Uncategorized Archives - Page 7 of 26

I’m reminded of the song…

As I start this BB (Buddha Balboa) journey in blog form, I hear the old tune Donny & Marie (yes, that would be of Osmond fame…insert eye roll here) would sing on their weekly entertainment show. “I’m a little bit country…and I’m a little bit rock and roll…” etc, etc…which would lead the duo into singing songs from their particular musical genre, Marie’s being Country, and Donny’s Rock and Roll.

I see life that way – a little bit of this and a little bit of that. A pinch of this and smattering of that. It’s a recipe for a complete life.

Life is not perfect. Nor does it ever pretend to be. We have our Buddha moments – in peace and enlightment, and we have our Balboa times, when fighting the battle is the only way through. But how amazing is that? How lucky are we to FEEL….to have emotions that allow us to experience incredible joy and also shed tears of sadness? One does not exist without the other.

I embrace Buddha and Balboa as my guides.

And as far as music goes, I’m an eclectic – I’m a little bit country and little bit rock and roll. (Oh be quiet.)

Rockster

My fish died in the beginning of October…I woke up to find he was gone to the big fish cloud in the sky. It made me really sad. Yes, although he was “just” a fish, he was important to me. He was there when I came home at night, a constant in my life. I talked to him, said goodbye to him, told him to behave as I walked out the door (not that he could wreak much havoc in his bowl.) But he came into my life when I needed him…and he comforted me in his simple way.

I buried him in cotton in a park next to me…so that I may say hello as I walked by. So that I may always be reminded of him and this period in my life.

Rocky rocked.

Hooray for Gay

I wrote a great piece on the new gay marriage law and my damn computer didn’t save it as I was blogging….so I’m pissed off…because my thoughts come to the page and then are gone. Damn technology.

So instead of trying to re-create, I will be brief.

I’m happy for this piece of history making legislation. And that’s what it is – legislation. It doesn’t mean the whole religious right is going to suddenly embrace the notion of gay marriage…or that Catholic churches will fling open their doors welcoming such unions in their halls of worship. That will not happen. And that’s ok. Because that’s not what this law is about. It is not about morality it is about legality. Whether you are for or against, it is about providing the people of this country the same rights under the law. We are a nation of equals – that is our very foundation. That no one will be prejudiced against because of race, religion or creed. And within that, should also be included sexual orientation.

Marriage is a legal construct…a contract. It is the marriage of property. Yes, it is about love and commitment of course, but it is about legal rights, equal protection under the law. Why should not 2 committed people in a relationship, regardless of their gender, not be allowed to protect themselves and their partners in the eyes of the law? If we want to talk about morality, that’s what we should be discussing. Being morally kind and respectful of each others personal belief systems even if they don’t mesh with our own.

Most of the resistance to this legislation is ultimately based in fear and misunderstanding. When we don’t understand something, we tend to turn our nose’s down at it…to ridicule and hide. But gay marriage is not a curse that will wash over the straight community – that will in any way threaten the strength of heterosexual marriage. Marriage is a bond between two people – straight or gay – it makes no distinction.

I am pleased. That politics, for one small moment, got out of the way and allowed the voices of everyday citizens to be heard and recognized. That is what true freedom is.

I Heart NY

There’s a new book out I saw on a morning news program – 101 Reasons to Leave New York. I get it – most New Yorker’s do – that at one time or another we contemplate the notion of getting the hell out of here…away from the crowds, the noise, the constant barrage of life unfolding.

But my immediate response was the opposite – 101 Reasons to Stay in New York. I scribbled notes. I love this city – and want to defend her insanity. I’m writing this book.

1. It’s 3am and I need glue.
Can you say that in Idaho? Let’s say I’m working on building my kid’s dollhouse or my heel just broke off my favorite shoes and I want to wear them to work in the morning. I can stroll out my door and find a store open with glue. I can find a bar, a club, a deli, a gourmet restaurant and a train station all open at 3am. It’s not the end of the night here…it’s the dawn of a new day.

2. Raise your hand if you’re drunk.
You’re out for drinks with colleagues and some friends text you to meet them downtown. You continue your night, fueling yourself with greasy bar snacks and one too many shots of Patron. You’re tired and have to get up in the morning for a 9:30 conference call. So what do you do? Raise your hand, you’re drunk….and hail a cab. Slur your words to the driver (he’s used to it) and find yourself tucked in bed in a jiffy.

3. Dress codes are for sissy’s.
When it comes to dressing the part, nobody does it like New York. From tutu’s to tata’s, whatever you feel like baring gets bared. Style is a matter of taste and culture. One person’s fashion faux pas is another’s fashion trend. And we’ve seen it all here – from the Naked Cowboy in his tightie whities in Times Square to Lady Gaga’s meat dress. But I still don’t get the hip urban pants being held up by the belt around the knees look…I guess the penguin walk is in.

4. You actually live here!
It is impressive. When you tell someone outside of New York that you live here, it’s usually met with “Really, that’s cool.” You ARE cool. You live in one of the greatest cities in the world. You walk down these streets, go to work, raise your kids, brave the seasons and come in contact with perhaps thousands of people every day. Give yourself a pat on the back.

5. Everywhere else is cheap
Happy hour prices are the like hitting the lottery – did you say only $5 for that beer? $8 for that glass of wine? Wow, when did I get so lucky? The high cost of living in New York gives us a strong appreciation for everything cheap. The mortgage on our studio apartment is equivalent to owning a small mansion in the midwest. The cost of a can of PAM cooking spray in D’Agostino’s is the same as an all-you-can-eat buffet in Redding, Pennsylvania. Taking your family out to dinner anywhere outside of New York is less than a full day’s pay. When I go to Virginia, I have this strong urge to shout out at the diner, “Hey everyone, your grilled cheese is on me!”

More reasons to come….