Moving Day Checklist: Update your RSS feed

It's moving day here at Sunny Sanguinity. I plan on leaving my blog here for posterity and nostalgia and the occasional weird post.

And hey, who knows? I'm not saying goodbye. I'm just moving forward.

So update your RSS feed here. And if you don't know about the magic of RSS feeds, then check it.

Thanks to everyone for reading. And I hope you move with me!

Movie Clip Monday--Food makes all the difference

Whenever I get home from grocery shopping (which is almost daily), I think to myself, Happiness is a full fridge. Food is on the bottom level of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. You can't do much of anything without it.

I've been working with a great charity for the past month and wanted to share it. Food For Children is a branch of my local food bank. And every dollar they get provides five meals for children. And not just canned pantry items. Half of that is fresh produce. The stuff that smells and tastes oh! So good!

This video has some great interviews with families who benefit from the program. There are also some kids claiming that their favorite foods are broccoli and carrots. How fantastic is that?

I encourage everyone to donate time or money if they're able. If you're not from the area, you can find your local food bank here. Kids are out of school, so now is a great opportunity to help keep their refrigerators (and stomachs) full.

My blog is moving! Check is out at www.sunnysanguinity.com. Thanks for reading!

Who doesn't love a change of heart?

Someone asked me recently if I was fickle. I had to think about it. When I looked it up, the definition was inconsistent and given to change. But it came from an old English word that meant deceitful.

What I want to know is when did changing become a bad thing? There is an inherent difference between lying and changing your mind.

I guess one could say "Wait. I changed my mind, I did steal your lunch," but I think most of us can all agree that that is deceit. And just downright wrong. Who steals lunch?!?

I think fickle has gotten a bad rap. I've heard La donna è mobile. I know what people are saying about women and apparently spring. (*Gasp* And it's my favorite season!)

And it's true. I propose that being changeable makes you able to evolve and move throughout life. If nothing was able to change, there wouldn't be butterflies, humans would cower at lightning, and I wouldn't be writing this blog.

So I proudly answer the question: Damn straight I'm fickle!

I'm moving! Check out www.sunnysanguinity.com for my new blog!

Movie Clip Monday (not for the faint of heart)

I just spent the week in New York City, so I thought it only fitting that I post something related to the Big Apple. And what better than a little Saturday Night Live? (Fair warning to those who don't like controversial material; this could offend you.)

It can be tough being born with a virtuous look. A coworker of mine put it in an interesting way: "The package you come in is sweet and innocent."

I understand Natalie's need to prove she's not so sweet. It's why I came back from New York with a black eye. And while I'd like to say, "You should see the other guy," it's more like, "I fought the table, and the table won."

Klutzy, unable to hold my liquor, and sweet. Well, I guess there are worse things to be.

I'm moving! Check out my new blog at www.sunnysanguinity.com.

Movie Clip Monday or I heart Conan

I'm not a huge celebrity freak. I don't know who is dating who or read Us Weekly (Unless I'm getting my hair done. What is it about salons and celebrity magazines?), but I really love Conan O'Brien. I think he's hilarious. And he's a ginger. I'm a sucker.

So while this is 40-odd minutes long, it's pretty funny. Just push play and have it on in the background. Guaranteed Conan kicking it at Google will make you laugh. Laughing is awesome.

Time for a makeover!

So it's been a wild ride here at Sunny Sanguinity. When I started this bad boy, I didn't even know how to say sanguinity, but it has come to mean a lot to me (and increase my vocabulary).

The thing is, it's pretty much looked the same since I imported my MySpace blog into it in 2007. To quote my dear friend Iain, "It's so...pink!" So I'm thinking it's time for a change. *cue David Bowie music*



If anyone has any suggestions, I am all ears. Different colors? Fonts? Features? Hot chicks? You know, whatever. Thanks in advance for any input you have!

Cut your mirror some slack

A friend of mine recently joined a pilates group at her gym. She loved it. She sang its praises! Naturally, I agreed. Then the gym changed the space where her group met.

She was bummed about the new space because it was full of mirrors. "Before I could imagine I looked cool doing pilates," she said. "Now I just see how much I have to improve."

Earlier that same week I had covered one of my mirrors with photographs because I was so tired of constantly critiquing my workout. And I'm no beginner.

It got me thinking about reflections and how much credit we give them. When I look in the mirror, I'm only seeing an image. It's not me; it's backwards me.

Reflections are good teachers. They can guide you. But they are no substitute for the real thing. Only we can make our reflections move.

I propose we give our reflections a break and start believing what our minds see. You're a natural at pilates. My belt looks great with these jeans. Every day is a good hair day. I'd be willing to bet our reflections will follow suit.

A dreamy movie clip Monday

A coworker told me how she explained dreams to her son. "A dream is magic in your brain," she said.

I like that explanation. I also dig Cinderella's. A dream is a wish your heart makes. Oh man, my heart has some crazy wishes! It's gonna be a wild ride when they come to pass. Wait, it already is a pretty wild ride! Life is good.

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!

Movie Clip Monday!

In keeping with the Easter theme, here is Will Ferrell's prayer to Tiny Baby Jesus.

Easter Jesus is a little more solemn than Baby Jesus, so I thought i would add a little laughter. Plus Easter Jesus would probably love this movie.

I like to picture my JC waxing poetic around a bonfire making s'mores. Wouldn't that be awesome? I'd toast my marshmallow all perfect and let him eat it because he burned his. He may have been patient with sinners, but he was never good at waiting for sweets.

God loves the Easter Bunny

I love Easter. Spring is here. Baseball season is starting. My birthday is always around that time. And lilacs smell amazing...

But really, let's not forget the most important part: Cadbury Eggs!! While I can say that I've grown up in a few ways, these will forever remind me of being a kid and eating them with my dad.

Delicious. And Sante bought me a 4 pack even though he can't eat any (damn that lactose)! Now that's a good man.

Are priorities supposed to be straight?

Lately this word has come up a lot. It ties in to that elusive balance I try to achieve. What are your priorities?

It's funny in a way that once you have a family and a house and a job, your priorities are pretty much set out for you. Not that having that stuff and balancing it is easy; it just seems easier to decide what's important to you.

No one is going to question you when you say your biggest priority is your child. Or paying your mortgage. But they might look at you a little funny when you tell them your biggest priority of the year is being a grocery store cashier. Or eating every Dairy Queen Blizzard of the Month.

But then again, who knows what kind of crazy antics of mine (or others like me) will turn into thousands of years from now? What makes sense? More importantly: Who cares? Just Be!

Movie Clip Monday!

When one writes for a living, one often comes up against the dreaded writer's block. And while it's hard to see the positive side of the coin with this problem, I take comfort in the fact that my mental state is capable of handling it.

It could be worse, couldn't it? I could be Jack Nicholson's character in The Shining.

I will say this: I've caught up on my e-mails and my html knowledge is getting better by the hour.