a new word

I just laughed so hard my coffee almost came up. Some of you may have heard to word "va-jay-jay" used by Oprah (the queen of all media and the world, or course) to describe certain woman parts. Well, I just read someone use the word "vajeezus". I think it's funny just because I think the whole world of human language is funny, as is the origins of words, and how they are used. I think it's funny how some people are so uptight about proper grammar (of course it's nice to know what's appropriate if you want to be taken seriously).

So- whenever you're woman parts are feeling under the weather, or you see someone wearing pants that show off too much . you know...woman parts- just say "vajeezus" and we'll all know what you mean.

another list of guilty pleasures of TV.

ok- these are not always so pleasurable: but they definitely say something about our modern pop culture.

"Nancy Grace" on CNN- this Atlanta based lawyer is like the HSN or GVC of cable. People call in to commiserate and share their opinions of her topic of the night- usually about missing children and/or murder mysteries. For example- the Holloway case, the Benet-Ramsey case, or any number of missing children cases. I applaud anyone who takes their hour to try to unearth new clues or recieve tips (on her hotline) in order to solve these cases. What is a little trashy is how the "look" of her show, all running banners, patriotic colors and sense of tabloid-ish-ness gets in the way of her message. This is a reality show in it's true form, because it is real news made into a story with her as the ringleader. Her face is always in close-up, with her hawk nose and blonde helmet of hair she looks like a Chamber of Commerce Director from a real estate company rather than someone to take seriously. And that bothers me- her messages get lost in her very exploitive, dominating personality.

"Say Yes to the Dress"- if men about to get married ever want a true picture of how their future brides will behave...look no further than this TLC show. Filmed at a popular large bridal gown showroom in NY, the brides- to- be simply try on dresses while the frantic salespeople and obligitory "feminine"male salesperson help her find the perfect dress. It's fun to see all the different styles, and to say - oh hell to the no- on some of them. But everyone has different tastes. The brides are picky, bitchy, spoiled, though sometimes a good one comes along. Truly entertaining are the friends and mothers who come in to add their opinions, always messing with the bride's image of the perfect gown, and usually bickering over fit and price. I would never pay thousands of dollars for a dress, period. It's not in my blood, thank you parents.

Oh- I am being called to duty...so excited about what is supposed to be a good weather day tomorrow- it's hard for me to walk outside when it's wet and about 50 every day. This is FL isn't it??

Amen, brother.

"The heart has reasons of which reason has no knowledge." - Pascal. Pensees, 277


That's all I have to say tonight..except for- Sometimes, I do wish our lives were built to live more than one at one time, if you know what I mean. Or maybe you don't ...know what that means. If not, rest easy, your mind is way more at peace than mine is. I am a very happy woman, at times more than I feel is due to myself. Sometimes, life is not enough time to get things done. That's all. for tonight. Love is always in the past, present and future, and I am blessed with some of all.

Good night, kitty kats and doggies!

Mortality and my kids.

I am going to take this post to write about my two sons, so if reading about kids turns you off, then change the channel now. Also, I am being nostalgic, so if that bugs you, then just watch tv or something :) In the past, I really haven't written alot about my boys...just mentioning them in passing during my posted activities. There is a sense of privacy lost when writing about my family members (near and far), but I just feel like giving them a little internet fame..
Nick (or full name Dominick McCarthy Roosen) is just over 3 years old. He and I have, currently, alot of good times together, and some battles of will. He is towheaded, strong minded, and very detailed oriented. He takes after me in some ways - he remembers what was left undone, unfixed or unnoticed every single morning, and that is all me. He is high- strung, like myself. He fights sleeping, wants to explore every single moment, and loves learning new things. Nick is very friendly to other children, tender to his new brother, and loves to cuddle (not like me, two of those things). Nick loves the beach, likes to collect things (like me) and is growing into himself - he is super tall and looks like a 5 year old. Like his dad, he likes to build things, and could stare at the tiny parts of a machine all day trying to put them together. In the end, Nick is all "himself." Like most children, they are parts of parents, mostly themselves...always evolving. I love him to the depths of my heart, am very protective of him, and worry about him alot. He loves physical play more than anything, and more than once has almost broken my nose while we have played on the floor. Good times!
Jude Emanuel Roosen is my 5 month old. He's got big blue eyes, and big McMullen ears (ok for a boy!) When I delivered him, everyone in the room said he looked like me. But Jude is his own person, and I love that. He, after the first few months of alot of crying and sleepless nights, is very laid back, very lovable, very strong, very big, and full of giggles. Nick giggled later in life, like he had to think about things first before giving anything the honor of his opinion (like me). Jude was born golden skinned, taking after my side of the family, all ready to go to the beach and already smiles when we get in the truck to go somewhere. Jude is going to be a very sweet natured boy. He lights up when Nick is around and looks to see him in the room, reaching out for his hand. Nick holds his hand in our truck when we get Nick from school. Jude is just the coolest baby in our world :)
On a recent journey to PC, someone's mother said they never thought I would have children, since I always said I wouldn't, and we laughed at that. What I meant to say was, only with the right person. There is never the perfect moment in time to take that plunge to say "yes" or to have children. I even thought for a long time, that I was ok being married without having children...and I would have been. That gives me comfort, knowing that I didn't do anything because of pressure. Which I had plenty of...you just have to put the blinders on eventually - especially for younger women who feel that pressure to get married and procreate. I ignored early options (smartly so for both parties) and am the better for it....as were they.
Life is not perfect- it's not about perfection, it's about what dreams you want to happen, how to do it, and how not to create undue drama and longterm difficulties for yourself and other loved ones. Well, life is about so many things not be written about eloquently here.
I see my old friends from home with children and know that are in good hands, also. All the crazy memories of those people are also filled with the knowledge that they are such intelligent, funny women and men that I know their kids will be alright :) And, we can always find each other for advice if needed. On the other hand, I also know of certain people out there that should have children....to be perfectly honest, people that I know the world could benefit from their little mini-me's running around. Maybe it's just the thoughts of mortality that get me every time I go to Bay County.
A few years ago, I found an old metallic keychain that says "Woman of the Year" on it. Someone from the past gave it to me, and I kept it along with alot of other things, all these years of moving around. About 3 years ago, I found it and put it back on my keychain. It meant something to me once, and therefore holds a place now.
We are all the sum of parts, as are our children. As is our past.

on second thought- I do think anyone could see "The Hurt Locker" as an anti-war movie, but I like that it does not feel like that is the director's intention. I don't know, it could be Katheryn Bigelow's intention, but someone else wrote the book. Simply put, I like that it's not an over-dramatized, message movie (like some Oliver Stone films) that feel like an agenda being forced down your throat. We're not as stupid as alot of film makers think we are. We don't always need to be told how to feel. As one of my best literature professors put it- show, don't tell. This movie lets you decide your opinion of war, and of the soldiers in it. They don't sit around and write poetry in their head like in "The Thin Red Line" (a great movie), or do alot of playing poker and drinking beer while thinking of home. The characters are in a war, and they act like it. You will feel like you are a soldier at their side seeing what they have to see.

"The Hurt Locker" - for people who hate war movies, like myself.

As moving and as powerful as any of the Harry Potter series, without all the owls, wands and potion distractions, is "The Hurt Locker". Thank God the lead actor Jeremy Renner (hope that's spelled right) just got nominated for an Oscar, he deserves it. Really, the entire cast does, it's small (the main cast) and so potent you never forget each face. As the main character James, his acting is so deftly directed that you would never know he's kindof a rookie actor, he makes each scene look to realistic, you'd never know this is his first lead role.
To describe the plot to this movie is like trying to describe a plate of gourmet food- you have to see it to understand and taste it. It's not an "anti-war movie" as some may try to view it as, rather the most plain and simple, truthful tale of a few men's experiences at battle in the Mid-East. It is a statement about the total utter black and white truth of our existence- one minute you're here, the next you could be gone, and no amount of voting, self-righteousness, or moral relativity will make a difference. It is also a huge statement about soldier's culture shock when they come back "home." My husband was in the Air Force for nine years, the last few with me, and he was in Saudi when the USS Cole was attacked. This is small beans to some who haven't had the opportunity to live with, befriend, or marry someone who has served in some way. Others understand the significance of it when they actually talk to a soldier who has lived for more than a few months away from his family and friends. The problems that exist upon returning home are but mere specks on a windshield compared to the problems elsewhere.
But this movie seemed to me to be more about a generic thought process, rather than a particular person. Even though you feel sentimental about the characters, there is an aloofness about them that is totally appropriate to how most soldiers behave when they are sitting in a base somewhere on sandy soil. They are from one minute hamsters in a cage to the next, completely using every brain cell to figure out how to survive the trip wire planted in the car they stand next to. The action in this film is the most intense I have seen in years. You will not stop, unless by a crying baby, until the end. It is that good. I hope it wins the Oscar for best picture this year.

Harry Potter!

If you've never watched any of the Harry Potter films, I highly recommend them. It's unusual that I never got into the books, but fortunate so that every new film in the series that comes out is a nice surprise. We just watched The Half Blood Prince tonight for the second time this year, and I am so proud of the directors and writers of this entire series ( there have been a few changes but the continuity is wonderful so you'd never really notice the difference). The first few films in the series are slightly more "Disney" (G- rated) and I like how, as the characters age, the darker themes also grow more intense...just like any adolescent growing up. Only these kids are entrenched in political battles going on around them by their adult superiors and are only now figuring out how not to be pawns in the age old battle of good and evil, with alot of other more detailed subplots thrown in (class prejudices, semi-racial overtones, and questioning authorities.)
Every movie, especially the last three, is fun to watch again because there are so many things you miss the first go around. Try it sometime...you'll understand. Total entertainment, but also some very meaningful, sentimental, very funny, and poignant storylines.

Good Night, and Good Evening

If music be the food of love, play on;
Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die.
- Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, 1,1

country song titles

Every now and then, it's fun to make up stuff that has nothing to do with politics (which,as you know, I do love to write about). So, as a music lover who does include good country singer/ songwriters in my list of favorite musicians (though not as high up as Jack White or Dave Grohl), I have compiled a list of song titles that someone needs to pair lyrics with. One I heard recently is "God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy." Can I beat that? You betcha!

"You Don't Look the Same in the Morning Light."

"Cheap Tequila Makes Me Fall in Love."

"I Bleed Red, White and Blue - Do You?"

"Nothing's Good North of Nashville."

"You Look So Beautiful, At the ABC Rotator." (Gville folks know about that one)

"My Truck is Ready, and So Am I, Dear."

"Jukebox Lovin'"

"Poolhall Crush"

"I've got Friends in Low Places"---oh wait, that's been done. Thanks Garth!

"Ybor City and My Secret Love"

"Stars, Trailers and Fire Pits Are My Thing"

"You Know What They Say About Big Trucks...Especially My F150."

"Dirt Road Ridin' With You"

"Livin', Lovin', and Lot Lizards"

"Hell No! Get Off My Back, Mama Government!"

"Commies Suck, and This Bud's For You"

"Sunset Poledancin' "

"Flip Flops and Tear Drops (A Summer Ballad)"

"Margaritaville's long gone, and so are You"

"Blue Mountain Coal Miner"

"Country Girls Will Take Your Job" (Gretchen Wilson that one's for you)

"The Last Dance, Before I Dump Her"

"She doesn't know...About My Children"

Oh, my talent is spent. Wow, that took alot of energy. Tata for now kids, have a great night. I was until the three mosquitos left in our yard bit my arm and left me dreading the comming summer attacks.

love advice

I hate and I love. Perhaps you ask why I do so. I do not know, but I feel it, and I am in torment.- Catullus, Ode, LXXXV

This is not about my 8 year relationship with my husband, so don't read into it too deeply. I strongly believe there is a fine line between love and hate, and that those kind of relationships are the ones most of us go through. They are dramatic, chaotic at times, and they burn out with both people resenting the fact that they were so let down. This is because they never knew each other in the first place. trust me. If you place your ideals of what you think you want onto someone else, you will always be left pissed off standing in the dark wondering what happened. If you're the other person, you're left to feel like an %$#!hole because someone keeps calling/writing/texting you (that's a timeline through the past 3 decades) and you just want your wasted time back and a good night's sleep. This is not a healthy love relationship. This is one in which you don't know what to do with each other when not making up or fighting.
These are a fun way to pass the time if you enjoy walking over a bed of hot tar and glass. Or, if you're luck, you'll be so busy "working" on your relationship that you won't realize how painful it was until months or years later, like when I had natural childbirth and realized later how insane I was for doing that, after the endorphins wore off.
So, happy Valentine's day...keep your heart in one piece, have fun, don't drink too much cheap wine and enjoy the chaos.

wish list for actors

This is a list of actors and actresses I would love to see more of, not to say they aren't already in plenty of films, but that they should get more and better roles...is that bad grammar or what?

Benecio Del Toro- loved him in "Traffic", and all his other roles. I hope his current "Wolfman" movie does well. He's one of those men that can look lovely, evil, deep, and dirty all in one. And who doesn't want to see that combination on the big screen? Yes, please!
Phillip Seymour Hoffman- he's been doing movies forever. As a young man he is barely recongnizable ( a little smaller). In "Magnolia" and in "Boogie Nights" he is so good in the roles of empathetic pull, and although is highly acclaimed, may not get the top billing roles due to his unique looks. Talent with a capitol T.
Zooey Daschenel- needs to be in more roles where she's not so "indy/quirky" where she can show off some real acting talent. I loved her in "The Good Girl", "The Hitchhiker's Guide..." etc but wish she was given more depth instead of playing similar parts.
Nicole Kidman- i know she's done a million movies, and has won awards. If she would lay off the frozen face Botox of late, I'd love to see her in more roles that aren't so "ice queen pretty". She's a great actor- watch "Dead Calm" and see how her face actually used to work and how good she is.
Jake Gylenhall- I first noticed him in "Bubble Boy" a hilarious comedy. really. Then he broke my heart in "Brokeback Mountain" and also in "The Good Girl" where he played the Holden Caulfield-esque teen obssesed with Jennifer Anniston's character. He was amazing in "Donnie Darko" one of my favorite films. He's perhaps too youngish looking to be given more adult roles...I hope he gets them as he ages.
Ryan Gosling- please please more please. He's awesome in "Lars and the Real Girl" and in "Fracture" not to mention his early "Murder by Numbers" with Sandra Bullock. He will hopefully get more roles based on his talent and not his looks. He's got a Jimmy Stewart look but could totally pull off a Humphrey Bogart role if producers were willing to let him not shave for a day.
well, have to go for now and howl at the moon and eat homemade pizza.
tata for now cats and dogs!

Is it just me or does it seems to be really horrible weather every time my husband has two days off in a row? Or, is it that I forget that most Florida winters are like this, especially in February and March. I do forget, after all the very long, hot months of summer down here, when I say "oh I can't wait to wear jeans, build a fire and not be so hot", that's when my wishes come back to haunt me. Days like today just drag on, even though we have kept busy, comming and going taking care of business. I look our windows, see a far off glimmer of orange sky, and then some nasty wet gust comes through, bringing the pounding of an impending sinus headache, and a vision of a humid night in New Orleans or Panama City Beach, with live music, long sunsets, fun and cold beer. You just can't enjoy a cold beer as much if you're not on a boat, on the beach or on a backyard in 85 degree sunshine. It's just not the same! I don't know how people live above Kentucky - I could barely handle Nashville, despite all the wonderful live shows we caught and great bands, I hated putting on boots, jeans, leather coats, hats, etc simply to go out for the night...anyhoo. I see the end of the rain is near...now for the further temperature drop and a cp;d day tomorrow.

Later Gators.

a quote about books, my little lifelong friends.

"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed,and some few to be chewed and digested" Sir Francis Bacon, "Essays: Of Studies"

the guilty pleasure of tv- part II

Way back, I blogged about the silly shows on tv that I have caught one or more episodes of, and how much we as a society love to watch those train wrecks (reality celebrities in particular). Of course, not everyone loves these people, but the media sure does Love to give them unnecessary attention, therefore shoving them down our throats like bad Robitussen.
I already mentioned "Hoarders", a downright depressing show about people who stock up on rotten meat, flattened dead cats, dried up plants, and care bears. Similarly, "Sex Rehab" on VH1 is utterly exploitive, too personal, and never seems to have very happy conclusions. These poor folks, usually aging rock stars, porn stars or D-list American Idol contestants, seem to think that by letting VH1 pay them a little check and have Dr. Drew "diagnose" and fix them will mend all their broken dreams and bad habits, like sleeping around a little too much. I know that sex addiction is taken just as seriously by doctors as any other addiction, but this show is almost too unseemly, using the people as comedy fodder. It's a sad show, and I've only watched one episode, out of curiousity like most cable crap I watch. It's not worth seeing another one unless you just want to see people cry alot, ask for help and then not usually take it. Another very silly tv show that I actually find still interesting is the "Real Housewives" series on Bravo. Now it's grown to several series, taking place in different cities. It hit bottom two years ago (right when we actually got tv again) with the one in Atlanta. I have alot of friends in ATL, and none of them live in McMansions with rental furniture, leased Hummers, athlete husbands and a "gay husband". I would think that gays would find this term offensive after being used on so many Bravo shows as some kind of accessory for these semi- wealthy, about to be foreclosed on women with weaves, fake nails, fake tans and children that are left behind as mamma goes for a mani-pedi. The Atlanta one has pissed me off and i will no longer support the ridiculousness of it. It stereotypes the black women and their husbands to no end, and because it's "progressive" Bravo...gets away with it. So, it's ok to be racist if a liberal network does it? Or, do they get away with it because they assume we're in on the joke. I'm in on the joke, but still think it's really tacky. You'd have to see the show to understand.
I don't watch "The Bachelor", or "Survivor" andhave only seen a whole "American Idol" twice. It's ok, like a talent show with lots of neon, and bad hair. One guilty pleasure I enjoy is a show called "Bones" based on the Kathy Reichs novels, which i have a few of. It's on Fox, but we catch a rerun everynow and then on TNT. It's got a very dry sense of humour, deals with forensics, which I love, but without all the stripper club flashiness of the CSI shows. The characters are fuller, with some continuing back stories, and has satisfying writing. Of course, I could always wax poetic about "Mad Men" and other shows we have on DVD like "The Tudors" (from Showtime)but those aren't guilty pleasures, those are very well written, highly aclaimed series with very good acting and believable sets.
So...there's always "Shark Tank", a low ratings cult hit where three "judges" who are wealthy capitalist types, listen to common folk pitch their ideas for small business. The winner gets the financial backing of one of the panelists and the "losers' are still given some advice and all the ideas are fleshed out for their faults- I love this, and we have only caught it twice. You would think in a time when so many people are pissed at bailouts and looking for second income ideas, this show would be more popular, but maybe now the American dream isn't to do your own business, but to reveal your darkest secrets on "Sex Rehab" and make easy money while doing it. Hmm.
Well, I am sure i could think of more guilty pleasures of tv...but sometimes it's not very pleasurable:0 It's just time filler, like Facebook but without actual old friendships, memories, new contacts, sharing of real information and useful contact. Maybe that's why, on March 1, our tv will once again be disconnected from the tv world, and only used for movies and our Wii (another story altogether). Most shows are already rebroadcast on our internet anyway. And, as we discusssed this week, my husband and I spent more time together during the 3 years we disconnected from Cable than ever before. I'll definitely keep you posted on that adventure. Have a good night, people, and I'll be back to deal with the next tardy article - actors we need to see more of....

teaser...

Tonight, I get hours of time all by myself to write as much as I want- what a blessing. Taking cues from several articles on Gawker, Daily Beast and other fave sites, I am going to list the guilty pleasures of tv (i've done this before- this is version II) and favorite actors that I would like to see more of on the big screen. This list does not include Tom Crazypants Cruise, Brad The Adulterer Pitt, or his snake charming gal pal, Angelina Homewrecker Jolie. See you later, and have a great day. I've got errands to run and have to take my husband his rugby bag (to the airport) so Jude and I get to smell the wonderful Tampa Bay aroma. Is it a windows up or windows down kind of day? we'll see!

more good websites

cartalk.com- donate a used vehicle to support your local public radio station.
freecycle.org- post donations for charities to claim
habitat.org- donate leftover bulding supplies to Habitat for Humanity's resources.
excessaccess.org- match your household items with a local non-profit's wish list.
nikereuseashoe.com-send in yoiur old footwear to be reused in playground surfaces for kids.

Remember: getting rid of clutter will reduce your housework by 50%!!

Simplify simplify simplify! It's way better for your mind, kids!