Rose Parade!!

I grew up in Southern California.. and to anyone from Southern California New Year's Day means ONE Thing (and no it's not the Rose Bowl)!! It means ROSE PARADE.. or more properly the Tournament of Roses Parade! This is such an awesome parade they named a football bowl after it!!

Every year on New Year's day (except when New Year's falls on Sunday) millions of people gather to watch the parade.. and honestly that's just on the streets of Pasadena, let alone those who watch it in TV. In our house, it's an almost sacred tradition. 

Now in the Midwest, we get HORRID TV coverage of it and the paraded gets cut off for various football games.. yeah can you believe it? But in California the parade actually loops all day long on some channels. Missed it the first time? No Problem it will be on again and again and again.. Of course today's commentators are such idiots they think we want to know about them, their kids, their opinions, their dogs, anything but the Parade which may be why viewing has been so bad over the past few years. *sigh* I will be forced to listen to Al Roker again this year and watch them NOT talk about the floats or the parade.. 

What people just don't realize is the precise planning and detail that is involved in each float. It takes hours and hours and hours of time to meticulously place each individual seed, every single part of the float MUST be covered in some sort of plant material. Do you get what that means? It is an awe inspiring process. I was lucky enough to work on the parade when I was in HS and College and loved every minute of it. 

My children grew up watching the parade with me and when Word Girl was about 8 or 9 she started asking if she could go out and work on the parade. When she was in the 8th grade she finally got the opportunity. My mom brought both Word Girl and PITA Boy out to do it. She went back two years later with a friend. Blond Girl has wanted to go for years but things keep interrupting her plans. But I am thinking she will get there eventually. It is a great tradition and something I think everyone should do if they get the chance!

This year no one is working it.. although Word Girl is out in California but we will still sit and watch the parade and yell at the stupid commentators and oooo and ahhhh at the gorgeous floats.. Even if it is a day late.

Happy New Year's ALL!!

Happy New Year

When I was a child, my grandma told me.. oh you have a babysitting job on New Year's eve.. that is wonderful!! She then said there was an expression that went something like.. whatever you are doing on New Year's Eve you will be doing all year long.. which meant.. cool you are working so you will have work all year..

The trouble is, that saying has stuck with me my entire life.. and every New Year's I struggle with it. If I am alone I go into a depression.. worried that I will be alone for the rest of the year.. If I am unemployed, I worry that I will not have a job... see the problem? 

Yes I know this was just a silly saying that Grandma said to me that was meant to encourage but nutcase that I am... somewhere, I took it deep into my heart and it comes out every New Year.. I am thrilled that the kids all have plans.. that means they will have plans and be surrounded by friends and or family for the entire year of 2012!!

Me I am here, working on my websites and chatting w/some authors that I have meant online.. now this might sound depressing but I have this theory.... I have been chatting w/some authors to help build up our base on Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy. So that is exciting to me, says our site will continue to grow!! And by chatting with the Authors it is opening up new areas for me. I am not suffering from some grand delusion but it seems to me that life is heading in an interesting new direction... Not sure WHAT direction but 2012 has such potential.. now let's just hope the world doesn't end in December cuz that would really suck.. You know, get something new and exciting going on in my life... then the world ends.. *grins*

But seriously, everyone.. have a HAPPY NEW YEARS!!

The Tournament of Roses Parade

Today is New Year's, in my house it always begins with the viewing of the Rose Parade. As child we would watch it all day long, my father had a fascination of it, as a teenager I was fortunate enough to work on a few floats, what fabulous experience.

When I left California and moved to Chicago I brought this tradition with me, of course having grown up with this parade, I do tend to be a parade snob.. I mean this is an awesome parade, the most amazing floats and the best of the best in marching bands.

My children have always enjoyed watching with me and two of my children have continued the family tradition and worked on a float. Cori once and Frankie twice and Remi hopes to venture West next year to participate. So as you can see we take this parade very seriously.....

What drives me nuts, is those that call it the Rose Bowl Parade.. it is not the Rose Bowl parade.. it came first and the folks at the parade were gracious enough to allow the bowl game to be named after the parade and then to allow them to participate... so if one were to be named after the other it should be the Rose Parade Bowl. Do not ask me why this annoys me but it does. I have been known to yell at newscasters, refuse to watch that broadcast ever again.. write letters to Jay Leno.. no one gets away with this mistake.

I know it is nuts, I mean I have a life, with much more important things to worry about but come every year this is what I watch for.. to see who knows the correct name of the parade. Sometimes even I think I may need help...

Sorry, had to get it out

New Year's Eve

Just wanted to make sure all of you take special care of yourselves tonight. I know most of us do not know anyone who has ever been injured or killed on such a night but there are those who don't take care. Who don't value their lives or the lives of others.

I have never lost anyone but this is one of my freaky worries. I don't let my kids drive.. I insist on picking them up.. Always an irksome detail for my oldest but I don't care. For me, one night a year isn't too much to ask. This is one of my presents.. deal with it...

Oh well have a great night and be safe...

As the Year Draws to an End

I know year end blogs are hokey.. well I have a secret for you all, so am I. But I find this year I must take the time to think about the past 12 months.

They have been, how can I put it best? oh yeah, wild, tumultuous, insane, heartbreaking, exhausting, difficult... the list goes on. As I am pretty sure it shows, it has been hard.

Yet through it all, we have survived, we are together and sometimes (on a good day) we actually like each other.

I have found focus, goals and dreams over the past few months. I have remembered that without the dreams the focus and drive are nothing.. yet too much of the dream can destroy you as well.

I am remembering who I was, yet loving who I am becoming.

I have learned to appreciate the laughter and acknowledge the tears for both are important

I have learned that I have value and the only way we loose it is if we give it away.

I have learned that it is ok to go one's own way.. actually the crime is in not going your way but another's..

So in actuality this year has been a very good one... now if I can just find a home and get the heck out of here..

Let There be Peace on Earth

and Let it begin with me.....

There you have it my Christmas wish and my New Year's Resolution all tied up neatly in one Christmas song..

As the Holiday approaches and all of my failings are brought forth (in my eyes) all I can think of is how to improve the next year. And I find that the best thing I can do is be a better person, have one more smile available when I don't think there is one, offer one more person a bit of help, listen to one more friend when they need to know someone cares... in short just give a little more of me..

Yes there are times when I feel pulled apart, going in to many directions but in the end I have to think about who I want to be.. and honestly I want to be the one who is there for a friend, who is known for her smile and kind words not the psycho lady who always has to be right (giggles which we all know I am)..

So, I am going to offer what peace I can this year.. I think in the end it is all I have to give.