This was my Papaw Allen McMullen. One of my unique grandfathers.

Take note dear friends, this is not about saying how cool we think our own grandparents are (all of mine are cool of course:) My grandpa McCarthy was a magnificant oil painting and pastel artist as is Grandma McCarthy (I have alot of their paintings now and an old Chicago Art School box from him with oils and oil brushed from 1930. They had a huge three level organ in their house, along with a walls of salt water aquariums for exotic fish. On my mother's side, my Mamaw (who is also still with us) and Papaw had a neat rock house (brought in from the East Coast of FL) on Sunset Point Rd, where alot of McMullens dwelled. I still have a book they gave me called "The Greatest Miracle in the World" and it has Papaw's underlines in it, as it also has mine from the past decade. I cannot say more today. There is too much to write about about these wonderful people. All we can say is that my sons knew or met 5 great grandparents, including my husbands family. We are lucky, and we are blessed. Take time this season to visit or send something special to the elderly in your family. Most of all they need contact even a phone call.

Allen McMullen Sr. | Visit Guest Book

McMULLEN, Allen Sr. Yet another direct descendant of the Pinellas County Pioneer McMullen Family has died. Allen McMullen Sr., known affectionately as Papaw, age 90, died on Dec. 12. He was a direct descendant of Captain James McMullen, one of seven McMullen brothers who were early 1840 settlers of Pinellas County. Papaw was always very proud of his family heritage and faithfully attended the annual gathering of the McMullen clan reunion held every 4th of July in the area since the 1920s. Papaw lived his life with the Will Rogers trademark of "never meeting a person he didn't like." If he knew you, you were his friend. Papaw grew up in Pinellas County in what was then a true paradise. He attended Safety Harbor Elementary and Junior High, played coronet in the marching band at Clearwater High, attended Massey business college in Jacksonville and served 4 years in the Navy. At the end of WWII he married Emily Daeger at Peace Memorial Presbyterian Church. He joined his father in the citrus packing business and wholesale produce delivery business. During the season they delivered packaged citrus baskets from their packing house that was at the corner of Sunset Point and McMullen Booth Road to the then railroad station in Safety Harbor for shipment to the northern states. After a fire destroyed the packing house, he spent time in the insurance business and finished his working career in the candy business in Gatlinburg, TN. He and Emily enjoyed their church life and family at the Presbyterian Church in Safety Harbor, Gatlinburg, TN and Northwood Presbyterian Church in Clearwater, serving as elder, deacon, choir member, and a Stephen's Minister. He was active for years in the Masonic Lodge, Lions and Kiwanis Clubs, and delivering Meals on Wheels. His wonderful marriage lasted 68 years many of them spent traveling in their motor home across the country and seeing a lot of the world. He is survived by his wife, Emily; daughter, Kathy (Alan) McCarthy, Panama City; sons, Allen, Jr. (Missy) Clearwater and Bruce (Sissy) Knoxville, TN; seven grand-children; six great-grandchildren; sisters, Wilma Krentzman, Clearwater and Shirley Johnson, Silver Bay, NY. Papaw was loved by all and will be missed by many. A celebration of his life will be held Saturday Dec. 17th at 11 am at the Northwood Presbyterian Church 2875 SR 580 Clearwater. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to Northwood Presbyterian Mission or Hospice. Holloway Funeral Home. Oldsmar. 813-855-2439.

Published in the St. Petersburg Times on December 15, 2011

Vanity Fair Christopher Hitchens slide show!

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2011/12/christopher-hitchens-slideshow-201112#slide=1

slide show time :)

In case you haven't heard, Christopher Hitchens passed away a few days ago. However polarizing he became, especially to his more liberal friends by his very robust support of the Irag battle, I enjoyed learning about him first as a journalism student at UF, and then as a big fan who ate up his writing like they were my own little secret delicious treats. In the end, it's not about agreeing with someone that can make you respect them, but rather some kind of personal link or kinship that you find in them, something you can relate to. I liked his style of writing, his stories, and political postings. He was one of the last cool writers of our century who came out of the "Purple Decades" as Tom Wolfe would say. He made enemies, had friends, and at least left the world with some wonderful things to read and think upon. In the world of blogs, journalists who are really just pageant queens, and ranting lunatics (Christ Matthews, etc)...one can appreciate the human need for a good old fashioned debate, some great rhetoric, and a fine bottle of whiskey to go along with it.
Cheers to him and wish there were more. The hipster writers of today just don't have the balls to be honest anymore.. much less admit they're ever wrong, or change their minds mid-life. Too bad!

This is funny!

Read post below and nod in recognition. We all have a variety of friends and family right? so why is it a shock that we are all so different and have so many different opinions and viewpoints? And why are we surprised (or act all "offended") when we see the opinions of others posted on FB? Did we really think people didn't have their own personal viewpoints before FB came around? Were we really that arrogant to think that every single person we surround ourselves with is as enlightened, hip and educated as we are? Get the joke folks, and laugh at yourself while you're at it....

http://gawker.com/5869673/your-racist-shilling-sad-sack-status-updates-are-why-people-keep-unfriending-you

Your morning Tebow

there's alot of snark out there about Tim Tebow, as there was from the beginning :) Let us take a moment this Sunday morning to reflect on something a little fun, positive, and as far as I can tell- harmless to the general population. Despite your personal feelings on his pro-life stance, passing out Bibles in underdeveloped countries, and sometimes eye-roll inducing scripture quoting (i don't find this eye-roll inducing but to each his own), he has brought some fun to the NFL season for many. Enjoy the following slide show on Tebowing.

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/slideshow/tribute-tim-tebows-touchdown-pose-15172201

Bringing home the bacon and pushing the prim

I can totally believe this. Nothing is ever black and white in these studies. However, my closest confidants (and you) have heard me say more than once that I was "happier" when my life was full of work related hours, events, social networking, and a life that was a little more adult oriented and way less baby talk.

I love my children, and a parent shouldn't have to qualify their desire to be back in the workforce by saying so. I know a few moms who love nothing better than to sit around other moms, talk about their kids while having playdates, and using their time at home to paint toenails and watch alot of TLC. You may think I'm being cynical by saying that- but no, a part of that has been my own life. And I disliked alot of that time.

My children need myself and their father to nurture, teach and love them. But I can truly say FOR ME, the stay at home lifestyle is not good for my health, physically and mentally. I wait for my husband to come home sometimes, waiting for that adult company. I book dates to see girlfriends, socialize (usually at night) and LOVE being social. I have always been a very social cat, but I never knew how having kids would make me miss that part of my life. We are busy people, we stay social, meet new friends and old out and about, and have made tons of great memories since having our boys, but my husband gets go to a job daily where he gets to hangs out with people his own age. Even the older peeps he has invited to our parties are funny, witty and nice to hang with.

But that part of my life is a hanging puzzle piece, dangling out there in Jennifer Universe waiting for me to grab it and put it into place. So, here's to a great new job (big money not required) for a more complete and fulfilling life....full of all the tacky stuff I miss- lunch with coworkers, making appointments/deadlines/sales goals, secret Santa at holiday parties, office gossip, paychecks, a sense of personal security I never have while not working even if I was married to the King of Dubai, a sense of pride I cannot get from my kids (sorry but true sons), and most of all- quelling my inner Scarlet O'hara ...we will never ever have bad potatoes on the menu.

Please read below link and look for my resume at an office near you :)

http://www.salon.com/2011/12/14/the_happiest_moms_working_moms/

Papaw McMullen

Passed away about one hour ago in his "homeland" of Pinellas County, where a ton of us McMullens came from. Many of my PC friends met them over the years as they traveled in their r.v. to visit us and roam the country (they were avid travelers). After about a week under hospice care and with his family with him (and loving Mamaw) he is gone. There is nothing else to say right now about this unchangeable fact. There is nothing more certain than someone dying. I listened to this song today and thought of him. It's been a tough week. But in the land of the living, we can all wake each morning to say "hello" or "i love you" to someone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmVlHNDk_hM

Vatican Fun!

Post below for a little appetizer tonight. A fun read about access gained to the Vatican library and other alluring places in the great Italian center of Holy Roman Universe. As it is now, priests were deflowering virgins and diddling young boys. Nothing ever changes-- those rascally scalliwags!!

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/welltraveled/features/2011/vatican_inside_the_secret_city/vatican_guide_inside_the_world_s_most_secret_city.html

Crazy night. Can't you tell. Won't even go into the phone call I got an hour ago.

Well, if Dan Quayle is endorsing Romney for President, then by all means - count me in. I was on the fence about the entire line of candidates running for the GOP this year but now I am most definitely a little Romster. "Little Romsters" are the cool conservative people that follow Mitt around like Lady Gaga's "little monsters" (i.e. her fans). We don't have to wear red meat dresses, we just eat it three times a day with our tea bags hats donned and eyes glued to Fox News (isn't that what every racist Conservative watches?? So I've been told) learning about how to build our fall out shelters, and how to bury gold in our backyards.

Waiting for the end, my friends. And now Dan Quayle has our back. Thank God for shiny shoes, hairspray and good edu-KATION.

Like buttah

Yes, but does it make you feel like beautiful French woman standing nude in front of gently blowing curtains on a balcony gazing down languidly at an Italian lakeside vista? If yes, then by all means indulge. Life is short- blow all your money.

http://jezebel.com/5864914/chanel-kindly-offers-to-sell-you-cotton-balls-for-20

And now for something Completely Different

I am trying desperately, my dear friends, to get back to more movie reviews. By the time my two sons are asleep I am basically down to flipping Netflix and lulling myself to sweet oblivion with weird "C' movies or "Say Yes to the Dress" episodes lately (quite a read on the way some people think the tackier the dress, the more their husband will love them forever). I am very interested in some films coming out for the awards season as usual. This being one of them: I love films that portray sex as something more than just a cog in the lust machine for simple minded folks. Sex is always full of power and while of course means pleasure for most...can be full of deeper meanings (no pun intended there). Young star Emily Browning was great in "A Series of Unfortunate Events" one of my favorite Jim Carey movies. I like fun films, fast films, and pure entertainment films, but also appreciate when a director (a woman no less) tries to put something out there to make us think.

Remember "thinking"? Before Google and our "experts" on Facebook could inform of us everything ;)

Anyway, I am taking my kids to the park and hope you all have a wonderful Saturday out there. Talk to you soon, once again.

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/movies/2011/12/sleeping_beauty_soft_core_titillation_or_artful_rumination_on_sex_and_power_.html#comments

Man Crosses Yosemite on 3,000-Foot-High Tightrope, Without Safety Gear

NO THANKS!!

Man Crosses Yosemite on 3,000-Foot-High Tightrope, Without Safety Gear: Risk taker Mich Kemeter took sightseeing to new heights when he crossed a steep gully in California’s Yosemite National Park on a one-inch tightrope, 3,000 feet above the ground, without a safety harness. The 23-year-old Austrian made the death-defying trip across 25 meters of...