What's New Monday

It’s a new week and still not much to report on this end.  I am almost done with a small writing project I am working on.  Another 5,000 words and a thorough edit once and twice, should do it.  I also want to get finished up with my new horror story.  I got a bit sidetracked working on something else, but at least I am writing.  I’m not complaining a bit.

So what’ new this week? 

1.         The kitchen is progressing.  We have an empty room down to the walls.  We have 3 ½ of the 7 walls torn out.  We have dust and debris cleaned up for the moment.  All the cabinets and counter-tops and the sink are out.  This week the plan is to break up the tile flooring.  Finish tearing down the other 3 ½ walls.  Then I believe we are set to work on the new ceiling and the new drywall.  That’s the plan anyway.  Will we get it all done this week?  I’ll let you know.  I’m surviving the no kitchen ordeal pretty well.  Plus as there is no real way to fix anything quick, like a warm toasty bagel at 9:00 p.m., I’m thinking I may loose that pesky 6-8 pounds I have been complaining about lately.  So all in all we are in a good place with the kitchen this week.  How long with that last? 

2.         Started reading The Book Thief.  I’m only about 3-4 chapters in, but color me surprised, it’s being told from the point of view of…death.  That’s a POV I haven’t seen before and I am really liking it.  We will see what I think of the story after I get a bit further in.

3.         What did everyone think of the Sochi Olympics?  I didn’t get to watch it as much as I thought, but then again I don’t watch a lot of tv on a good day, however, I was not all that thrilled with the coverage.  It jumped around too much.  You never got to really finish a section. You’d get through to the final rounds of something and then the coverage would switch to something else.  It got annoying and tiresome right away.  I did get a kick out of all the accommodation tweets and posts and stories.  I would not have found it as funny if I’d had to live it, but seeing it from this side of the coin, it was funny.  Maybe we in the U.S.A. are more spoiled than we realized.  Ha!

Have a great weekend everyone.   

What's on my Mind?

I am waist deep in writing, but I wanted to do a quick check in.  See how everyone is doing.  As for me, this is what’s currently on my mind. 

1.                  Snow and Ice.  I gotta tell ya, I have had enough of if.  It has been freezing cold, snowing and icy since early November.  It’s now the later half of February and it has not let up for a moment.  I expect winter weather, but at this point, I can’t take much more of it.  It’s really starting to bum me out. 

2.                  I am trying to read at the very least one book a week right now.  I have a handful of books I picked up from the Half Priced Book Store, and I just hope they are good ones.  I used to read a book a day, and now it’s a struggle to find the time for one a week.  When did that happen? 

3.                  We (being my husband and myself) will be revamping our kitchen beginning next week.  I’m dreading this event.  It’s going to be 4-6 weeks of no kitchen…at all.  We are taking the room down to the studs, taking out one wall, and taking up the floor and ceiling.  We are really starting from scratch in that room.  A temporary “kitchen” is being set up in the garage that will house the fridge and the microwave, but I have severe misgivings about the process.  How can a family of 5 live for 4-6 weeks without a kitchen?  Without even a kitchen sink?  We will of course be eating out a lot more.  I will be stocking paper products so that there will be no real cleanup.  We will be using the grill instead of the oven where ever we can.  It’s going to be…fun?  Stay tuned; I am sure you will be hearing about this makeover for the next 4-6 weeks. 

4.                  Babies.  I have raised my share of children and have one left at home that is on her way to a full-fledged teenager.  Pray for me…  However, I have to admit, it’s very strange having a baby around again.  My grandson is the first boy baby I have been around for any length of time.  So far it’s not any different than my girls.  Yes, he’s bigger and heavier, but it’s all the same stuff.  Smiles, and giggles and even a few tears here and there, but all in all, it’s like riding a bike.  I got this.  Granted, it’s a bit easier as a gran, that it is as a mommy, as I am not “on” 24/7.  I get a few hours every week, and that is just enough time to play and have fun, and then give him back to mommy for all the hard stuff.  It’s nice.  I get to sleep through the night. I don’t have to deal with shots and doctors.  I get hugs and love and all the good stuff.  I kinda like this gran stuff. 

That’s where I am this week.  What’s on our mind?  

Farrow and Hoffman - What's the big deal?

It’s been a strange week news wise, at least from my perspective.  We had the death of Phillip Seymour Hoffman due to drug overdose and we had the open letter from Dylan Farrow to Woody Allen regarding his sexual abuse of her when she was a child.  These are two very different stories and yet both very tragic at the same time.

However, it bothers me all the media attention and events and play that these two stories are getting.  Why all the hype? 

If Joe Blow, down the street ODs on heroin, he doesn’t even warrant a story in the local paper.  He leaves behind a family and friends just as much as anyone else, but we don’t care in general.  We don’t even think about it.  He’s just another junkie off the street.  But we get an actor, someone famous, and we get a police investigation into where the drugs came from.  We get action, we get arrests (four is the current count).  Why does it have to be someone famous to get action on this war again drugs?  Why?  I don’t care who or what PSH was.  He was an addict that finally succumbed to his addiction.  It’s not news.  It happens every single day in this county and all over the world.  I’m sad for those he left behind, but then again I am sad for every single person that has to deal with this or live through it.  They don’t have to be famous for me to care. 

Then we have Dylan Farrow’s letter.  There is “PROOF” and “FACTS” both for and against this allegation all over the place: internet news, radio, tv, etc.  The reality is that no one knows what’s true or isn’t, but for Miss Dylan herself and Woody Allen.  The shear fact that so many are talking about her lies and her bitchery and how she is just a jealous vengeful woman is shameful.  How can we do that to a girl that is obviously screaming for help?  But then again, who knows why she waited until now.  Maybe its because no one listened to her before and its eaten away at her.  Maybe…maybe.  This is not a case for the media to decide.  It’s a case for the proper authorities to decide.  Are they still able too?  I don’t know what the statute of limitations on something like that is.  Maybe an open letter is not the way to go.  To me, it sounds like a desperate plea for someone to hear her.  But again I get stuck on the why do we all care so much about this one event?   If she weren’t famous would we even give it a second thought?  Some of us would.  Most of the others, wouldn’t.

Maybe we as a nation need to care about people.  All people. Not just the famous ones.  It might make this world a better place.  Maybe.