Self Love Starts Young: Sooo Cute!!!

Watch Baby Joey show love to the baby in the mirror!!!

Isn't that just plain adorable???
Hope it put a smile on your face as it did mine! :-)

Same Scenarios, Very Different Outcomes:1959 vs. 2009: Oh, how times have changed!!!

Scenario 1:
James goes quail hunting before school and then pulls into the school parking lot with his shotgun in his truck's gun rack.

1959 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at James' shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.

2009 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, James hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario 2:
Mickey and Bobby get into a fist fight after school.

1959 - Crowd gathers. Bobby wins. Mickey and Bobby shake hands and end up buddies.

2009 - Police called and SWAT team arrives -- they arrest both Mickey and Bobby. They are both charged them with assault and both expelled even though Mickey started it.

Scenario 3:
Davey will not be still in class, he disrupts other students.

1959 - Davey sent to the Principal's office and given a good paddling by the Principal. He then returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.

2009 - Davey is given huge doses of Ritalin. He becomes a zombie. He is then tested for ADD. The school gets extra money from the state because Davey has a disability .

Scenario 4: Tommy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1959- Tommy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college and becomes a successful businessman.

2009 - Tommy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Tommy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. The state psychologist is told by Tommy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Tommy's mom has an affair with the psychologist.

Scenario 5:
Charlie gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.

1959 - Charlie shares his aspirin with the Principal out on the smoking dock.

2009- The police are called and Charlie is expelled from school for drug violations. His car is then searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario 6:
Stevie fails high school English.

1959 - Stevie goes to summer school, passes English and goes to college.

2009 - Stevie's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against the state school system and Stevie's English teacher. English is then banned from core curriculum. Stevie is given his diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario 7:
Gary takes apart leftover firecrackers from the Fourth of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up a red ant bed.

1959 - Ants die.

2009 - ATF, Homeland Security and the FBI are all called. Gary is charged with domestic terrorism. The FBI investigates his parents -- and all siblings are removed from their home and all computers are confiscated. Gary's dad is placed on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario 8:
Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee He is found crying by his teacher, Patty. Patty hugs him to comfort him.

1959 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2009 - Patty is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

Times have really changed. But is it really for the better? Do you agree that we've gotten a bit too careful/politically correct???

Just a Little Hello from Our Newest Contributing Author: Single Mom with Acting Goals!!!

My sister, Modern Day NYC Mom, has asked me to contribute to her blog so let me tell you a little bit about myself and what I may have to offer.

• I am a single mom of two teenage girls, 18 & 13 so I know all about the struggles it takes to raise them. My 18 y/o is heading off to college so together we can discuss the tedious process of picking and applying to colleges, the various forms we need to fill out for financial aid & helping them pick a major.

• I can give you ideas on fun things to do now that the weather is getting warmer. We can discuss good nightspots and things to do just for a little "me" time.
  

• Both of my daughters are interested in the entertainment field. My 18y/o, Samantha (who will later mostly be referred to as Sami) is going to be taking up creative writing in college as she wants to one day write her own screen play. My 13y/o, Danielle (who will later mostly be referred to as Danie), is an aspiring actress and singer and believe me when I say, she is absolutely unafraid to "ham" it up!

• I, myself, am an aspiring actress and have to juggle trying to get the training I need to get that career off the ground with my family life and my day job.

I hope you are interested in taking my journey with me, this "Single Mom with Acting Goals" life. I will be more than happy to share my insights, my thoughts and my ideas. So, let's get to know one another. Have a great day!

Funny-of-the-Week: Let's Compare Men and Women...

NICKNAMES: If Gloria, Suzanne, Debra and Michelle go out for lunch, they will call each other Gloria, Suzanne, Debra and Michelle. But if Mike, Phil, Rob and Jack go out for a brewsky, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Godzilla, Peanut-Head and Useless.

EATING OUT: And when the check comes, Mike, Phil, Rob and Jack will each throw in $20 bills, even though it's only for $22.50. None of them will have anything smaller, and none will actually admit they want change back. When the girls get their check, out come the pocket calculators.

BATHROOMS: A man has six items in his bathroom-a toothbrush, shaving cream, razor, a bar of Dial soap, and a towel from the Holiday Inn. The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 437. A man would not be able to identify most of these items.

GROCERIES: A woman makes a list of things she needs and then goes out to the store and buys these things. A man waits till the only items left in his fridge are half a lime and a soda. Then he goes grocery shopping. He buys everything that looks good. By the time a man reaches the checkout counter, his cart is packed tighter than the Clampett's car on Beverly Hillbillies. Of course, this will not stop him from going to the 10-items-or-less lane.

SHOES: When preparing for work, a woman will put on a Mondi wool suit, then slip on Reebok sneakers. She will carry her dress shoes in a plastic bag from Saks. When a woman gets to work, she will put on her dress shoes. Five minutes later, she will kick them off because her feet are under the desk. A man will wear the same pair of shoes all day.

CATS: Women love cats. Men say they love cats, but when women aren't looking, men kick cats.

DRESSING UP: A woman will dress up to: go shopping, water the plants, empty the garbage, answer the phone, read a book, get the mail. A man will dress up for: weddings, funerals.

LAUNDRY: Women do laundry every couple of days. A man will wear every article of clothing he owns, including his surgical pants that were hip about eight years ago, before he will do his laundry. When he is finally out of clothes, he will wear a dirty sweatshirt inside out, rent a U-Haul and take his mountain of clothes to the Laundromat. Men always expect to meet beautiful women at the Laundromat. This is a myth perpetuated by re-runs of old episodes of "Love, American Style."

OFFSPRING: Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and soccer games and romances and best friends and favorite foods and secret fears and hopes and dreams. A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

LOL! I'm betting you smiled and agreed with at least two of these comparisons!!! Hope you're enjoying your day!!!

Yahoo! celebrates being in business for 25 years. (Can you believe it's been that long???)

has put up a pretty cool video, showing how far they've come in the past 25 years. (A lot can change in that amount of time.)

Check it out here:

Communication Evolution @ Yahoo! Video

My Memorial Weekend Activies: Mini-Reviews on Forest Park, The Newlyweds, Terminator Salvation and Schneider's Children's Hospital vs. Maimonides

This past weekend, I did 4 things of note and I'd like to share them with you.

I...

1. went to a BBQ at Forest Park,
2. saw The Newlyweds at American Theater of Actors,
3. watched Terminator Salvation on the Big Screen and
4. took my sick baby boy to Scneider's Children's Hospital.

Were these activities worth my time? Keep reading and I'll tell you...

1. The BBQ at Forest Park was pleasant. It took place near the park's Bandshell. As far as BBQs go, it was pretty typical. The location though? Forest Park is immense. It has the Biggest Oak Woods in Queens. There are a lot of hidden treasures within NYC and this park is one of them. Check out the Visitors Guide if you're interested in learning more. I personally plan on spending more time in this park during the summer. As I do, you will receive
updates on the activities that I choose to participate in.

2. The Newlyweds was very funny!!! Watching it felt like watching a sitcom, or better yet, a sketch comedy show. See it for yourself and you'll see what I mean! The play itself isn't exactly Broadway caliber but it's off-broadway so it needn't be!!! All that matters is that it was quite enjoyable. Definitely worth the measly $25 that it costs.

3. How'd I feel about Terminator Salvation? Well, first off, I'm usually not a big fan of action movies. But there is something about the Terminator Series that captures my interest. The original Terminator is a classic; T2: Judgement Day (which probably draws up the most childhood memories for me) wasn't a bad sequel; Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines was pretty horrible--it's only saving grace was the fact that it was the last time Arnold Schwarzenegger could feasibly star in another of these movies. The ex-body-builder was getting up there in age.
Terminator Salvation is very cool. Christian Bale is a great choice as the adult John Connor. The movie has some nice twists and turns and some excellent throwbacks. For fans of the Terminator Series, this movie is definitely a must-see.

4. Schneider's Children's Hospital is the name of the separate children's ward of the North Shore Long Island Jewish Hospital. My husband I chose to take our son there because of their reputation as a very good children's hospital. When our baby boy first got sick, we took him to Maimonides Infants and Children's Hospital of Brooklyn, which is the children's section of Maimonides Medical Center.
The level of care received at both hospitals felt pretty equal. We waited 3 hours at Maimonides on a typical Friday. We waited 2 1/2 hours on Memorial Day at Schneider's. So, in regards to wait time, Schneider's wins out.
Neither of the hospitals did much more than tell us to keep giving the baby Tylenol and/or Motrin. If we receive any amazing care at any particular hospital, we'll let you know. If asked, I would recommend either for your sick child. The level of care was not bad at all.

So, that was my busy weekend. At least I considered every activity worth it!!! How was yours?

Happy Memorial Day Everyone: Proud to Be An American.

Artist: Lee Greenwood
Title: Proud To Be An American

If tomorrow all the things were gone,
I’d worked for all my life.
And I had to start again,
with just my children and my wife.

I’d thank my lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
‘ Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can’t take that away.

And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.

From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there's pride in every American heart,
and its time we stand and say.

That I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

And I’m proud to be and American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

Is YOUR Cell Phone Being Bugged? This is pretty scary!!!

News Story:



Signs YOUR Phone is Being Bugged:



This is a real eye opener. Keep an eye out for the aforementioned signs. Practice extreme caution!!!

Traveling this Weekend? Don't Fall into This Common Tourist Trap

"There's a sucker born every minute" is a phrase often credited to P.T. Barnum [an American showman remembered for hoaxes and for founding the circus that became the Ringling Brothers and the Barnum and Bailey Circus]. It is generally taken to mean that there are (and always will be) a lot of gullible people in the world. (Whether or not Mr. Barnum was actually the one who uttered this now infamous phrase is open to debate.)

No matter who the actual one who uttered these words was, we can all agree on one thing. The phrase is completely and utterly true. I'm sure you and I can both name at least one person we know that can be convinced of just about anything. Now, if you can't think of anyone, you might want to make sure the gullible person isn't you. Here's how to do that: Question everything.

If you're the type of person that takes everything at face value without questioning and researching for yourself, you will be taken advantage of at one point or another. Unfortunately, vendors in areas with high tourist traffic count on this. Now, of course, before traveling, we all know to research the best places for us to eat, sleep and play. But even with the best planned itinerary in place, there will always be the inevitable emergency or unplanned event that arises.

Always expect the unexpected. In the situations where even the most prepared person finds themselves unknowledgeable, how can they avoid being taken advantage of? Ask lots of questions. Let me tell you a personal story of mine where I could have avoided being taken advantage of had enough questions been asked.

My husband and I were a newly married couple and we passed by one of those caricature vendors in Times Square. Now, we had passed these spots countless times before (there are many of them in this area) and every time we had, my hubby had said he always wanted to get one of those done. So, this time we decided to go for it. The sign said it would only cost $5, so we figured it was worth a try.

I sat down in the chair. The vendor asked my husband to join me. Being that I was uncomfortable because I was the only one sitting there, I didn't question that. I asked my hubby to join me. I didn't even think to question why the vendor had made this suggestion. That was my first mistake. Then, once the vendor was done drawing, he asked if we wanted a frame for our picture. He stated how the picture would most likely get ruined if we didn't buy the frame. So, we agreed, of course. It was then time to pay up. Mr. Vendor said, "$35" to which we, in turn, asked the inevitable, "WHAT???"

He then pointed to the (handwritten) sign that he had displayed, which, in very large print stated $5 but the small (and quite fine) print let us in on the fact that if someone else were to join in the caricature, the price would shoot up to $15. AND if you were to buy a frame, the price will shoot up another $20. (If you think that's bad, consider the fact that the "frame" was nothing more than two pieces of cardboard and a plastic sheet in the form of a frame!!!) We then realized that we had, in fact, been had. And it was, of course, our own fault for not questioning anything. (In your own city, I guess you feel protected.)

My husband bargained the price down to $20 after telling the Vendor that we were fellow New Yorkers and asking him not to "jerk a fellow New Yorker". At this point, the vendor realized that, as fellow NYers, we had more of an opportunity to either give him repeat business in the form of ourselves (which won't happen!!!) or by referring others to him. Unfortunately, what the vendor did to us isn't illegal. As long as your prices are listed somewhere (whether in fine print or not), you can charge whatever you want.

My husband and I weren't even traveling at the time and we were taken advantage of. We were at least able to use our residency as a bargaining chip but what happens if you're not from the area? Although it may be possible to haggle with some vendors, others may not budge. As the customer, you always have the right to walk away, refusing to take the product but what if it was something you really wanted or something you can't leave behind (such as food in a restaurant)? The best option is to avoid putting yourself in that situation in the first place. And, of course, we all know how to do that by now, right?

Question everything, especially while traveling, because vendors in high tourist areas count on the idea that "There's a sucker born every minute". Let's all do our best not to be that person (sucker).

Big Event Coming Up? Traveling? Need a great camera at an equally great price? Try the Canon PowerShot A590IS

As my faithful readers already know, I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy less than 8 months ago. Giving birth at Brooklyn Birthing Center afforded my husband and I the opportunity to not only take pictures of the birthing process, but video as well. We were both very excited that we were going to be able to do so. The only problem with that was that neither of us owned a camera.

So, my husband did research. Lots of it. He also read tons of reviews. After all of his extensive research, one product came up the ultimate winner: The Canon PowerShot A590IS. This camera had all of the features we both needed (and wanted) at a price that we could afford.

(We did buy it in time for our son's birth and the quality of pictures and videos that it delivered [and still does] were fantastic!!!)

You can check out my husband's full review on the Canon Powershot A590IS here.

Happy Shopping, Everyone!!!

Funny-of-the-Week: For Anyone Who Now Does or Ever Has Worked in a Cubicle...

Here are some common drawbacks:

• 23 power cords, 1 outlet.

• Being told to "Think Outside the Box" when I'm in the darn box all day!

• Can't slam the door when you quit and walk out.

• Fabric cubicle walls do not offer much protection from any kind of gun fire.

• If you talk to yourself it causes all the surrounding cubicle inhabitants to pop their heads over the wall and say "What? I didn't hear you."

• If your boss calls you and asks you to come into his office for a minute the walk there is like a funeral march...people hand you tissues as you pass and refuse to make eye contact.

• Lack of roof rafters for the noose.

• My walls are too close together for my hammock to work right.

• Not being able to check E-mail attachments without first seeing who is behind me.

• Prison cells are not only bigger, they have beds.

• That nagging feeling that if I just press the right button, I will get a piece of cheese.

• When tours come through, I get lots of peanuts thrown at me.

• You always have the feeling that someone is watching you, but by the time you turn to look they're gone.

(Especially if you have read this while sitting in a cubicle...)
Hope this brightened your day, even if just a bit!!! :-)

Google has done it again!!! We Finally Get Walking Directions!!!

I recently recommended Hop Stop directions for NYC (and other select cities) public transportation riders. It is a good system, although you can also use the MTA Trip Planner for the exact same thing, (while in NYC). Also, driving directions (for anywhere in the US) are easily accessible on Yahoo! Maps, Microsoft Mapblast and Mapquest .

But what about walking directions? As someone who enjoys walking over taking public transportation/driving (especially in Manhattan), I've often wished I could get directions on how to walk from Point A to Point B and maybe even Point C, using my body as my only vehicle.

I mean, how difficult could it really be to attain this? With GPS satellites being able to offer bird's eye views of the landscape, why were only driving directions most easily available up until now? No matter. That's a thing of the past. Time for the wave of the future.

Google Maps now offers walking directions!!! Isn't that great? A way to get from place-to-place for free, all while getting some low-impact exercise? What a novel concept!!! :-P

FYI: For the time-being, take heed of Google's "Caution" message: Walking directions are in beta. Use caution – This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths.

This just means that they are still working on these directions. They're in a beginning/testing stage. Once they complete it, Google is going to rock it. Just like they rock everything else.

Google Maps: The place to get accurate driving, public transportation and walking directions, nation-wide.

My Baby Boy Always Fights Me on Nasal Aspiration!!! Any Suggestions?

My adorable son is 7 1/2 months old. In many ways, he's a typical baby boy. He's playful and fun. A bit rough and tumble. In other ways, he's not quite that typical.

Generally, his height and weight are reserved for a 2-year-old. He is also quite strong for his age. While looking at and lifting him, you would think he were a toddler. This strength usually works in his favor. Such as in the instance(s) I am going to tell you about in the following paragraphs.

My "little" one hates having anything above his neck cleaned (or messed with in any way). Fortunately, if you adequately distract him, you can sneakily clean his ears or wash his hair. Also, if you're quick, you can wash his face or clean his eyes. What I tend to have the biggest problem with is aspirating his nose.

I originally tried the basic models of aspirators, such as this (Grey) Scooba® Suction Bulb. He fought me on that. As he got older, I figured I'd try something a little more "modern" (:-P) and see if that might work in our favor.

At that point, I bought the Bébésounds Nasal Clear Battery Operated Nasal Aspirator. I was able to use it's 12 different children's tunes to distract him for a few weeks. I think he also liked the gentle hum that it emits while vibrating. But once he got older (and obviously wiser), he would fight that like crazy.

As a last resort, I also bought saline nasal spray, such as Little Noses Saline Spray/Drops, Non-Medicated Relief for Dry or staffy Noses - 1 Oz. I thought that maybe if I helped to loosen the mucus, I could get in and out a lot faster. That was to no avail.

The products listed all perform wonderfully, as promised. They all do make it physically easier to get mucus out of a child's nose. (With my current favorite still being the Bébésounds Nasal Clear Battery Operated Nasal Aspirator.) But what about the emotional aspect?

These days, as soon as my son sees the aspirator headed for his face, he fights back. And I mean, he tries his hardest to turn over, turn his head away, use his hands to shield his face or bat me away, etc. And remember, he's a big boy. It wouldn't be that easy to restrain him if I wanted to.

Also, it's really difficult watching him react the way he does. He acts like he's being violated every single time. I hate to feel as if I'm doing something wrong to him, everytime I need to clean out his nose.

Does anyone have any suggestions for me? Is this just something we'll have to live with? Or has anyone found a successful way to do this with THEIR child that might help me and my child's current situation?

Coming to NYC for Memorial Day Weekend (and/or the weekend after)? Go see "The Newlyweds"

Planning a trip down to NYC during the next two weekends? Looking to see a top-notch play for an everyday price?

Check out The Newlyweds. It's starring my Improv teacher, Giselle Rodriguez. (She's the pretty woman in the picture.) She is an awesome person, great teacher and a wonderful actress.

Why not show some love for the off-broadway shows, people? They are often just as good (if not better). And in this economy, the prices are so much better!!!

Hope to "see you there"!!!

Music Bringing The Human Race Together--A Very Cool Program

I thought I'd send a little music your way this Sunday. This is just the first video of many for a program called "Playing for Change". It was inspired by the fact that music breaks down all divides. Check out the website for more information.

I've always felt that music has amazing power over us all. It really does unite us. Also, I chose this specific song to share because we all know it (and also, b/c it holds pure memories from my youth.)

As you listen, I'd recommend that you just let the feelings of friendship and unity touch your heart.

Happy listening! Enjoy!!!

From MD NYC Mom: Keep an Eye Out for Some More Changes Coming Your Way

I have been spending a lot of time optimizing this site--hoping to bring you more of what you like. I've invited more Moms to contribute to this site in order to give you some different POVs.

Keep a look out for some introductions within the upcoming weeks.

Happy Reading!!!

Why Are Americans Always Worried about Something New?

I recently received this e-mail:

Watch out for the flu

Everyone, please be careful. This is getting more serious than we expected...

First Celebrity Dies of Swine Flu

It was a cheap shot at our constant need (as Americans--I can only speak as an American--I've never lived in another country and so I don't know how they handle things) to be paranoid about something. Seriously, have you noticed how there is always something new on the news to be concerned about?

While walking around NYC, I have seen a few people walking around with face masks, trying to protect themselves from the swine flu. Uh, face masks? Do you honestly believe that if someone with the flu sneezes on you (or coughs and then touches the pole that you touch right after), your little mask is going to protect you? I think not. (Maybe if you had a gas mask, the filters would suffice...) It seems to be more about being fashionable and "in" on the latest paranoia than it is about actually protecting yourself.

In my lifetime, I've lived through several of "America's latest scare(s)". Here are just a very few that stand out in my mind and how most of us responded:

The Y2K Problem -- we braced ourselves for Armageddon! Everyone wondered if everything run by computer networks (which was pretty much everything by that point) would shut down or go haywire. The end of the world!!!

The MSG Cancer Scare -- to appease our fears, every food that had previously contained MSG no longer did. As soon as the fear subsided, it was back. (I read the labels. I noticed.)

and now,

The Swine Flu Outbreak -- because a few people have died, there are schools shutting down. (On a regular basis, people die from the flu everyday!!! What makes this any different? It's more than likely the fact that it's the first time this generation has experienced this particular strain.)

By clicking on the links provided and reading about the minuscule risks that were actually associated with these problems vs. how they were blown out of proportion, it kind of makes you wonder why.

Is it because it makes good news fodder? Do the news stations scare us in order to keep us tuning in? Or is there a whole big government conspiracy surrounding all of this? Does the government keep us so focused on the smaller risks that we're too preoccupied/busy to find out what's really going on?

I mean, I understand being paranoid. I'm a New Mom. I took the day off to rush my son to the hospital because of a stomach virus. But hey, he's 7 months old. And I'm a new mom. I've never dealt with any of this before with a child of my own. It's my job (and my husband's, of course) to help our baby survive. But I take this as a learning experience. I'm pretty sure (and we've been told) that we'll be a lot less afraid about every little thing with the next child. Because we'll have learned a lot from my experience with the first one.

You'd think that with there being something new to be afraid of everyday, Americans would tire of it all. Yet, most don't. We watch the news in hopes of learning something new.

Now, I'm not saying that all news is crap. Reporting can be just that. It's just when things get blown out of proportion the way they usually are that I wonder: What's next?

What do you think of all of this? Government Conspiracy? News station Tactics? Or actual news?

Web Address Change: You can now find me at www.moderndaynycmom.com

Why Hello, My Faithful Readers!!!

I just acquired my own custom domain name. Now, instead of having to type in: www.moderndaynycmom.blogspot.com to get to my page, you can just type in: www.moderndaynycmom.com. The previous address will redirect you to my new address while you adjust to this change, of course. So, no worries.

I hope this change has made your life at least a little bit easier. After all, this is my goal: For you all to be entertained and educated in the most convenient way possible.

Thanks for reading!!!

www.moderndaynycmom.com

Funny-of-the-Week: Sometimes The Truth is Just That Simple!!!

A woman was shopping at the local supermarket where she selected:

A half-gallon of 2% milk

A carton of eggs

A quart of orange juice

A head of lettuce

A 2 lb. can of coffee

A 1 lb. package of bacon

As she was unloading her items on to the conveyor belt to check out, a drunk standing behind her watched as she placed the items in front of the cashier.

While the cashier was ringing up the purchases, the drunk calmly stated, 'You must be single.'

The woman was a bit startled by this proclamation, but was intrigued by the derelict's intuition, since she indeed had never found Mr. Right.

The woman looked at the six items on the belt and saw nothing particularly unusual about her selections that could have tipped off the drunk to her marital status..

Curiosity getting the better of her, and she said, "Yes you are correct . But how on earth did you know that?'

The drunk replied, "'Cause you're ugly."

(Sometimes it is just that simple, People!!! That was wrooong, right? :-P "The woman" just seems as if she's pretentious {for some reason} and I like to see those people get what's coming to them.)

When traveling, always have an alternate transportation option available...(a Mini-Lesson in Being Prepared)

I am beyond exhausted today. I didn't get to sleep until nearly 1:00 am and I had to be in the office by 8:00 am. (Oh, for shame!!!) This could have been avoided, had I been better prepared to travel last night. Here's what happened...

My sis and I had a class to take last night. Although the class was scheduled to be let out at 9:30, it actually went a little bit over. No one minded (and a lot of us didn't even notice) because we were enjoying ourselves so much. So, Sis and I knew that we would be home a little late, get to bed later than expected and be a little extra tired the next morning. Not too big a sacrifice for a class we thoroughly enjoy(ed). (I will be telling you more about our classes very soon...)

We were traveling via public transportation. (You pretty much never want to drive a car into Manhattan unless you have to. Traffic/parking can be a nightmare.) So, there we were, sitting on the train, when we hear over the loudspeaker that a police investigation is going on one stop ahead of us. That meant we had to wait for an undisclosed amount of time.

So, we waited...and waited...and waited...A half hour went by and then, all of a sudden, (in the usual worst-timing scenario), we both had to uh, use the powder room. You know when it hits you and you have no clue how long you're going to be able to last? At that point, we decided that we had no clue how long we'd be waiting and we took matters into our own hands. We left the train station. :-P

Our goal was to take a livery cab home. Sounds simple enough, right? Sissy-Poo dialed the usual car service number only to be told by the dispatcher that there were no cars in our area. Now what? You know the area we were stranded in? Neither one of us had traveled in that area without being driven through it. Great, huh?

Being very tired and not able to think 100%, we decided to try and walk home. (HA!!! We completely underestimated exactly how far we were from home. But either way,) we started walking. Another major problem? Neither one of us knew in which direction to walk.

So, I got the bright idea to use the GPS from my phone to try and guide us. The only problem with that idea is that Global Positioning Systems are set up for motor vehicles. (You try thinking straight after a full day at work, 3.5 hours of class and then getting stranded at nearly midnight!!! :-P It's not that I didn't know it's set up for mvs. I just figured we could use it as a guideline. Didn't really work though...)

We walked for about a half hour when I stopped and said, "No way! We are not going to make it! (Referring to (a) the fact that we had no clue how far away we were and (b) the aforementioned unfinished powder room business.) We have to find a bus or another train or something!" So, we roamed around, still attempting to go in the right direction (whichever direction that actually was, we weren't quite sure of), trying to find another form of public transportation.

We were desperately seeking a bus when, like a light shining down from Heaven to guide us, we saw a brightly lit awning that read "--- Car Service". We hurried on over there, where a driver was already waiting to be put on duty, and took one of their cabs home. Unfortunately, it ended up costing about twice as we would have liked to pay. But we had no choice, due to our desperate state.

We both got home, safe and sound. (As you can probably tell, being that I am okay to tell you this story today.) But we both determined in our minds with absolute resolve that we would never be stranded like that again!!! We will always have an alternate "alternate escape route" for when our "alternate escape route" doesn't pan out (more than one other option). If we had just used Hop Stop (NYC) and mapped out every alternate route possible, we would have been better prepared to find our way home.

Heed my words. At the moment when you're drunk with exhaustion and your body is working against you, you don't want to have to come up with a plan to get home!!! Do everything possible to "BE PREPARED" for the possibility of this happening to you. If you travel in big cities via public transportation, the probability of this happening to you is probably greater than you think.

(If you travel by car and you live in a rural area, you'll still need to be prepared. That's just gone about in a different way. AAA, maybe? Being that I don't drive, I'll leave that up to you and your "powers of research".)


{While in NYC, Chicago, (some areas of) Connecticut (and) upstate NY, Long Island, New Jersey, Boston, San Fransisco, Washington DC and London, you can use Hop Stop. Somewhere else? Use the internet to plan ahead. You can find whatever you'll need, right here on the World Wide Web. It's your one-stop-shop. :-)}

Has anything like this ever happened to any of you? If so, what did you do to resolve the situation? Did it push you to be better prepared the next time around?

Most Bullies Never Grow Up...They Just Grow Older...Let's Take the Power Back!!!

"If you stand up to a bully, they always back down." I'm sure we've all at least heard this lesson being taught to someone else. Is it true though? As a child, can you really stand up to a bully and expect them to just run away with their tails between their legs? Personally, the only bullies I ever dealt with when I was young were my siblings and they never backed down (although we all grew up to be pretty decent friends)!

Also, on tv shows/in movies, whenever a parent tries to teach a child the aforementioned "lesson", the child almost inevitably ends up with their head in a toilet or naked on a flag pole. So, when does this lesson apply? With adults, truly.

It is amazing how most adults are all talk and no action. (Now note, I said MOST. There are some crazy people out there but with only a slightly trained eye, you can usually spot them a mile away.)

As an adult, I've noticed that when you stand up to people who give you attitudes, you almost always get one of two responses:
1) They back down and are suddenly passive and submissive to you or
2) you end up in a shouting match with them as they threaten to do something you know they would probably never do.

I've noticed that most people are too afraid that either:
a) the person they are arguing with is crazy and will actually hurt or kill them or
b) if they actually follow through with the threats they are putting forth, they will go to jail.

No sane person wants that! (Which is why we all must learn to spot the crazies!) I've known several people in my life that have acted as if they were the toughest person around. "Nobody messes with ____!" But stand up to any one of those people, and they back down faster than you can even call them on their crap.

My lesson for today Folks is, "Study People. Watch them. Know when to stand up for yourself and when it's better for you to back down."

For example, the other day, I was out to the movies with the females in the fam. We were running late to see "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" (a must-see for all fans of Matthew McConaughey). Now, let me set up the scenario for you.

It was the second night that Star Trek was in theaters. There was a super long line to see that movie. Being that we were running late to see our movie, which had no line, we were trying to forgo the Trekkie line (although there's nothing wrong with being a Trekkie) so that we could see our not-quite-as-popular movie.

This man (in his 40s/50s) sees us a group of women trying to get in the theater and he says, in his most booming, authoritative voice possible, "There's a line here!" And I look up and say, "Yeah, we know. We're not here to see Star Trek!" (Now, there was no yelling going on. Just attitude.)

I guess he expected me to cower and run behind him. He kept trying to stare me down but I kept my gaze locked on him, challenging him. My eyes said, "If you have something to say, go for it. I'm not backing down." Scared him right off. He didn't say another word.

My niece said, "Look at Titi. Staring at the man." I said, "Yeah, [Girl]. What did he think? That he was going to scare us into submission?" Gone are those dark days. A sternly worded talking to from a strange man has no affect. (Now, I could go on into a whole discussion on what we, as women used to be taught in America [submit to men] vs. what we're taught now [stand up for your rights] but let's save that discussion for another time.) For now, let's just focus on the topic at hand.

As adults, bullies are just overgrown children. They think that by yelling, stomping and having adult temper tantrums, they can get what they want. Don't enable them. Stand up for yourself. As long as the person you're trying to stand up to isn't crazy, (as an adult) "If you stand up to a bully, they nearly always back down."

Wishing all Moms a Great Mother's Day!!!

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new. ~Rajneesh

Women's Liberation is just a lot of foolishness. It's the men who are discriminated against. They can't bear children. And no one's likely to do anything about that. ~Golda Meir

When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child. ~Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty

Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ~Elizabeth Stone

An Inspirational Reading for Your Saturday

May today there be peace within.
May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities
that are born of faith in yourself and others.
May you use the gifts that you have received,
and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content with yourself just the way you are.
Let this knowledge settle into your bones,
and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.
--Author Unknown