Oct 21, 2007

STOP RACISM


“This poem was voted the best children’s poem of 2005. It was written by an African kid."

When I born, I Black,
When I grow up, I Black,
When I go in Sun, I Black,
When I scared, I Black,
When I sick, I Black,
And when I die, I still black…

And
you White fellow,
When you born, you pink,
When you grow up, you White,
When you go in Sun, you Red,
When you cold, you blue,
When you scared, you yellow,
When you sick, you Green,
And when you die, you Gray…

And you call me colored???………

http://www.gnb.ca/hrc-cdp/e/sayno.htm

Sep 29, 2007

This thing called life



the most amazing thing happened to me tonight! I found a ladybug sitting on my computer. I SWEAR it is pure coincidence.

this 'also' prompts a "WOW".

La vita e' veramente bella:) Only in Marianna's Planet!

WOW



The little ladybug was suddenly inspired, as she jumps up with a smile on her face and runs towards the nearest softest flower she can find to fly into it with such compelling desire as if she can't get in it fast enough. She lays with joy and begins flickering her wings in slow motion, up and down, round and round. The motion of her wings is slow at first almost forming steady turning curves that grow faster to reach rhythmic dimensions. The ladybug's life becomes a volcanic eruption as she stares into the universe exclaiming: WOW!

The very happy 'little red sphere' flies away with a grin on her face ready to bring the next lucky person who she rests on some of her little-ladybug-luck:)

Gotta love ladybugs!

Sep 26, 2007

Little dots


We cross path we all kinds of people in the course of our life. Some become life long friends, some are in and out but leave an impact, some are gone, some you wish you never met, some are not even human and some you hide from;) (And it even rhymes.)

But the most irritating kind are the cocky ones. There is a clear line between confidence and cockiness, not to be mistaken with coccyx which is a recently added word to my ever so growing English dictionary, and I figure that the more I use a word the less likely I’ll forget it (my brain can only accumulate so much information) – as well the more you pronounce it the easier it rolls down your tongue (or is ‘over’ or ‘on’. Darn English).

Completely lost the point I was trying to make. Right, cocky! Arrogance is ignorance. I like to think that I’m a fairly confident individual and even if I weren’t I wouldn’t show it. However I’ve met people in the past who are overly confident, arrogant, critical and overall cocky (seems to be the word of the day). Why is it that the most incredible geniuses of our times were the most humbled ones? I don’t think education necessarily makes for an intelligent individual (though admittedly in some cases it helps). It’s obvious that it takes far more to make people ‘intelligent humans’.

By no stretch do I consider myself an intelligent human (in fact by some past events I often wonder if I came in contact with some of that ‘dumb ass’ virus often goes around) but at least I can ‘confidently’ say that I am without a doubt humanly intelligentJ

Hmmm, I really did have a point initially….

Sep 17, 2007

Tears instead of fuel....



this does not need an introduction. I just adore these guys, all three of them:)

Sep 10, 2007

ABBRACCIAMI



I ran the clip from Juan Mann when he began his "Free Hugs" campaign in Sydney before it became a phenomenon world wide. I figure it's time to run it again in the hopes that more will be inspired and continue spreading the message of love with one another, regardless of age, color or race.

So go ahead "HUG", embrace one another and make sure to hug ME if you see me on the streets:)
http://www.freehugscampaign.org/index.php?categoryid=1



HOW TO HUG


Before you give/receive a hug you must take into consideration the position in which your partner is engaging you. This is very important. Observe how the person is embracing you so that you may respond in the best way. There are 4 possible embraces:
  1. Underhand: Your partner approaches you with his/her arms ready to wrap around your torso, under yours. This type of embrace is commonly undertaken by those who are smaller than you, though this is not necessary. Respond to this embrace with an Overhand:
  2. Overhand: The person approaches you aiming over your shoulders. This is evident by a certain characteristic move which looks sort of like a "dive", though it does not always present itself like this. It is common for someone who is taller than you to approach you with this embrace. This type of embrace is hard to master, and I'd recommend you only use it to respond to an Underhand.
  3. Cross (Right): Your partner approaches you with his/her left arm higher than the right. This will result in your heads tilting to your right, and having each other at your respective lefts. Only with Cross-type hugs can the position of your head be determined by the approach, the prior two don't give any insight into this, they may end up on the left or right (it is not always, however, that the position of the head can be determined in these types of hugs, but most of the time). The left arm will come over the shoulder, while the right arm goes under: this applies to both of you. This embrace is the most common one, and usually performed by two people who are about the same height. It is also recommended, since you may both cover the most area with your arms and get a tighter, better fitting grip on each other. Use this same embrace as a response.
  4. Cross (Left): Your partner approaches you with his/her right arm higher than the left. Your heads will tilt to your left, and you will end up at each other's respective rights. The right arm will come over the shoulder, while the left arm goes under. Respond with this same embrace.


So you have come together; since your bodies should be neatly fit into each other, there are only two things you need to keep track of at this point: your head, and your arms/hands.
  • Your head: Whether you have ended at each other's respective left or right, there are basically only two options for your head at this point: 1) Look forward, maintain your heads touching, and lay your chin on the person's neck lightly if you would like. 2) Burrow your head into your partner's neck, which conveniently seems to allow it to fit. This is most common between lovers. So please do not do this unless this is your partner! It is also common if you're being embraced while crying. Note that head positioning may be limited by the person who is hugging Overhand.
  • Your arms & hands: This is where it gets tricky for most people. Depending on what type of embrace you have given and received, the maneuverability of your hands will be dictated. Once again, it is best to share a Cross-type hug, so that both your head and arms get the most out of it. Depending on which type of embrace you are sharing, your arms/hands will be positioned in several ways:
    • With an Underhand embrace you may wrap your arms around the person's torso or lift them upwards so that they reach over your partner's shoulder. The latter is not recommended unless the hug is short and generally friendly; also, your hands would only be able to tap. If you wrap around the torso, you may lay one arm over the other, though it is better if you put one on top of the other (i.e.: from the back, "-" stacked arms, or "=" arms both on the back). You may rub with limited range and also pat.
    • With an Overhand embrace your arms will typically wrap around the person's head, though you may manage to drive them into the upper torso with a certain angle. This gives you limited maneuverability: you may rub with a very limited range, and pat.
    • In both Cross embraces, the arms and hands have the most freedom. Do not be afraid to touch the person's back: you're hugging, your partner will not be upset if you touch his/her back, in fact, (s)he will want you to. Do not lay your arms on top of each other, instead, cover some ground.


After you have embraced the person for a certain time, you may go on to move your arms and hands, and either "rub" or "pat". Rubbing consists of running your hands up and down his/her back, creating a very soothing sensation. Patting consists of just that: clapping your hands on his/her back softly. Take some time to take in the hug, however, before you rub or pat. It is actually not necessary to do either of these. Note that many people do not like pats, and many like rubs very much. You may now disengage and are complete with your hug. Ahh, breathe in all the air you were deprived of while your lungs were being squished. Great job!!!

Misc.
There are many other things you can do while giving a hug. One of the simple ones includes lifting up the person if (s)he is shorter and lighter than you. Note that this only works if you have an Underhand hold on the person, or if you're engaged in a Cross-type hug. Do not try this if you engaged the person with an Overhand. If you have the person off of the ground and feel adventurous, you may try to spin him/her once or twice (make sure to have some space before you do this). There are countless other things you can do; experiment and always have fun!!!

From: http://www.free-hugs.com/index.shtml

Sep 3, 2007

CRIB NOTES





As Vinnie and I were dancing in the kitchen last night to the notes of this song [above] he suddenly turned to me and asked: mamma, if you could have a super hero power what would it be? “INVISIBLE” I replied. He laughed in approval, “that way you can come visit me while I’m at school”. I nodded with a smile and kissed him.

September 4 - First day back to school. Where does the time go? Has the summer we’ve been waiting for already left us? The start of school has always marked the beginning of a new chapter, and this year is no exception. As I walk Vinnie inside the school I can see grins on the faces of other parents who high-five each other as they pass by; some cars slow down as they enter the school “drop-off” lane without coming to a complete stop and suddenly you see kids literally being pushed out of their vehicle followed by their bags;) It’s a war zone; people running like mad in all directions as if we're all holding time bombs; it's a race to see who can ditch his/her own kid the fastest – it gives a new meaning to the phrase: fleeing a scene. Today, no one is messing around; today is OUR independence day;)
Someone should make a musical about it, really.

I drove away from the school excited for my little man’s first day back but also smiling at the thought that I didn’t have to work (remember? Stat holiday). As I opened the door and entered MY Shangri-La my sweater slips off onto the chair and I begin to hop around my happy land freely while singing “I feel pretty….” (just as Natalie Wood’s character ‘Maria’ does in the movie “West Side Story”):
I feel pretty
Oh so pretty
I feel pretty and witty and gay
And I pity
Any girl who isn't me today
I feel charming
Oh so charming
It's alarming how charming I feel
And so pretty
That I hardly can believe I'm real
I feel stunning
And entrancing
Feel like running
And dancing for joy

Ha, I pity those who lack imagination!

(Have an awesome school year amore. TVTTTB.)

Sep 1, 2007



I don't usually have an obsessive personality but I am absolutely mesmerized by her [sexy] voice and I love her version of this song. I just can't seem to get enough of it.

Aug 31, 2007

You moron

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/08/30/audio-of-larry-craigs-bust-coming/

Glenn got a call today from a mother who actually defended the right to have sex in a public washroom. Even more amazing, she said if her own kids were approached for sex in a bathroom she would tell them not too worry, it was NOT a big deal.

Now, I'm no saint and there is no denying that I like to live audaciously on occasion AND play daredevil, heck, I've always fantasized about "the elevator" BUT you've got to know your limits and you've got to use your brain (which as we know, many lack).

This definitely makes a case for creating a parenting license. Seriously, this woman is annoying as hell and makes no sense at all. Poor Glenn!

Here's the transcript from the Glenn Beck's show.


GLENN BECK PROGRAM
BEGIN TRANSCRIPT

GLENN: Nicky in Bangor, Maine. You're on Glenn Beck program.

CALLER: Hi, Glenn.

GLENN: Hi, Nicky.

CALLER: What I found outrageous is I don't care if he solicited sex or not. What I found outrageous is that the police have nothing better to do than to stand in a bathroom waiting for someone to solicit sex from them. Are there not rapists and murderers and gangs out there that need to be dealt with

GLENN: You know, Nicky, I have to tell you something. If I am in a bathroom and I'm just a, you know, regular schmo and I'm going into a public space and I'm going into the airport and it is a and it's a rest room where gay men are having sex in it, that's something that the police should do. If I'm in a bathroom and straight people are having sex in it and it's known for a sex spot, why should I have to put up with that kind of behavior in a public space. Absolutely the cops should be there. You disagree?

CALLER: I disagree.

GLENN: You think you should have -- you should have a right to be subjected to people having sex in public spaces?

CALLER: I'm not saying that. I'm saying they have other things --

GLENN: What are you saying?

CALLER: I'm saying they have better things to do than to stand in a bathroom.

GLENN: Okay.

CALLER: An wait --

GLENN: I got it, Nicky, I got it. It's not like this is an isolated incident where they are just standing at any random bathroom. This is a bathroom that is notorious for people having sex in it. So do we just write this bathroom off and ignore the calls of complaints that have come in from people who are using the bathroom saying, this is disgusting; people are having sex in it. Do they just write it off and say, well, we have other things to do? Or do we go back to your other statement that says, no, I don't think I should be subjected to people having sex in public spaces? Which is it going to be for you, Nicky? Because you can only choose one.

CALLER: You know, but what I'm saying is don't the police have more things to worry about than --

GLENN: You have to answer my question, Nicky. You have to answer my question, Nicky. You have to answer my question. The question is --

CALLER: I don't care if they want to go out and have sex in the bathroom, you know? I don't care.

GLENN: Nicky -- okay. Then so you don't have a problem with being subjected with people having sex in bathrooms. So if you went into an airport and you had a couple of people that were having, you know, guy-on-guy, guy-on-women, women-on-women sex in the stalls next to you and you were flying and let's say you were flying with your children and your daughter had to go to the bathroom, you would say, I don't care that they're having sex; don't worry about it, honey. They're just people having sex, and you'd have no problem with it?

CALLER: Oh, so sex is illegal nowadays? Is it.

GLENN: Oh, my gosh, Nicky. Look at the hoops that you're jumping through to hold onto this idiotic argument of yours. Answer this question, Nicky. Yes or no. Your -- do you have children?

CALLER: Yes.

GLENN: Howell are they?

CALLER: 13 and 15.

GLENN: So your 13-year-old girl or boy?

CALLER: Boy.

GLENN: Do you fly anywhere ever?

CALLER: No.

GLENN: Let's just say you are going on vacation, you're going to Disneyland and you're in the airport and your 15-year-old daughter says, mom, I've got to go to the bathroom. And she goes to the bathroom and she goes into this bathroom at the airport and there's somebody in the bathroom, two women that are having sex with each other. And then somebody else, while your daughter is just minding her own business, somebody else slides their foot underneath the bathroom stall, rubs up against your daughter, looks at her through the crack, puts their hand underneath the stall, she leaves the bathroom, she comes out and tells you and you say to her what exactly, Nicky? You say, don't worry about it? It's their right to do that? Yes or no?

CALLER: A foot under a stall? I mean, --

GLENN: Yes or no, Nicky? Say don't worry about it, honey, it was just a foot under a stall, there were two women having sex in the bathroom, it was just a foot under a stall, somebody reaching out underneath and touching you, it's nothing to worry about, why are you complaining to me, it's their business? Yes or no? Is that your response?

CALLER: They're not soliciting for sex.

GLENN: Is that the response to your daughter, Nicky? Answer the question. Is that the response to your daughter, yes or no? Don't worry about it, honey; they weren't soliciting you for sex. It's their business if they want to have sex in there. Just do your business. Yes or no, that's what you say to your daughter?

CALLER: Yes, yes.

GLENN: You're a liar.

CALLER: No.

GLENN: You are a liar, Nicky.

CALLER: No.

GLENN: You are either that or you're a really bad parent.

CALLER: That's your opinion.

GLENN: Yes, it is. You're a really bad parent if you would send your 15-year-old into a room, in today's world, with everything that's going on. You let me ask you this. Let's see if you're also a sexist. If your 13-year-old son went into this rest room and there were two guys having sex and the -- your son comes out and says, there were two guys having sex in there, Mom, and then another guy looked through the door, made eye contact with me, then slid his foot underneath the door, reached his hand and tried to cop a feel at me, reached his hand out. Oh, my gosh, you then say to your 13-year-old son, nothing to worry about; they weren't soliciting you for sex. And if they want to have sex in that public bathroom, that's okay. Is that what you say to your son? Yes or no, Nicky?

CALLER: Yes.

GLENN: Oh, my gosh. Child molesters. Nicky, where are you from again? Bangor, Maine? You got yourself a parent that will close their eyes in Bangor, Maine. You know, sometimes all you have to do is provide people with rope. Here's the number. 888-727-BECK.

(OUT 10:45)

GLENN: Should we go back to Bangor, Maine and April? April, you're on the Glenn Beck, program.

CALLER: Hi, Glenn. I am absolutely appalled by Nicky.

GLENN: Yeah.

CALLER: I'm a home school mom and I live in the greater Bangor area and she's the kind of -- she's the reason why I guard my children like I do.

GLENN: You know what? Let Nicky be a lesson to all of us. That's exactly right.

CALLER: Right.

GLENN: There are just so -- you know what, there's a couple of things. First of all, I believe Nicky is the kind of person that if that actually happened to her daughter or son, she would be the first one that would go to the police, she would be the first one that would not -- that wouldn't stop at the police. She would be going to the airline and the airport and to an attorney and she would be suing these people for creating this kind of atmosphere and subjecting her son or daughter to that kind of nonsense in a bathroom.

CALLER: I agree. I agree 100%.

GLENN: Exactly right. Thanks, April. I want to play just this last question because this makes the quintessential point on why we're in the position that we're in. Listen to this and then I want to make a point. This is the last thing I said to her: If your 13-year-old son went into this rest room and there were two guys having sex and the -- your son comes out and says there were two guys having sex in there, Mom, and then another guy looked through the door, made eye contact with me, then slid his foot underneath the door, reached his hand and tried to cop a feel at me, reached his hand out, oh, my gosh, you then say to your 13-year-old son, nothing to worry about; they weren't soliciting you for sex and if they want to have sex in that public bathroom, that's okay. Is that what you say to your son? Yes or no, Nicky?

CALLER: Yes.

GLENN: Let me tell you something. She's lying here, either that or she's the dumbest person I've ever met. She's lying here and this is the quintessential problem with America. The problem with America today, and you can look at it from the Democrats or the Republicans, you can look at it all across the board at every level, in corporations, in families. People need their answer to be right. There is no room for, you've got to be right, you can't be wrong and so you will stick to that answer no matter how incredibly stupid and asinine it really is because your side has to be right. I made this point; I'm dying on that sword. Nicky, what a stupid sword to die on. We have got to start using our brains and when we start to see, "Oh, wait a minute, my answer is not right," you need to be able to stop and say, gosh, I'm sorry. Wow, I need to reconsider. I guess I was wrong here.

END TRANSCRIPT

Aug 29, 2007

What the bleep do we (k)now?


I have not been able to get to sleep till the wee hours. This morning I had difficulties getting up – not sure why since I got an abundant 3 hour sleep (grrr).

Vinnie learned recently how to use our espresso machine and this morning when I finally managed to crawl out of bed there was a little cup of freshly made ‘caffe’’ waiting for me. Awwww! It didn’t end there. As he hands me the cup he says to me: mamma, you want to just have a relaxing day today?

THANK YOU GOD;) Someone up there really does love me;)

We have been going non-stop for a while and having a lazy day seemed the best option and I accepted the offer before he could change his mind and ask me to get the bikes. After a brief stop at my moms to help her with some papers Vinnie and I headed to the library and then the grocery store.

Once home (16:00) Vinnie retired in his room for a bit; I left on as little clothes as possible because I’m such an exhibitionist and then headed to the patio holding my new book “Feynman’s Rainbow”. I have a book on hold that has been recommended several times in the past and as recently as just a few days ago and it makes perfect sense that when I finally decided to get it the library has no copies of it. So while I’m waiting for “state of Fear” I find myself taken by the views of life AND physics. Contrary of what you might think the book is not primarily about the fundamental laws of nature or quantum mechanics or electrons – if it was I wouldn’t be reading it. The discovery of uncertaininty. Physics is a bitch!

No, the book has a different kind of magic, a journey of the heart and mind.

Immersed in my reading I am suddenly distracted by the noise of the patio door sliding open only to see Vinnie appearing and armed of his own reading material: two Simpsons’ comic books.

We both sat outside in silence and read for over an hour. UNA FAVOLA.

and I read: “So spoke an honest man, the outstanding intuitionist of our age and a prime example of what may lie in store for anyone who dares to follow the beat of a different drum.”

BRILLIANT.


http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1530177