March 25, 2004
'And the rain, rain, rain came down, down, down and piglet started swimming.' It's raining cats and dogs today and the puddle pile shows no sign of disappearing. My son wrote this and it made me smile. Hope it makes you smile too!
My Sister by Max
My sister is funny and some think she's batty
but I know my sister and she is bratty.
She goes in my room and messes things up
and she's a bad influence on our new pup.
She's obsessed with Barbie and girl stuff to play,
I think I would die if I played with her all day!
She annoys me and mommy and the whole family
so sometimes I'm forced to play with Brynnie.
But she can also be cute and sweet,
and she might sweep you off of your feet.
I love her all the time, don't you?
I'II bet ten bucks you'll love her too!
March 23, 2004
The phone rang and it was my good friend
Rosa on the other end, sounding exasperated and almost out of breath as if she
had just come in from a run. Turns out that she was wiped out and fed up from
a trying task. This task was booking a movie party for her son Erik. Sounds
easy enough right? Let your fingers do the dialing, talk with someone, pick a
date and pay the price. Well, pay the price she did. After getting tangled up
in 1-800 hell, the date that she had picked was taken. Rosa explained that she
had called in enough time and that it was at their end that the mess happened
but the rep insisted that they needed 5 business days to book the party. Is
there room for another party this weekend,” Rosa asked? I don’t know, I would
have to check with the theatre,” answered the rep. “Isn’t this the theatre,”
asked Rosa? It wasn’t the theatre and Rosa asked why she could not just book
over the phone now or go and book it in person. The answer was still that they
needed 5 days to prepare. Prepare for what I asked her? They’re going to pop
popcorn anyways and the film is going to show every few hours and I’m sure
that they have a few hundred extra gallons of cola available. Rosa decided to
call the actual theatre itself and was given another 1-800 number with a
recording saying to call the other 1-800 number she had just gotten off the
phone with if she wanted to book a party. Rosa couldn’t get anywhere there
either and said that she would like to place a complaint about the theatre’s
procedure for booking parties. She was told that she most certainly could and
would have to call another 1-800 number.
What started out as a simple movie birthday party reservation turned into the
ultimate Survivor challenge and in this case the movie theatre tribe won this
immunity challenge as they seem immune to what customer service and
satisfaction is all about.
I am happy to report that Rosa, her son and his friends will be bowling this
weekend!
Happy Birthday Erik!
March 19, 2004
Recently I wrote about Hollywood, the Oscars and whom I
would want to play the part of me in a film. So it was quite ironic when I was
asked for my autograph today. Now before you start rolling your eyes and
muttering under your breath about how this is just another marketing ploy or
hype generated by myself, give me a second. It wasn’t. It was a serious and
valid request which is what made it all that more odd. It was a bit
overwhelming at first because I didn’t know how to take it. Was this person,
whom I know but not that well, being funny, sarcastic or condescending even?
Or was this the real deal?
She had one of my recent articles clipped from the paper and gave me two pens
to pick from. She even asked me to put her first and last name on it. I picked
the blue pen over the black marker and obliged her request. By this time I had
realized that this was a sincere request and all of a sudden I felt kind of
nervous. I didn’t want to mess up her original copy by spelling something
wrong or not writing what she wanted. All this is running through my head as
pen hits paper. And then, I am excited, confident in my abilities as a writer,
if only for a few minutes! I smile and hand back the now autographed piece and
head on my way with a little extra spring in my step, promising myself that I
will never NOT sign autographs if I ever do amount to anything as a writer.
March 16
Caribbean Queen, are we sharing the same dream.....? While this song played during the 80's lunchtime request, I thought about my own Caribbean Queen, Anna. We went to boarding school together for grades 12 & 13 and that was her song! Anna hailed from Trinidad although her family had recently transplanted itself to Long Island, New York. One of Anna's claims to fame was that Ralph Machio from the Karate Kid, lived on her street. In true island tradition, Anna was laid back and always smiling. Innocent in several areas and refreshing in others. She had a crush on one of the handymen at our all girls boarding school and I will never forget the time when we arranged for 'Diamond Dave' to be in her room changing a light bulb when she came in from the shower. Moments like that were priceless and even better was that Anna took it all in stride.
Like many friendships, there were promises to keep in touch but geography got in the way. I know that Anna was out to save the world and help the less fortunate, planning a career in the field of social work. I hope that things turned out the way she wanted and if anyone runs into her on the streets of NYC can you tell her that I lost the suitcase that she lent me? No hard feelings right? You'll always be my Caribbean Queen.
March 12, 2004
Feeling better!
March 11, 2004
My calves hurt.....
March 10, 2004
How long does it take for an idea to become a reality? Tough question with no exact answer because it depends on what the idea is. For me, if I get an idea that involves chocolate, I usually react pretty quickly. If I want a Kit Kat chocolate bar, I am out the door to get one. But when it comes to exercise, working out, jogging or any other 'change your life or habit' ideas, I usually take awhile. Sometimes quite awhile. Six months to be exact. Yes, about six months ago I decided that I was going to investigate this new 30 minute workout concept. It seemed to be taking over with new centres opening up on every other corner. Quick Fit, Sure Fit, Ladies Fit, Curves and the list goes on. I call the concept fast food fitness and I dare any fitness guru about to open one of these to call it just that!
For those of you not familiar with it, fast food fitness works this way. You enter a small place with workout machines arranged in a pattern in an open room. Everyone (women only) works out together but on their own in a circuit fashion. The brochure at the one I tried says that the circuit works on a sprint/recover/sprint/recover format. The equipment consists of hydraulic-based strength stations and recovery stages on jogging squares and steps. All this in thirty minutes (or free if we are going with the fast food concept). I must admit that I was a little afraid of laughing while in there and maybe exhibiting other inappropriate behaviour but it didn't happen. It was a fun atmosphere with today's music playing and the only direction required was to move when the voice came on over the music. And, surprise, surprise, it can make you sweat. The great thing about this unique workout is that you control the intensity of your workout. When you work quick and hard, the resistance on the equipment is increased.
Anyway you slice it, I like it. It is a quick workout in the amount of time that I have available. The only thing quicker to a new me would be a drive-thru. I'll have to talk with the owner about that.......
March 1, 2004
'Everybody comes to Hollywood.' Hollywood sure looked great last night didn't it? Glowing Rene, refined Tim and always a knockout, Nicole. And while Julia did look a little Madonna-like, I am willing to overlook it because I love Julia. Last night's Oscars made me think about 'my life' coming to life on the big screen. Some writers dream about having their novels adapted to the big screen while others wouldn't hear of it and many specialize in writing for the big screen. It would surely be a coveted prize, to have my story told out loud and with pictures. So on the weekend I thought about who I would want to play me on the big screen. Who would you want to play you? It's your life story. My list includes Nicole Kidman, Andie McDowell and that younger actress with lots of spunk (can't remember her name), in Mona Lisa Smiles. I didn't pick fave star Julia because, well, she only really ever plays Julia and well, I'm not (unfortunately at times) Julia. So, think about it. If someone was writing a screenplay about your life, who would play little you, teen you, twenty-something you and you now and in the future? Play this game with me, it's fun!