Looking out my window...

Playing For Change: Egypt And The World

 

Please enjoy all the music. And listen with your heart.

Egypt and the other countries trying to find both democratic freedom and religious freedom need to hear this. If you know someone experiencing the changes that are happening world wide, including the USA, please forward this music and its message.

Thank you.
And Peace for All,

Sharon

You Took My Dreams From Me...

 

My friend Janice sent this to me. I've never heard of the group or the singers. But, she does not send me uninteresting things. Usually, good things. And so I watched and listened. I hope you will do the same.

What I particularly reacted to were the lyrics toward the end:

I could have been someone.
Well, so, could anyone. You took my dreams from me, when I first found you.
I kept them with me Babe, I put them with my own, can't make it alone, I built my dreams around you.

I do like the sound of Irish music. Even the happy songs are sad. Which, to my way of thinking, is the truth. Any happiness we have, upon close inspection, is often the result of something sad. You can't have one without the other.

Anyway, back to the video. The singer Shane MacGowan seems to be a wee bit wobbly due to a drop or two of gin. And, of course, the woman singer is the stable one. (Am I just personalizing this?)

My first husband. Cue for the Chief to say "You were married before"? Yes I was. Continuing... my first husband was an intelligent, talented man. I had dreams of my own of "making it" in something. I just hadn't figured out what that something was. And so, like many women, I let him take my dreams to add to his own. You know, the woman behind the man kind of thing. That was, after all, the philosophy I grew up in.

Unfortunately, he was also an alcoholic and a wife abuser. We did have happy times, good times. But, the bad and sad were becoming more frequent. These were the times before "wife abuse" was considered wrong and not acceptable. After almost nine years I finally had the courage to leave him. That courage was my baby daughter. If not for her, I probably would have stayed even longer.

Back to the video. I was so curious about the singers I looked them up on Youtube and watched Shane as he swirled down an abyss of gin. Losing his teeth. Unable to speak clearly. Yet, remembering exactly the words to his songs as he sang.

The female singer is Kirsty MacColl who at 41 died a horrible, but courageous death at 41. They were not partners from what I can tell. I'm glad for her.

My dreams went with my ex. I was a single mom with a baby to support. And so, I did what I had to do and that was to work and survive.

I was curious about my ex recently. He had hit hard times in the past, literally lying in the gutters of Chicago. He rehabbed several times. I had not seen nor heard from him in an eternity. I decided to search his name on the internet. I found him. I found his obituary. He died about four years ago. That was a jolt, leaving me as the only one with those memories. Sad. I'm sure this is a feeling experienced by widows.

Now, some thirty-five years after leaving him, I have a loving husband, daughter and three grandchildren. I have survived many things, including cancer.

And, I think I have reclaimed my dreams. You can see them in my blog.

Twas A Time When I...

I started to tweet on twitter when I discovered that my hero Roger Ebert is a tweeter extraordinaire. Well, actually, I "read" twitter. And I still basically "read" twitter as I follow several people that I enjoy. Some people are just so clever, smart, talented, meaningful, snarky, funny, sad, neurotic but lovable...well you get my drift. You can throw me into any of those categories or make up your own category for me. I do tweet, but limited to a comment, mostly, here and there. Unless I'm mad about something!

The video below was tweeted by Roger. He always gives his best. I'd never heard of this group, but I may be culturally deprived. It does that thing I like so much...quietly...very slowly....drawing you...in...until you... say..."Oh!".

I hope you enjoy.

 

I once played the ukulele. Started with the little one and eventually went to the alto (slightly larger and deeper). I also played the guitar. My dad basically taught me how to play folk songs and such. I played and sang almost 200 folk songs by heart. I even took classical guitar lessons for a couple of months. I was branching out from playing classical piano. I really enjoyed my music. I could play and I could sing. Now I try to sing something and my voice goes all wobbly. After eight years of  piano lessons, even a semester in college, I basically just stopped. I couldn't play the guitar now, my hands wouldn't work.

Looking back, there were so many different things I've done in my life. Some intensely done. Some not. But after stopping one thing, something else will take its place. Not on purpose, you understand, but it just happens. I come from a talented family and I probably couldn't live long enough to "let out" all those talents. But, they are there waiting.

Waiting for me to discover them...do them...and move on. 

Happy "Holiday Season" Greetings to My All Friends, Family and Fans!

Whatever your Holiday of choice: I wish you love, warmth, and joy.

I may have taken liberties with the word "fans" in my heading. You, in fact, may not be a fan of my blog. That's okay. Just as long as you are reading it.

There are some things in life that just tickle me. Not my fancy, mind you, just me. Something makes me smile and feel all gooey inside. Some places just naturally have that effect on people. Pet Stores and Flower Shops come to mind. If you watch the people coming out of those places you'll probably see a smile on their face. Check your own face when leaving such hot spots.

For the last few years a phenomenon has been taking place that provides the same type of feelings. It's called by various names but probably the most familiar is "Flash Mobs."

Flash Mobs are productions set up in a large public place (train stations are great for them). The hundred or more participants have trained and rehearsed their performances. The venue is well aware of the upcoming event. The best of them surprise the "real" crowd. Look at their faces: bewildered, smiling, and mouth agape.

I would so love to be somewhere when a  good "Flash Mob" takes place. Not too likely though, since I'm usually home looking out my windows. But, by looking out my computer window I feel drawn into them. As if I were really there. I feel I'm a part of it all. And so, I recommend them to you. Especially those who aren't so much "out" siders as "in" siders (you know who you are).

So, here is my Holiday Gift to you and you and you and...

Enjoy!

 

    

A VIDEO THAT MADE ME THINK & ONE THAT MADE ME SMILE

The first video is from Rachael Maddow. My new idol. She is smart, witty, thoughtful and has great insight into today's world.

http://bit.ly/bvsTh5

This video makes good vibrations and makes me smile. Is he crazy? Maybe, but as far as performance art, he ranks right up there with Lady GaGa.

 

They're BAAAAAAACK!

The above photos were taken July 1, 2010 by Sharon

 

Oh, I'm so relieved. I really thought the cardinals had abandoned us. That's my nature. The cardinal's nature is to find a home and stay there. I really don't think they live on our green patch, but rather a few doors away. A neighbor must have put out some competing feed. That's okay. Actually it's good. At any rate, along with the return of the cardinals, we now have a bunch of house finches and their babies at our feeders.

 

Something else happened this week that I thought was funny. We have a new neighbor, a gentleman, who lives right next door to us. He caught the Chief outside and said something to the effect of "Your air conditioner runs all the time. It's right outside my bedroom window. I can hear it."

The Chief said something like "Well, that's how my wife likes it."

Good ploy. As one man to another, if it's what the wife wants the men can't do anything about it. No anger or bad feelings between the men folk, ya know, 'cuz that's the way wives are!

I was dismayed. Well, not really. When we were deciding which unit to buy we could select just about any of them. We changed locations and models several times. One of the deciding factors was the two air conditioners were both placed by the one bedroom window. We thought better of that and chose the one without the noisy things.

Any way, I gave the Chief some other answers he could give:

1. My wife has allergies so the air has to be on.

2. We unfortunately have full expose to the West which means the bedrooms get really hot in the summer and don't cool off. You, dear neighbor are lucky to be facing the East, so by nightfall you can get the cool air in.

3. With our windows open, our wonderful, cute puppy barks all night at the traffic going by.

4. Because we have a loft upstairs, the air conditioning doesn't cool off the downstairs as well. Your place is smaller than ours, we have to run ours longer.

5. And finally, we've lived here for over 10 years and never had a complaint before! You're lucky you have such good hearing.

All of the above are true-ish.

Of course we only had one neighbor during those 10 years. She was a nice, older lady who hardly ever left her house. She would pick up her mail via her car. Prior to her moving in her son installed surround sound in all of her rooms. She was a music lover.

Music That's Just Too Good

K.D. Lang sings Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah

She's too good to pass up or not pass on!

Prissy: Lawzy, we got to have a doctor. I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies.

  Baby Robin on Fence

After losing my managerial position at the hospital, I finally found a place to work downtown. The Office Manager interviewed me. I liked her immediately. A kinship was formed. A few months after being hired I told her that I thought we had to be sisters separated at birth. She agreed. We laughed.

I'm caucasian and she is african-american. So what. We were both women of a certain age and working.  We had a wonderful time working with each other, her being my "boss" wasn't a problem for us. We laughed at the same things, remembered the same things. We could finish each other's sentences. It was one of my most delightful working experiences. No, it was one of my most delightful experiences, period. Someone could say something in front of us and we'd just look at each other and "knew." We were, however, professionals, so most of the time we wouldn't laugh, out loud.

Then I got laid off. This was the second time within a few years. And I know why (I was older. made more money than others and the zinger was I had been diagnosed with cancer a few months earlier.) I could have sued. I didn't. My family isn't of that nature.

It took me six months before I found another job. Which, by the way, turned into my favorite two years of working my whole life. While in training by my predecessor, who was perhaps 20 years old, I became so confused I could hardly stand it. She was talking a mile a minute, and my "old but wise" brain was having difficulty following her. I could take all the blame, but sadly her communication skills were nil, so it was like trying to translate what she was saying into something I could understand.

Any how, forgetting where I was, all of a sudden I said quite animatedly "Lawdy, Lawdy Miss Scarlet! I don't know nothing about birthing no babies!" Please note the title of this blog is the actual and correct quote, but oh well, close enough.

She stopped and looked at me as if I had lost my mind. Oh, dear, I thought. The pause was pregnant. The pause was pregnant for what seemed like 9 months. So, I said: Oh, I was quoting from a movie. Have you heard it before? She said: no. I said: You know, "Gone With The Wind?" She said: no.

Where or where was my sister separated at birth when I needed her most?

A day later we were having lunch with two other gals when I asked her: So, what was it that made him decide to hire me? She said: Well, he asked me who did I think should he hire, and I said I think the older woman was interesting. And he said: Oh, the one who wrote about the forest and trees!

So, that's how I got the job. From one description of my abilities that said; I am able to see the forest and the trees.

I asked her, do you know what the phrase "Can't see the forest for the trees" means? I'll let you guess what her answer was.

Any way, what brought the Gone With The Wind quote to mind is the excerpt of article below, which I found on Roger Ebert's twitter.

Beep-beep-m beep-beep, yeah
By Jim Emerson on June 2, 2010 9:27 PM

Over Memorial Day weekend I attended a high school graduation in Albuquerque. One of the graduating senior boys gave a speech using car parts as a metaphor for the components of a personality or identity. It was a clever speech he'd co-written with a friend, delivered with wry humor. Afterwards, the head of the school -- a man I'd estimate was in his 60s -- took the stage and thanked the student, quipping: "Baby, you can drive my car anytime."

Thud. Thunderous silence mixed with scattered, bewildered titters.

The next night at a graduation party, the kid who'd given the speech was standing around with a few friends and the uncomfortable subject came up.

"What was that?" he said. "'Baby, you can drive my car?!?'"

"It was creepy," said one of the girls.

I piped in: "It was creepy -- because it was totally inappropriate and made no sense. Unless he was trying to seduce you. He was just making a Beatles reference."

"Oh!" exclaimed a couple of students.

"I didn't even think of that," said the boy. "But still, it was creepy."

It was probably even creepier for those of us who did recognize what the old guy was lamely attempting to invoke. These kids were 16 and 17, so naturally I felt a little... old having to mention what I'd thought was obvious, if still undeniably awkward. Then again, one of them had earlier quoted Taylor Swift (sarcastically) and I didn't get that, either.

Good Morning, Good Morning, Good Morning

  From YouTube - I'm not making any money on this!

Yesterday (OMG another Beatles song. Just have to hum it to yourself) was not a good day for me.

I tried to get my old palm z22 up and running. I've been using the calendar only on this computer, not the hand held device. Now this calendar has my life on it. Dates, numbers, anniversaries, you know? Anytime someone in my family needs some info they call me. And, I have it. Oops. Not anymore.

It had all appointments for myself and the Chief, and Molly and the kids. It's all gone. I felt lost yesterday. I didn't know who I was or where I was going. Deep, deep funk. What to do, what to do? Didn't have a clue so I went to bed.

This morning I woke up, went to the bathroom, took my hundreds of pills, noted that one needed to be refilled, grabbed the bottle and exited the bathroom.

Husband and dog were still in bed. Copper, the dog, woke up and was sooo happy to see me. He made me happy. As I went over to the Chief, the husband, I started singing/humming "Tea for Two." I gave him a kiss on the forehead and proceeded to perform: humming and singing and tap dancing. Okay, I was tap dancing in my head, but the pill bottle made a good tapping rhythm section so I looked and sounded like I was dancing. Both the Chief and the dog seemed to enjoy it. When I finished, the Chief said: "Does that mean you want tea instead of coffee?" 

I have no idea why that song was in my head. Nor do I know why I sang and danced. Sometimes these things just come over me. I can't resist. Besides, we all have fun. If not now, when?

So, there I was all giddy as I approached the office. And then it hit me. Dear God, I don't have my calendar! I had completely forgotten it. No... what I think I did was let go of it. That is why I woke up happy. The calendar was gone and I can't do anything about it. I will of course start a new one, but the old is gone, gone, gone.

On a different note, sometimes I get "down" about my blog. Questioning myself, is it any good, has it any value, do people enjoy reading it?

I seldom get feedback. I know the Chief enjoys it. And I certainly, for the most part, like doing it. I do not, in anyway, think of myself as creative, or artistic, or humorous, or anything else other than curious. Well, I think I do know when something looks "right." My biggest character fault is that I try to be perfect, well practically perfect in every way. And, of course I fail at that. I'm always imperfect.

So, to help my perception of self a little, I would like to copy here one or two comments I've received either via my blog or email.

"I really enjoyed your blog, Sharon. You impress me with your writing. I do believe it is your gifted talent. I also enjoy looking out the window. It is sometimes what gives me a boost for the day. I enjoy sunrise looking out our back windows. Recent sunrise has been almost orange in color - a fall treat! I do not know how this works, but you can teach me. I think it could be so enjoyable." K 

"I enjoy reading your blog, Sharon.  It's evident what pleasure you get from looking out your window and reporting the birds and daily happenings in the house.  I've added creative writing and photography to your many talents observed over the years.  Enjoy the day."  Carol

"Lots of great photos in your blog. Hadn't looked at it since your first notice. You must continue with your writing. I do have positive thoughts going "your way" my dear. Know you are needed in so many ways in this community." MKJ 

"Thanks Sharon.....what a wonderful blog!!  The adoption of the dogs was so interesting to see.  The story of the Cardinals was something I didn't know.  Thanks for sharing....." Dorine

"Wishing to emphasize my admiration for your literary talent. You are able to make even the most ordinary things replete with interest and meaning. I am proud of you." Shirlee

"Good writing but it was kind of scary, in view of the recent Haitian earthquake....." Kay

Oh, my goodness...I had better write more. And thanks to all for hanging in there with me. ♥

If I Can Hear It...It's Too Loud

This is my grandson (khaki pants) and another trombone player from a school performance last year.

My 1st grandson loves music. He is a trombone player and a self-taught acoustical guitar player. Of course it goes without saying that he listens to his favorites on his MP3. Your chance of seeing ear plugs in a teenager's ears is probably 90%. No official poll has been taken that I'm aware of. Just my instincts. And I am glad he enjoys listening. However, as I have often told him: "Look, if I can hear it, then it's too loud for you. Unless you want deafness to precede middle age." And as a good fellow he will turn it down...somewhat.

 
The other day the Chief and I were in our office at the same time. I, on my pc, and he on his laptop. It's like the olden days of two old people reading different parts of the newspaper. We will sometimes interrupt the silence if something of mutual interest is found. Our custom is to keep the volume low or off so not to bother the other.

For some reason we both started listening to something at the same time, but not the same thing. We turned the volumes down. He put on his headset.

A few minutes later his laptop started to "blare" away. I turned to look at him for his breach of etiquette. He had a quizzical look on his face as he could see I was, well....anyway he had a quizzical look on his face.

"What are you listening to Chief?"

 "Oh, blah blah blah. Why?"

"It's too loud!"

"Something's wrong with my ear plugs. I can't hear it."

"YOU can't hear it? I can hear it."

"What? I can't hear you," removing plugs. "I put my headset on, but I can't hear it!"

"Hmmm. Try plugging it into the laptop."

"Plug it in? Oh...okay. It's working now."

I spent the next few minutes LOL. He makes my day.

 

 
In case you didn't notice, I'm trying to put polls on this site. The photo above reflects the one about toilet paper. If you haven't already, please vote. Thanks.