Are you a mice or a...er, man? woman?

After about a two year hiatus to let my body heal I've started weight lifting again. Although not able to do the olympic style lifts (yet) because my wrists still give me some trouble--Fezek: "I just figured why you give me so much trouble" The Dread Pirate Roberts: "Why's that, do you think?"--it's still really great being back in the gym, tearing muscles to shreds and building up some strength.

Okay. Change of tone. Three things that chap my hide. The government trying to bully the common person (and here I could dive down the rabbit hole of my rant against the IRS, but I'll spare you for now), being lied to, and my home owners association trying to act like the government by bullying and lying to me. Also corporate dominance (with bullying and lying) is up on my list. I watched Zeitgeist yesterday which talks about the possible conspiracies behind religion, the September 11 attacks and the Federal Reserve Bank. Although I don't buy into most conspiracies I think it's good to be aware. One part of the movie--which you too can watch at http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/ --someone says, "...you have to have an enemy to have a society." Is this true? I don't know. Why can't we just have a common positive goal? Does a society really need an enemy? Can't we just all get along? Yeah, yeah, I know it's cliche, but it's a nice sentiment.

At the end of the film there was a statement about having a choice between fear and love. I'd rather choose love. And I don't mean that in the sappy, oooh-ooh-ooh sense, but really isn't living with a sense of love better than living in fear? As the dad says in Strictly Ballroom, "They lived their lives in fear!" indicating by his statement that he hadn't. This echoing announcement then stirs the dancing hearthrob to change his actions and confront both his own life and the lies he's been told. In the same movie the love interest Fran says, "Vivir en miedo es como vivir a medias" (a life lived in fear is a life half lived). I think that's true. Life is too short to be caught up in the wrong emotions (dear self, please take note of this statement and act accordingly, thank you, me).

Spurred to Wraction (wraction = writing action)

A friend of mine who goes by the initial s mentioned my blog in her blog which then prodded me into this bit of blabbering. Thanks, s.

I found out today that my future niece/nephew is younger than previously thought. So I'll have to reschedule my Aunt-orette party until the end of November. My brother, sister-in-law, and I call the child in progress Dreamchild Moneyhands McGee, or just McGee for short. If I have a kid I'm gonna name it Doctor White. Here's why--my mom found this coffee mug that says, "Dr. White" on it at a thrift store or some place and said that whichever one of us gets a Ph.D. first gets the mug. I covet that mug. I desire that mug. I long for that mug to live in my kitchen cabinets or on a coaster on my coffee table. But blast it all, I want to earn that mug. The problem is the only kind of degree I'd be in line for at the moment would be one like the Scarecrow got in The Wizard of Oz. Honorary. That won't cut it. I've got to figure something else out. Soon. And by soon I mean before Dreamchild Moneyhands McGee gets its doctorate.

Speaking of McGee. There needs to be a neutral word for niece/nephew besides It or The Child. One of my other friends whose first initial is also s--suggested Maegchild from the Olde English which means Maychild which means Kin child. So my maegchild isn't due until the end of November sometime. Then I'll be a real Aunt! I love all my faux nieces and nephews very very much but I feel this certain thrill with being a true-blooded, real live, honest to goodness, no doubt about it Aunt.

I wanna be like you, I wanna walk like you, talk like you do-ooo-ooh

Who do I want to be like the most?

There's that old saying, "You become like those you spend the most time with." In this virtual world and because of my reclusive nature I don't spend a lot of physical time with people. However, I am still influenced by the ones that I feel are my closest friends. This morning while shaking a bad humor I decided I needed an attitude shift. So who do I want to be most like?

1. My mom. My mom is probably the single best person in the world. Ask anyone who knows her, bet they'll say the same thing. Not only is she beautiful, funny, a good listener, thoughtful, and the synonym for sunshine but she can also get killer deals no matter where she shops.

2. My dad. The thing about my dad is he's always learning new things and experimenting. One time he and I tried to capture the color of northeastern fall leaves, using some kind of silicone coating and air drying because I wondered if it could be done. He's the ultimate techno-hippy who melds the best of two worlds. He never says no to a challenge and lives by the motto, "Don't worry, you can always be used as a bad example."

3. Steve Irwin. He may have been a little crazy but the man lived with passion and did what he loved. If I have to die one day then I hope I'm as lucky as he was - to die while living at his fullest. Also he never had a bad word to say about anyone (that I heard). In an interview he was asked what he felt about a particular organization that was against him and his work and he praised them for their good and pointed out that everyone has different goals. I really respect that. I hope I can always focus on the good in others. He loved the uglies, ie., the crocodiles, he saw beauty in all creation. Because isn't everything beautiful in some way?

So far that's the list I've got. I'm going to brainstorm and look around for other examples of who I'd like to be. Of course, above all I want to be myself but it sure is nice to have some great influences.

The picture is a drawing I did of my dad for "Draw Your Dad." I'm still learning how to edit these posts. One day I'll be cool enough to insert the pics exactly where I want them.

Until that time....