To Be or Not to Be...

Isn't that the question?  Hamlet pondered this complex idea while contemplating suicide.  Individuals who have studied the play know that his famous lines were about his struggle with the death of his father and the betrayal of his uncle.  He did not know whether to avenge his father's murder or just end his own life.  Such a powerful tragedy...

Those who have NOT been blessed with this literary jewel in their reading repertoire usually think the famous lines refer to living life to the fullest or just existing.  I, for one, believe that "to be" is the answer.  Life can be so mundane, but it can hold such wildness and intrigue.  You have a choice...either settle or live....pretty much the same choice that Shakespeare gave Hamlet....more or less.  Yes, we all have responsibilities - jobs, families, obligations, bills - BUT that should not stop you from throwing caution to the wind.

Have you ever played in the warm, summer rain with your kids?  I love it!!!  Their contagious laughter warms my heart and soul.

When is the last time you really stopped and smelled the roses?  My husband does all the time.  He loves roses and is very good at growing them.  It doesn't matter what he is doing; he will literally stop and inhale the sweet scent of a rose.

Are you spontaneous?  Spontaneity is the honeysuckle of life.  A small taste will leave you wanting more, but it is the sparsity of it that makes it so inviting.

Hamlet is an intense drama that ends in death, but isn't that our fate as well?  No one can live our lives for us, so we need to make the best of EVERY day, for we never know when it will be our last.

What's in a Name?

Christopher Connor Allen. 

I named my oldest son after my cousin, Christopher Allen Dutton.  12 years ago when I was pregnant with Connor, I asked my Aunt Vic if it would be okay to name my baby Christopher if it was a boy.  I told her that we would call the baby Connor, but I wanted him to have the name. 

Chris was a huge chunk of my heart.  We were born nine days apart, and we loved each other more like brother and sister than cousins.  When he drowned 15 years ago, my heart shattered into pieces, but I don't want to dwell on his physical absence....I prefer to explain why I feel his legacy lives on in my son.

Connor and I have always had a special bond, and I think a huge part of that is due to Chris.  When Connor was little, he didn't have a security blanket...he slept with a flannel shirt....Chris' shirt.  It kind of freaked me out at first that he chose that shirt of all things, but I loved the idea that he wanted THAT shirt.  I knew from that moment on that Chris would be with me every day through the presence of my son.

There are so many things I could write about Connor because I am a very proud mother who likes to brag on all her kids...his athleticisim, intelligence, and etc.  Yesterday he and I were sitting on the couch while I was writing, and I showed him my blog.  He said he would like to put something on my blog, and I told him to go for it.  This morning I woke up to find this entry:

FRIENDSHIP

Friendship is a way of life.  It soothes the human soul in a fire never extinguished.  It comes in many shapes and sizes.  It exists in people's homes, schools, and families.  We work together like family members helping in the kitchen.  To be a friend you have to be like a true friend.  You need a pack of wolves to not be a lone wolf.  Friendship needs to be in everyone's life.  Why not you?

I love it.  It is raw, young writing that can blossom as he grows.  I can't wait to see where this road leads.  And although Chris wasn't a writer, I am (however amateur it may be), and it brings tears to my eyes to see our hearts joined in Connor.

 

Thoughts and Jots

Although I have been very busy lately, I haven't been very busy lately.  Ah, the paradox of life!  School is out for the kiddos, but the masterminds who instruct the little darlings are left behind.  That's right, Bush....LEFT BEHIND!!!  So, my mind is in a different state of "busy."  I'm as bad as the students as far as wanting to get out and play for the summer....so much fun ahead and so much work!

June will be full of workshops and agendas, but we will also throw in some camping, fishing, and road trips!!!  All work and no play makes this woman cranky!

Two weeks of July will be filled with Ricky and I traveling to England and Ireland....I CAN'T WAIT!!!  I'm going to miss my kids as always, but the traveling just renews my spirit and soul.  Something I desperately need....

The Universal Love of Coffee

Coffee is one of my best friends in the world!  It lifts me up when I am down and comforts me in times of stress and times I would rather not mention in a public blog.  Almost everyone I know is in love with coffee.  And the love of it does not stop at the American borders...oh no...it is universal, baby!

It seems like almost everyone is a slave to this little concoction.  In Mexico they usually drink Nescafe instant coffee.  The coffee in Italy and France is so potent that one sip of the thick sludge will have you pumped for hours.  If you happen to find yourself in Europe, ask for AMERICAN coffee...guess we aren't as tough as the Italians and French.  Haitian coffee is also amazingly strong....I'm beginning to think the Americans need to toughen up a bit.  When I was in Haiti eight years ago, they didn't have coffee shops/cafes.  Women sold the coffee from huge pots (like we cook soup/stew in) on the streets and ladled it into a cup....in fact this was the "profession" of Peyton's birth mom.

Ethiopia + Kaldi Legend + Goats = COFFEE!!!  Kaldi, a goatherder from Ethiopia, was chilling with his goats and noticed them eating certain berries from a tree.  After indulging in the berries, the goats would be bouncing off the walls.  Kaldi applied some deductive reasoning and came to the conclusion that the berries were powerful.  He reported this finding to his superiors (aka...some monks), and they in turn told the Arabs.  Everyone was stoked because the "brew" they created kept them awake for prayers and such.  You see, alcohol was banned by the Koran, but coffe was not....guess the Muslims haven't figured out that caffeine is a drug...just a legal one for all ages.  (We will keep that our secret...) 

We were the last ones to discover this awesome revelation....probably the reason our coffee is so weak.  The process has been filtered through many cultures, and we received the bottom of the barrel.  Oh well, I love it, love it, LOVE IT!!!!!  Cream and sugar with my cup of Joe, please....or if you want to be super nice, bring me a vanilla latte from Starbucks, and I will love you forever!!!

Source:  http://www.ncausa.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=68

Unique Redheads

Started thinking about the power of redheads today...you know, since I AM one.  Less than FOUR percent of the world's population has red hair!!!  4%!!!!  The blondes and brunettes are a dime a dozen, but the redheads are the rarest of jewels!  I knew we were unique, but check out some of these facts:

1.  We will never get gray hair...YES!!!!!
2.  Red hair is a genetic mutation...meaning it was a beautiful "oops."
3.  Most redheads live in Ireland, England, and Australia...hence the reason I need to move!
4.  It takes 20% more drugs to sedate us for surgery...that was proven during my "surgery" after Reese.
5.  In the early 30's, 40's, and 50's there was a WOMEN'S basketball team called the redheads...for obvious reasons! 
6.  Eve had red hair!!!
7.  Redheads used to be seen as witches, but we now know the "w" in that word has been replaced with a "b."
8.  Hitler banned the marriage of two redheads because he thought they would produce "deviant offspring!"  What a freaking hypocrite!!!
9.  In France, being a redhead puts you on a pedestal.
10.  We happen to get stung by bees more often....that is why I always try to show love to the bees...
11.  If I believed in Greek mythology, I would become a vampire when I die.

Crazy stuff, right?  More facts exist, but I try to keep this blog as family friendly as possible, so you guys will have to do your own research to learn more about the power of redheads.

Break the Monotony

About eight years ago I was diagnosed with an addictive personality.  Although I could dwell on the negative side, I prefer to ponder the positive side of this "disease."

Adventure is my biggest addiction.  I was never one for the rat race of life....never wanted to go with the flow....not my style.  I truly believe that God did not intend for human beings to just exist in this world....He wants us to live life and experience all that He has set forth for us. 

Have you ever been to Italy?  Words do not give justice to its beauty nor the scrumptious food that teases the pallate with every bite.  And the churches?  I was born and raised Baptist, but when I stepped into the most gorgeous Catholic church in Milan, it took my breath away....literally.  I felt His presence of peace like no other...God's omnipotent power wraps around you like a familiar blanket.  And I felt the same feeling in almost every church we visited....I had never experienced that before in any church.

Venice was a maze of "water streets," and it portrayed a unique life like no other.  Florence.  Ah, Florence cannot escape any artist's eye due to the elegance and charm seeping from its core.  Verona.  Verona will always remain my favorite due to Romeo and Juliet.  It is a smaller town with a huge history, and it just blushes with love and adoration.  Verona can be described as an elegant woman who does not realize the beauty she possesses....humble beauty is the most powerful of all.

So many adventures await us all....the world is not contained within the United States.  And, yes, Italy and Paris were absolutely astounding but spending nine weeks in Haiti humbled me for eternity.  Adventure doesn't have to be about spending tons of money.  Adventure is supposed to be about educating yourself about the world and in the process finding out new things about yourself.

Grab a backpack.  Book your ticket.  And get the heck out of dodge.  If you want some advice on how to travel cheaply, email me.  It doesn't take an arm and a leg to bring some life into your existence.

Metaphorical Bridges

Writer's block.  What the heck?  Usually I can flow with ease...usually my hands can't type fast enough to keep up with my mind, but now my thoughts are just jumping back and forth....feels like someone is playing ping pong with my brain.

Bridges keep popping to my mind, so maybe the ping pong game will cease for a bit.

I firmly believe that friendship bridges are essential to life.  Where would anyone be without friends?  Lonely planet is where they would call home.  Just like physical bridges, friendships have to be constructed on a solid foundation.  Trust is that foundation.  Break the trust and you have just burned the bridge, and some bridges and friendships take years to build.  Constructing a bridge is like building a relationship.  If planned and constructed carefully, it will last for numerous years.  BUT if any defects exist in the foundation, the structure will weaken the flawed bridge over time, and eventually it will come crashing to the ground.  Sound familiar with the trust factor?  Ever been betrayed by a friend?  Have YOU ever betrayed someone?  It is a sick feeling that weighs heavily on one's heart.  Those friendship bridges are created with the nails of love.  Love and trust go hand in hand, and those bridges will sustain you through the hardest of times and have you rolling in the floor laughing your ba-donka-donk off during the good times.

Do your best not to burn any bridges...just shower those friends with love!!!

Just Can't Do It

I have started this blog numerous times today, and I just can't do it.  I can't write.  My mind hurts because my heart is in pain.  My childhood buddy...no, my brother, will be buried tomorrow.  The sorrow hangs on me like a weighted cloak....my shoulders slump, my muscles ache, my head pounds.

And if I feel this way, what about Shellye, Laura, and Loretta?  What about their children?  How many lives did Bobby Jack Hunt, Jr. actually touch?  Thousands?  Tens of thousands?  Hundreds of thousands?

Depression will not allow me to attend the funeral.  It will twist my mind and body and render me lifeless.  Closure does not come for me at funerals, for the memories live on forever.  I will honor Bobby in my own way and keep his memory alive through stories and laughter.  As long as I am alive, Bobby Jack Hunt, Jr. will never be forgotten.

Ad Worthy

It just thrills my heart to know my blog is ad worthy of Playtex Tampons! 

Is it because I am female?  No.
Because I have daughters?  Nope.
Maybe because it is random?  Nah.

The ads are supposed to be based on my material in my blog....hmmmmm....I guess Jameson's misunderstanding of the word POM POM has me marked for tampon ads for the rest of my blogging career!  Woohoo!  The ironic thing is that every time I say "tampon," I will receive more ads on "feminine products." 

Reckless mind +  vastly shallow vocabulary = a whole new craziness to Lady Loca's World!!!

I can't stop laughing.....

A New Look on Pigs

(A disclaimer for my son's use of vernacular in this post....I SURELY did not teach him to speak in this manner.)

My husband should have been a teacher.....very patient and knowledgeable in every aspect of life. He absolutely adores teaching my kids (and everyone else who wants to learn), and THAT is one of the things I adore about him........99% of the time.

Now let's discuss the other 1%.  And, yes, it involves Jameson.

A few weeks ago, Jameson and Connor were riding with Papa Ricky in his car while I was riding with the girls (and my new 16 year old chauffer, Brooklyn).  We were "sharing" the five blessings of our life with Hubba and Gramsy while we spent a little quality time on our anniversary.  Little did I know that Papa Ricky would pick this time to educate my boys on pigs.  It went a little something like this:

The boys and Papa Ricky were discussing hog hunting. 

Papa Ricky:  "Yes, when I was younger, my dad would get a pig.  We would cut off his balls and fatten him up."

Connor was busting a gut laughing while Jameson had a perplexed look on his face. 

Jameson:  "So, Papa Ricky, all the fat people don't have balls?"

Oh, now both Papa Ricky and Connor were about to cry from laughing so hard.  Papa Ricky had to explain the whole concept to Jameson, and I think the light bulb eventually did come on....however dim it might have been.

Papa Ricky went on to explain that what was said in the car was "boy talk" and did not need to be discussed with anyone else....especially their three sisters and Gramsy!!!

Jameson Blaise Pierre Allen:  My Muse

Bobby Jack

Thousands of heavy hearts awoke to a cloudy morning.  I usually love these days, but today I am finding it extremely hard to smile.  A light was extinguished yesterday, and no one will ever be able to replace Bobby Jack Hunt.  Sadness and depression could be my constant companions right now, but I know without a shadow of a doubt that if Bobby was sitting right here beside me, he would be cracking jokes....and probably talk about farting!

"I am ready to meet my Maker.  Whether my Maker is prepared for the ordeal of meeting me is another matter." - Winston Churchill 

Is this a quote for Bobby or what?  I can only imagine what he said to God when he made it to the gates of Heaven.  Probably went something like this:

Bobby:  "Knock, knock"
God:  "Who's there?"
Bobby:  "Bobby."
God:  "Bobby who?"
Bobby:  "Bobby Jack Hunt."
God:  "Bobby Jack Hunt who?"

I truly believe God has a sense of humor, and I am sure He and  Bobby are laughing so hard about, well, everything while Joy sits there shaking her head and saying, "BOBBY JACK!" 

I am going to miss Bobby with every ounce of my being.  After Bundy's funeral, he lightened the mood significantly!  I think most of us were still in such shock and pain, and Bobby, being Bobby, had us all laughing so hard that we were just about peeing our pants!!!  No one else in this world could do that....just Bobby.

I love you, Bobby.

Definition of Happiness

Let's pretend I am a shrink for all of about 2 minutes.  This profession truly enjoys using word association games which are pretty easy....or at least it seems to be a simple task for the patient.  They basically give you a word, and you say the first thing that comes to mind.  For example, he/she may say dog.  You say cat.  Very simple.

Here we go:  I say happiness, and you say....Money?  Family?  Friends?  Impossible?

Reality = happiness for me.  Debby Doss (a strong, amazing woman and my ex-mother-in-law) once gave me the best advice I have ever received.  She said, "You can't be happy with anyone else until you are happy with yourself."  THAT is the  REALITY of HAPPINESS!  I am a realist, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.  There have been numerous times when I have wished to be more like my mother and be able to sprinkle sunshine every place I go.  Positive vibes ooze from her every pore, and that is why I think she is an earthly angel.  BUT God created me differently, and I embrace my differences.

Am I full of happiness all the time?  Nope, but I am happy and extremely blessed.  I'm sure I looked like something that crawled out of Dante's Inferno for quite a few years due to a few rough roads I traveled.  BUT now I have so many people telling me how happy I look....well, that just makes me grin from ear to ear!  The reality is that I found happiness within myself, and I share it with my wonderful husband and kids! 

How do you find happiness within yourself?  Dig, baby, dig!  Here are a few of my guidelines:
1.  God must be the foundation - NO EXCEPTIONS!
2.  Don't take anyone you love for granted
3.  Pick your battles
4.  Love your kids, spouse, family, and friends unconditionally
5.  Take risks
6.  Have no regrets

Now, how are YOU going to apply this to your life?

The Importance of Pronunciation

Jameson.  I love my son SO much, and I really believe he is going to provide a tremendous amount of material for my writing (well, he and Reese).

Yesterday I was sitting in the bathroom watching Reese take a bath and "make me some coffee" with her bath water.  Jameson was in the process of collecting all the trash in the house (his contribution to the chore load).  As he was bringing in the bathroom trash can, he said, "Mom, do you have anymore tampons?"  No, surely my 12 YEAR OLD SON did NOT just ask me for tampons..."Jameson, what did you just say?"  "Do you have some tampons?"  I still thought my years of blaring music into my ears deceived me, so I asked him to repeat it a THIRD time.  Again, "Uh, I was wondering if you have tampons?"  So, I finally asked him, "Jameson, why do you need tampons?"  He said, "I want to give them to Reese to play with." 

I will give you a few minutes to let that one sink in....thoroughly....

I had to ask him what he thought a tampon was because I was just sitting there looking dumbfounded at his request!  He replied, "You know so she can use them to cheer."  OOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!  I tried so hard not to laugh, but I just couldn't help it!  He wanted POM-POMS!!! 

I briefly fiddled with the idea of explaining the difference, but Jameson would need a whole day for the information....8 pm at night was not the right time to explain all of THAT!!!!

Vernacular

An elementary teacher friend of mine sent out an email asking for our favorite word for her class project.  Believe it or not, I really struggled with this assignment.  My favorite word?  I usually have 3 - 4 books going at one time, so choosing one word for my favorite is like trying to choose a favorite snowflake.

Personally, my most beloved word is faith.  I adore this word so much that I even had it tattooed on the inside of my left wrist.  Of course, my friend and I teach in a public school, so I have to leave God out of the equation.  BOO!!!  We will save this topic for another day....

Vernacular.  My favorite (noncontroversial) word is vernacular.  It is a cool word for "slang," and I enjoy it because every language on earth has its own vernacular.  Spanish has numerous dialects throughout the world...just depends on which country you happen to call home for the day. 

Dante Aligheri is the perfect example for the explanation of this amazing word.  Dante wrote The Divine Comedy (which includes the famous Inferno), and in turn basically created the beautiful Italian language spoken today in the elegant country of Italy.  During Dante's time, numerous dialects were spoken in Italy, and it was extremely difficult for the multitude of areas to communicate.  So, instead of writing in Latin and following the road of all the other writers, he jumped outside the box and created the Italian language in the process.  I LOVE Dante!!!  What a genius!!!!

 

A Few Love Nuggets

Cloudy days with the potential for rain.  Inhaling the scent of my kids after their baths.  Laughing until my side hurts.  The adrenalin rush of riding a crotch rocket. 

These are just a few of the things in my world that I love.