Monday (has a feel) Movie-ish Clip

"It feels like Tuesday."

"Tuesday has no feeling." To this I disagree. Although I try to treat every day equally, I tend to agree that certain days have a feeling. I think this comes from years of doing the same things on the same days.

So I am going to try to shake things up. I worked on Saturday this weekend. I'm thinking about going out during the week. I woke up at the time I would normally go to work on Sunday. I say, let's change up the week! Thank God it's Monday!

April birthdays rock: Happy birthday Dad!

I was born a week before my dad's birthday. I like to call myself his birthday present. I'm trying to remember a year where we haven't been close in proximity during this time. It's cool, though. He and my mom are coming to visit in a week.

In honor of my dad's birthday, here are a few things that remind me of him.

Swings

I don't remember how many times my sisters and I would beg him to give us "one more underdog!" I remember him hanging the swing from the tree in our backyard. When one of the strings broke, he replaced it with red rope.

Our duplex had an awesome front porch swing. And as toddlers we would swing so far we put holes in the stucco. If my dad really got mad about it, I don't remember. The holes were still there the last time I was at the house.

Bikes

My dad taught me how to ride a bike. He ran behind me in the alley holding the back of my bike seat. If I sit still long enough, I can hear his footsteps running behind me.

Once my dad's bike got stolen. It was a sweet old red Schwinn ten-speed. I think it may have broken his heart a little bit. It's for this reason that I always lock my bike. It was a lesson he learned for me. Thanks pops!

Games

"What will you give me if I make this shot?" Dad would ask as we stood in the back alley playing basketball. As usual, my sarcastic 12-year-old self would say something like, "My undying respect." Damn I was (am?) a firecracker!

Tennis. Basketball. Baseball. Waterskiing. Swimming. Softball. Broomball. Diving. Hell, he even got into hockey. If he could do it (or if you could), the man was probably interested.

Spaghetti

I'm not quite sure how the story goes, but once upon a time my father was courting my mother and offered to make her a nice meal. He made her spaghetti.

Then they had kids and he fed them spaghetti. It doesn't matter how many years it has been since my dad actually cooked me this meal, when I make spaghetti I think of him.

Drives

With my dad, a drive was always the answer. It's a beautiful day! Let's enjoy it on a drive. It's been a tough week, let's forget it with a drive. You're in trouble. Let's discuss it on a drive.

Imagine my dismay in moving to the city where "going on a drive" meant nothing more than increased blood pressure. Yet, when it was the most important, my dad made it work. When I told him about my divorce, he drove all the way to the cities to see me. And in the car he said one of the best things a daughter can hear from her father. He said: No matter what you do, I will always love you. So even if we couldn't quite get the drive right, it was the moment that mattered.

Dad, happy birthday. I hope you have an amazing day. And here's to a year better than any one you have ever had before!

Ahoy! I sail! I'm a sailor! I sail! (aka Movie Clip Monday!)

Sometimes we have an opportunity to do something we've never done before. These things can be frightening; perhaps they seem impossible. But if it's front of you, I say Go for it! Who knows how awesome it will make you feel?



Although I don't recommend tying yourself to the mast of a sailboat if you decide to go sailing, like Bob does in this scene in What About Bob? Sailboats tip over often. It could be unfortunate. So maybe if you have the opportunity to do something new, do some research too. And then go for it!

Happy birthday to me!

It's my birthday week. Hell, it's my birthday month! I've always been a big fan of birthdays--it's like your own little holiday.

I'm not huge on gifts. That's not to say I won't accept them. I guess I just prefer the gift of someone's company to anything that can be purchased from a store. And I won't turn down a beer either.

But since it's my birthday week, I feel like I can get away with going down my wish list. I already have a few people committed to helping me with this; I hope you're in too.

I want:

• Success in whatever we all strive to do. Let's meet our goals. Let's be as awesome as possible.
• More friendly moments. Let's be nicer to store clerks, bank tellers, wait staff, people you pass on the street, census agents, and fellow drivers (even the morons).
• Honesty. If you can't make it, don't say you can. If you want to know if that outfit makes you look fat, be prepared to hear yes. Let's be real.
• Nuclear disarmament. Hey! It's my birthday wish list.
• More green moments. Let's walk to the store. Hold your nose, empty, wash and recycle that old plastic dish in the fridge.
• A few more questions. Remember when conventional wisdom said the earth was flat? There's gotta be more of that out there. Let's find it!
• Love. Embrace the love you have. Extend the love you give.

The more we want for everyone, the more we will all have. I know this is my birthday wish list, but I'd like to think it benefits many. If you're in, thanks for playing! If not, I hope to see you the next time the game comes around.

Movie Clip Monday!

Ever feel like you're getting pushed around? I say speak up and do what's good for you! I don't necessarily condone crashing into parked cars, but sometimes you have to be a bit forceful to get your point across.



I wish I still owned Fried Green Tomatoes. I only had it on VHS. I think it's going on the Netflix queue. (I also cried when Chris O'Donnell died. That was before Batman & Robin.)

Superwomen need love too

Oh Christina. How I love thee. I'm stoked for your next album, Bionic, mostly because you get it. Women ARE superheroes, and once in a while we are bionic.

You've been an inspiration to me through some tough years. You march to the beat of your own drum. And when my rhythm section went quiet, I cranked yours up. You rock, girl! You definitely make it onto my superhero list.

Here's to all the women who make the world a better and different place. Show those women your love and appreciation. They may make it look easy, but we all need encouragement, love and affection. It's superhero fuel. That and candy.

Movie Clip Monday!

In honor of opening day, here's a scene from A League of Their Own, one of my favorite movies about baseball. And I love Lori Petty.

But really, what always always sticks with me is this great line. I'm pretty sure I've used it hundreds of times. "There's no crying in baseball!" Once again, Tom Hanks is brilliant.

Every Friday should be Good Friday

It's Easter. Well, actually it's Easter tomorrow. Right now, JC is still kickin' around whether he wants to rise from the dead.

I really wish that Easter was like Christmas. Not in the whole buy-lotsa-gifts way, but in the permeate-my-life-for-months way. It'd be great if people decorated their houses, Easter songs were played on the radio non-stop and we all walked around saying "Happy holidays!"

Alas, that is not the case. But I did see this on a car today, and it made me smile. Happy holidays everybody!