10 m.p.h. - Buy It and Pass It Around

I had the privilege of meeting two very nice people in high school. I mean, I met quite a few, but these were siblings, twins, who were the epitome of nice. Now, I use nice only because it truly represents them perfectly. You know those people who just make you smile? Well, I was a senior and they were freshman and I would go out of my way to talk to them. Their positive energy was contagious.

I graduated in 1992 and had only seen Gannon once since then. She was just as beautiful and sweet as I remembered. A few more years pass and I see this independent film, 10 m.p.h., being done by Hunter Weeks. The idea of the film basically embraces the belief that you should do what makes you happy. Absolutely, no surprise that these two are still helping people through their optimism.

Through the miracle of Facebook, I know, love it or hate, I connected with the dynamic duo again got Hunter's site and bought a copy of the movie. Now, you can watch it on youtube, but I feel like I would be cheating Spinning Blue (the film company behind it), so just buy a copy. I plan on passing it around like did with An Inconvenient Truth.

The film arrived within a few days and my husband and I were so excited to watch it. (My husband also went to school with Hunter and Gannon). The film was wonderful. If I were still teaching, it would be a part of my curriculum, especially for high school students. As a counselor, I can't think of a client that would not benefit from watching it. It's a simple film that shows the best of people. Well, there's a Barney Fife character, but he's hilarious, so it's all good.

10 m.p.h. is a film that is so necessary right now. It shows how people can make a living doing what they love. It's not about making money, it's the belief that doing what you love should come first and the rest will fall in line.

Hunter's company is Spinning Blue.
The next film I'll be watching from them is 10 yards and the film I just saw was 10 m.p.h. I suggest you do the same. It is so very worth it.

Campbell Brown Annoys Again...This Time, Lobbyists.

Okay, I get that most lobbyists are the scum of the Earth and are working for demonic big business that seeks to devour our money and livelihood while single-handedly destroying the Earth. However, some lobbyists are in place to give a voice to groups who often go unheard. Teachers, for example, can't spend their days at the capital waiting to be heard. Nurses are another group who, instead of waiting for an appointment with their senator, take care of the sick. You see there are a lot of great lobbyists, so the constant slams are ridiculous.

Now Brown has her panties in a bundle over Presdient Obama's choice for Tresury Secretary. Choosing Tim Geithner, former lobbyist for Goldman Sachs, breaks his promise that he would not hire lobbyists and would be different from the prior administration. The difference, I am not going to be hurt by this pick, quite the contrary. Geithner ensured banks had lots of money, too much than they knew what to do with, I guess. Unlike Bush who supported lobbyists for oil companies, tobacco companies and anyone else who could poison humans and the Earth.

I think I have already seen drastic changes from the Bush White House and President Obama's White House. President Obama can speak English, most importantly and has been working tirelessly since the day after the election. Get off the guy's back. He's cleaning up after one hell of an eight-year-long frat party.

Ms. Brown, why don't you find something important to complain about, like the Michigan energy company who cut off power to a 93-year-old WWII vet, killing him.?Hypothermia killing a senior citizen in one of the most powerful countries in the world is more of a travesty than lobbyists in D.C.

My Macintosh Song - "I Miss My Mac Days!"

As my PC shut down again, by itself for the sixth time in an hour, I started to sing lyrics to a song I was already listening to. The result of Daniel Powter's You Had a Bad Day and my writing is the following...

Oh little Mac, how I loved you the most
I flick on this PC but the magic is lost
They tell me that Windows is the way
I know it's Job's greed that made me stray
But using Windows makes me sob

I tried the new Vista just to hit a new low
I'm hating the spyware and the virus' blow
At least Firefox helps when I'm online
But the system crashes every time
And I don't need more updates, NO!

Because I miss my Mac days
My PC shuts down
It's running so slow
Just can't figure it out
I scream, “I don't know!”
to the joke help line
I work on the memory just to find out its fine
I miss my Mac days
Windows ads lie
PC's shutting down and I just wanna cry
I miss my Mac days
I miss my Mac days

Well I need a Macbook, like, Today!
Linux and Mac friends all agree
when I say Bill Gates is a joke!

I miss my Mac days
My PC shuts down
It's running so slow
Just can't figure it out
I scream, “I don't know!”
to the joke help line
I work on the memory just to find out its fine
I miss my Mac days
Windows ads lie
PC's shutting down and I just wanna cry
I miss my Mac days

oh, wanna Mac today...

Sometimes the system goes on the fritz
And the whole screen turns all blue
It's sad when you know that the AppleIIc was just...well... much more strong
And I'm not wrong, yeah

Windows has the passion of stale toast
Oh Apple store...
You kick up the prices and my hope is all lost

Well I miss my Mac days
My PC shuts down
It's running so slow
Just can't figure it out
I scream, “I don't know!”
to the joke help line
I work on the memory just to find out it's fine
I miss my Mac days
I curse Gates... again... as it crashes
one more time
I miss my Mac days
I miss my Mac days

I made sure my little travel Asus Eee didn't hear me singing. I love it very much, but, it's not a Mac. Can I just say, again, that I hate Windows.

I feel better now.

Joshua Bell and the Metro

It was 7:51 in the morning and an unassuming Joshua Bell began playing his $3.5 million dollar Strad and continued for 45-minutes. During that time $32 was made and only six people stopped for at least a minute to enjoy the music. 1, 097 people rushed by.

Bell, who is payed upwards of $1000 a minute admits he became happy for any acknowledgment, especially when a dollar was thrown at him instead of just change. Sold out shows are the norm for Bell who laughed at his delight in getting any sort of acknowledgment at all.

I think the saddest part of this story are the children. Every child stopped and was drawn to the music, of course, and every one of them was hurried along. Some, while being pulled to keep up with hurried parents, kept turning to watch the violinist.

There is so much to gain from a story like this. First, did any one of those people benefit from rushing? While many will comment about being late to work and missing meetings and having to run the kids to school first, I wonder, really, there wasn't two minutes to spare?

We need to take time. The American-famous rush, rush, rush just does not cut it and it's killing us. It is destroying our health, devastating are mental health and stealing from our children. I know we have places to go and things to do, but this year, let's try and take time to enjoy the simple things.

We have seen that no matter how hard you work, our economy can crumble. We see that while we rush along, we can miss out on something so immeasurable as a free performance by a world renowned musician. Imagine being able to tell your child that the person who you stopped to enjoy was a famous violinist. Instead, some day, these parents will remind their children, "remember when I rushed you passed Joshua Bell?"

Enjoy life! If not for yourself, at least for your children.

Link to the Washington Post article

US Airways Flight 1549 Plane Crash Hudson in New York taken by Janis Krums on an iPhone

US Airways Flight 1549 Plane Crash Hudson in New York taken by Janis Krums on an iPhone
Originally uploaded by davidwatts1978

"In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart." -Anne Frank

It's hard to hold faith in this famous quote, but just when you think it's time to give up, your countrymen and women put you in your place. The reports show people at their very best in an absolutely horrific situation. All 155 passengers were safe after landing in the icy Hudson River in New York. You can't ask for more proof of miracles than that.

Passengers are reporting how initial panic quickly turned to calm as they realized they could be okay. People helped each other for no other reason than pure compassion for life. Sometimes you can take real pride in being a member of the human race and these people...well, they take my breath away.

Mickey Rourke's Not Playing the Hollywood Game...Good!

I'm a Rourke fan. It really blossomed from my husbands admiration for the actor and the extensive collection of Rourke films we have acquired over the years. When he made his exit from Hollywood, we didn't think it was that strange. Why the hell do all of these people stay in the business, that's my question.

So, now Rourke's back in "The Wrestler" and if you haven't seen it, you should. He is an amazing actor and this film shows his ability to make the audience feel for him, as the character, and as a Hollywood-deemed "has-been". Now in the public eye again he has made some unflattering remarks about his friend Sean Penn. While it is easy to jump on the bandwagon I gotta say, I like the idea of an actor not playing "who's butt do I kiss today?"

I was never ever good at kissing up. I was often marked down in classes for disagreeing with the teachers and could infuriate professors when they could not explain their viewpoint enough to counter my responses. So, I get Rourke. He doesn't think Penn did a good enough job to get an Oscar. Last time I checked you could still have an opinion. He also called him a homophobe. Penn supports Latin American dictators known for their hatred of homosexuals. I don't know if Penn's a homophobe, but I can see where some could get perturbed by the hypocrisy.

What I know is that I'm glad Rourke's back and I am glad he stayed himself. I am always teaching my daughter to say what she feels and stand up for what's right. Hey, Rourke called Tom Cruise a C - you-next-Tuesday when Cruise decided to clam mothers talking pharmaceuticals for depression. Good for him and, although I never suffered from post postpartum depression, thanks for speaking on behalf of lots of moms who did and took medication to help them out.

Watching a bit of the Golden Globes the other night made me want to vomit blood. Everyone thanks people who really mean absolutely nothing to them. Each speech is a long "let me scratch your back so you'll scratch mine." Mickey thanked his dogs.

Enough said...

I'm a Mac Girl

In the days before having a daughter, when working brought in a sweet paycheck and going to graduate school deferred student loans, I had my Macs. Notebooks, IMacs, and everything in between. My first computer was an Apple and it took me through college until I finally bought an IMac. That took me through graduate school and up through a few years ago. It still had lots of life in it, but I needed something more friendly to the yucky Microsoft monopoly. I have never ever been happy with a Windows computer. The first thing you notice is all the crap that gets downloaded. They run like dog poop.

Now I did buy an Eee with Linux and it runs very similar to my Macs. I love it well enough, but I miss my Apple babies. The problem is they are just so expensive. Someday, though, they will be mine again.

I become kinda nostalgic with Steve Job in the news so much. I believe the guy's a genius who revived my beloved Apple. There is a quality about Steve that has made him much more likable than Gates. Apple screws people with ridiculously high prices, it's true, but the products are superior to any Windows crap I have used. (If you're a Windows lover, don't fight me, you'll never change my mind).

What makes me so sad is all the publicity on Steve's health, not because people care, but because it is associated with a lot of money. I get that Apple's future hinges on much of this man's well-being, but good Lord, can we give the man some peace. Can we pretend for a second that we simply care about a pancreatic cancer survivor who happens to be the heart of Apple?

Maybe it's the counselor or mother in me, but come on...COMPASSION PEOPLE! Have we not yet learned that money isn't everything? Just my thoughts...

Anger Against Bush? Blame Yourself!

I am not a fan of Bush, so you know what? I didn't vote for him. Instead I worked my big ole Latina butt off (well no not really, it's still there) to help the other candidates. The country voted for Bush though, TWICE!

Now there is all this anger at tontito Bush and, oddly, I am really feeling at peace. The country is in shambles and everyone is furious at our President. He wasn't a good President, ever, yet the country decided that he was good enough to keep for a second term. Where was the skeptisism four years ago.

Now I wonder, what exactly changed that brought about this massive exodus of fans? Over the past 8 years there have been hundreds of issues that brought me to my knees in rage. So, what exactly brings about such blatant hatred from even the conservatives?

I can't remember which comedian it was, but he talked about how the conservatives are able to get the poor to fight for the rich. Even though the Republican party is a party of, and for, the rich, low income whites will fight tooth and nail for them. So, I'm wondering, did they finally come to their senses? Did the lower and middle income white Americans finally realize they have been played?

Now don't get me wrong, I know there are white Americans of all classes and that some did support the Democratic party, but the majority went with Bush, so that's my focus. From talking and observing some of my middle income friends, I truly believe there is a sense that they have more money then they really do. Americans, in general, do not like to take responsibility for mistakes and so poor personal financial choices are being placed on Bush. He's an easy enough scapegoat.

I think this really became apparent when the housing market bombed and expensive SUVs and massive minivans crowded parking lots. Families of three had to have not one, but two massive minivans or SUVs. Meanwhile, some of my friends with bigger families were cruising around in smaller and older minivans or station wagons. In America, there is always this sense of need to have the newest, and items. Be it houses, cars, or even clothes, many families brought the pain down on themselves.

I am not saying they deserve what they get, of course not. I am thinking, though, that they should embrace the more simple lifestyle choices that fate is bringing upon so many. My husband and I have been scoffed at for our frugle living, and now those friends are talking a cue from us, while we continue to take cues from our friends who live such simple lives.

This country is going to get better, I know it. Much like what was seen after September 11th, I think we will work together to make a better place for children. It is going to take some give though. Do you really need that huge vehicle when a toddler is your only passanger? Do you really need a five-room home when you plan on only having one child?

I don't mean to insult or offend. That's not what I mean by posting my thoughts. I just think there is a simplity and luxury in embracing the little things that many Americans have taken for granted. I'll post ideas to help us all soon. I don't have all the answers, but I kept my mouth silent when good friends would let loose small insults about my stay-at-home-mom lifestyle. So take it for what it's worth and know that I beleive we all can learn from eachother.

Living in the Shadow of Adam Walsh's Murder

When I was my daughter's age, almost exactly, I remember my mom crying while watching John Walsh talking about his son. His son, Adam, had been abducted and my world would forever change because of it.

My dad talked about riding his bike all around his neighborhood as a kid and simply checking in with his mom every so often. Usually he would simply ride pass and wave when his parents sat out on the porch. My mom, whose Mexican mama was a bit more skittish, was still able to play outside with her siblings, alone.

After July of 1981, I would have many restrictions placed on where I could play and where my adventures could take me. Just weeks before first grade year began, we learned that the decapitated head of Adam Walsh had been found in a canal in Florida. I remember getting a horrific image of that little boy, who was only a few months younger than me, being killed. For the first time in my life, I was scared to go outside.

For years, the story would rule how we were parented. It was one of the first graphically violent acts to be followed by the media. The story was tragically related to our lives. A six-year-old was taken from a neighborhood Sears department store. This, our parents knew, could happen to anyone, anywhere.

As time went by, my parents learned that a child could not live in a prison. Unlike children today, we hated being confined to the house. There were trees to climb and BMX bikes to jump into puddles. There were crawdads to hunt in irrigation ditches and softball games to play. Like other parents, mine learned to let go while remaining vigilante about teaching safety. It rarely took more than a reminder about Adam to shake me into reality. His smiling face wearing the red baseball cap would forever be etched into my memory.

Years went by and the case remained open. A serial killer admitted and then recanted a few times. As children, we always knew he was out there like a real-life boogey man just waiting for us. After all, Adam was just like me, he liked Star Wars, baseball and Halloween.

As a teenager and even into college I found myself thinking about Adam. During all the major milestones I would find a sadness realizing that his family would not attend graduations, take pictures for prom, or watch him get married. Now, as a parent, my heart breaks even more.

There was no reason for the senseless act of violence. While some look at Code Adam and the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act and believe so much positive came from something so vile, I feel sick to even think about it. I am amazed when I see John Walsh and you look at all he accomplished by piling the rage and hate he must have into something useful. How many lives has he saved, we may never know? I do know that a Code Adam was made at a local Walmart for my godson and it was amazing how an entire store gets shut down.

Today I read that the Adam Walsh case would finally close and feel that familiar fear and sadness that comes when I see his picture or John Walsh. A pedaphile and murderer named Ottis Toole died in prison on unrelated charges back in 1996, and the Walsh case closed today with him named as Adam's killer.

So, that chapter closes and many children who lived in the shadow this horrific murder have children of our own. Although we try to be more open, this case is always in the back of our mind. At least my mind.

I'm a better mom because of it though. I am more vigilant than I probably would have been. I am better for having seen those two heartbroken parents throughout my childhood and seeing my own heart sick parents feeling for them. No one should ever have to bury their child and their pain helps me see how very valuable every single second I have with my daughter is.

So, here's a small way I can honor someone who I never met, but who I hope is never forgotten. I hope his parents have some sense of peace today.

Adam Walsh Legacy

SUPER POO

SUPER POO
Originally uploaded by kingkong21

That's funny stuff!