…

Recently, I was reading someone else’s blog and they mentioned a memory from their past.  It triggered something for me and I started thinking of my lifetime and how much in the world has changed.  The little things.  The things that seemed so normal and some things that felt so right at the time.  And some are things I wish hadn’t changed. 

I remember when dialing a phone meant using a dial…no push buttons or touch screens (there WERE no cell phones).

I remember when televisions were black & white and there were only 3 channels.

I remember when the dishwasher was me (and I remember when my parents finally bought a dishwasher).

I remember when I bought my first calculator…an HP scientific calculator that came in a carrying case and was almost the same size as a brick and I was excited that I didn’t have to use a slide rule!

I remember pay phones on almost every corner – and there were no Starbucks.

I remember when there was no internet.

I remember a time when parents didn’t have to check all the candy collected by their children on Halloween for razor blades and other dangers.

I remember when riding on a plane meant dressing up in your best clothes.

I remember when stamps had to be licked to stick.

I remember when checks had 19 printed in front of the blank for the year…and we didn’t realize it would need to change for 2000….it was too far into the future.

I remember when there was no such thing as a debit card.  We carried cash…or maybe a checkbook.

I remember when pumping gas was done by the gas station attendant.  And he checked your oil and washed the windows, too.

I remember when clogs, bell bottom jeans and low-rise jeans were in…the first time.

I remember when the Kansas City Royals was a WINNING team…big-time winning, that is.  The days of Paul Splittorf, George Brett, Darrell Porter, Pete LaCock, John Mayberry, Freddie Patek, Cookie Rojas, Frank White and Hal McRae (went to lots of games in 76 and 77) and later when they actually won the world series in 85 with players like Bret Saberhagen and Dan Quisenberry.  Awesome!!  

I remember when saying the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of the school day was expected, not an affront to anyone.  Being a military dependent, I LOVED saying the pledge of allegiance.  It meant something to me.

I remember when it was safe for children to play in the streets or in their yard, ride their bikes all over town and there was no fear of being kidnapped or stolen. 

I remember when kids were kids…they played after school and their days were not filled with so many lessons and activities that they had no time just to be carefree children.

I remember when terrorism happened somewhere else…not the U.S.  And it was safe to be an American.

“Take time to gather up the past so that you will be able to draw from your experience and invest them in the future.” ~ Jim Rohn

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Seven Things That Are Underrated (if you ask me)…

So, I read this blog by Sarah Smiles Awhile: Seven Things That Are Underrated (if you ask me)…. and am totally ready to create my own list.  The only problem is, I would have to steal at least 3 of hers.  Not creative on my part, but totally truthful. 

1. I agree that those limp handshakes by some women remind me of holding onto a dead fish (yes, I have done that–hold onto a dead fish, I mean).  No limp handshakes from me.  I despise them. 

2. And there is nothing better than sending or receiving a handwritten letter via snail mail.  It’s such a refreshing experience to open the mailbox and NOT find a bill, a piece of junk mail or catalog or that (currently) inevitable piece of political propaganda coming from one of several candidates for office.   I’m all for getting mail that makes me smile…awhile. 

3. And then, there’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives (otherwise known as Triple D).  I watch and re-watch episodes and when visiting new areas of the country, I seek out places that have been featured.  Invariably, I enjoy myself.  So, thanks, Sarah Smiles – for the reminder and the inspiration.  Now, here’s my list (or the remainder of my list):

4.  The soft breath of my cat, curled up on the bed next to me, whiskers brushing my neck as I read a good book on a rainy afternoon. 

My little baby, Tang, snoozing away on a rainy day.

Nothing makes me feel more content.  I can’t imagine being more relaxed.

 5.  The joy of making something for someone else…with my own hands.  Either a crafty thing, a baked thing or a whole meal.  It’s such a pleasure to do for someone else, when they least expect it.  Not for a birthday or an anniversary or because they are celebrating a new job.  Just to celebrate that they ARE. 

6. Paying it forward.  Yes, a trendy thing, but it feels soooooooooo good.  To do something for a total stranger and just imagine the surprise when they receive whatever it is you’ve done for them.  And then not telling ANYONE you did it.  That is your secret.  Your joy.  No one else’s to weaken the gift you’ve given.  Because by telling someone, are you not seeking recognition?  Then it isn’t as powerful.  Doing something for someone in need and then telling no one is much more amazing.

7. A sad movie.  The cathartic release after crying over a sad movie.  It draws out all that pent-up emotion.  Enough said.

Thanks, Sarah Smiles.  You’ve given me a lot to think about. 

What are your Seven Things That Are Underrated?

“The best thing in life aren’t things.”~ John Ruskin

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Happy Mother’s Day…

I know…it’s Mother’s Day and I DO wish all the moms out there a Happy Mother’s Day.  But I have to say, after being out at the stores earlier today and listening to all of the clerks and other workers wish me a Happy Mother’s Day, I started to wonder about how that makes other people feel.  Don’t get me wrong…there’s nothing about it that bothers me (except that I’m not a mother–unless you count my cats) and I don’t find it to be “politically incorrect”.  I think way too many people have gone overboard in that direction.  But, I wonder…for those women like me who are not mothers by choice, does it bother them?  Or, even worse, for the women out there who have tried and tried to have children and can’t, how does it make them feel?  I hurt for them.  It can’t be good.  And what about those women who’ve lost a child?  I know they are still mothers, but it has to hurt.  

Where do we draw the line before getting into that dangerous zone and cross into excessively politically correct?  I guess, we smile, we thank them and wish them a happy day, too.  And we hope that women who find it too hurtful avoid the stores and restaurants and all the other public places that are bombarding us with Happy Mother’s Day wishes and specials. 

So, to all those non-mothers out there…Happy Day! 

“I think you have to judge everything based on your personal taste. And if that means being critical, so be it. I hate political correctness. I absolutely loathe it.” ~ Simon Cowell

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Planning Vacations

Everyone I know plans their vacations in different ways.  I know someone who has a basic idea of the destination and no real idea of how to get there…hit the road and stop along the way, enjoying the sights and sounds of places never before seen.  And she’ll eventually get to her destination…or not.  It’s all about the journey and the joy of discovering something new.  I admire that kind of lack of planning.  But I can’t do it.

Another friend lets someone else do all the planning.  She’s along for the ride.  It doesn’t matter where she’s going as long as there is no work involved in the planning process (for her).  I could NEVER do that (I’m a little bit of a control freak, I admit). 

There are people who hit the road with no destination, no plan and not much money.  Whatever needs to be bartered for or traded for is taken care of.  Well, I bet you can guess my feelings on this lack of planning. 

I, on the other hand, am the planner extraordinaire.  My old boss (who now lives in California) got a kick out of the fact that I planned all my vacations on spreadsheets.  Yes, Excel is my friend.  I have one sheet that deals with what I will pack (and if there are multiple suitcases, what is in each).  Another sheet is dedicated to what I will do on my vacation.  It includes any confirmation numbers for reservations, times (exact or expected) when I will be doing each activity and who I will see each day (if visiting friends and/or family).  I don’t want to miss out on anything by forgetting to do something.  Yes, that’s my way.  Excel.  Or should I say Excel-lent???  (insert childish giggle)

My hubby is of the “let someone else plan it and go along for the ride” school.  We get along great when planning vacations!  I get my way and he appreciates not having to work on it.  And just a sidenote:  I am getting antsy, because we have a vacation coming up soon and I haven’t started my spreadsheet yet!  That’s my chore for tomorrow.  Oh, what a relief that will be. 

How do you plan your vacations? 

“He who every morning plans the transaction of the day and follows out that plan, carries a thread that will guide him through the maze of the most busy life. But where no plan is laid, where the disposal of time is surrendered merely to the chance of incidence, chaos will soon reign.” ~ Victor Hugo

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