Inside Out (Sort of a Review)

Wednesday is Studly’s night to play in the men’s golf league at Southwood in Tallahassee.  One might think that playing both Saturday and Sunday morning would satisfy his golf addiction, but one would be wrong. 

I don’t mind this Wednesday ritual, though. For one thing I don’t have to cook a meal on Wednesday nights, but more importantly I am free to do just about anything my heart desires on Wednesdays. As long as I’m home by 8:30 p.m. After that I revert to a pumpkin I think. I’ve never tested the theory, but it could happen.

Some Wednesdays I head to the beach. It’s a great day for that because apparently tourists believe the beach to be closed mid-week. Please don’t tell them otherwise. 
Other times I see a movie that I’m positive Studly Doright would rather die than see, such as Magic Mike XXL. I saw that last week. Ok story; great nearly naked men. I should have waited to see it on tv.

This afternoon I watched Inside Out, the new Disney/Pixar offering. Of course the theater was full of moms and grandmothers each with one or more kids in tow. My first thought was, “Crap. Darn kids are going to be fussing, and crying, and raising Cain all through this movie.” And it started off a bit slowly–typical Disney. But then it sucked me and all the other little darlings in. 

The children in the audience ranged in age from two to fifteen and they were spellbound. The younger ones were captivated by the colorful emotional characters: Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger, who live inside the control center of a little girl named Riley. I’d worried that they’d be uninterested in the storyline, but the action was enough to keep them in the game.

After explaining a little about Riley’s core memories, Riley’s emotions are set to enjoy smooth sailing. Then Riley turns 11. That in itself would have brought about changes, but to add insult to injury her family moves across the country from Minnesota to San Francisco and a series of unfortunate events throw her emotions into chaos. To fix the emotional train wreck, Riley’s emotions have to work together in new ways. 

This is a great movie. Go see it by yourself if you have to, but go see it. If there’s a pre-teen in your life make sure they see it, preferably with you or someone that cares about them. There are some emotional moments, given the characters ARE emotions, but there are some excellent conversations just waiting to happen once the lights come up. I heard the beginnings of a few as I lingered during the closing credits.

I’m hoping for a sequel. After all, Riley’s new control panel has a big red button with PUBERTY stamped on it. 

 

Peace, people!

To Myself at 18

What’s the rush?
Why the urgency?
Just a few years
Ago you were 12,
Riding a bicycle
Pigtails flying
Elbows scraped.

Take a moment to
Be a young woman
Out exploring in
This world alone.
Don’t be hurried
To plunge headlong
Into domesticity.

Your choices won’t
Be easy, my friend
Perhaps they aren’t
Meant to be clear,
But you’ll make it.
You’re strong and
weird and wonderful.

Yesterday I caught myself thinking about my grandchildren and how quickly they’re growing. The oldest two are on the verge of becoming teenagers. I became a little weak in the knees thinking that when I was that age, unbeknownst to me, I was a mere six years away from settling into marriage with Studly.

Six years was the distance between goofy slumber parties with my friends and keeping house for a husband.

My choices weren’t
Clear back then,
Perhaps they never
Were meant to be.
I do love my life,
Even while I wonder
What might’ve been.

  

I Feel Pretty

I have a confession to make. I’ve never watched West Side Story in its entirety. I have; however, watched this scene more times than I can count. 

http://youtu.be/L7BQRGXFLJs
Natalie Wood was the prettiest girl ever, and I really wanted to feel as pretty as she actually was. Over the years I’ve felt pretty on a couple of occasions. It’s hard work, and I’m just not cut out for hard labor.

Peace, people!

Pulling Weeds

in florida, weeds
exceed all expectations
pulling them becomes
counter productive
for every one i extract
two more seem to emerge
a green hydra battling
for survival when all
i want is a bouquet.
oh hercules where are
you these days?

  
 Peace, people!

Polarized

her tightly pinched lips
sickly white from forced pressure
pushing love away.

giggles erupting
uncontained mirth engulfing
overtaking us.

no smiles found her eyes
wary, watchful orbs untouched
by life’s happiness.

prayers heard solemnly
lovingly tucked in warm beds
sweet dreams little ones.

slippered feet silenced
anxious to avoid conflict
too quiet children.

holding on tightly
waltzing in circles of joy
her love unrestrained.

  

  
Peace, people!

The Ads on my Blog Site are Unknown to Me!

One of my favorite blogger friends posted this today. Rather than writing my own caveat I reblogged hers. Ok, so I’m lazy, but if you’re looking for a wonderful blog to follow I highly recommend sanseilife.wordpress.com.

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WordPress.com displays advertisements on my blog to help keep free blogs free.

I have no control over these ads and I never see them….

I hope they are not offensive or unpleasant in any way, please let me know if they are!

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Getting Pretty

  You know, 

 getting pretty is not for the faint of heart.

  
But totally worth it. Thank you Laura at Fuel Salon + Store in Tallahassee for making me look human again!

Peace, People!

Playing Piano (and other things I can’t do)

I never learned to play piano

I never learned to ballroom dance

I cannot paint with watercolors

I cannot sew a pair of pants

But I can drink wine.

I’ve never climbed a mountain

I cannot water ski

Roller blades and ice skates

Were never meant for me.

But I can drink wine.

I could never do a handstand

A cartwheel or backbend

I never manage to sing on key

And flowers I cannot tend.

But I can drink wine.

There are many things

I cannot do, but I don’t really mind

As long as there are grapes out there

I’ll continue drinking wine.

Cheers.

  

Haiku City

I found this on Facebook this morning. 

  

I believe it highlights the particular agony of writing haiku. It made me giggle.

Peace, people!

Pledge

if we pledge allegiance
to this tri-colored fabric
and all for which it stands
then we need to acknowledge
that the truth of our words
is not always in evidence.

remember that bit at the end?
that part that proclaims
liberty and justice for ALL?
inclusive words in an
exclusionsary world.

our pledge should instead
reflect that we are a
work in progress:
striving for liberty
fighting for justice.

only when every member
of this society
regardless of color, gender,
sexual orientation, or
religious creed feels the
truth of this pledge
will the words,
“with liberty and justice for all”
have meaning.

  
Peace, People!